Top Retailers

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday announced the promotion of Richard Ashworth to president operations from his current role of president, pharmacy and retail operations.

"Effective immediately, Richard will bring his talent and tremendous experience to the leadership of all our critical operating functions with the new title of president of operations," the company stated in an internal memo.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has unveiled a multi-pronged holiday strategy that emphasizes convenience, expanded assortments, price discounts, speedy deliveries — and in-store fun. The company said it will throw three themed parties at its stores (for a total of 20,000 parties chainwide) over the course of the season. At the parties, which will include product demonstrations, customers will be able to test (and, in some instances, taste) top holiday items.

LANDOVER, Md. — Ahold's Giant Food on Monday announced the deployment of a National Diabetes Prevention Program, PreventT2, utilizing in-store nutritionists as lifestyle coaches to help prevent type 2 diabetes diagnoses across the patients they serve. Groups of participants are learning the skills they need to make lasting changes such as eating better, losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active and managing stress, the grocer noted.

FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Pharmacy has a new member of its executive leadership team who brings with her more than a quarter-century of industry experience. The company has named Robyn Peters its new EVP sales and payer strategies, a role in which she will oversee payer and business development strategies, as well as sales and account management.

BOSTON — Health Dialog, a leading provider of integrated population health management solutions for health plans, risk-bearing providers and self-insured employers, recently hosted a complimentary webinar where Peter Goldbach, the company’s chief medical officer and a national authority on shared decision-making, provided strategic advice to help organizations execute effective shared decision-making programs that reduce costs, improve outcomes and increase patient satisfaction.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance on Tuesday announced that it has commenced its previously announced partnership with Fareva for the manufacture and supply of own beauty brands and private label products.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General has appointed its first-ever digital leader.

Fuel has been added to the fire that Amazon is getting set to enter the pharmacy business.

Amazon has received a wholesale pharmacy license in at least a dozen states, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The states include Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee, Nevada and Oregon, according to the report.

In an emailed statement to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, an Amazon spokesperson refused to comment on “rumors and speculation.”