Terry J. Lundgren Global Retailing Conference to Focus on Omni-Channel

by Harry Sheff

Terry LundgrenThe theme for the 19th annual Global Retailing Conference at the University of Arizona’s Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing is “Everywhere at Once,” a nod to the omni-channel approach being embraced by major retailers like Macy’s.

The three-day conference, scheduled for April 22-24 at the Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, will open with a keynote speech by Macy’s Inc. CEO Terry Lundgren, for whom the University of Arizona school is named. Other speakers include executives from Google, Starbucks, The Container Store, Gilt Groupe and eBay.

“The agenda is outstanding — a compendium of some of the newest thinking presented by a number of the most innovative and experienced leaders in our industry,” said Lundgren in a statement. “But what makes this conference extraordinary and unique is the interaction with faculty and high-potential students from the University of Arizona and other colleges who are considering a career in retail, wholesale or a related field. They bring fresh thinking and a discerning eye that help all of us to better understand the millennial customer and employee, and what works and what doesn’t for this new generation of shoppers. This is a vital connection in an industry that is evolving as fast as omni-channel customers are changing the way they shop.”

The full list of speakers is:

  • Terry J. Lundgren, Chairman & CEO, Macy’s Inc.
  • Margo Georgiadis, President of Americas, Google
  • Annie Young-Scrivner, President of Teavana and EVP, Starbucks
  • Martine Reardon, Chief Marketing Officer, Macy’s
  • Thalia Sodi, Entertainer and Entrepreneur
  • Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO, The Container Store
  • Michelle Peluso, CEO & Founder, Gilt
  • Healey Cypher, Head of Retail Innovation, eBay
  • Calvin McDonald, President & CEO, Sephora
  • Jerry Stritzke, President & CEO, REI
  • Charles Best, Founder, DonorsChoose.org
  • Alli Webb, Founder, Drybar
  • Sarah Quinlan, Senior Vice President, Market Insights, MasterCard
  • Sam Fox, CEO and Founder, Fox Restaurant Concepts
  • Brock Weatherup, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, PetSmart

For more information about the conference, go to globalretailingconference.org.