Wal-Mart Puerto Rico Buys Rival

Wal-Mart Puerto Rico announced on Jan. 6 that it has acquired Supermercados Amigo, the largest supermarket chain in Puerto Rico.

Supermercados Amigo has 35 supermarkets and more than 4,500 employees.

Founded in 1966, the supermarkets will continue to operate under the Amigo brand name, and operations will continue to be managed by Jose Revuelta, president of Supermercados Amigo.

Revuelta also will become chief operating officer of Wal-Mart Puerto Rico and will lead the company’s food division.

With this acquisition, Wal-Mart Puerto Rico will become one of the leading employers on the island with more than 10,000 employees and a payroll of more than $135 million annually.

The transaction will be completed as soon as the final consent is given by the pertinent government authorities. If approved, Wal-Mart Puerto Rico will operate 52 units on the island, including nine Wal-Mart stores, one Wal-Mart Supercenter, seven Sam’s Clubs and 35 Amigo supermarkets.

• Tom Mars, a Fayetteville trial lawyer and former director of the Arkansas State Police, has been named a vice president and assistant general counsel for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Mars, 43, was a partner in the Fayetteville office of Kutak Rock LLP, a law firm with headquarters in Omaha, Neb.

Mars will report to Robert K. Rhoads — Wal-Mart’s senior vice president, general counsel and secretary — and will be in charge of all litigation activities for the company beginning Feb 1.

Mars was appointed by Gov. Mike Huckabee to head the state police force in 1998. He stepped down a year ago to return to private law practice. During his term in office, Mars directed a crackdown on drunken driving and campaigned for higher standards and pay for officers in the agency, according to a press release from Wal-Mart.