RVCF's Signature Event Will Tackle Important Retail Industry Issues and Facilitate Face-to-Face Collaboration

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. (April 15, 2015) – The Retail Value Chain Federation (RVCF), the driving force in collaboration, has announced the keynote and a number of major sessions and presentations for the RVCF Annual Fall Conference, being held November 6-9, 2016 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. The conference will specifically address trends and issues that are most relevant to retail industry stakeholders and provide a unique opportunity for in-person collaboration.

World-class speaker and author Barry Elms, President of Strategic Negotiations International and King of Managing Conflict, will deliver an informative and entertaining keynote about dealing with business-related conflict in negotiations. Using real world stories of negotiation, Mr. Elms will introduce attendees to a simple, practical model for diffusing conflict and minimizing tension during negotiations.

Recently announced sessions for the RVCF Annual Fall Conference include:

• "The Future of Retail in an Omni-Channel World" with Chris Peterson, CEO, Integrated Marketing Solutions
• "How to Survive the Next 3 Years in Retail: Growing Revenues by Understanding the Human Element" with Phil Rist, EVP, Strategic Initiatives, Prosper Insights & Analytics
• "50 Shades of Red (Ink): Setting Up a Business in China," a case study presented by Ken Gordon and Hai Yan Zhang
• "How to Implement Executive Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)" with Joe Shedlawski, APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

"This is an exciting yet challenging time in the retail industry," said RVCF Founder and Chairman Kim Zablocky. "The RVCF Fall Conference represents an annual opportunity for trading partners to roll up their sleeves and work together to overcome obstacles, align goals, share insights, and capitalize on new opportunities."

A number of retailers have already committed to breakout sessions and one-on-one meetings, enabling participating suppliers to meet in person with multiple retail customers during a single trip. The conference will feature a number of educational sessions and roundtable discussions about product images and attributes, electronic data interchange (EDI), radio frequency identification (RFID), omni-channel and other hot button issues. Attendees are also encouraged to visit service provider exhibits, take a distribution center tour, and enjoy non-stop networking opportunities, including evening receptions, a golf outing and Casino Night.

Each year, the RVCF Annual Fall Conference attracts hundreds of retailers, merchandise suppliers and service providers who are committed to solving industry problems, developing innovative solutions, and growing profits through collaboration. No other conference or organization delivers as much direct interaction and knowledge-sharing between trading partners, which is why attendee feedback is overwhelmingly positive each year.

RVCF's Signature Event, Themed "Consumer Driven Supply Chain," Will Move to the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. (April 15, 2015) – The Retail Value Chain Federation (RVCF) has announced that its much anticipated Annual Fall Conference, being held November 8-11, 2015, has been moved to the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. Due to unplanned construction at the original venue, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, RVCF leadership decided to make the change to avoid any disruption or inconvenience to event attendees and sponsors.

The Annual Fall Conference, themed "Consumer Driven Supply Chain," will offer educational programs, open forums, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities that enable direct, face-to-face collaboration between trading partners.

"We're thrilled to be able to return to the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, which hosted last year's RVCF Fall Conference," said RVCF Founder and Chairman Kim Zablocky. "This amazing facility will provide a perfect setting as retailers, suppliers and service providers gather to share ideas, solve problems and explore ways to grow revenue for all stakeholders."

Noted business entrepreneur, motivational speaker, consultant and author Mike McKinley will deliver the conference keynote, titled "Getting Back to Basics." Known for his humorous, dynamic presentations, Mr. McKinley will offer advice on balancing work and home, improving attitudes and productivity, and maintaining relationships that help organizations grow and thrive.

This conference will also feature 40+ educational programs including 4 focused workshops focused on Deep Dive into EDI Documentation, Assortment Planning for Brick-and-Mortar and e-Commerce, Images and Attributes and RFID for Retailers and Suppliers along with the results of 3 uniquely different studies conducted with Arizona State University, University of Arkansas and Auburn University.

RVCF Annual Fall Conference Promises Direct Collaboration between Suppliers and Retailers

Retail Prophet Founder Doug Stephens to Deliver Keynote Entitled "The Future of Retail"

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. (August 14, 2014) – Merchandise suppliers and retailers will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face to strengthen relationships and discuss important issues and initiatives when the Retail Value Chain Federation hosts its Annual Fall Conference. The conference, themed "ICE in the Desert: Innovation, Collaboration, Execution," will be held from November 2-5, 2014 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The RVCF Annual Fall Conference will offer both retailer-specific and supplier-specific sessions that encourage open conversations among representatives from similar companies, as well as one-to-one meetings and retailer-specific breakouts that allow for individualized communication.

"No other conference provides as much direct interaction between suppliers and their retail customers," said RVCF Founder and Chairman Kim Zablocky. "The RVCF Annual Fall Conference continues a tradition of collaboration by enabling trading partners to meet one-on-one and in small group settings to share ideas, solve problems and move forward together."

