The Supply Side: Wal-Mart supplier community news briefs

by The City Wire staff ([email protected]) 60 views 

• Target taps former Amazon executive to run online segment
Jason Goldberger signed on as the senior vice president of Target.com and Mobile, according to a press release from the retailer this week.

Goldberger will lead all functions associated with Target's e-commerce business, including the user experience, merchandising and analytics. He will start working for Minneapolis-based Target Feb. 11.

He most recently was executive vice president for the New York-based Gilt Groupe, where he was responsible for the New York-based online retailer's home, gourmet food and kids businesses, as well as companywide business development.

Prior to that, Goldberger was senior vice president of marketing and merchandising for Hayneedle, an Omaha, Neb.-based online retailer that sells home decor and outdoor products.

He also spent eight years at Seattle-based Amazon.com, where he was general manager of the e-commerce giant's home and sports/outdoors categories.

• Petsmart promotes CEO from within
PetSmart Inc. named David K. Lenhardt as CEO replacing Bob Moran, as part of its planned management succession which will become effective after the specialty pet store's annual shareholders meeting in June.

Lenhardt joined PetSmart about 13 years ago in the services, strategic planning and business development unit and is the company’s chief operating officer. He worked at Bain & Co. and in Merrill Lynch & Co.'s investment banking division, prior to PetSmart.

PetsSmart said Lenhardt will also be appointed to the board of directors. Moran will retain his title as chairman, a position he was appointed to a year ago.

Joseph O'Leary, executive vice president of merchandising, marketing, supply chain and strategic planning, will replace Lenhardt as president and chief operating officer effective June 14.

• Hot Topic executive resigns
Jim McGinty, chief financial office of teen retailer, Hot Topic, resigned from the company, effective March 29.

George Wehlitz, vice president of finance, will serve as the interim chief financial officer.

Wehlitz joined Hot Topic in 2008 as vice president of finance. Between 2005 and 2008 he worked as chief fiancial officer for speciality retailer,Cycle Gear.

• Hampshire Group names Buxbaum as CEO
Paul Buxbaum was named CEO of apparel manufacturer Hampshire Group. The 57-year-old Buxbaum is former top executive at Haggar Clothing.

He replaces Heath Golden who resigned as president and CEO and also plans to vacate his position as a board member.

• Kimberly-Clark taps auto exec for chief information officer
Kimberly-Clark named Jennifer Sepull as the company's chief information officer and vice president of IT Services.

Sepull will report to Mark A. Buthman, chief financial officer.

She joins Kimberly-Clark from American Honda Motor where she served in a similar position overseeing of the automaker’s Information Systems Division.

Sepull earned her bachelor's and juris doctor degrees from Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and also has pursued other studies at Harvard University and Cambridge University in England.

Kimberly-Clark is a supplier to Wal-Mart with a sales office in Rogers.