Top Retailers

CHICAGO — Johns Hopkins Medicine and Walgreens on Wednesday announced an agreement between the two companies that will promote collaboration on population-based research.

Also part of the agreement, Johns Hopkins and Walgreens will jointly review and develop protocols to improve outcomes of patients with chronic diseases and explore the development of new models for improving care for individuals.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Sales at mass-merchandise retailer Costco rose by 16% in third quarter 2011, according to an earnings statement released Wednesday.

The Issaquah, Wash.-based retailer said sales for the quarter were $20.2 billion, compared with $17.4 billion in third quarter 2010. For the first three quarters of fiscal year 2011, sales were $59.5 billion, a 13% increase over $52.7 billion during the same period in 2010. The figures include sales from a joint venture in Mexico, of which Costco owns 50%.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Wednesday announced that Valerie Lewis, the grocer’s assistant VP legal, was named to the "Top Women in Retail and Finance" list by Women of Color magazine.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Many people who provide care and support to loved ones said they are more likely to be nonadherent to their own personal medication regimen than to neglect providing medications to those they are caring for, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital and CVS Caremark. Given this, there's a significant opportunity for pharmacists and doctors to identify and work with caregivers to improve medication adherence and chronic disease management.

NEW YORK — Royal Ahold executive Kimberly Ross is joining beauty company Avon as EVP and CFO, reporting to Andrea Jung, Avon's chairman and CEO.

Ross currently is EVP and CFO and a member of the executive board of Royal Ahold NV, a Netherlands-based international group with more than 2,970 stores and supermarkets spanning Europe and the United States.

NEW YORK — Creative agency Kaplan Thaler Group has been tapped to run Supervalu’s latest ad campaign, according to a blog posted on the Kaplan Thaler Group site Monday.

As lead creative agency, the Kaplan Thaler Group’s responsibilities will encompass advertising, digital and direct marketing across all Supervalu banners, including Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s/Star Market, Shop ‘n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, Hornbacher’s and Save-A-Lot.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target announced its donation of funds and product to support tornado relief efforts.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark outlined on Tuesday at a consumer health engagement conference the results of a personalized consumer communications program designed to encourage patients to take their medications as doctors direct.

Early results of the program showed increases in consumers signing up for automatic prescription refills and more readily substituting branded medications for generic medicines to lower costs.