Wal-Mart’s Dach to exit in June
Leslie Dach, who played an influential role in reinventing the image of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in the face of mounting attacks by labor groups and other critics, is leaving the company in June after seven years.
The world’s largest retailer said Friday that it has an active search under way to replace Dach.
Dach, 58, joined Wal-Mart in August 2006 as executive vice president of corporate affairs, a newly created position, as anti-Wal-Mart attacks were mounted on several fronts, from how it treats its workers to accusations it hadn’t taken enough responsibility for its environmental impact.
During Dach’s tenure, the Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter launched a number of sweeping initiatives, from working with its big suppliers to reduce packaging to making its food healthier by embracing steps to lower salt, fats and sugars in thousands of the products it sells.
Conference’s goal: Help firms stand out
A seminar to help businesses learn how to stand out from their competition will be held Tuesday in Jonesboro and Wednesday in Batesville.
Arkansas State University’s Small Business and Technology Development Center, the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce are offering the seminar.
Two sessions will be held in Jonesboro at the ASU Delta Center for Economic Development on Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. In Batesville, the seminar will be held at the Batesville Area Chamber conference room 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday.
Cost to attend is $35 per person or $25 for members of either chamber, the Downtown Jonesboro Association or Mainstreet Batesville and $20 for ASU students, faculty members or staff members.
More information about the seminar or registration is available by contacting the Technology Development Center at (870) 972-3517 or the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Mandi Curtwright at (870) 793-2378.
- David Smith
Index hits high, dips
to close at 268.37
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, gained 1.57 to 268.37 Friday.
The index hit an all-time high of 268.50 during trading Friday before it retreated below the record.
On Friday, 12 stocks advanced and four declined.
Volume for the index was 20.7 million shares, compared with average daily volume of 27.4 million shares.
For the week, 14 stocks gained ground and two fell.
Bank of the Ozarks was up 7.8 percent for the week while Arkansas Best climbed 6.3 percent.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 29 on 03/09/2013