The first day of the convention marks a historical date in the American political process. For the first time approximately 27 states will have held their presidential primaries, including 20 states today, that range from Alabama in the South, New York & New Jersey in the East and California in the West.
The day’s results should provide a pretty clear barometer as to who will represent the Republican and Democratic parties in November.
Tonight’s keynote session will project the expected winners and what the country should anticipate in terms of domestic and foreign policy depending upon who will be elected president. On the right, Tony Snow from Fox news and most recently the respected and admired Press Secretary to President Bush will discuss Republican prospects and expectations in November. On the left, the former effective and persuasive Senator Majority leader Tom Daschle will offer his thoughts whether Democratic policies will meet the expectations of the American people. Finally, as U.S. foreign policy will continue to be center stage we have invited back Fareed Zakaria, the internationally renowned and respected expert on world affairs.
In keeping with N.G.A.’s tradition, President and CEO, Tom Zaucha will engage our three distinguished guests in a spirited discussion about what promises to be one of the most important elections in U.S. history with worldwide implications.
Submit Your Questions for the 2008 N.G.A. Opening Keynote Session
With such a wealth of knowledge and opinions on stage, we are inviting you to submit questions you would like asked of our panelists. The onstage discussion will be focused primarily on the 2008 election and domestic and foreign policy issues. We look to take questions directly from you, the N.G.A. community. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please e-mail Christine Cunnick at ccunnick@nationalgrocers.org.
We will also begin to run a number of poll questions in express lanes that will be used throughout the Opening Keynote Session. These questions and results will be used to stimulate conversations on-stage with all our panelists.
Tony Snow
Tom Daschle
Fareed Zakaria
Wednesday, February 6 — General Session 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Sustainability: A Natural for the Community-Focused Retailer
Today’s business has become more and more aligned with the principles of the environment, the economy, and social responsibility as consumers are increasingly aware of the wider consequences of the decisions that they make. What they choose to take on board, what they choose to ignore, and what can the industry do to satisfy these choices are key questions that demand our collective attention. Similarly, those leading the food industry have never had their decisions under more scrutiny. Retailers are major influencers of sustainability programs. Wal-Mart recently declared that it will invest $500 million annually in energy-saving technologies, reducing solid waste by 25% over the next three years and urging its 60,000 suppliers to produce goods that do not harm the environment. Besides pressure from consumers and retailers, internal drivers – such as cost reduction, commodity risk management, and upholding corporate culture – have been driving consumer product sustainability activities. Currently, there is significant focus and activity on sustainable initiatives within the industry. This session will benchmark current sustainable development programs by leading manufacturers. Hear what these companies are doing to minimize their footprints in the environment with their impact on air, water, and materials used for packaging. Learn how, as a retailer, you can share your customers’ and communities’ desire for “green” products and why these practices represent a good business decision today as well as an investment in future generations.
Moderators:
Jean Kinsey, Professor, University of Minnesota
Frank DiPasquale, Senior Vice President, N.G.A.
Speakers:
Stephen Yucknut, Vice President, Sustainability, Kraft Foods, Inc.
Erik Perterson, Vice President of Strategy Grocery, PepsiCo
Gene Kahn, Vice President, Sustainable Development, General Mills
Thursday, February 7 — General Session 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Today’s Contemporary Consumers: How Well Do You Know Them?
Today’s customers are more complex and diverse in their tastes and needs and they have numerous options for where they can fulfill their shopping needs. What keeps them coming back to your stores is the level of your interaction with them and the overall quality of their shopping experience. So the questions are: how well do we really know today’s customers and potential customers and how are we really doing when it comes to developing consumer confidence, trust and loyalty in shopping our stores? In this unique interactive general session, you will have the opportunity to electronically register your opinion and compare your answers with the results of a national consumer survey conducted by N.B.C.’s Supermarket Guru, Phil Lempert. Using the joint polling results as a basis, a panel of industry leaders will analyze some of the changes in consumer purchasing behavior (yes, their answers will be included in the results.) The industry will be scored in the following areas: accurate labeling, health and nutrition, quality fresh foods, natural and organic foods, sustainability practices, fair trade products, superior
customer service, safety/security and well trained informed employees.
Moderator:
Phil Lempert, Supermarket Guru
Speakers:
Joe Sheridan, Executive Vice President, Wakefern Food Corporation
Frank DiPasquale, Senior Vice President, N.G.A.
Ken Hubbard, CEO, Western Supermarkets, Inc.
Robert Harmon, Harmon City, Inc., Vice President, Marketing/Produce Sales Director
