Latest news with #Dacus
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary Female Rocker Asked ‘Are You a Witch' by Rising Star
When Heart played the Arena in Los Angeles back in March, singer invited rising current stars Chappell Roan and Lucy Dacus backstage for a chat following the show. The conversation was released on May 6 on the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's podcast, After Dinner Thinks, and you'll find that none of the artists pulled any punches. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 In fact, at one-point in the one-hour conversation Dacus—a solo artist and a member of the indie supergroup Boygenius with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers—bluntly asked the 'Magic Man' singer, 'Are you a witch?' 'I don't think so,' Wilson replied, 'any more than anybody else.' Dacus, realizing she may have made a misstep, suggested that the question should be cut from the recording, but Wilson was OK with it and continued to address the question. 'Well, I never claimed to be one or felt I was one,' Wilson added. 'If you have power over people without trying, I think that's a form of witchery or what you want to call it.' 'You definitely do,' Dacus responded. 'I saw it tonight.' It turns out that Dacus's question isn't completely random. A quick Internet search reveals that others have claimed—or joked—that Wilson is a witch in the past. A 2014 post on the Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum by someone claiming to be Tal Bachman has the heading 'Ann Wilson of Heart is a witch.' Bachman is known for the 1999 hit 'She's So High' and is currently touring with his father's classic rock band, Bachman Turner Overdrive. He is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Parade reached out to his reps to confirm the authenticity of the post. 'I saw the rock band Heart the other night. Ann Wilson, the lead singer, is SIXTY FIVE YEARS OLD. And she sings better than she ever has. She would completely destroy her idol, Robert Plant (from Led Zeppelin), in a vocal competition. And her sister Nancy was also amazing, both as a vocalist and guitarist. Nancy is sixty,' he wrote.'What is the explanation for the total rock awesomeness of the Wilson sisters? Following Mormon logic, it can only be something supernatural. And since Ann and Nancy Wilson are not Mormons, or even Christians, that only leaves one possibility: Satan.' 'The Wilson sisters have clearly made some sort of pact with Satan, whereby they keep singing and playing better with age. There is no other explanation. Thank you Mormonism, for teaching me how to think,' he added before signing off with 'Praising the witches.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Who is Stephen Dacus, Seven & i's new CEO?
This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter. Over two months after revealing its leadership succession plan, Seven & i Holdings, parent of 7-Eleven, officially appointed Stephen Dacus as president and CEO at its annual board meeting on Tuesday, replacing Ryuichi Isaka. The 64-year-old Dacus, an American, is the first non-Japanese CEO in Seven & i's history. He assumes leadership during a potentially historic period for the company, which is mulling a takeover bid from Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard and also planning a 2026 IPO for 7-Eleven Inc. in North America. Here's a rundown of Dacus's business goals and background, which includes about three years at Seven & i and leadership roles with other international retailers. Dacus joined Seven & i in mid-2022 as an outside director. Two years later, he was named lead independent outside director, and was appointed chairperson of the board of directors last May. He was also chair of Seven & i's strategic and special committees, the latter of which has reviewed Couche-Tard's buyout offer since last year. Dacus previously served in leadership roles across multiple industries. He assumed his first CEO role in 2001 with condiment maker MasterFoods, according to his bio on the Seven & i website. He also spent more than eight years in a variety of leadership roles with Walmart, including senior vice president and CEO of Walmart Japan Holdings. He was also CEO of pan-Asian foods company Hana Group SAS. But Dacus's relationship with 7-Eleven stretches back to his childhood. His father was a 7-Eleven franchisee, and a young Dacus used to work the midnight shift at the store. '7-Eleven has always been important in my life,' Dacus said during a March press conference when his move to CEO was announced. It's unclear how much Dacus's earnings will increase after his promotion. His predecessor, Isaka, earned 341 million yen in 2024, equivalent to about $2.3 million at current conversion rates, according to Seven & i's latest securities report. Dacus' years of experience leading food-focused companies will be key as 7-Eleven continues to innovate around its foodservice program. In the U.S., 7-Eleven is in the midst of a three-year plan to open over 600 c-stores that add indoor seating and offer a larger product assortment and expanded food and beverage offerings compared to the rest of its locations. During the March press conference, Dacus said food is Seven & i's 'biggest long-term opportunity in the U.S.,' adding that the company is working with its Japanese suppliers to bring many of the offerings from its 7-Eleven stores in Japan to its 13,000 c-stores in North America. He also said Seven & i intends to leverage made-to-order options to boost its food appeal. 'The key is to stay out in front with really value-added food offerings,' Dacus said. 