Midford Named Conference Chair for 2012

Stevens Point, WI… Stefan Midford has been named as Conference Chair for the 2012 NARMS Spring Conference scheduled for April 14-17, 2012 at Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, FL. As chair of the 2012 NARMS Spring Conference, Midford will corroborate with NARMS Team (staff) members and responsible board of director and division committee efforts in determining program agenda elements.

As President and CEO of Natural Insight, a NARMS International associate member company, Midford has over 30 years of experience in information technology, operations and workforce management. His extensive business background includes leadership roles at major credit, retail and marketing businesses, both in the U.S. and Canada, with assignments at Discover Financial Services, Sears Roebuck & Co., Sears Canada Inc. and prior to founding Natural Insight, as COO at Intersections, Inc.

Midford’s management experience gives him insight into the strategic challenges facing organizations with distributed workforces, as well as the specialized logistical issues that go with them. He is a member of the Institute of Global Work at Boston University and a member of the NARMS International Associate Member Committee.

Additionally, Midford is an active proponent of the need for continued advancement of Science and Technology in schools and works as a mentor for a northern Virginia high school robotics team. He is an avid photographer and a member of Mindshare, an invitation-only group of Washington D.C. area CEO’s leading high growth technology companies.

NARMS’ 400+ member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers, and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in retailing practices are all part of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International, and include continuing education under the banner of www.NARMScertifyU.com.

Additional NARMS information is available at www.narms.com, including details about the 17th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, FL on April 14-17, 2012.

Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
kmckenzie@narms.com

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NARMS Webinar Interest Continues

Stevens Point, WI — Offering meaningful and helpful online webinars for retail industry members continues to be an attractive member benefit of NARMS International. Since August, 2008, NARMS, a non-profit association with an educational focus, has offered nearly 50 different topical webinars to its member companies. Scheduling usually mid-week and mid-day for the convenience of attracting attendees primarily from a membership mostly within North America, the NARMS webinar model has shared a diverse range of topics reflecting the varied interests and developmental and knowledge skills of its own retail industry membership.
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NARMS International to Feature Tommy Spaulding at Annual Meeting

Stevens Point, WI: Tommy Spaulding, national leadership development consultant, author of best seller and former leader of Up With People will address the retail service industry leadership at the 2011 NARMS Annual Spring Conference & Exposition on Tuesday, April 12. Spaulding will kick off the final morning’s general session for the gathered retail leaders, sharing the primary message captured in his new book, It’s Not Just Who You Know.

A one-time cast member of the Up With People group, Spaulding later became the organization’s president and CEO. Currently he runs multiple nonprofit and for-profit companies while speaking to audiences far and wide about how the power of relationships can bring positive bottom-line results to organizations of every size and type.

Known for his inspirational-yet-practical keynote approach, Spaulding is known for his heartwarming and humorous stories from life and business that he uses to illustrate how the genuine and lasting relationships can grow your organization, advance your career and change your world.

In his new book, Spaulding highlights points such as: It’s not just who you know, or what they can do for you, but what you can do for them. Motives matter. Establishing a deeper connection is about authenticity, not manipulation; reciprocity, not selfishness. Every relationship is a two-way street; we never know when a chance encounter can change the direction of our lives.

ABOUT NARMS
NARMS’ nearly 400 member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers, and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in retailing practices are all part of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International, and include continuing education under the banner of www.NARMScertifyU.com. Additional NARMS information is available at www.narms.com, including details about the 16th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Portola Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA on April 9-12, 2011.

Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 715 342 0948
FAX: 1 715 342 1943
kmckenzie@narms.com

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NARMS Announces 2011 Global Shop Educational Session - Mark Hunter, The Saleshunter

Stevens Point, WI — NARMS International has announced the content of one of the sponsored educational sessions taking place at the 2011 Global Shop Show being held in Las Vegas, NV on March 28-30, 2011. Entitled “Full-Price/Full-Profit, Yes, It’s Still Possible”, the session will be led by Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, and will contain steps retailers and vendors can both take to maximize their price and avoid using discounting as sales strategy.

Discounting has become a strategy too often used as a tool to build sales; resulting in conditioning the customer into believing there is no reason to pay full-price. In the Global Shop educational session slated for 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, Hunter will explain how techniques being used by others may be applied to benefit both retailers and suppliers and result in a more profitable industry in both developed and emerging markets.

Global Shop is the world’s largest annual trade show and conference dedicated to store design, visual merchandising and shopper marketing. NARMS International joins with A.R.E. (Association for Retail Environments) and POPAI (The Global Association for Marketing at Retail) in co-sponsoring the show that is divided into six sections of the retail design industry: The Store Fixture Show, The Visual Merchandising Show, Store Design & Operations, The Digital Store, At-Retail Marketplace and Retail Marketing Services.

