— First Meeting April 6-8 in Dallas —
ARLINGTON, Va. — February 6, 2003 — The International Mass Retail Association will launch a unique initiative this April to answer the retail industry`s need for collaboratively defined retail technology solutions. IMRA`s new Retail IT Leaders Council will kick off on April 6-8 in Dallas at the Fairmont Dallas. IT decision makers at various corporate levels will convene to discuss this new IMRA committee`s efforts to define retailer/supplier technology requirements.
The IMRA Retail IT Leaders Council will comprise CIOs, vice presidents, directors and project managers in retail companies and major product suppliers. The group will meet several times a year to:
• Facilitate networking among IT professionals.
• Get input and advice on implementation of specific projects in IT.
• Establish the retail industry`s technology needs.
• Advise the vendor community.
• Create forums that enhance cooperation between retailers and the companies that make the goods they sell.
The council illustrates the fresh approach to serving the retail community that IMRA`s new president Sandy Kennedy has pledged to provide. She began her tenure with IMRA on December 30.
"We realized that there is nothing else like this council. There`s no other opportunity like this one for retail IT leaders at all levels to interact with their peers and their supplier partners in an informal, constructive, collaborative environment," Kennedy said.
"We also want to give IMRA members a unique new membership benefit. If you`re an IMRA member, you can join the Council at no additional cost. Companies that aren`t current IMRA members can join for $2,500 a year, which covers every IT executive in the participating company. The cost is low, but having access to the collective knowledge and clout of the industry is priceless."
All IT decision makers can join the council. "There is no retail industry committee that welcomes those who are not CIOs, but this one does," Kennedy said. "If you`re responsible for making corporate IT decisions, if you`re looking ahead and if you don`t want to make decisions in a vacuum, you belong on this council."
The April meeting will give all who are interested a chance to "kick the tires" and decide whether to participate regularly. After that meeting, council members will form functional groups to discuss specific needs or interests.
The Retail IT Leaders Council will be the best place to get advice on IT, Kennedy said. The council will give participants an opportunity to sit with the best of the best, to talk with others who share similar challenges and can offer advice on how to proceed on specific IT applications. "If you want to talk about point-of-sale implementation, Linux, telecommunications requirements, enterprise deployment, we`ll form a group for you," she said.
Council members also will learn the pitfalls of various IT implementations and compare notes on priorities. In the process, they will develop personal relationships and a formal and informal IT network..
One major benefit will be the chance to experience first hand the innovative technology solutions emerging in the retail-supplier community. "We expect there will be true visionaries on this council, who can refresh others` concepts of the future," Kennedy said.
To participate in the IMRA Retail IT Leaders Council, send an email to itleaders@imra.org with your contact information. An IMRA contact will reply and ensure you are included in the kick-off meeting April 6-8 in Dallas.
For more information on other IMRA activities, visit the Web site: www.imra.org.
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The International Mass Retail Association — the world`s leading alliance of retailers and their product and service suppliers — is committed to bringing price-competitive value to the world`s consumers. IMRA members represent over $1 trillion in sales annually and operate over 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers nationwide. Our member retailers and suppliers have facilities in all 50 states, as well as internationally, and employ millions of Americans. As a full-service trade association, IMRA provides industry research and education, government advocacy, and a unique forum for its members to establish relationships, solve problems, and work together for the benefit of the consumer and the mass retail industry.
CONTACT:
Edie Clark
(703) 841-2300, x139
eclark@imra.org
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