Tag: Amazon

NTT adding 300 jobs in Louisville; Ford’s $916K Edsel faced most pushback in director re-elect, and Hut tries beer-infused crust

A news summary focused on big employers; updated 7:43 p.m.

NTT DATA said it will add 300 jobs at its Louisville center to bolster its financial services offerings. The expansion comes only three years after NTT opened its North America Service Delivery Center in the city. The company is based in Plano, Texas (press release).

Edsel Ford II
Ford

FORD said all 14 directors were re-elected to the board last week during the annual shareholders meeting. But the best-paid of them, Edsel Ford II, faced the most opposition (SEC). Ford, 67, has been on the board since 1988, and is a great-grandson of the company’s founder. Last year, the automaker paid him $915,609 in fees — far more than any other director. That included $650,000 under a 1999 consulting agreement he has with the company (proxy report). Also, Executive Vice President James Farley sold 78,042 shares yesterday at $13.31 each for a total $1.1 million (SEC). Ford’s stock closed at $13.14, down 1.4%.

HUMANA issued a progress report on its goal to improve health outcomes 20% in communities where it does business by 2020 (press release); full report.

PIZZA HUT is giving beer-infused crusts a trial run in London (Mirror).

KFC has just opened the world’s first human-free fast food restaurant in Shanghai (Yahoo Tech). And a British newspaper wins today’s prize for worst pun use in a story: “Hundreds of fried-chicken lovers were counting their clucky stars this morning at the opening of KFC’s new Nottinghamshire eatery (Nottingham Post).”

AMAZON continued expanding its restaurant food delivery service, first announced in November for 20 big cities, to Manhattan and Dallas (press releases here and here).

In other news, Gannett has substantially raised its hostile bid for The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and other Tribune Publishing Co. newspapers by 22%, to $15 a share from $12; Tribune’s board has so far rebuffed the Courier-Journal’s parent company (regulatory filing).

The popular Highlands Asian restaurant Joy Luck is opening a second location, in the East End (Insider Louisville). The Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari park’s 11th annual charity walk raised more than than $350,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (Courier-Journal).

stephen-reily4
Reily

Louisville entrepreneur Stephen Reily is among seven candidates vying for one of the most sought-after seats on the 26-member Metro Council — the Highland’s District 8 — as voters head for the polls today (Insider Louisville).

How Amazon keeps 90,000 employees from unionizing; GE CEO lists $5.5M home for sale

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GE CEO Immelt’s $5.5 million Connecticut house.

A news summary focused on big employers; updated 4:26 p.m.

AMAZON has successfully blocked unions from organizing its 90,000 workers at giant warehouses, including in Shepherdsville and Jeffersonville, where it has a combined 6,000 employees; here’s how (New York Times). Also, the company is reportedly rolling out new lines of private-label house brands that will only be available to members of its $99-a-year Prime program; they could hit retailer’s site by the end of this month or early in June (Wall Street Journal).

KINDRED‘s business mix has changed significantly since last year’s $1.8 billion purchase of Gentiva Health Services. Now the Kindred At Home division, it was 32% of overall revenue during the 12 months ended in March, the company told analysts at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch health care conference  (Business First); .pdf of Kindred’s presentation. Kindred’s shares closed today at $12.14, little changed.

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt has listed his 10,458 square-foot home for sale in exclusive New Canaan, Conn., for $5.5 million (Boulevard thinks that’s a steal!) (Realtor). Meanwhile, Immelt’s reportedly bought a triplex near the top-drawer Boston Public Garden that was listed for $8 million; GE’s moving its headquarters to Boston (Boston Business First).

KFC: In Ohio, a man who ordered a sandwich without pickles Saturday reportedly returned to the restaurant angry about having pickles on his order anyway, and ended up throwing a phone into a wall (Mansfield News Journal). Also, the chain has leased 300 environmentally friendly electric scooters (The Star).

PAPA JOHN’S: Still in Ohio, a 44-year-old man was issued a summons for disorderly conduct after he yelled and cursed at employees during an argument about the number of toppings on his pizza (Mansfield News Journal, too). As if living in glamorous Miami Beach wasn’t enough, a landlord is advertising an apartment with an extra amenity: a Papa John’s is right next door (Craigslist).

FORD: With the month of June about two weeks away, it looks like the end of the road has come for the 2016 Ford Bronco rumors (Master Herald).

TEXAS ROADHOUSE is planning a new restaurant in Plymouth, Mass (Plymouth).

In other news,  U.S. stocks were soaring at mid-afternoon, with the S&P 500 index up 1% at 2,069, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1.2% higher at 17,737 (Google Finance). Nearly all stocks in Boulevard’s portfolio of big local employers were higher as well.

Ocean's 13Finally, Louisville native and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence may star opposite Sandra Bullock in an all-female remake of the “Ocean’s 11” franchise; the last sequel was “Ocean’s 13.” (Tracking Board).

Trump renews Amazon attack, 93-year-old KFC retiree hits rare milestone; and UPS plans big new Austin facility

A news summary focused on big employers; updated 2:02 p.m.

Donald Trump
Trump

AMAZON: White House GOP candidate Donald Trump attacked Jeff Bezos again, claiming the Amazon CEO bought The Washington Post to promote a political agenda that would help the company on taxes (CNN). Also, a former software director who led the company’s new FireTV initiative was charged with promoting prostitution in the Seattle area (KIRO).

KFC: A retired 29-year employee in Ontario has reached an American Legion milestone that few reach in any organization: he’s been a member for 60 years. William Young, 93, worked at a KFC franchise, rising to manager before retiring. And he met founder Col. Harland Sanders (Argus Observer).

UPS plans a new $70 million, 300-employee distribution center in Austin with room for 300 vehicles; it’s to open at the end of 2018 (Austin Statesman). Asked and answered: How important is e-commerce to the shipper’s sales (Motley Fool).

In other news, The Courier-Journal has joined 199 other investors in buying a two-year-old colt, which the nascent Churchill Downs Racing Club hopes to run during the current spring meet. The horse is being trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas (Courier-Journal).

Papa crooks nab 600-lb. store safe, and Schnatter’s chopper noise ticks off neighbors

A news summary focused on big employers; updated 8:33 a.m.

John Schnatter
Schnatter

PAPA JOHN’S: Two super-strong thieves were caught on video dragging a 600-pound safe with $1,300 from a Papa John’s in Edinburgh on Monday, leaving police baffled (Mirror). CEO John Schnatter‘s frequent helicopter trips to and from his property in tony Anchorage have caused enough noise for some neighbors to write complaint letters to the city (WDRB). (Terrific story, BTW!)

AMAZON: Walmart is testing a two-day shipping subscription service and building a regional delivery network as the retail giant takes on Amazon (Wall Street Journal).

KFC launches program in India to fight childhood hunger (Times of India).

GE has signed a three-year contract to be exclusive appliance provider for developer Perry Homes of Houston (Business First).

HUMANA: Aetna doesn’t have any plans to leave Obamacare exchanges in 15 states — and may, in fact, expand; Aetna has agreed to buy Humana for $37 billion (Wall Street Journal).

In other news: Walmart and its charitable arm have donated more than $22 million to Kentucky non-profits in the past fiscal year (WDRB). A candy store will open May 23 in the former Why Louisville space on Bardstown Road (WDRB, too).

With revenue down, CafePress’ CEO has a turnaround plan; shares closed yesterday at $3.13, dead even, but down 33% from a year ago (Business First). U.S. stock futures were poised to open up as oil prices traded near 2016 highs (CNBC).