2012 LIMA Retail Symposium

“HOW TO COLLABORATE IN THE NEW RETAIL ENVIRONMENT”

in association with The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing

Join LIMA on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at The Yale Club in New York City for the second annual LIMA Retail Symposium! This event brings together key decision makers in the retail and licensing communities to provide an up-to-date look at how retail is changing and the ramifications for licensors and licensees.

Our panel of retail experts will explore issues critical to the industry, shed light on successful strategies and dispel myths about what it takes to build programs that resonate at retail. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the new collaborative models that are driving program longevity with key retailers and consumers.

> Click here for speaker information

AGENDA
(subject to change)

8:30AM – Networking Breakfast

9:00AM – In the Studio with Neil Friedman
A 360 Degree View of the Process of Selling to Kids as a Licensor, Licensee and Retailer.  Moderator:  Maura Regan, Sesame Workshop

9:50AM – The Things You Need to Know When Presenting and Positioning Your Brands at Retail
A practical approach and checklist to ensure you provide the best first-look at your ideas and consider the ‘fit’ for any retailer. An insider’s look at strategies that work, and techniques to avoid the sure-fire ways to mess it up.  Learn how to interpret how the retailer curates their space, and to identify a true opportunity.  Speakers: Ruby Anik, Retail Marketing Expert and Char Keefer, Senior Retail Marketing Strategist, American Express

10:45AM – Eight Mistakes You Can’t Make with Retailers in 2013 and Beyond
As retailers expand their reach through new format launches, acquisitions and social and digital forays, the destinies of licensors, licensees and agencies are being transformed.  Hear about the eight mistakes that you can’t afford to make as retailers evolve into much more than merely distribution points for brands and products. Speaker: Carol Spieckerman, newmarketbuilders

11:30AM – Break

11:45AM – The Real Deal on Private Brands
What Leading Retailers are Betting on– Is it just Private Label or Licensed Properties that Resonate?  Private labels are a threat to most independent brand holders, but what are retailers really betting on? Panelists will explore several collaborative models of licensing, and where the opportunities may lie seasonally, in test stores online and in which channels of trade. Speakers: Bill Cross, Broad Street Licensing Group; Peter Dixon, Prophet Branding; and Mary Rachide, Consultant

12:40PM – Luncheon Keynote Speaker: Paco Underhill, CEO and Founder, Envirosell – Author, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping will speak on “The State of Retail and Industry Trends”

2:00PM – Stand-Out Merchandising Strategies
Today’s innovation in merchandising. How can you make your product pop on the shelf?  Panelists will give advice and examples of what retailers are looking for in product packaging, and will share their visions and standards for packaging and in-store presentations to include innovations in sustainability, POP displays, brand blocking, strategic category adjacencies and more.  Speaker: Raymond Nadeau, Creative Director, Brune Advertising

3:00PM – Multi-Channel Marketing Strategies to Drive POS from the Retail Shelf
Learn from experts in multi-channel direct marketing current best practices to avoid markdowns and promote sell through, along with digital strategies that support a brand’s relevance to retailers and consumers alike. Speakers: Fern Lee, CEO, THOR Associates; Maria Eden, Senior Vice President, Mercury Media; and Stone Newman, Founder, Art + Science

3:50PM – Break

4:00PM – Retail as Theater: The Resurgence of Event Marketing and Retail-tainment 
After years of clutter–clearing and sanitizing, themed events, retail-tainment and seasonal pop up stores are back on the retail scene.  How can you leverage the newly-active retail theater to extend, energize and launch new products and bring out the best in your brand and entertainment properties?  Moderator: Martine Reardon, Chief Marketing Officer, Macy’s. Speakers: Rebecca Fitts, Popup Marketing, and Martha Van Gelder, Terry Lundgren Center, University of Arizona

4:50PM – Program Recap: A wrap-up of key take-aways from the day. Speaker: Carol Spieckerman

5:00PM - Networking Reception

Cost to attend the 2012 LIMA Retail Symposium is $495 for LIMA members and $795 for non-members.