'If I'm being honest, it feels like we've been moving a bit too slow in that regard, and some of our competitors have moved a bit faster. We need to move faster.' Although 7-Eleven has roughly 85,000 stores in about 20 countries, Dacus isn't satisfied with the retailer's global presence. When asked what he'd do differently compared to his predecessor Isaka, Dacus said during the March press conference that he intends to accelerate 7-Eleven's international expansion beyond Japan and North America, adding that 'there are vast portions of the world' where 7-Eleven doesn't have any stores. 'The key is to stay out in front with really value-added food offerings. If I'm being honest, it feels like we've been moving a bit too slow in that regard, and some of our competitors have moved a bit faster. We need to move faster.' Stephen Dacus President and CEO of Seven & i Holdings 7-Eleven has plenty of growth potential in Europe, for instance, where it only has stores in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, according to 7-Eleven's website. The company has plans to reach 100,000 stores in 30 countries — up from the current 20 — by 2030. 'It will take time, but I believe that if we do this correctly, over the next generation, there's an enormous amount of opportunity for us around the world,' Dacus said. Recommended Reading 7-Eleven parent company appoints new CEO, plans US IPO Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Kyodo News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
New 7-Eleven parent CEO vows growth to shareholders amid buyout talks
KYODO NEWS - 13 hours ago - 18:39 | All, Japan The new top executive of Seven & i Holdings Co., the Japanese operator of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, said Tuesday that he is committed to growth over the next decade, as the retail giant strives to enhance its corporate value in the face of a takeover bid by a Canadian rival. Stephen Hayes Dacus was officially appointed as its first foreign CEO following approval at an annual shareholders meeting. At the meeting, the new CEO vowed "efforts in making sure that the next 10 years is better than the last 10 years," as Seven & i implements restructuring steps to focus more on the convenience store business, which has seen slowing growth in Japan and the United States. Its shareholders approved the appointments of Dacus, 64, and 12 other board members, including Junro Ito, a member of its founding family, 66, as chairman and Takashi Sawada, former president of rival convenience store operator FamilyMart Co., as outside director. Dacus, replacing Ryuichi Isaka, 67, became a Seven & i outside director in 2022 after working as an executive at various Japanese companies, including Fast Retailing Co., the owner of the Uniqlo clothing chain, and the operator of the Sushiro conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain. "I know how management of this business is to the people who run our business" on site, said Dacus, who has experience working during his teenage years at a 7-Eleven store in the United States owned by his father. "I also know how important it is for our stock and our performance to reflect that, so that our shareholders, who are also our customers, can benefit from the company's growth," said Dacus, who is a former CEO of the operator of rival retailer Seiyu Co., which was part of U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. Seven & i said last year it had received a buyout offer of around 7 trillion yen ($49 billion) from Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the operator of the Circle K convenience stores. The Japanese company's special committee is examining the offer and the option of a go-it-alone path from the perspective of maximizing value for shareholders. When one shareholder suggested the company opt for the buyout during the meeting, Isaka said Seven & i will examine the "two options as we pursue constructive talks with (Couche-Tard) and the steady implementation of our own measures in parallel." Ito, along with Ito-Kogyo Co., which manages the founding family's assets, had sought to take the retail conglomerate private through a management buyout to block the takeover by Couche-Tard but gave up on the plan after struggling to raise funds. The deal, estimated to cost around 9 trillion yen, would have been the biggest management buyout in Japan. Seven & i outlined a series of restructuring plans such as the sale of its supermarket business and a massive share buyback to boost its corporate value in an apparent bid to fend off Couche-Tard's takeover attempt. Among reform steps, Seven & i agreed to sell its subsidiary operating the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain to U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital for 814.7 billion yen, while planning a U.S. listing for its U.S. 7-Eleven convenience store business unit in 2026. The company also said it will sell part of its shareholdings in Seven Bank Ltd. to deconsolidate the banking subsidiary. The Japanese company said in October last year it planned to change its name to "7-Eleven Corp." to emphasize its focus on the retail brand, pending shareholder approval at Tuesday's meeting. But the plan was not included in proposals to vote on at the shareholders' meeting, with more time needed for in-house coordination. Related coverage: Incoming Seven & i CEO vows faster decision-making amid buyout threat Couche-Tard not considering hostile takeover of Seven & i: chairman Seven & i appoints new CEO, hopes to fend off takeover bid