The annual show gives retailers and brand marketers a place where they can visit over 600 suppliers in one location while exhibitors meet thousands of buyers representing the fastest-growing retail chains and the Top 200 Global Brands.

NARMS’ nearly 400 member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers, and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in retailing practices are all part of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International, and include continuing education under the banner of www.NARMScertifyU.com. Additional NARMS information is available at www.narms.com, including details about the 16th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Portola Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA on April 9-12, 2011.

Contact: Ken McKenzie, VP
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road, Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
kmckenzie@narms.com

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Raftery & Retail Panel to Keynote NARMS Spring Conference

Stevens Point, WI …. Retail industry leaders planning to attend NARMS International’s 16th Annual Spring Conference can look forward to a keynote presentation anchored by Dan Raftery and a retailer panel. Entitled “What a Retailer Really Wants from an In-Store Service Provider” is referenced as a retail conversation facilitated by Dan Raftery of Raftery Resource Network. Specific retailers participating on the panel will be named later for the Sunday, April 10, 2011kickoff session in Monterey, CA.
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NARMS Announces 2011 Session Speaker – Kit Yarrow

Stevens Point, WI — NARMS International has announced Kit Yarrow (@GenBuy, LinkedIn) as a general session speaker at its Sunday (April 10) opening session at the 16th Annual NARMS Spring Conference to be held in Monterey, CA. Yarrow, Ph.D. is a professor of psychology and marketing at Golden Gate University and recipient as their 2009 Outstanding Scholar. Her book, “Gen BuY: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings are Revolutionizing Retail”, (Wiley, 2009), was described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a must-read for all who hope to keep their companies relevant and viable.”

“Kit Yarrow will anchor our opening general session,” confirms NARMS President/CEO Dan Borschke. “Her presentation will help contribute to our NARMS-U educational efforts as she shares ‘The Marketing Guide to Hooking-Up with Gen Y’.”

As a recognized consumer expert, Yarrow is often called upon by the media to explain and predict consumer behavior and has consulted with General Electric, Del Monte and Nokia. A frequent guest on “Good Morning, America” and “Marketplace”, Kit has been a visiting scholar teaching consumer behavior at universities around the world including Stanford, Cornell and UC Berkeley.

ABOUT NARMS
NARMS’ nearly 400 member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers, and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in retailing practices are all part of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International and include continuing education under the banner of NARMScertifyU.com. Additional NARMS information is available at narms.com, including details about the 16th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Portola Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA on April 9-12, 2011.

Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
FAX: 1 715 342 1943
kmckenzie@narms.com

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NARMS Announces Burt Flickinger III as Keynote Speaker

Stevens Point, WI … The retail industry leaders of NARMS International will hear from Burt Flickinger, III; a widely known and recognized leading expert on all aspects of the wholesaling and retailing industry, as their keynote speaker at the 15the Annual NARMS Spring Conference in Wesley Chapel, FL on Sunday afternoon, April 18. Flickinger is the Managing Director of Strategic Resource Group of New York and will address “The Future of Marketing, Retailing and Communicating with the Consumer” at the NARMS meeting which launches three days of interactive meetings among retail service providers, manufacturers, retailers and associated industry suppliers.

Flickinger’s work career spans consumer and competitive strategy, marketing/advertising, effectiveness on copy/creative to media buying, cost efficiency in broadcast TV/radio, weekday and weekend print, retailing, buying/merchandising and operations, His vast career experience began as an executive with S.M. Flickinger, largest full-service institutional and retail wholesaler and retailer on the U.S.east coast.

ABOUT NARMS
NARMS member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers, and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in retailing practices are all part of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International. Additional NARMS information is available at www.narms.com, including details about the 15th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, FL on April 17-20, 2010.

Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
FAX: 1 715 342 1943
kmckenzie@narms.com

NARMScertifyU Online Learning Center Launched March 1st

Stevens Point, WI … NARMS International proudly announces the launch of NARMScertifyU, the official NARMS online learning center. NARMScertifyU offers career-building courses with certificates of competition for marketing representatives. NARMScertifyU will benefit both NARMS member companies as well as marketing representatives through workforce training that is built on retail industry standards. Developed by industry experts, NARMScertifyU provides each participant with a valuable learning experience.

