Scottsdale, Ariz. — Vixxo, a leader and innovator in facilities management, has named Chris Karp as its president, customer and field operations. Karp will be responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the company’s client delivery operations, both at its service centers and in the field. His leadership will drive Vixxo’s high-performance customer service culture and deliver continuous improvement of the customer experience and end-to-end service delivery. “At the core of Vixxo’s success is its ability to consistently provide excellent customer experiences,” says Jim Reavey, Vixxo’s president and CEO. …
Cincinnati — LSI Industries Inc., a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of outdoor and indoor lighting and graphics for commercial, industrial and multi-site retail applications, has named Richard Abernethy as senior director, product management, outdoor products and controls. In his new role, Abernethy will work closely with LSI Industries’ engineering, sales, operations and marketing teams to develop innovative new products, as well as manage LSI Industries’ expansive portfolio of outdoor lighting and control products. Abernethy has more than 35 years of experience in the lighting industry. Prior to joining LSI Industries, he …
— By Gene Belli — What retail and restaurant facility owners need to know about environmental and condition assessments. At some point or points during the life of a thriving retail or restaurant property, it will inevitably require an assessment of sorts in the form of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), a Property Condition Assessment (PCA), a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) or a Compliance Audit/Safety Assessment. The importance of these evaluations can often be underestimated due to their relative infrequency. That said, owners and managers of these facilities …
— By Carol L. Carey — How to control social media and news coverage of your establishment through effective, preventative pest control. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, local news outlets and even national television cover everything: the good, the bad and the ugly — and not all publicity is good publicity. Contrary to the types of stories you want printed about your establishment, negative stories can “go viral” quicker than positive ones. If someone finds a rat in the produce section at a local grocery store, or food poisoning at …
Canton, Mass. — Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, has signed a multi-unit agreement to develop 10 new locations across Upstate New York, including in Syracuse and the Southern Tier, in addition to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. With a portfolio of 40 Dunkin’ restaurants and one multi-brand location, the deal was signed with franchisees Bapa Chambers Rd Ice Cream, LLC. The first store of the 10-unit deal opened in Horseheads, N.Y., in mid-July. The Horseheads Baskin-Robbins marks the brand’s first stand-alone “Moments” store location to open east of …
Plano, Texas — J. C. Penney Company, Inc. has appointed Stacey Shively, a senior executive with nearly 25 years of retail merchandising experience, as senior vice president, general merchandise manager for its home division, effective Sept. 9. Reporting to Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president, chief merchant, Shively will be responsible for overseeing the company’s home merchandising strategies. “Stacey is an accomplished merchant who has spent her retail career curating products and experiences that appeal to a value-oriented customer based on lifestyle needs,” says Wlazlo. “Her extensive background in merchandising, product …
Louisville, Ky. — Yum! Brands, Inc.’s board of directors has unanimously elected David Gibbs as chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2020, and appointed him to the company’s board, effective November 1, 2019. Gibbs, who currently serves as Yum! Brands’ president and chief operating officer and oversees the global KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell divisions, will succeed Greg Creed, who has decided to retire at the end of 2019 after a successful 25-year career with the company. “I’ve had the privilege of partnering with our franchisees to grow the …
Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens plans to close approximately 200 stores across the U.S. starting this fall as part of a cost-management program. Specific store locations have not been disclosed, but the new closures represent less than 3% of Walgreens’ U.S. footprint. The announcement was made in a Walgreens Boots Alliance regulatory filing the first week of August. The Deerfield, Illinois-based company had previously unveiled plans to close 200 stores in the United Kingdom. Currently, Walgreens operates more than 18,500 stores in 11 countries. SOURCE: REBusinessOnline.com
Louisville, Ky. — Pizza Hut will close as many as 500 dine-in stores over the next 24 months as part of a broader strategy to bolster its delivery and carryout services, company executives said during the second-quarter earnings call. Food Business News first reported the announcement. Pizza Hut, which is owned by Louisville, Ky.-based YUM! Brands, operates about 7,500 locations across the United States and 18,000 worldwide. In the United States, roughly 6,100 of the company’s locations are dine-in restaurants. The remaining locations are express units, which feature limited menus …
Los Angeles — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has appointed Scott Hargrove as executive vice president and global chief marketing officer. Since joining CPK earlier this year, Hargrove is leading marketing and growth efforts of the 240+ unit worldwide restaurant brand including brand and performance marketing, culinary innovation, social media, loyalty, communications and community engagement. Along with recent strategic team additions in data insights and digital, Hargrove’s role will be instrumental in delivering a new era of guest experience at CPK, driving growth through amplified brand building and digital-based marketing that …