> Register online

About the Speakers

Luncheon Keynote Speaker

Paco Underhill
CEO and Founder
Envirosell

Paco Underhill is the CEO and Founder of Envirosell, the principal retail testing agency and consulting firm, with 10 offices globally. Paco and Envirosell’s work has been featured in The New York Times, 20/20, National Public Radio, Smithsonian Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and other major news media. Paco is also the author of What Women Want, which was published in soft cover edition by Simon & Schuster in July 2011; Call of the Mall, a walking tour of the American shopping mall; and Why We Buy, the bestselling book about retail in history. In addition, Paco’s columns include regular features in major trade publication DDI Magazine, as well as Robin Report, Goldman Sachs’ in-house publication.

Paco’s programs have been popular with Fortune 500 corporate groups, trade associations and business schools around the world. His training programs have been given at such schools as IMD International Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland; IESE Business School in Spain; Maastricht University in the Netherlands; Yale University; Columbia University Business School; The Federal University of Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil; and many others. Paco is an expert on global consumer trends. Today, he is known as the inventor of The Science of Shopping.

Speakers and Panelists

Ruby Anik
Senior Marketing Executive

Ruby Anik is a senior marketer with over 30 years of experience in Brand building and breakthrough business strategies.

Most recently, Anik was the SVP of Brand Marketing for J.C. Penney Company, Inc., one of America’s largest department store, online and catalog retailers. In her position, she oversaw the development and execution of the Company’s brand marketing strategy, clearly articulating the retailer’s offering of style and quality at affordable prices, and ensuring the consistent execution of the JCPenney brand in messaging. Anik was also behind the successful launch of JCPenney’s loyalty program: JCP Rewards with 25MM+ members and hundreds of millions in incremental sales.

Previously, Anik served as SVP of Marketing Communications and Business Operations for Best Buy Company, Inc. Anik joined Best Buy in 2000 as VP of Media and in 2002 was promoted to VP of Advertising. Before joining Best Buy, Anik spent three years at Pillsbury Company as Director of Advertising and Media. Before that, she spent four years at Euro RSCG Tatham, where she joined as associate media director and rose to senior partner, group media director. From 1984 to 1991, Anik served as a media planner, then vice president, media director, at Young & Rubicam Advertising.

Anik has a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s degree in marketing management from the University of Mumbai. Back to the Top

Bill Cross
Vice President of Restaurant and Food & Beverage Licensing
Broad Street Licensing Group

Broad Street Licensing handles no non-food & beverage clients or brands, and Bill and his team have developed retail programs for several restaurant brands, both in the US and internationally. He is a past moderator/presenter at the National Restaurant Show, Dine America, the Hong Kong Licensing Show, the Licensing Show, as well as a contributor and outspoken source to numerous trade magazines and industry websites. His company has launched retailer programs with several major and regional grocery chains, and he generally does not buy private label products himself.

His daily blog covering the food & beverage categories can be found at http://www.bslg.com. You can follow Bill on Twitter @Bill_CrossBSLG. Back to the Top

Peter Dixon
Senior Partner, Creative Director
Prophet

As senior partner and creative director of Prophet — a strategic brand and marketing consultancy with offices around the globe — Peter brings clients a unique blend of perspectives as an architect and brand specialist. It translates into an imaginative take on identity, branding, and design, expressed in both high-level thinking and visual representations.

Peter’s award-winning programs have spanned all areas of the brand experience, ranging from building design to retail concepts and merchandising systems. He has worked for such notable clients as BMW, Citibank, Citizens Bank, Chrysler, IBM, Microsoft, McDonalds, Nissan, Sprint, Samsung, and Wal-Mart.

Before joining Prophet, Peter helped lead the consulting team on Wal-Mart’s new brand strategy, including its new visual identity and store experience concepts. He also was instrumental in designing Nissan Motors’ new dealership concept being launched worldwide, and a new dealership design for its Infiniti brand. For McDonald’s, he directed a revitalized restaurant concept being executed across the U.S.

Peter is a popular public speaker and often is tapped as a source by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Brandweek, Newsweek, Visual Merchandising & Store Design, Convenience Store News, and Advertising Age.