The all-new www.NARMScertifyU.com website was launched Monday, March 1st, 2010 with an initial roll-out of eight learning courses available at $15 per course. Courses currently available are: Retail Visit Excellence, Merchandising Standards, Demonstrations, Event Marketing, Fixture Installation, Mystery Shopping, Train the Trainer, and Team Lead Skills. More courses are planned to be released in the future.

NARMScertifyU provides a simple and straight forward learning experience. In just a few steps learners will gain applicable retail knowledge through job specific courses. Online courses can be accessed anywhere and anytime, so learning takes place at each individual’s pace. Marketing representatives who earn course certificates will achieve higher visibility within the NARMS Recruiter, improve their skill set, gain broader retail knowledge and increase their overall job satisfaction. NARMS member companies will benefit by gaining a centralized learning center, enhancing their team’s skill set, reducing workforce turnover, and improving their workforce quality and productivity.

NARMS International is the parent sponsor of NARMScertifyU and partnered with BDS Marketing Inc., a California based retail marketing agency, to build, manage and promote the online learning center. Both NARMS and BDS Marketing, Inc. built NARMScertifyU to fill a void in the industry by offering standardized training. The new learning center is designed to become a strong component in NARMS educational efforts. More information about NARMScertifyU is available from Scot Maurath, Manager of Learning Services for BDS Marketing, Inc. at 949.472.6700 x1107 or scot.maurath@bdsmktg.com.

About NARMS International –
NARMS’ member companies perform well over $3 billion in merchandising services, sales marketing, event marketing, demonstration and other retail services annually. The international trade association serves as a “central gathering point” for the retailing industry; promoting and establishing industry standards; providing critical industry research studies and educational information about the industry while acting as a voice for its diverse membership of service providers, manufacturers, retailers and associates. NARMS represents all classes of trade including: grocery, drug, mass, department, home and building centers, computer and office supply, electronic, value retailers, specialty, and convenience retailers.

The varied educational offerings supporting improvement and excellence in the retailing industry are all parts of NARMS – U, the educational arm of NARMS International. More NARMS information is available at www.narms.com, including details about the 15th NARMS Spring Conference & Exposition at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, FL on April 17-20, 2010.

Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
FAX: 1 715 342 1943
kmckenzie@narms.com

NARMS Announces Board Nominees

Stevens Point, WI … A roster of retail industry leaders have been nominated for service with NARMS International, a global trade association serving the retailing industry.

In accordance with NARMS By-Laws, action by a member nominating committee has prepared a recommended slate of qualified nominees to fill available positions, each to serve two-year terms (April 2010 - April 2012). Named to the slate of nominees as repeat, two-year nominations are: Mary Jo Bastuba, Nintendo of America, Marietta, GA; Ethan Charas, Stratmar Retail Services, Port Chester, NY; Steve Donzelli, Chuck Latham & Associates, Parker, CO; and Jim Hall, Riteway Sales & Marketing, Lakeland, FL.
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Carol Spieckerman of newmarketbuilders to present at NARMS Conference

Stevens Point, WI … NARMS is pleased to announce that Carol Spieckerman of Bentonville-based newmarketbuilders has agreed to kick-off the NARMS Manufacturer-Retailer Connection Forum (during the NARMS Spring Conference – April 17-20, 2010) on Monday, April 19th at 9:00 AM at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, FL with an hour long presentation entitled: “Are you Ready for the “Reset”? Three Revelations that Will Rock Your Retail Reality.” Carol has also agreed to facilitate the subsequent Manufacturer-Retailer Connection sessions that will be presented on the NARMS Spring Conference General Session stage from 10:00 AM through 12:30 PM.

Carol is president of newmarketbuilders and serves as a strategic out-of-enterprise resource to the retail industry for product, brand and marketing campaign launches, and retail best practices. Carol possesses a unique understanding of macro retail trends and how marketers can translate them into relevant and actionable strategies that resonate with retailers.

She is a speaker, author and regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Women’s Wear Daily, DSN Retailing Today, Home Channel News, and other national and international media outlets.

You can follow Carol on Twitter or LinkedIn.

To date we have commitments from Kelly Hampton of 20th Century Fox Entertainment, Joe Wood of Roundy’s Supermarkets and Mary Jo Bastuba of Nintendo to participate in 30 minute Q&A presentations that will be promoted as the NARMS Manufacturer-Retailer Connection Sessions. Additional participants will be forthcoming and we ask your assistance in sharing invitations to potential presenters. Todd Jones, President of Publix has also committed to an hour long presentation at 4:00 PM on Monday, April 19th.

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Contact:
Ken McKenzie
Vice President
National Association for Retail Marketing Services
2417 Post Road
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 1 888 526-2767
FAX: 1 715 342 1943
kmckenzie@narms.com