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NEW YORK — The Private Label Manufacturers Association announced that Douglas Merrill will serve as the keynote speaker for the organization's 2011 Private Label Trade Show in November.

Merrill, who served as EVP engineering and chief information officer for Google from 2003 to 2008, will offer attendees perspective on how shoppers and shopping behaviors are changing, and what the coming retail marketplace will look like. The keynote speech will be presented at the annual PLMA Salute to Excellence Breakfast on Nov. 14.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has appointed former Macy’s executive Mark Cosby as president of CVS/pharmacy, effective Oct. 1.

Cosby most recently served as Macy’s president of stores, where he was responsible for all Macy's store operations and support functions nationwide.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Hospira has appointed Abbott executive William Dempsey to its board.

Dempsey, who spent more than two decades at Abbott, most recently as EVP global pharmaceuticals for the drug maker.

The addition of Dempsey expands Hospira's board to 11 directors, nine of whom are independent.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Prescription savings program Together Rx Access announced that it has appointed a Pfizer executive to serve as its board of managers chairman.

WASHINGTON — The Grocery Manufacturers Association has named George Dunaif as its new VP food safety and technical services.

Dunaif most recently served as VP global food safety at Campbell Soup. In that role, he was responsible for the company’s worldwide food safety function, including toxicology, microbiology, process safety and analytical chemistry. He also served as vice-chairman of the Campbell corporate crisis management team.

ORLANDO, Fla. — This year’s fourth annual Retail Clinician Education Congress kicked off on Monday, bringing together hundreds of retail healthcare professionals to network, receive exclusive accreditation and honor those providers and key executive leaders whose work throughout the year has distinguished them among their peers in retail health care.

PARIS — The president and CEO of Sanofi's U.S. operations is stepping into a newly created role at the drug maker.

Greg Irace will become SVP global services, leading the global information systems function and will be responsible for shared support functions across all Sanofi businesses in North America. He also will play a key role in the development of a global strategy for shared services. Irace will report to Jérôme Contamine, Sanofi EVP and CFO.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Karen Roberts was named EVP and president of Walmart Realty on Friday, filling a position vacated by the company’s long-time real estate executive Eric Zorn, who retired after a 20-year career.

ORLANDO — The Network of Executive Women will induct the first group of honorees into the newly created CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame on Monday, Sept. 19, as part of the organization’s annual Leadership Summit.

AMSTERDAM — Ahold has tapped retail veteran James McCann to serve in the newly created role of chief commercial development officer.

McCann, who most recently served as executive director for Carrefour France and a member of Carrefour's group executive board, will focus on developing new and innovative ways to serve customer needs, build customer loyalty and broaden Ahold's offering. He also will be responsible for leading Ahold's e-commerce initiatives and will strengthen the company's online business globally.

INDIANAPOLIS — Marsh Supermarkets has created a new executive position that will focus on merchandising support, including pricing, space management, corporate brands and business intelligence.

The retailer said that retail veteran David Siegel will be Marsh's SVP merchandising and marketing strategic initiatives.

Siegel joins the company from Schenectady, N.Y.-based Price Chopper.

Marsh operates 72 Marsh Supermarkets, 3 O'Malia's Food Markets and 22 MainStreet Market stores in Indiana and Ohio.

ATLANTA — Former Unilever executive Michael Polk has been appointed president and CEO of Newell Rubbermaid, effective July 18. He succeeds Mark Ketchum, who is retiring but will remain a director until May 2012.

Ketchum announced in January his intention to retire after being recruited from the board five years ago to lead Newell Rubbermaid through its transformation into a marketing-driven company.