Content about Cook County, Illinois

May 9, 2013
Former Eli Lilly exec heads to Sears

Sears Holdings has appointed former Eli Lilly CIO Jeff Balagna as its new EVP and CIO. In his new role, Balagna will be responsible for all technology and infrastructure initiatives for the company in its support centers and in-store.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has appointed former Eli Lilly CIO Jeff Balagna as its new EVP and CIO. In his new role, Balagna will be responsible for all technology and infrastructure initiatives for the company in its support centers and in-store.

May 8, 2013
Sears and DeWalt team up in Vegas

Research from DeWalt found that 650 out of 1,000 pros were aware of DeWalt mechanic tools. That's pretty good awareness. But DeWalt didn't have mechanics tools at the time of the survey.

Research from DeWalt found that 650 out of 1,000 pros were aware of DeWalt mechanic tools. That's pretty good awareness. But DeWalt didn't have mechanics tools at the time of the survey.

It does now. And a partnership with Sears is bringing DeWalt wrenches, ratchets, sockets and mechanics tool sets online and in Sears stores in time for Father's Day.

DeWalt and Sears executives announced the news during a presentation at the National Hardware Show here at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

May 2, 2013
Sears Holding shifts focus to omni-channel

Among the highlights of the first Sears Holdings shareholder meeting since Edward Lampert became chairman and CEO were details on the company's progress in combining its brick-and-mortar and online businesses.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Among the highlights of the first Sears Holdings shareholder meeting since Edward Lampert became chairman and CEO were details on the company's progress in combining its brick-and-mortar and online businesses.

April 24, 2013
Harley-Davidson rides with Craftsman

Craftsman and Harley-Davidson have teamed up to produce co-branded, special-edition tool storage products available now in Sears stores and online.

Craftsman and Harley-Davidson have teamed up to produce co-branded, special-edition tool storage products available now in Sears stores and online.

As part of the partnership, Craftsman — the tool brand owned by Sears Holdings — has been named the official hand and power tool sponsor of the Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary Celebration. 

April 23, 2013
Kmart store robbed, sensitive electronic info compromised

An armed robber allegedly stole sensitive electronic information on pharmacy customers from a Kmart store in Little Rock, Ark., last month, the mass merchandise retailer said.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — An armed robber allegedly stole sensitive electronic information on pharmacy customers from a Kmart store in Little Rock, Ark., last month, the mass merchandise retailer said.

April 17, 2013
Sears Holdings launches fulfillment service for merchants

Sears Holdings is offering a simple, cost-effective way for businesses to manage storage, picking, packing and shipping of customer orders from Sears Marketplace and other places a merchant sells products.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is offering a simple, cost-effective way for businesses to manage storage, picking, packing and shipping of customer orders from Sears Marketplace and other places a merchant sells products.

Fulfilled By Sears allows merchants to market and sell to members of the company's Shop Your Way Rewards program. Sears said members of the program buy and spend more and recently exceeded 60% of Sears’ transactions and sales.

April 15, 2013
Kmart joins team to fight childhood hunger

Kmart and Shop Your Way are teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Sandra Lee to support the Share Our Strength Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry campaign. The national fundraising initiative encourages people to host bake sales in their communities to help end childhood hunger in the United States.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart and Shop Your Way are teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Sandra Lee to support the Share Our Strength Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry campaign. The national fundraising initiative encourages people to host bake sales in their communities to help end childhood hunger in the United States.

April 10, 2013
Sears Holdings launches new fashion and lifestyle unit

Sears Holdings has launched a new business unit that will focus on the development of entertainment-driven fashion and lifestyle brands.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has launched a new business unit that will focus on the development of entertainment-driven fashion and lifestyle brands. The unit, called Shop Your Way brands, will be lead by Bernt Ullmann and his team from Star Branding, whose partners include Tommy Hilfiger, Andy Hilfiger, and Joe Lamastra.

March 29, 2013
Former RadioShack chief joins Sears Outlets board

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores has elected James Gooch to its board of directors and as chair of the audit committee of the board of directors.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores has elected James Gooch to its board of directors and as chair of the audit committee of the board of directors.

March 25, 2013
Kmart celebrates 30 years of March of Dimes support

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart has launched its 30th annual fundraising campaign to benefit the March of Dimes. Donors can contribute in-store at any Kmart and online via a link at kmart.com/marchofdimes. M

March 18, 2013
Sears Holdings honored for energy efficiency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Sears Holdings with a 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Sears Holdings with a 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This year, Sears Holdings is being awarded for both its role as a retailer of Energy Star certified products and for energy management in its stores. Sears Holdings' accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 26.

February 28, 2013
Sears Holdings profits improve amid soft sales

Fourth quarter operating profits at Sear’s Holdings on an adjusted basis improved. 22% and same store sales at Sears flagship stores turned modestly positive.

Fourth quarter operating profits at Sear’s Holdings on an adjusted basis improved. 22% and same store sales at Sears flagship stores turned modestly positive.

February 6, 2013
Kmart, Essence help empower African Americans

Kmart has partnered with Essence Magazine's finance expert, Tanisha Sykes, for the sixth-annual Share the Word campaign to provide financial empowerment to African-Americans.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart has partnered with Essence Magazine's finance expert, Tanisha Sykes, for the sixth-annual Share the Word campaign to provide financial empowerment to African-Americans.

"Financial empowerment is extremely important within the African-American community," Sykes said. "This year's Share the Word campaign will provide the tools, information and resources to help pave the road to financial success."

January 9, 2013
Kmart leverages star power to grow apparel sales

Select Kmart locations will carry apparel and accessories collections developed by pop superstars Adam Levine and Nicki Minaj in an effort to boost sales. Both collections will also be available via the ShopYourWay.com social shopping platform.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Select Kmart locations will carry apparel and accessories collections developed by pop superstars Adam Levine and Nicki Minaj in an effort to boost sales. Both collections will also be available via the ShopYourWay.com social shopping platform.

