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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Anthea Jones has assumed the role of president at Bi-Lo. He will continue to serve as SVP operations. 

Jones comes to the position from the Bi-Lo side of the recent merger between regional supermarkets Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie. He signed on with Bi-Lo in 1999 after 17 years at Food Lion. He also is the immediate past board chairman for the Global Market Development Center. 

Jones succeeds Michael Byars in the position. Randall Onstead continues as president and CEO of the combined company, Bi-Lo Holdings.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is introducing a first-of-its-kind Centers of Excellence program that will offer its associates quality health care with no out-of-pocket cost for heart, spine and transplant surgeries at six of the leading hospital and health systems in the United States. 

SEATTLE — Recreational Equipment Inc. will make its Florida debut in the spring of 2013 with the opening a a store in Jacksonville, Fla. The company also announced that it will open its eighth store in Texas in the city of San Antonio in the fall of 2012.

The company's first Florida store in Jacksonville will occupy nearly 23,400 sq. ft. and will be located at The Markets at Town Center. The San Antonio location will occupy 27,500 sq. ft. 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Discount retailer Stein Mart named Hunt Hawkins COO and expanded his responsibilities to include store operations and e-commerce at the 263-unit chain. Hawkins previously served as EVP and chief administrative officer with responsibility for information technology, supply chain and human resources, responsibilities he will retain in his new role.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Inflationary increases, sales growth at remodeled stores and a boost from fuelperks! helped drive up Winn-Dixie's second quarter identical-store sales, while net sales dipped.

According to Winn-Dixie's chief Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie is riding a strong headwind into fiscal 2012 powered by a number of influencers — a marketing program that better sustains margins, its loyalty program Fuelperks!, an improved stocking system and a significant focus on improving the customer experience.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie president, chairman and CEO Peter Lynch expressed confidence in the grocer as it heads into its fourth quarter, maintaining that the grocer's estimated adjusted EBITDA will come in at the lower end of the $100 million to $130 million range for fiscal 2011, a 52-week period ending June 29, in light of relatively flat third-quarter results.

SALISBURY, N.C. — The Food Lion Family and Bloom has recognized Scott Brinson as the recipient of the 2010 store manager excellence award. Brinson, who is the store manager of Food Lion in Jacksonville, N.C., was selected from a group of seven other market/banner winners.

The store manager excellence awards are a key part of Food Lion Family's and Bloom's efforts to acknowledge the leadership role store managers play. Food Lion Family president Cathy Green Burns presented Brinson with the award earlier this week during the company's Leadership Summit.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Winn-Dixie Stores announced it launched a smartphone application that will help customers find their closest Winn-Dixie, allow them to view the weekly circular and sales for that specific store, and create and manage shopping lists that both sync with computers and can be shared with other users. The app for Apple’s iPhone and Android smart phones is available as a free download through Apple Inc.’s iTunes, the Android Market or through links on Winn-Dixie’s website at http://www.winndixie.com/Mobile/apps.