FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Claudia Mobley, founder and director of the Center for Retailing Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas since its inception in 1998, has recently expanded her retail leadership into the national arena.

Mobley was elected to serve a two-year term as president of the American Collegiate Retail Association, an international organization that is composed of 300-plus membership from four-year institutions that have retail programs or retail courses. She was also appointed to serve on the National Retail Federation Foundation board, the research and education arm of the National Retail Federation. A nonprofit created in 1981, the foundation conducts industry research and develops education and training programs and professional industry credentials to help retail associates advance.

The Center for Retailing Excellence was established in the Walton College in 1998 with a portion of the $50 million endowment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. The center was created to bridge the gap between university faculty, students and retail industry. The center recently raised $35,000 for student scholarships by partnering with the northwest Arkansas Walmart vendor community in a golf tournament. Another way the center connects with the retail industry is through its annual trends in retailing conference, which will be held Oct. 6 and feature top industry executives, such as Walmart U.S.’s president and CEO Bill Simon. For more information, see the Center for Retailing Excellence website.

In addition, the School of Merchandising at the University of North Texas has selected Mobley as its 2010 merchandising honored alumna. She will be recognized at school events in October. The school boasts over 5,600 graduates of programs dating back to 1901. Through a competitive process, faculty reviewed the list of 1,926 graduates from the merchandising division and made nominations. The school told Mobley, “Your accomplishments in the area of industry collaboration and career preparation are particularly noteworthy.”

The American Collegiate Retail Association membership is made up of faculty from these disciplines: business schools, liberal arts, economics, human ecology, textiles, design and apparel. Mobley said, “This is a tremendous opportunity for me to work with all the membership in these disciplines. Our goals are to enhance the members’ professional development; promote retail management as a profession; maintain and elevate standards of retailing education and strengthen the curriculum; and advance the status and prestige of our discipline.”

The National Retail Federation Foundation also promotes retailing as a career destination through awareness and networking programs for students in schools, colleges, and universities.

“I will be privileged to serve on the board,” said Mobley, “with representatives of such organizations as The Container Store, Microsoft Corp., IBM Corp., JC Penney Co., and American Express.”

The foundation's education and career development efforts include NRF University-wired, the industry's eLearning platform, and National Professional Certifications in customer service, sales, and retail management and the professional retail business credential. The foundation's activities are funded by annual contributions from retail companies, industry allies, private foundations and special fundraising events. In addition, partnerships with industry allow the foundation to offer research and education programs that benefit retailing.