There are so many retail related events in the first part of the year that it is tough to decide where to be!
An easy event to remember and to make a tradition is the Global Retailing Conference coming up on April 11-12th in Tucson Arizona. This event is very unique in many ways. First, it is driven by the students and leaders of the Terry Lundgren Center for Retail. These “students” attend the retail and consumer sciences programs – along with business courses – to prepare them to become future leaders in the retail industry. Next, the event is well-proven and for 16 years, the Terry J. Lundgren Center Global Retailing Conference has delivered practical information, proven techniques, great ideas – all centered on retailing.
Many sponsors, including SAP Retail, assure that this event happens every year. SAP is also on the Center’s Executive Board and on the Norton Family Sciences Board. The Lundgren Center is “housed” within the Norton School.
A cross sampling of this year’s speakers includes Terry Lundgren, the Chairman and CEO of Macy’s, Deloitte’s Ira Kalish, one of the greatest economist, Jim Sinegal, Co-Founder & Former CEO of Costco, Matt Shay, NRF’s President & CEO, Jack Tretton , CEO of Sony, Tony Spring, President and COO of Bloomingdale's, and Tory Burch, the Founder and CEO of Tory Burch!
When you are at the event it is amazing to see so many retail industry executives taking notes while their cohorts speak. Then learn from each other and at the same time expose the future leaders of the industry to issue and areas that are impacting current retail leaders.
SAP is proud to serve as sponsor and active at the school. Launching the April classes we have Kristin Howell from our Customer Insight team teaching a larger class of retail and business students about getting deeper into the shopper’s minds. Tom Savoie – the king of SAP Retail Field Services in NA – has many of his team members as active “day professors” at the retail center!
We will report back on the show very soon! In the meantime, visit http://globalretailingconference.org/2012/speakers.html and watch some great sessions led by Macy’s, PetSmart, and more!