January 8, 2013
Sears loses CEO, but gains momentum

Just when things seem to be looking up for Sears Holdings, chairman Edward Lampert will assume the additional responsibilities of CEO following the revelation that current chief executive Lou D’Ambrosio will leave the company for family medical reasons.

Just when things seem to be looking up for Sears Holdings, chairman Edward Lampert will assume the additional responsibilities of CEO following the revelation that current chief executive Lou D’Ambrosio will leave the company for family medical reasons.

News of D’Amrosio’s departure comes as the Sears Holdings preannounced improved profitability for the fist nine weeks of the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending February 2, D’Amrosio’s last day.

January 4, 2013
NRF, Amex name winners of retail challenge

The NRF Foundation and American Express announced the winners of their fifth annual Aspire2Retail Intercollegiate Challenge. Each student will receive an educational scholarship worth $2,500.

WASHINGTON — The NRF Foundation and American Express announced the winners of their fifth annual Aspire2Retail Intercollegiate Challenge. Each student will receive an educational scholarship worth $2,500.

The contest is designed to increase understanding of diverse career paths in retail by engaging university students in a competitive, collaborative roleplay that involves implementing a multi-tiered business strategy.

December 10, 2012
Sears Holdings and Brown shoe execs join board

The March of Dimes trustees elected Deidra Merriwether and Will Smith as the charitable group’s newest board members.

The March of Dimes trustees elected Deidra Merriwether and Will Smith as the charitable group’s newest board members.

Merriwether serves as SVP and COO of Kmart and Sears format at Sears Holdings and Smith is SVP of marketing for Brown Shoe Company. Merriwether and Smith join a group of more than 30 trustees as the organization prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary next year. March of Dimes trustees, who serve as volunteers, represent the public in governing the organization and advancing its mission. They serve five-year terms.

November 30, 2012
Hometown is where Sears sees sales growth

It’s been awhile since Sears and the phrase "same store sales increase" were used in the same sentence, but that changed Thursday morning when the recently spun off hometown and outlet division product a 3.1% third quarter increase.

It’s been awhile since Sears and the phrase "same store sales increase" were used in the same sentence, but that changed Thursday morning when the recently spun off hometown and outlet division product a 3.1% third quarter increase.

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores said sales for its third quarter ended October 27, increased 3.3% to $557 million, driven almost entirely by the 3.1% comp increase and to a lesser extent by a net increase of nine stores that grew the total store count to 1,111 units. Profits increased 29% $8.8 million or 29 cents a share.

November 19, 2012
Sears Holdings seeks online success with digital decision

Sears Holdings is looking to replicate the success it had with digital initiatives in 2011 by turning to the same firm that helped it deliver results.

Sears Holdings is looking to replicate the success it had with digital initiatives in 2011 by turning to the same firm that helped it deliver results.

For the second year in a row, Billups Design was selected to lead digital creative for Sears and Kmart Black Friday and holiday ecommerce dynamic ad campaigns. The project includes Sears and Kmart brand awareness ads, local ad business groups, and site retargeting ads with dynamic product feeds designed to increase ecommerce sales, according to Billups.

November 5, 2012
Sears Holdings offers upgraded rewards program

Sears Holdings is now offering its loyalty program members the chance to update their account to a Shop Your Way Max membership for $79 a year.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is now offering its loyalty program members the chance to update their account to a Shop Your Way Max membership for $79 a year.

November 2, 2012
Sears/Kmart names Vero to top merchant role

Former OfficeMax executive Ryan Vero has been named SVP and president of grocery, drug and pharmacy at Sears Holdings.

Former OfficeMax executive Ryan Vero has been named SVP and president of grocery, drug and pharmacy at Sears Holdings.

Vero spent 17 years with OfficeMax and last served as the company’s EVP and chief merchandising and marketing officer. In his new role with Sears Holdings, Vero will be responsible for the oversight, leadership and growth, both in-store and online, for the company’s grocery, drug and pharmacy businesses.

October 23, 2012
Sears Holdings approves spin-off of Canada business

Sears Holdings' board of directors has approved the previously announced spin-off of a portion of its interest in Sears Canada Inc.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings' board of directors has approved the previously announced spin-off of a portion of its interest in Sears Canada Inc. 

October 12, 2012
Sears Holdings completes divestment of Hometown, Outlet businesses

Sears Holdings has successfully separated out its Sears Hometown and Outlet Sores businesses.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. —-- Sears Holdings has successfully separated out its Sears Hometown and Outlet Sores businesses.

October 11, 2012
Sears honored for fuel efficiency

Sears Holdings has been honored with a SmartWay Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for being an industry leader in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings has been honored with a SmartWay Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for being an industry leader in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency. The EPA SmartWay partnership is a public/private collaboration between the EPA and the freight transportation industry that helps freight shippers, carriers, and logistics companies improve fuel-efficiency and save money.

October 9, 2012
Sears expects $446.5 million from offering tied to Hometown, Outlet spinoff

Sears Holdings Corp., which in February announced it would spin off its Hometown and Outlet businesses as a separate publicly traded entity, said Tuesday it expects to receive about $446.5 million in gross proceeds from an offering tied to the spinoffs.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corp., which in February announced it would spin off its Hometown and Outlet businesses as a separate publicly traded entity, said Tuesday it expects to receive about $446.5 million in gross proceeds from an offering tied to the spinoffs.

The offering of rights to purchase shares of the spinoff debuted on the Nasdaq under the "SHOSR" ticker symbol in September. According to Sears, the rights offering expired on Monday; preliminary results show that more than 95% of the options were exercised.