Walmart, Dillard's and Sam's Club Executives to Speak at Conference

The Center for Retailing Excellence's Emerging Trends in Retailing conference is set for June 14.

The Center for Retailing Excellence at the Sam M. Walton College of Business is hosting the 16th annual Emerging Trends in Retailing Conference on June 14 to highlight retail trends and transformations.

Keynote speakers include David Glass, former Walmart chief executive officer and current owner of the Kansas City Royals, who will examine past changes in Walmart; Tony Rogers, chief marketing officer, Walmart U.S., who will discuss the marketing transformations; and Steve Bratspies, chief merchandising officer, Walmart U.S., who will discuss future changes for the retail giant. Featured speakers also include senior executives from Dillard's, Sam's Club, Disney Retail and Academy Sports + Outdoors.

"So much is changing with delivery models, sourcing and customer expectations," said Claudia Mobley, managing director of the Center for Retailing Excellence. "To be successful in today's online and brick-and-mortar markets, retailers must be adept at change and react quickly."

A panel discussion, led by moderator Rob Rivenburgh, chief executive officer for The Mars Agency, North America, will focus on retail transformation and innovation with senior retail executives serving as panelists. The Mars Agency, a fully-integrated shopper marketing agency, serves as the lead sponsor of the conference, along with Helen of Troy, a global housewares, healthcare/home environment, and personal care consumer product company; Stratacache, a industry leader in digital signage, and Salesforce, the fastest growing top 10 software company in the world.

The conference will be held at the John Q. Hammons Center, Grand Ballroom V, on Pinnacle Parkway in Rogers, Arkansas. Event seating is limited. Preregistration is required. For conference cost and registration, visit cre.uark.edu.

About the Center for Retailing Excellence: 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 focuses on developing future leaders and serves as a bridge between academics and the retail industry.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.