A member of the American Institute of Architects, he is registered as an architect in the State of New York. He serves on the editorial board of VM+SD magazine, and is a past national president of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD). He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University and a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Texas. Back to the Top

Maria Eden – Senior Vice President
Mercury Media

Prior to joining Mercury Media, Maria Eden was the co-founder and President of Direct Response Media, Inc. (DRMi), a full-service media agency. With more than 30 years of successful direct response media management experience, Maria has expertise in all aspects of media including television, newspaper, magazine, radio and inbound telemarketing. Maria is a member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), Electronic Retailers Association (ERA), and former Director of the Response Magazine Advisory Board and a member of the DMA Broadcast Council.

Rebecca Fitts
In 2010 Pop-up Marketing founder, Rebecca Fitts, co-created Imilla Road, a company which “popped” up once a month in a different part of New York City, offering in-season and affordable apparel and accessories, while also acting as a co-op for new and emerging designers. Imilla Road’s success was ahead of the retail pop-up curve and the idea for Pop-up Marketing was born after Fitts recognized the demand from retailers and consumers looking for new and unique shopping experiences.

Rebecca Fitts’ experience creating pop-ups from scratch includes finding spaces to maximize exposure, merchandising the space, operations, staffing, producing a successful launch, managing the breakdown and everything else in between. She has over a decade of experience in conceptualizing and implementing retail public relations and marketing campaigns for major and emerging brands.

Rebecca previously was the Director of Public Relations at national retailer Steve & Barry’s, who built their brand on offering quality clothing at affordable prices. She played an integral part in its Celebrity and Licensing Division, launching several celebrity partnerships. Ms. Fitts also acted as National Spokesperson for the brand and appeared on national, regional and local morning television shows. Rebecca was involved in opening over 200 of the firm’s 300 stores and managed a staff of junior publicists

Prior to Steve & Barry’s Rebecca worked on several major brands as in-house PR counsel, including Playboy, where she worked in the Global Licensing Division representing its products and branded concept boutiques around the world. In addition she joined Tache USA, a jewelry manufacturer and diamond house, to launch a men’s jewelry collection, and Vera Wang, where she spent several years working closely with the designer and CEO to grow the business into the company it is today, leveraging both media and licensing agreements.

Ms. Fitts has worked at two innovative public relations agencies, Dan Klores Associates and Euro RSCG Middleberg. She got her start in public relations working on the Program and Counsel staff for the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver. She parlayed this experience into the not-for-profit world working for The Natural Resource Defense Council and The Partnership for the Homeless before entering the private sector.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs from the State University of New York at Albany and a Masters of Science in Environmental Management and Policy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Back to the Top

Neil Friedman

Neil Friedman, a toy industry icon with more than 40 years of experience, is a highly sought after expert and advisor in the toy and retail industries. As former President of Toys“R”Us and previously serving as President of Mattel Brands and President of MCA/Universal Merchandising, Mr. Friedman has a high-level understanding of the retailer, licensing and manufacturing sides of the toy and juvenile industry and how each side operates in sync.

While serving as president of Toys“R”Us, U.S., Mr. Friedman oversaw all merchandising, marketing, store operations, merchandise presentation, global sourcing and product development, as well as merchandise planning and allocation for the company’s more than 870 stores in the United States. He is currently an advisor working on new ventures and business alliances with key retailers and manufacturers including Toys”R”Us, among others.

Throughout his immensely successful career, Mr. Friedman has made significant contributions to the toy, licensing and juvenile product industries. Mr. Friedman spent 14 years at Mattel in various executive roles, including President, Mattel Brands. His career with Mattel began in March 1997 when Mattel acquired Tyco, where he then served as President, Preschool. In 1999, he was named President, Fisher-Price Brands and served in that capacity until October 2005, when he was appointed President of the newly formed Mattel Brands, which brought Mattel and Fisher-Price together under one corporate unit. During his time at Mattel, Mr. Friedman drove innovation in the toy industry and is often credited with being among the first to introduce the trend of combining technology and toys, most notably with Tickle Me Elmo. In addition, he led his team at Mattel in revitalizing the Barbie brand, among many other noteworthy accomplishments.

Prior to Mattel, Mr. Friedman held a number of key executive positions in the toy, licensing and juvenile products industries, including President, MCA/Universal Merchandising; SVP, Sales, Marketing and Design, Just Toys; VP and General Manager, Baby Care, Gerber Products; EVP and COO, Lionel Leisure, Inc.; and president, Aviva/Hasbro.

