Content about Arkansas

Another quality regional drug chain is about to be a memory.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores said in an emailed statement that the co-heads of its technology unit, @WalmartLabs, are leaving the company.

Venky Harinarayan and Anand Rajaraman, who ran the 200-person unit in San Bruno, Calif., are taking some time off from the industry, according to the statement. The pair took the helm of @WalmartLabs when the retailer bought their company Kosmix last year.

Wal-Mart said the rest of the technology team will remain intact.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Pringles has teamed up with the United Service Organizations this Memorial Day to honor the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.

As part of its "Taste of Home" campaign, Pringles said it will support the USO by delivering than 43,000 free cans of Pringles to USO Centers, which will be distributed to troops deployed around the world in appreciation of their service. What's more, specially wrapped Pringles cans will be sold at Walmart stores nationwide.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and Sam's Club will be among the first retailers to offer a generic version of an antiplatelet drug.

Clopidogrel, the generic version of Plavix, will be available at both banners pharmacies on May 19. The patent for the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi drug officially expires Thursday.

CHICAGO — The Network of Executive Women is honoring Mike Duke, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, with its William J. Grize Diversity Hall of Fame Award, on June 28 during Women's Day at the LPGA in Rogers, Ark. The award, named after the late CEO of Ahold USA, who was an early advocate of industry diversity, is bestowed upon industry leaders who have demonstrated "an enduring commitment to the advancement of women and to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace," NEW announced.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club will host a supplier fair this week in Bentonville, Ark., through the company's supplier diversity program.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that Google's VP local and maps Marissa Mayer will be up for election to the board at the company's annual shareholders' meeting on June 1. If elected, Mayer would become the 16th member of the board.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is offering free screenings for brain health at all of its stores that operate pharmacies this month, the retailer said Friday.

The company, which has performed more than 1 million health and wellness screenings at it stores since 2011, said it would offer the screenings on April 14 for members and the public, including a memory test and educational materials on Alzheimer's and dementia provided by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, as well as body mass index, blood pressure and glucose tests.

CINCINNATI — Kroger announced that Tim Brown now will be responsible for stores in western Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri as president of the company's Delta division.

Brown, 52, has been VP operations in the company's Delta division, based in Roanoke, Va., since 2011; before that, he served as the Mid-Atlantic division's VP merchandising since 2009.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Two lawmakers are calling for a congressional hearing surrounding the role of pharmacy benefit managers in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club is taking its promotion of health-and-wellness solutions further by launching its own branded, bimonthly magazine.

Sam' Club said its 8-million member circulation magazine, Healthy Living Made Simple, is the first warehouse club publication solely dedicated to health-and-wellness issues. Topics covered by the publication include items related to personal, child and pet health. Future issues will spotlight local Sam’s Club pharmacists, optometrists and associates, as well as members’ stories, Sam's Club said.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In honor of American Heart Month, Sam's Club announced it will be hosting free heart health screenings on Feb. 11 at all locations with a pharmacy.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., members and guests can receive total cholesterol, HDL, glucose, body mass index and blood-pressure tests for free. During the screenings, Sam's Club pharmacies also will offer free samples of related items, the company said.