Asahi Shimbun
27-05-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Stephen Hayes Dacus becomes first foreign CEO of 7-Eleven in Japan
Stephen Hayes Dacus was approved Tuesday to be the new chief executive of the operator of 7-Eleven, the first foreigner to lead the Japanese convenience store chain. The American with a Japanese mother was appointed earlier this year to be chief executive of Seven & i Holdings Co., which operates the stores, known as 'konbini' in Japan. An acquisition proposal by Alimentation Couche-Tard of Canada, which the company has so far rejected, was not up for vote at the shareholders' meeting. The companies are discussing the proposal and Seven & i is conducting an internal study. Dacus has promised further growth for the business, which has been widening its overseas appeal. The 7-Eleven chain is the biggest convenience store chain in the U.S. But some analysts say there are challenges in the Japanese market, where the population is rapidly aging and competition is fierce among konbini brands. Fluent in Japanese and English, Dacus previously worked at Walmart, Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo and other retailers. Shareholders appeared to have high hopes for his leadership and the rest of the new team that also won their approval. It remains unclear whether the company is going to go it alone or decide to collaborate with Couche-Tard. The 7-Eleven stores in Japan sell everything from ice cream to batteries to health needs and hot meals. Some stores allow customers to pay utility bills or use the copier machine. They also work with local governments to help out during disasters, providing water, relief supplies, toilet facilities and emergency information.
Japan Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
7-Eleven parent shareholders OK 1st foreign CEO amid buyout talks
The new top executive of Seven & i Holdings Co, the Japanese operator of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, said Tuesday that he is committed to growth over the next decade, as the retail giant strives to enhance its corporate value in the face of a takeover bid by a Canadian rival. Stephen Hayes Dacus was officially appointed as its first foreign CEO following approval at an annual shareholders meeting. At the meeting, the new CEO vowed "efforts in making sure that the next 10 years is better than the last 10 years," as Seven & i implements restructuring steps to focus more on the convenience store business, which has seen slowing growth in Japan and the United States. Its shareholders approved the appointments of Dacus, 64, and 12 other board members, including Junro Ito, a member of its founding family, 66, as chairman and Takashi Sawada, former president of rival convenience store operator FamilyMart Co, as outside director. Dacus, replacing Ryuichi Isaka, 67, became a Seven & i outside director in 2022 after working as an executive at various Japanese companies, including Fast Retailing Co, the owner of the Uniqlo clothing chain, and the operator of the Sushiro conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain. "I know how management of this business is to the people who run our business" on site, said Dacus, who has experience working during his teenage years at a 7-Eleven store in the United States owned by his father. "I also know how important it is for our stock and our performance to reflect that, so that our shareholders, who are also our customers, can benefit from the company's growth," said Dacus, who is a former CEO of the operator of rival retailer Seiyu Co, which was part of U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. Seven & i said last year it had received a buyout offer of around 7 trillion yen ($49 billion) from Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc, the operator of the Circle K convenience stores. The Japanese company's special committee is examining the offer and the option of a go-it-alone path from the perspective of maximizing value for shareholders. When one shareholder suggested the company opt for the buyout during the meeting, Isaka said Seven & i will examine the "two options as we pursue constructive talks with (Couche-Tard) and the steady implementation of our own measures in parallel." Ito, along with Ito-Kogyo Co, which manages the founding family's assets, had sought to take the retail conglomerate private through a management buyout to block the takeover by Couche-Tard but gave up on the plan after struggling to raise funds. The deal, estimated to cost around 9 trillion yen, would have been the biggest management buyout in Japan. Seven & i outlined a series of restructuring plans such as the sale of its supermarket business and a massive share buyback to boost its corporate value in an apparent bid to fend off Couche-Tard's takeover attempt. Among reform steps, Seven & i agreed to sell its subsidiary operating the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain to U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital for 814.7 billion yen, while planning a U.S. listing for its U.S. 7-Eleven convenience store business unit in 2026. The company also said it will sell part of its shareholdings in Seven Bank Ltd. to deconsolidate the banking subsidiary. The Japanese company said in October last year it planned to change its name to "7-Eleven Corp" to emphasize its focus on the retail brand, pending shareholder approval at Tuesday's meeting. But the plan was not included in proposals to vote on at the shareholders' meeting, with more time needed for in-house coordination. © KYODO
