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In an effort to tap into the minds of some of the industry's top executives, Drug Store News recently sat down and talked with some of these leaders in a multipart executive viewpoint video series.

This powerful series, sponsored by Pfizer, is comprised of five different on-camera executive interviews that are a must see for anyone working within the retail pharmacy industry.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Walmart opened a new small-format store on the campus of Arizona State University as part of a pilot program, the mass merchandise retailer said.

The company opened the 5,000-sq. ft. store in the Vista del Sol plaza at the university. The store includes health and wellness services, a pharmacy, convenient shopping services, convenience items and merchandise tailored to the campus. The Walmart on Campus store is the second in the country, the first having opened at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in January 2011.

Walmart last fall partnered with HumanaVitality on the Vitality Healthy Food program, where members earn Vitality Points for getting active, losing weight and eating healthier. Those Vitality Points can be redeemed on more than 600,000 rewards, including movie tickets and merchandise.

As part of that, HumanaVitality members have been given a card that collects 5% in savings for select products featuring Walmart's "Great for You" icon. The savings can be applied to a future Walmart visit.

NEW YORK — A national campaign launched by heath and environmental groups is targeting 10 major retailers to encourage them to remove from their shelves products that contain potentially hazardous materials.

PHILADELPHIA — Walmart customers will enjoy a cool reason to shop at the mass merchandise company this summer as Mini Melts ice cream automated kiosks rollout nationwide.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to serve Walmart customers throughout the United States, by not only providing a premium ice cream product, but by doing so consistently with Walmart's low-price philosophy," said Dan Kilcoyne, president of Mini Melts USA.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Late last year, Walmart rolled out the pilot program for a new mobile initiative called "Scan & Go" to 70 stores in the Atlanta and Bentonville, Ark. areas, where the company is based. Now, the mass merchandise retailer is expanding the program after a successful test run.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart saw a diminutive 1% increase in same-store sales at U.S. stores, but beat analyst estimates and delivered better-than-expected fourth-quarter profits, the company announced Thursday.

Walmart said total sales increased 3.9% to $127.1 billion compared to $122.3 billion last year. Without the benefit of a favorable currency exchange situation, sales would have increased a lesser 3.7% to $126.8 billion. Full year sales increased by 5% to $466.1 billion compared to last year’s total of $443.8.

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson is shopping its women's health unit, according to a report Friday in The Wall Street Journal, which suggested that the business no longer coincided with J&J's "growth priorities." 

The brands managed by the unit include intimacy health KY and women's personal care brands, o.b. tampons and Stayfree and Carefree pads. 

TYSONS CORNER, Va. — More than 80% of Americans are willing to pay more for Made in the USA products, according to a USA Today report published online late Monday night. 

Out of those shoppers actively seeking to buy all things American, 93% reported that they wanted to keep jobs in the U.S. as their primary reason for doing so, the report noted, citing a survey released in November by Boston Consulting Group.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — More than a dozen executives in Walmart’s merchandising organization, including several with key healthcare responsibilities, will begin the new fiscal year with different responsibilities following a restructuring announced on Thursday.

An internal announcement from Duncan Mac Naughton, Walmart’s chief merchandising and marketing officer detailed the moves involving executives with responsibilities for food, consumables, health and wellness, general merchandise, merchandise execution and private label.

NEW YORK — Wall Street on Wednesday celebrated the "fiscal cliff" compromise as stocks across the board were trading up by some 200 basis points. As of noon, the Dow was up 1.7% and Nasdaq 2.3%. 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — With the holiday season now underway, Walmart has started announcing the winners of its second annual "12 Days of Giving" campaign.

On Dec. 10, its first day of giving, Walmart awarded $100,000 to 10 nonprofits for their work to feed hungry children in local communities. The gift is part of the more than $1.5 million that Walmart will give away to 140 grant recipients in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. over the next 12 days.