Mr. Friedman was named to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2004 and was inducted into the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association’s Hall of Fame in 2007. Mr. Friedman has a long history of helping children in need and is an active supporter of many charities. He currently serves on the Executive Advisory Board for the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Board of Directors for both the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Northside Center for Child Development in New York City. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Toy Industry Foundation, Rosie’s Theater Kids and on the Rider University President’s Council. In 2012, Mr. Friedman received the inaugural Champion Award from the New York Yankees Foundation for his work with the organization to make an impact in the lives of young New Yorkers. Additionally, Mr. Friedman is a past chairman and current honorary advisor of the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and a past chairman and lifetime advisor at LIMA.

Mr. Friedman holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. He currently resides in New York, NY with his wife, Amanda. They have five children and two grandchildren. Back to the Top

Char Keefer
Senior Manager Industry Development
Retail & Luxury
American Express Company

Char Keefer is responsible for growing and marketing industry initiatives for the retail and luxury groups within Global Merchant Services at American Express. In this role, Char has responsibility for building short and long term strategic partnerships, marketing strategies, and managing relationships with many of American Express’ largest trade partners.

Before joining American Express, Char was both consultant and marketing and merchandising strategist for Federated Inc. (now Macy’s), American Retail Group, and Frederick Atkins Agency, all headquartered in NYC where she specialized in product development, digital marketing, brand strategy and positioning as well as merchandising.

Char began her career just out of school with the Macy’s training program where she rose to Buyer Better Sportswear and helped launch the then new conceptual Bridge designer area to the industry. By introducing such diffusion brands to the consumer as Lauren, Ralph Lauren, AKII, Donna Karen’s DKNY, Portfolio, Perry Ellis, Dior, Christian Dior, T” Tahari, and German brand Spitalnik, Macy’s transformed the shopping experience of the Department store space with affordable designer lines for the first time, now a mainstay of the industry.

Char gained marketing and product development expertise on the agency side traveling the Far East and Subcontinent for Frederick Atkins, where she was the first woman from a brand and ad agency to travel to Pakistan to open US trade relationships in the fashion industry.

Char then went back to work with her former colleagues at Macy’s at the newly formed Federated Merchandising Group where she helped launch “affordable luxury” Cashmere programs, and successfully brokered an exclusive licensing deal with “O” by Oscar De La Renta.

Char studied Journalism and Economics at SCU and Fairfield University, and now lives in CT and loves to spend time sailing on the islands of the East Coast, including Martha’s Vineyard, and Newport RI where she once owned and ran a B&B. Back to the Top

Fern Lee,
Principal
FOCUSFactor

Fern Lee has over 25 years as an experienced, award-winning marketing professional with a proven track record of increasing awareness, revenues, consumer usage and asset values for multiple globally recognized media, entertainment and lifestyle/fitness/beauty brands. Fern is a member of Response’s Advisory Board and has sat on the ERA Board and Executive Board. As CEO of THOR Associates, Fern has been successful applying direct response to the Traditional and Digital marketplace. This has allowed Fern to identify profitable customer segments, cultivate ways to favorably position her client’s products and services, and ultimately create breakthrough marketing campaigns that deliver brand and retail initiatives.

As a Principal of FOCUSFactor, Fern has taken FNL from bankruptcy to a multichannel success with multiple SKU’s at: Costco, Sam’s, WalMart, Kroger’s, Walgreens and multiple other retailers. As EVP at Gaiam and Good Times Entertainment, Fern’s leadership influenced the success of: Billy Blanks, The Firm, GT Xpress, Richard Simmons, Tupperware, Nutrisystem, Turbo Cooker, and many more beauty and fitness verticals.

During Fern’s career she has managed annual budgets in excess of $200 million plus, hired and mentored staffs, and been responsible for almost every marketing discipline, including: online/offline integration, increased ROI, consumer and trade advertising, customer acquisition promotions, production of long and short form DRTV, International, metric modeling, media analysis, telemarketing, customer service and retail. Back to the Top

Raymond Nadeau

Raymond Alexander Nadeau is an internationally celebrated, award-winning Marketing Professional, Creative Director, Innovator, Copywriter, Strategist, Trend Authority, Branding Expert, Published Author, Experiential Marketing Advocate/Director and Print, Web and Television Journalist and Director­ with a record of success spanning multiple categories, countries and disciplines. He is best known for his groundbreaking work in beauty and fashion industries – although he has also worked extensively in other categories, notably hospitality, entertainment and spirits.

