Conference to Probe Retail's Survival in Tight-fisted Economy

The UA Lundgren Retail Center's annual forum will host a number of industry leaders who will disect current market conditions and offer ideas on the future.

Sixteen of the world's top retail executives, technology experts, authors and economists will be in Tucson to offer their thoughts about the global economic meltdown and how to prepare for the eventual business rebound.

The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing will host the "Global Retailing Conference 2009," April 2-3 at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive in Tucson.

The theme of this year's conference, the 14th produced by the center, is "Putting Innovation in Play and the People Who Make it Work."

The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing is part of The University of Arizona's John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences. The school fuses resources and expertise from academia and the retail industry to develop skilled retail professionals.

The Lundgren Center is one of the top three retail business programs in the United States, and about 400 students are currently enrolled in classes and degree programs this semester.

"These are especially challenging times for the global retail industry," said Melinda Burke, director of the Lundgren Center. "So we've tapped into our network to assemble a thought-provoking agenda and two days of unfettered access to some of the greatest minds in business. Everyone who attends is sure to walk away with ideas that will help them accomplish their short- or long-term retail industry goals."

Highlights of the conference include:

• The return of Carl E. Steidtmann, chief economist with Deloitte Research. Steidtmann, a nationally recognized expert on retail forecasting, will be discussing what retailers can do to transform themselves in preparation for the post-bubble economy.
• Robert Sinclair, director of accessibility at Microsoft Corp., and Daniel Hubbell, technical evangelist for Microsoft's Accessibility Business Unit, will demonstrate assistive technologies that can provide retailers with the tools to retain older workers and to convince others who need help seeing, hearing and operating their computers to re-enter the work force.
• Frederic D. Fox, president, CEO and co-founder of Planalytics, will introduce retailers to patented technologies that enable companies to make better decisions related to the impact of weather on their business.
• Tom Szaky, CEO of Terracycle, producer of the world's first products made from waste materials, will share the impetus for his company's rapid growth and the numerous environmental stewardship awards his eco-friendly brand has earned.
• Blake Mycoskie, entrepreneur, founder and chief shoe giver of Tom's Shoes, will talk about what he learned from his participation in TV's "The Amazing Race," and why he believes "conscious capitalism" makes sense in today's global economy.
• Sally Jewell, president and CEO of REI, the nation's largest consumer cooperative with 3.5 million active members, will discuss how companies can succeed and help nourish the planet, people and the world of business. REI has been consistently recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For in America."

New to the conference this year is the addition of an "Innovation Station," which will allow conference-goers to try some of the software and hardware accessibility solutions that Microsoft and its vendor partners will be demonstrating during an hour-long presentation and Q&A session on assistive technology solutions, said Kimberley A. Brooke, assistant director of marketing and program development for the Lundgren Center.  

"We try to keep our attendance to around 200 very focused, passionate participants," Brooke said. "That keeps us small enough to provide intimate networking opportunities, and to allow people who are curious about the accessibility technology they see to take it for a test drive. If all goes well, we may incorporate more exhibit space into future conferences."

For those attending the conference, the Westin La Paloma Resort is offering a special room rate of $239, plus tax, per night, for either a single or double room. Reservations can be made directly from the conference registration site before March 13, or afterward by calling the hotel at 520-742-6000.