IN BRIEF

International Game Technology names new operating chief

International Game Technology has named Eric Tom as its new chief operating officer, the slot manufacturing company announced Friday.

Tom, who joined the company in 2009 and had been serving as executive vice president of sales and marketing, will be responsible for marketing, sales, services, product management and operations. He will report to Chief Executive Officer Patti Hart.

"Eric has quickly emerged as a strong leader within IGT and he brings the right 'customer first' approach to everything he does," Hart said. "I believe customers and shareholders alike will benefit as a result of the streamlining of IGT's operations under Eric's leadership."

CHICAGO

Wendy's boss reveals inquiry about purchase of company

Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. Chairman Nelson Peltz said he's reviewing an overture from an unnamed group interested in acquiring the fast-food company.

His disclosure, made late Thursday in a regulatory filing, sent shares up 31 cents, or 7.1 percent, to $4.65 Friday.

Peltz, whose investment firm owns 23.5 percent of the company's shares, gave few details about the inquiry, which he disclosed in a regulatory filing Thursday.

But he said the possible deal could include his participation and that he would work with financial advisers to discuss the transaction. Among the many possiblities he listed in his filing, Peltz said he would likely meet with debt and equity financing sources regarding a possible deal.

Peltz led Arby's former parent Triarc Cos., which acquired Wendy's in 2008.

A spokesman for the fast-food chain declined to comment on Friday, as did Peltz's Trian Fund Management.

Wendy's/Arby's Group, based in Atlanta, has struggled during the recession as customers scaled back on even cheap eats like fast food. Arby's, with its pricier menu, was particularly hurt, despite efforts to offer value meals and other discounted menu items.

In the most recent quarter, the chain lost $3.4 million, or a penny per share, as Arby's poor sales continued to drag down results.

DETROIT

Chrysler CEO cites progress
in post-bankruptcy effort

One year after Chrysler Group LLC's government-funded exit from bankruptcy protection, CEO Sergio Marchionne is telling employees that the company has made progress but still has a long way to go.

In a Friday e-mail to employees obtained by The Associated Press, Marchionne touted Chrysler's progress in its first year as a new company but said it is far from full recovery.

"The one-year anniversary is a significant milestone," Marchionne wrote to the company's 49,000 workers. "There is still a very long road ahead in our drive to rebuild our business and to deliver on our promises to repay the American and Canadian taxpayers who gave us a second chance."

Marchionne, who also heads Italy's Fiat SpA, was given control of the automaker by the U.S. government when Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy on June 10, 2009.

WASHINGTON

Google tells lawmakers
it never used Wi-Fi data

Google Inc. is telling lawmakers that it never dissected or used any of the information that it accidentally sucked up while collecting data about public Wi-Fi networks in more than 30 countries.

In a letter to three key members of the House Commerce Committee, the company apologized for collecting fragments of e-mails, search requests and other online activities over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks while photographing neighborhoods for its "Street View" mapping feature.

Pablo Chavez, Google's director of public policy, wrote in the letter that the "collection of Wi-Fi payload data was a mistake."

Google says it was gathering information about the location of Wi-Fi networks to improve the accuracy of location-based services such as Google Maps.

NEW YORK

Icahn steps up battle with Lions Gate Entertainment

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn stepped up his effort to take control of the boutique movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. on Friday, saying he will put up his own slate of candidates to replace the company's board.

Icahn, who has a roughly 19 percent stake in Lions Gate, has been tussling with management since last year.

In a lengthy open letter to the company's board Friday, Icahn jabbed at Lions Gate's directors for allowing its stock price to sink and for trying to block his efforts to buy up the company's shares. He said he hopes a new board will move quickly to replace management.

"Since the board is clearly unwilling to tell the emperor he wears no clothes, it is left up to the shareholders to take action," Icahn said in his letter.

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Disneyland hotel workers walk off jobs in contract dispute

Dozens of Disneyland hotel workers have walked off their jobs as the resort premieres its multimillion-dollar World of Color attraction.

Members of the union Unite Here walked out of the Disneyland, Grand Californian and Paradise Pier hotels on Friday to picket and block traffic along the street that leads into the park.

Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown calls it another publicity stunt.

A contract dispute between Disney and hotel workers has lasted two years, with employees staging periodic protests.