Content about chief merchandising officer

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is offering customers an early, exclusive preview of its Black Friday specials.

Customers that sign up at Walmart.com for Walmart's Facebook page will be able to view top assortments across a variety of categories. Walmart also will hold an early holiday sale beginning Nov. 5.

Walmart recently announced it was bringing back its Christmas layaway program.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In her new role as president and CEO of Walmart Canada, Shelley Broader will be tasked with addressing new competition from Target and other retailers expanding into Canada. Broader, who joined Walmart Canada in 2010 as chief merchandising officer, will assume her new role, effective immediately.

Prior to Walmart, Broader held a range of key positions with Michael's and Hannaford Bros., as well as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

TORONTO — Katz Group Canada, Canada’s largest integrated retail pharmacy network, has appointed Ken Keelor as chief merchandising officer, effective immediately. Keelor will oversee all merchandising and marketing functions for the Rexall family of pharmacies.

Keelor joins the organization from Sobey’s, a national multibanner grocery chain, where he held a number of executive positions during his 10 years with the company, most recently VP private-label procurement and global sourcing.

PITTSBURGH — GNC on Tuesday continued its management makeover with the promotions of Jeffrey Hennion and Darryl Green and the announced resignation of COO David Berg.

The specialty retailer last week named Thomas Dowd, a 22-year GNC veteran, the company’s chief merchandising officer following the departure of Beth Kaplan, former president and chief merchandising officer. It also was announced last week that GNC CEO Joe Fortunato would assume the role of president.

It has been a challenging few years for Walmart among ongoing sales difficulties, restructuring of senior leadership and the pursuit of a new, yet familiar, strategic direction. Despite all the turmoil and the constant media attention it received, Walmart’s health-and-wellness business unit remained a steady performer through 2010.


DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens in March expanded Joseph Magnacca’s role. As president of daily living products and solutions, Magnacca — the former Shoppers Drug Mart vet who as chief merchant of Duane Reade proved instrumental in the reinvention of the New York drug store chain — will oversee Walgreens’ marketing and merchandising operations, led by chief marketing officer Kim Feil and chief merchandising officer Bryan Pugh, but will report directly to president and CEO Greg Wasson.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens this month rounded out the pharmacy purchasing team led by Jeff Berkowitz, who joined the company in the fall as SVP pharmaceutical development and market access.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In a swift move by Walmart, Duncan Mac Naughton has been appointed the retailer's chief merchandising officer for its U.S. division, less than three months after being named the company's merchandising EVP.

Mac Naughton, who joined Walmart in October, was part of the big-box retailer's restructuring of the merchandising department, which involved divvying the responsibilities among four EVPs, directly reporting to Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon. Mac Naughton oversaw the consumables, health-and-wellness and Walmart.com businesses.