Fitch Expands Grocery Practice … and More Industry News

MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Rick Redpath is joining architecture and design consultancy Fitch (Phoenix office) as grocery studio director. The firm announced the appointment as part of its effort to expand the grocery practice at its Phoenix studio.

Gary Biarsky has been named western region sales manager at lighting manufacturer Norwell Corp. (East Taunton, Mass.). Biarsky, who will be based in Texas, will represent ILEX Architectural Lighting, Davis Muller Lighting and Norwell Lighting.

Halco Lighting (Norcross, Ga.) has added Mark Harris to its team. Harris, who has experience in manufacturing and distribution, will serve as the company’s OEM/utility account manager.

Katie Horton is Hot Topic Inc.’s (City of Industry, Calif.) new vp, general merchandise manager for its Torrid division of women’s apparel.

MaxLite (West Caldwell, N.J.) has hired Joe Pater as its utility solutions program manager. He will manage the company’s utility rebate programs, energy savings programs and sales.

The UPS Store (San Diego) named Tim Davis president of its franchise network. Davis joined the company in 2002 as vp of technology, and most recently served as vp of operations.

STORE OPENINGS
Guatemala City’s Miraflores Mall will welcome a new Emporium store in early 2013. New York-based branding and design firm Pompei A.D. incorporated dark wood, tufted leathers and black-and-white tiling into the menswear shop’s design.

International Dairy Queen Inc. (Minneapolis), the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corp., opened its 100th location in Mexico recently with a new store in Leon. The company now operates 34 Dairy Queen locations in central and northern Mexico.

Vitamin World Inc. (Long Island, N.Y.) recently opened a new location in Ontario Mills Mall (Ontario, Calif.). The vitamin and supplement manufacturer currently has more than 400 stores across the U.S.