The pace of global business is more feverish than ever before. Innovation, branding, design and execution are no longer enough; in addition, successful firms must gather knowledge and personal connections from a variety of places. TheCenter for Retail Leadership's Executive Forum 2014 is just such a place. Industry leaders and experts from a myriad of fields will convene and share knowledge critical to operating a 21st century business. You are invited to share in this cross-pollination of ideas.
Schedule
10:30 am: Registration- Spotlight Tables... see exciting new local products!
11:30 am: Student-Industry Connection Luncheon (Free to attend)
Meet our Students! Find out what interests them about the industry and offer advice!
We will also honor our student of the year at this lunch! Don't miss it!
1:00-5:00 pm: Executive Forum Sessions ($75.00 to attend all sessions)
- 1:15pm Speaker: Todd Ruberg, "The Omni Channel Evolution"
- 2:00 pm Break out Sessions
The Power Of Marketing Connectivity
Especially in the Pacific Northwest, connectivity - to the community, to consumers, to employees, to the land and the sources of product - can be an powerful marketing tool and a potent business premise. In this illuminating panel discussion, some of Portland's best and most connected food industry personalities - including Lisa Sedlar of Green Zebra Grocery, and Elias Cairo of Olympic Provisions - will describe their visions, define their missions, and offer their unique perspectives on how to forge the ties that bind them to their customers, their business partners and their neighborhoods. Moderated by Kevin Coupe, "Content Guy" of MorningNeewsBeat.com.
Bill Bishop, Chief Architect, Brick Meets Click How Food Retailers Can Leverage Digital Influence
Over the next several years half of all food and grocery purchases will be influenced by shopper use of digital devices and online grocery shopping will only be a small part of this.
In this session you’ll see how more than 22,000 grocery customers are already using email, texts, smartphones, social media, and the retailer’s website as an integral part of their grocery shopping. You’ll also learn six steps food retailers can take to build competitive advantage and drive same store sales.
2:40 pm Break/spotlight tables
- 3:00 pm Brian Todd, Presidnet/CEO Food Institute
Consumers Take Over The Industry’s Reins
The changing economy and corresponding behavior of consumers has given shoppers a significant amount of power in the food industry, over manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Meanwhile, so-called “alternative” food retailers have chipped away at traditional food retailers, making it more difficult for them to succeed. And food inflation has been tempered for a number of reasons, making growth in food retailing even more difficult. This presentation will delve into what has happened and its impact on a $1.2 trillion industry.
- 3:00-5:00 pm Network of executive Women Forum ($30.00)
Women in Leadership: The Male Perspective
Moderated by Joan Toth, President, NEW Networking, Panel Discussion, Reception
3:40 pm GMOs/WTF?
The debate over genetically modified organisms in food, and whether their presence in food should be labeled, continues unabated. Usually with passion. Often with misinformation. And not always with any great level of civility. But for 30 minutes at PSU's executive conference, we're going to try to rectify that - with an accessible, reasoned and hopefully reasonable discussion of the issue, and try to figure out if there is a middle, common ground upon which both sides of the issue can agree. Join us! Moderated by Kevin Coupe, "Content Guy" of MorningNeewsBeat.com.- 4:20pm Wrap up
- 5:00-8:00 pm: Reception and Dinner, With Keynote speaker Mike Ellis, President-Kroger Co. ( $249.00)
