Innovation in the Retail Industry: Trends and Technology Top Agenda for Innovate 2011

    MADISON, WI, March 03, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Retail executives from across the nation will be descending upon San Francisco March 8th-10th for the Retail Advertising & Marketing Association's (RAMA) annual Retail Innovation & Marketing Conference. The show, catered to senior executives in retail e-commerce, marketing and technology, is about the changing business and marketing landscape.

RAMA Chairman of the Board and Executive Vice President of Half Price Books, Kathy Doyle Thomas, will be among conference attendees. "This year's conference will showcase the leaders of our industry discussing what they do best: innovating retail and integrating the latest trends," said Thomas. "It's a great time for us to share best practices and look forward to where the industry is going."

The creative, driven and inquisitive attendees will hear about the hottest retail marketing topics and trends influencing the industry now and in upcoming months. Attendees will leave with the tools and vision necessary to direct company marketing, technology and future overall strategy.

The inaugural event sold out weeks before the conference start to those ready to embrace change - the 2011 event is poised to be even greater. Speakers this year include:
- Kevin Kelly, Founder of Wired Magazine
- Lee Applebaum, EVP/CMO Radio Shack
- Jon Kubo, CIO Wet Seal
- John Rogers, Vice President/GM Under Armour
- Guy Kawasaki, Founder of Alltop.com

Thomas will be available to speak to the press about highlights during and after the conference, as well as the latest marketing trends, the state of the retail industry and the state of the book selling industry.

For a complete list of conference speakers, their topics and conference details, click here. You can also follow the conference on Twitter by following @nrfnews or #Innovate11.

About Kathy Doyle Thomas
Kathy Doyle Thomas is the Executive Vice President of Half Price Books, a leader within the book industry and a champion for literacy in the United States. She is also beginning her second term as the Chairman of the Board for the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association.

About the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA)
The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution. NRF represents an industry with more than 1.6 million U.S. retail establishments, more than 24 million employees - about one in five American workers - and 2008 sales of $4.6 trillion. As the industry umbrella group, NRF also represents more than 100 state, national and international retail associations.

The Retail Advertising Marketing Association, a division of the National Retail Federation, provides unique networking opportunities, industry research and educational programming for retail advertising and marketing professionals.

About Half Price Books
Half Price Books is the largest family-owned new and used bookstore chain with 110 retail locations in 16 states. Stores are open seven days a week and buy and sell new and used books, magazines, comics, records, CDs, DVDs and collectible items. Half Price Books has been dedicated to environmental and literacy efforts for 38 years and supports hundreds of local, national and international programs. Each year the company sponsors the Half Pint Library Book Drive at each of its stores, donating thousands of books to hospitals and clinics throughout the United States. Half Price Books is a founding contributor to Laura Bush's National Book Festival, a continuing supporter of the National Center for Family Literacy and Feed the Children, and the founder of the environmental website BecomeGreen.org. For more information about Half Price Books, its store locations and corporate initiatives, please visit www.halfpricebooks.com.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Kathy Doyle Thomas, please contact Liesel Olson at [email protected] or at 608-442-6336.

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