Industry leaders will moderate round tables and share case studies and best practices, providing attendees with the insights they need to operate more efficiently. Session topics at the RVCF Annual Fall Conference will cover electronic data interchange (EDI), radio frequency identification (RFID), product images and attributes, omni-channel retailing, compliance, conducting business in Canada, and much more.

Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet and one of the world's foremost retail and consumer futurists, will deliver a highly anticipated keynote entitled "The Future of Retail." Stephens will discuss trends in demographics, technology, media and more as he provides attendees with a clear view of what is on the retail horizon.

The conference will also include a distribution center tour and networking functions throughout the event, including a golf outing on Sunday, November 2 at Camelback Golf Club. Each day will begin with a networking breakfast, while networking breaks, luncheons and evening receptions will provide ample opportunities for trading partners to cultivate the relationships that provide the foundation for long-term success.

For more information or to register for the RVCF Annual Fall Conference, click here.

About Retail Value Chain Federation.

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution

RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit www.rvcf.com.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul
media@rvcf.com
646 442-3701

# # #

RVCF Announces Promotion of Susan Haupt to Vice President of Operations and Member Services

The Retail Value Chain Federation, leading collaborative supply chain organization, today announced that Susan Haupt has been promoted to Vice President of Operations and Member Services. In this role, Susan will oversee organizational development and membership outreach. She will be responsible for driving programs, expanding the member community, and managing client services.

"This promotion has been given in recognition of Susan's hard work and dedication to the RVCF organization. Susan's tireless efforts has contributed significantly to our value proposition," says Founder, Kim Zablocky. 

Susan brings a wealth of knowledge in trading partner alignment, retailer-supplier synchronization, and the appropriate use of technology solutions to improve efficiency in the retail value chain. "I am thrilled to have been a part of success of this organization from its early years! I look forward to the challenges of this expanded role and to contributing to the continued growth of the RVCF in service to both the retailer and merchandise supplier communities moving forward." 

Susan has worked with the RVCF organization for over 10 years. Prior to joining RVCF, Susan held various positions with leading textile and apparel firms in both IT and Sales Management. Susan holds a BA and an MBA from Farleigh Dickinson University.

About Retail Value Chain Federation.

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution

RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit www.rvcf.com.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul
media@rvcf.com
646 442-3701

# # #

RVCF and GS1 US Announce Official Collaborative Relationship

RVCF and GS1 US have begun an official collaboration. Both organizations are committed to improved business processes and relations within the retail industry. Through our mutual membership and participant base we are able to leverage thought leadership to uncover supply chain disruptions, identify best practices, and offer solutions to remedy these issues. Sharing a mutual venue at RVCF events will yield greater participation and involvement to ensure the voice of the supplier is heard.

As our initial endeavor, RVCF and GS1 US are joining together to launch an initiative within the Sporting Goods sector to focus on defining and delivering industry-specific product attribute guidelines. The goal is to provide a platform that can be leveraged by suppliers to meet multiple retailer requirements and support e-commerce implementations worldwide. Industry guidelines allow the community to analyze and improve their current internal capabilities, and will help place a strong emphasis on the product attributes consumers deem essential in making online buying decisions.

Consistent and accurate product attributes are required to support a successful omni-channel strategy. Consumers are demanding increased amounts of trusted data to make purchase decisions. Retailers and brands need to serve consumers with a consistent selling experience across all retail channels. The implementation of a common data model underlying your backend systems and the information shared across all industry trading partners is vital to achieving seamless commerce and delighted consumers.

"We look forward to the success of this initial endeavor and hope it leads to deeper collaborative relationships within the retail industry through both organizations." - Kim Zablocky, RVCF

GS1 US will be conducting these committee meetings at the RVCF Spring and Fall conferences. If you are interested in participating in the Product Attributes for Sporting Goods workgroup, please contact apparelgm@gs1us.org or Kim Zablocky at kzablocky@rvcf.com.

About Retail Value Chain Federation

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution

RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit www.rvcf.com.

About GS1 US

GS1 US, a member of GS1, is an information standards organization that brings industry communities together to solve supply-chain problems through the adoption and implementation of GS1 Standards. Nearly 300,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading-partner collaboration and for maximizing the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, security and sustainability of their business processes. They achieve these benefits through solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, bar codes, Electronic Product Code-based RFID, data synchronization, and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC). www.GS1US.org.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul, RVCF
media@rvcf.com
646 442-3701

# # #

RVCF announces keynote Jim Carroll for the upcoming 2013 Annual Fall Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona

"The future belongs to those who are fast!" by Jim Carroll, Futurist, Trends & Innovation Expert

In the world of retail in 2013 and beyond, we will be seeing the more rapid emergence of new ways of doing business, and it's leading us to a time in which companies have to instantly be able to copy any move by their competition – or risk falling behind.

