The Alliance for Main Street Fairness (AMSF) who represents small brick and mortar business is celebrating a recent US Senate vote on the Marketplace Fairness Act. A bipartisan group of 75 Senators came together to take an important step towards closing the online sales tax loophole. “This vote marks an enormous victory for America’s small businesses, which have been forced to compete on an unlevel playing field for far too long.” according to AMSF.
Former Michaels CEO Michael Rouleau has been named interim CEO for Tuesday Morning, the 830-store chain that sells closeout home and gift merchandise. Rouleau will manage the company’s day-to-day operations through the hiring of a new CEO and will continue to serve on the company’s board of directors, which he joined in November 2012. “My immediate focus is to ensure that Tuesday Morning’s associates, customers, and business partners understand that this is a strong, stable company with great untapped potential,” Rouleau said.
Darcie Thompson has joined Dave Thompson’s Seattle-based manufacturers rep group as a partner. Darcie was with Seattle Art for many years and later represented ColArt Americas.
C2F has closed its Carlisle, PA distribution center. Going forward, all customer orders will be fulfilled from their main DC in Beaverton, OR. In related news, we understand that long time C2F SoCal sales rep Jerry Dunn has left the company.
The National Association of College Stores (NACS) has named Cal State Long Beach its ‘National Collegiate Retailer of the Year’. Awarded biennially, the honor is given to one college store that displays extraordinary leadership and excellence among the nation’s prominent collegiate retailers. Congratulations to the amazing team at the Forty-Niner Shops Inc.!
We are sorry to report that Robert Rowen will be leaving MacPherson’s after twenty-two years of excellent service as a Sales Rep and Key Accounts Manager. Besides being fun to work with, Robert has been a key contributor to the growth of MacPherson’s in the Eastern Region since joining us in 1991. He will be pursuing an opportunity outside of our industry that more closely meets his career and family goals. Robert will be missed by all, but we will meet the challenge of replacing him. Robert’s last day will be April 30, 2013. Please join us in wishing Robert all the best in his new venture!
Crayola’s commitment to sustainable initiatives continues with ColorCycle, a program set to launch this Earth Day (April 22, 2013). For this initiative, Crayola will be partnering with local schools to collect used Crayola markers, and have them converted into a clean fuel source with their energy partner JBI. ( JBI employs the leading scientists in the area of developing alternative fuels.) Crayola’s other successful sustainability initiatives include a Solar Farm that delivers enough energy to make nearly all of its crayons and markers, colored pencils made from Reforested Wood (one of the only major producers globally that does this), and the recycling or reuse of over 80% of their corporate and manufacturing waste. Visit the Crayola ColorCycle Website for more details.
In other art news, George W. Bush seems to be quite the painter. You be the judge…..
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqf5dx9ckDQ