New recruits receive vouchers to buy their own athletic footwear, which means many soldiers purchase sneakers made in Asia. Maine legislators would like to see those men and women buying sneakers made in Maine, where New Balance operates three factories.

Mary Barra made the case in an interview with Bloomberg Television that GM can handle a downturn and sustain profits if the economy slumps in the next few years. The company also is making investments in ride sharing and self-driving cars to ensure its long-term future.

Matt VanDyke, the director of marketing, sales and service for Lincoln Motor Co. - who helped launch the popular Matthew McConaughey ad campaign - has been named vice president of marketing for Ford of Europe. Robert Parker, president of Lincoln China, will replace VanDyke.

Many chip readers don't yet work and those that do angrily beep, befuddling shoppers and exasperating cashiers. Rather than a quick side swipe of the card, customers need to insert their credit or debit card into a slot and wait for the tone that signals approval for some transactions.

A Kalashnikov-brand clothing line is being unveiled in September, and the company plans to open 60 retail stores in Russia, selling clothes and rifles. It also introduced a marketing campaign, with a new logo - a stylized letter K, with a curved ammunition magazine as one of the arms - and a slogan, "Kalashnikov: Real. Reliable."

Seeking to appeal to guests' desire for new experiences and to stand out in a competitive market, hotel brand managers are mining their local art communities. "I think it's all part of the same movement to help the guest experience something new," said Dan Vinh, vice president for global marketing of Marriott's lifestyle portfolio.

Since the first funky-looking hybrid cars came on the U.S. scene in late 1999, Americans have now purchased over four million examples of these gas-electric fuel savers. Today there are three-dozen hybrid vehicles on offer - some which sell negligible numbers, others that pull more weight in the market.

Deliciously different. That's the slogan James Vernor crafted for the iconic ginger ale he created in Detroit 150 years ago. The ginger ale pop (don't call it soda in Michigan) was created by Vernor, a young pharmacist employed with the Higby & Sterns drugstore, in 1866.

Ramblers Way Farm, founded by Tom's of Maine's Tom Chappell and his wife, Kate Chappell, plans to open three new retail locations in the coming months, one in Portland and two in New Hampshire. The company, which makes high-quality wool and cotton garments for men and women, opened its first store in Kennebunk in November.

The actor with the horn-rimmed glasses who delivered that famous catchphrase as Verizon's "Test Man" character has changed his allegiances. Paul Marcarelli is now a Sprint customer, and is appearing in TV spots for the nation's fourth-largest wireless carrier.