For example, think about what is going on in retail, with one major trend defining the future: the Apple Store checkout process, which involves the elimination of the cash register. Apple has such an impact on retail design and consumer behavior today that many other retailers are now scrambling to duplicate the process, trying to link themselves to the cool Apple cachet.

That's the new reality in the world of business – pacesetters today can swiftly and suddenly change the pace and structure of an industry, and other competitors have to scramble to keep up. Consider this scenario, which recently unfolded: Amazon announces a same day delivery in some major centers. Google and Walmart almost immediately jump on board. And in just a short time, retailers in every major city are going to have be able to play the same game!

Then there is in-store promotion. We're entering the era of constant video bombardment in the retail space. How fast is the trend towards constant interaction evolving? Consider the comments by Ron Boire, the new Chief Marketing Officer for Sears in the US (and former chief executive of Brookstone Inc.): "My focus will really be on creating more and better theater in the stores."

We are going to see a linking of this 'in-store theater' with our mobile devices and our social networking relationships. Our Facebook app for a store brand (or the fact we've 'liked' the brand) will know we're in the store, causing a customized commercial to run, offering us a personalized product promotion with a hefty discount. This type of scenario will be here faster than you think!

Fast format change, instant business model implementation and rapid-fire strategic moves. That's the new reality for retail business, and it's the innovators who will adapt. Join RVCF as international futurist, innovation and trends expert Jim Carroll challenges us about a world in which the future belongs to those who are fast. Jim's clients include The GAP, the Walt Disney Corporation, ESPN, Johnson & Johnson, the PGA of America, and many, many more.

The RVCF 2013 Annual Fall Conference will take place at the Westin Kierland in Scottsdale, AZ from Sunday, November 3 through Wednesday, November 6. For more information and to register, please visit us on the web at http://bit.ly/RVCF2013Fall.

About Jim Carroll

Jim Carroll, Futurist, Trends and Innovation Expert.

Jim Carroll is one of the world's leading futurists, trends & innovation experts. It's his inspirational, transformative thinking that will help you discover opportunity in an era of high-velocity change. In his most recent keynotes and leadership sessions, he has been helping his clients meet the challenges of the economic contraction by focusing on innovation and aligning their strategy to fast-paced future trends.

He speaks on a wide variety of topics including technology, business model change, innovation, and global challenges and growth.

He is the author of several books including "The Future Belongs To Those Who Are Fast," "Ready, Set, Done: How to Innovate When Faster is the New Fast" and "What I Learned from Frogs in Texas: Saving Your Skin with Forward Thinking Innovation."

About Retail Value Chain Federation.

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution

RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit www.rvcf.com.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul
media@rvcf.com
646 442-3701

# # #

VCF announces new name change to RVCF - Retail Value Chain Federation, and expansion of its programs and offerings to better serve its membership.

The new identity expands upon the current base of programs and services focusing on Compliance Management and Customer Relationship Management to now include Supplier Relationship Management, Inventory Management, Product Life Cycle Management, Performance Metrics and KPIs and RFID.

"We are a different organization than we were as VCF back in 2000," says Kim Zablocky, Founder. "We feel we have brought true partnership to the retail-supplier relationship and, to be honest, all parties represented in the RVCF organization are in retailing as an industry. Many of our vendor members have retail outlets and/or sell their goods through e-Commerce portals and retailers are engaging in more private label business. As such, RVCF will expand our traditional focus (and programs) to include Business Process Improvement Solutions for suppliers and Inventory Management, Flow and Visibility for retailers."

In support of these changes, RVCF is introducing the Retail Inventory Planning and Replenishment group. The purpose of this is to include our evolving focus in areas of inventory planning, flow, allocation, replenishment, etc. These expanded focal points show the commitment our organization has to the retail industry in striving for the perfect order through all facets of the supply chain. Five retailers have confirmed their participation in the Retail Inventory Planning & Replenishment steering committee including AutoZone, Pep Boys, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Sport Chalet and The Container Store, with additional retailer participation to be announced soon.

"We're definitely excited about our change to RVCF and the doors that will be opened for our members by expanding our offerings and programs."

Our web URL, email addresses, company logo and monthly newsletter have also been changed to reflect the expanded direction.

About Retail Value Chain Federation.

Driving Continuous Innovation, Collaboration and Perfect Execution

RVCF promotes best practices, trading partner alignment, collaboration, and technology solutions to streamline operations, lower costs and speed goods to market throughout the retail value chain. For more information, visit www.rvcf.com.

Media Contact:

Sheri Kurdakul
media@rvcf.com
646 442-3701

# # #