Nadeau is a highly popular industry speaker ­ focusing on the evolution of media, cultural trends and brand ethics. His award-winning, best-selling first book “Living Brands, Collaboration + Innovation = Customer Fascination”, published by McGraw- Hill, has created a new 21st century model of ethical brand-to-consumer dialogue impacting advertising, marketing and all aspects of brand experience, product/brand development and, ultimately, consumer empowerment in tandem with corporate responsibility.

He works both independently and as the Founder and Co-Creative Director of LBLM (Living Brands, Living Media Communications). Nadeau is the official U.S. copywriter for Paris-based, Brune Advertising, working on, among other brands, Astor Cosmetics, endorsed by renowned celebrity/model Heidi Klum.

Nadeau is the former Vice President of New Ideas, Global Creative Director for beauty and fragrance giant, Coty Inc.,- consisting of Coty Beauty and Coty Prestige – formerly known as the Lancaster Group. Coty Inc. is the world’s largest perfume manufacturer and a major cosmetics industry powerhouse. Nadeau has helped shape brand Identities, product concepts and both off and on-line advertising and branding strategies for beauty, fashion and more traditional brands. Among others, he has worked with adidas, Nautica, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Jacobs, Kenneth Cole, Baby Phat, Jil Sander, Isabella Rossellini, Reese Witherspoon, Redken N.Y.C.,Sally Hansen, Vivienne Westwood, Chopard, Izod, Timberland, NASA (yes NASA), Benedictine Heritage, Arrow, Calvin Klein, Rock Scene for Tommy Hilfiger (broad concept and brand extensions), The Emerald Monkey Eco-Luxe Resort in Panama, Limited Too, Bath and Body Works, Avon, Estee Lauder, Johnson and Johnson, Samsung, Amazon, Volkswagen, The Walt Disney Companies, Sony Music, Warner Brothers, Smirnoff Vodka, Jose Cuervo Tequila and Ketel One Vodka.

Recent work celebrates the re-launch, re-branding and advertising for the iconic Fiorucci fashion brand ­ including the opening of its first new store in Hong Kong. He has also participated in the recent launch of Decades Denim and is working with the collaborative effort between the Tuscan government and local manufacturers’ collective known as 100% Italian to produce an array of luxury branded leather goods and a showroom/cultural center, T-Project, which opened in September 2011. Back to the Top

Stone Newman
Founder
Art + Science

First spotted as a yo-yo demonstrator at FAO Schwarz while in college Stone Newman went onto work within the Marketing and Licensing divisions at Hasbro Toys where he became a fast rising star. While at Hasbro he initiated the toy out licensing program of Hasbro core brands Tonka, Lincoln Logs, and Playskool.
In ’00 he then went on to found Sababa Toys; a $30MM toy and game company that had global distribution with greater than 5,000 customers and a product presence in more than 50,000 retail doors. A ’06 member of the Inc. Magazine 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies, Sababa worked with over 100 brand and intellectual property owners to develop one of the industries leading licensed toy and game lines.

Since exiting Sababa Toys in ’08, Stone founded and currently runs Art + Science, a boutique advisory firm based in New York and London, specializing in Licensing, Sales, Marketing and Business Development consulting for Intellectual Property Owners, Children’s Toy and Entertainment companies. Some of Art + Science’s current clients include Peter Yarrow’s Puff The Magic Dragon, Celessence Technologies, Hasbro, Marvista Entertainment, Alex Beard, and the United States Postal Service. Stone is a graduate of Union College and The Hotchkiss School.

