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Cheesewright Named Walmart International CEO

Walmart Stores, Inc., announced that David Cheesewright will be promoted to president and CEO of Walmart International, the company’s second largest operating segment. Cheesewright, currently president and CEO of Walmart’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Canada region, will report to Doug McMillon, who was named on November 25 to succeed Mike Duke as the company’s president and CEO. Both assume their new roles on February 1, 2014. Walmart says Cheesewright’s successor will be named at a later date.

Cheesewright’s career spans more than 25 years across the international retail and manufacturing sectors. His Walmart career began in 1999 at Asda, the company’s UK operation, where he held leadership positions in operations, merchandising, logistics, strategy and format development.

TIA Nominating Committee Announces Candidates

The Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) Nominating Committee has submitted the following candidates for consideration by the membership and election to the association’s board of directors for a two-year term expiring at the annual meeting in 2016.

• Drew Brazer, vice-president of sales, North America, LEGO Systems, Inc.
• D. Hugo Malan, senior vice-president and president of sporting goods, Sears Holding Corporation
• William To, president, VTech Electronics North America, LLC

The proposed board members will be filling the seats of retiring board members Jay Foreman, president and CEO of The Bridge Direct/Acorn Management Group, and George Irwin, Toycoon of IToys USA, Ltd. and one seat that became open in accordance with Article 6.2 of the TIA by-laws.

Members of the TIA Board under consideration for re-election for a subsequent (third) term include Andrea Barthello, chairman and founder of ThinkFun, Inc.; William Beebe, managing director of Playmates Toys, Inc.; Sam Harwell, CEO of Big Time Toys, LLC; Shirley Price, CEO of Funrise Toy Corporation; and Robert Wann, CEO of Patch Products. Jeffrey Kennis, president of Enchanted Moments, Inc., will be considered for election for a subsequent (second) term.

The election of new board members will occur during the TIA annual business meeting that will convene at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2014, in Room 1E19 of the Jacob Javits Convention Center.