Mary Rachide,
Consultant

Mary Rachide most recently served as DVP of Private Brands at Family Dollar Stores, where she grew consumables private brand sales by 130% within three years. Prior to Family Dollar, Mary was a consultant at McKinsey & Co., focused on the retail and consumer goods sectors. She also served as a divisional controller at Liz Claiborne, with financial management responsibility for portfolios of owned and licensed brands. In her current role as an independent consultant, Mary advises retail and consumer products companies on brand and marketing strategy. Back to the Top

Martine Reardon,
Chief Marketing Officer
Macy’s

Martine Reardon is Chief Marketing Officer of Macy’s, the national retail icon known for its fashion and internationally famous events for more than 150 years. Martine leads Macy’s multi-faceted world of marketing, including advertising, creative development, social, mobile, and digital media, brand public relations, cause and tourism marketing, special events, media planning, consumer insights and data analysis for its more than 800 stores nationwide. In addition, she helms Macy’s iconic Thanksgiving Day Parade, along with overseeing glamorous fashion shows, Fireworks displays, and Flower Shows around the country.

A highly experienced retail marketer, Martine has risen through the ranks at Federated Department Stores and Macy’s Inc., beginning in the special events department at Abraham and Strauss, and becoming CMO after serving most recently as Macy’s EVP of Marketing and Advertising. Under her leadership, Macy’s has been named Mobile Marketer of the Year, received the Golden Halo Award for cause marketing, and scored a digital IQ of Genius in retail marketing.

A member of Macy’s Executive Committee, Martine sits on the Board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Retail Advertising Marketing Association (RAMA), a division of the National Retail Federation. She has chaired the American Heart Association’s annual Go Red for Women New York City luncheon since 2006, and participates in many industry forums and conferences as keynote speaker. She has been named a Brandweek Marketer of the Year and a Changing the Game winner by Advertising Women of New York, among other industry accolades. Back to the Top

Maura Regan,
SVP & GM, Global Consumer Products
Sesame Workshop

Maura Regan serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Consumer Products for the nonprofit educational organization Sesame Workshop. She oversees the Workshop’s global retail business across all major categories of licensed goods including toys, apparel, home furnishings, stationery and gifts. Her division, in large part, funds the nonprofit work of the organization which is dedicated to helping kids reach their highest potential.

Most recently, Regan served as Vice President, International Licensing and New Business Development, responsible for the international product licensing business and overseeing new business development for such brands as Sesame Street and Dragon Tales, as well as growing the Workshop’s theme park initiatives. She will continue expanding existing licensing activities and developing new business initiatives for Greater China and Japan. Prior to joining the Workshop in 1999, Regan was Director, International Licensing, at Scholastic Entertainment and Director, International Licensing, at MTV Networks.

Regan earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Art History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Back to the Top

Carol Spieckerman,
President & CEO
Newmarketbuilders

Carol Spieckerman, president and CEO of newmarketbuilders, is an internationally recognized retail thought leader, speaker, strategist, and author.

Her ability to cut through the clutter and distill actionable insights from the rapidly evolving retail and brand landscape helps newmarketbuilders Fortune 500 brand, licensor, agency, and retail supplier clients retool for retail’s new realities. She relishes tackling direct-to-retail positioning challenges and opportunities that involve diverse stakeholders in multiple channels.

Carol’s thought leadership can be found in prominent business and retail publications including the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Women’s Wear Daily and Retail Wire and in her blog, The Right Brain of Retail, which is considered a must-read by global brands and retailers. She is widely followed in social media and serves as a retail sector expert, speaker and content provider for leading trade groups, including LIMA.Back to the Top

Martha Van Gelder,
Director
University of Arizona

Martha Van Gelder serves as Director, and PetSmart Professor of Practice of the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing at The University of Arizona. The Lundgren Center is a public/private partnership whose mission is to develop tomorrow’s retail executives by building campus experiential learning platforms and industry executive educational seminars. The University offers a B.S. in Retailing and Consumer Sciences and is one of the country’s few four year degrees in retailing covering a core business curriculum layered with diverse and relevant coursework on the retailing value chain from supply chain to consumer marketing strategies.

Ms. Van Gelder joined the Center in November of 2011 after 25 years of senior executive international roles building retail concepts and brand partnerships for a variety of blue chip product and media companies including Gaiam, Disney, Redken Hair Care and Sesame Street. She earned a BA from Skidmore College and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of International Management in Glendale AZ. Back to the Top