Workshops
Monday, February 11, 2013 • 8:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 • 2:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Educational Tracks
Attendees rate the NGA Show educational program as the top reason for attending. The NGA Show offers a number of Super Breakfast Sessions, General Sessions workshops, presented by independent retailers. Highly tactical sessions feature lots of ideas you can immediately implement in your stores.
- Store Leadership
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Connecting with Customers - Store Operations - Sponsored by:
- Creative Merchandising
- Fresh and Healthy
- Technology Tools - Sponsored by:
STORE LEADERSHIP
How to Improve Store-Level Hiring
The attributes of a good interviewer are easily described – good listener, asks probing questions, etc – but not so easily taught. Discover how independents with low turnover train their store managers to hire more effectively. Panelists will share their interview and selection processes as well as tricks for truly getting to know the candidate. Take home a better understanding of a strong recruitment program and ways to ensure you’re hiring the right person for your store-level positions.
Angie Dreifuerst, HR/Benefits Coordinator, T.A. Solberg Company, Inc. dba Trig's
Mary Muller, Director of Human Resources, Nugget Market, Inc.
Frank Ray, Vice President, Human Resources, Harps Food Stores, Inc.
Leadership Training for Store Managers
Personnel development is one of the most important components of a store manager’s job. In a retail environment, developing staff is critical to the future success of the company. Hear how several retailers ensure that store-level staff is appropriately developed through structured and successful store manager leadership training programs. Understand why these retailers developed the programs, how they measure success and what changes they have seen as a result. Discover how other retailers are using leadership training programs to ensure the future success of their company and how you can you better develop your own store management.
Jodie Felter, Director of Human Resources, Niemann Foods, Inc.
Laurie Harmon, Vice President of People, Harmon City, Inc.
Rex Mudge, Vice President, Human Resources, Strack and Van Til
Paul Adams, President, Paul Adams & Associates (moderator)
Strategies for a Changing Industry: Harnessing the Power of a Diverse Workforce
Research reports indicated companies with the best records for promoting women outperform industry revenue averages by 46%. Work-life balance has emerged as a hot topic in recent years, not just for female managers and executives but for the millennial generation entering the food retail industry. From a panel of industry leaders, learn why and how diversity in your leadership team pays. Discover new tactics to develop female managers and executives, create appropriate and flexible support mechanisms and engage both women and men in gender diversity initiatives. With women making the majority of shopping decisions; discover how to seed your management team with leaders so closely tied to your customers.
Joan Toth, President and CEO, Network of Executive Women
Regenia Stein, Vice President, Industry Development, Kraft Foods Group
Teresa Chipps, Vice President, Marketing and Education, Independent Business, SUPERVALU INC.
Becky Estby, Vice President, Organizational Development, Coborn’s, Inc.
Doug Winsor, President and COO, The Haug Companies
Making the Transition from Manager to Leader
Leaders share many of the traits of a great manager. Yet they have an entirely different perspective on the business. Making the transition from manager to leader is clearly critical to one’s career as well as the future of the company but it’s difficult for most industry executives. Hear how PepsiCo approaches the manager/leader transition. Be inspired by a philosophy with proven results and discover how to jump start your career as well as your team members.
CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS
Social Media Communication - Policies and Procedures
Social media clearly has huge potential to help you connect with new and current shoppers. But a truly effective program requires a disciplined approach to posting – and responding to postings—on social media sites. Learn how to create policies and procedures governing internal and external communication via social media sites to ensure shoppers and employees receive the right message about your company. Take home guidelines and protocol developed by the Coca Cola Retailing Research Council to share with your staff to ensure your communications program is well thought out, structured, effective and easy to follow.
Michael Sansolo, President, Sansolo Solutions
Dennis Host, Director of Marketing, Coborn’s, Inc.
Moderator: Denise Fung, University of Minnesota
Growing Sales by Increasing Basket Size
How do you get shoppers to spend more once they’re in your store? Thanks to your close connection with the shopper and willingness to be flexible, there are so many opportunities for the independent operator to increase basket size. In this fast-paced and highly visual panel presentation, discover the creative as well as tried and true ways independents are able to increase sales per customer. Industry partners and suppliers will share their consumer research findings and provide innovative promotions and merchandising strategies to increase transaction size.
Understanding Your Value Proposition
Do you walk the talk? Shoppers may perceive your value proposition differently than you realize. Do your shoppers know you have great prices or the best service in town? Learn how to determine what your shoppers think of you and discover how you can change their perception in a positive way. The 2013 NGA Student Case Study Competition creatively tackles this challenge in a real world case study. Students explore how a 12-store independent retailer can fulfill its mission and increase market share. Students participating in the program have a very unique opportunity to review basic sales data as well as the findings of consumer focus groups and will make recommendations for growing basket size and attracting new shoppers. Discover how tomorrow’s industry leaders relate to a very real problem that challenges today’s top retail executives.
Reaching Shoppers Via Digital Marketing Tools
Most retailers know that they've got to transition to digital marketing, but are overwhelmed by all the information and tools that are available. Recent research by Bricks Meets Click provides a more complete picture of how today’s shoppers find and use information before, during and after the shopping trip. Explore shoppers use of specific tools such as websites, Facebook, texting and smart phone apps. Specific opportunities and tactics to employ digital marketing tools will be presented.
Nick Arlt, Director of Public Relations, Festival Foods
STORE OPERATIONS
Store Assessments – Reduce Shrink and Improve Safety
A structured store walk program can be an extremely effective way to identify various forms of loss including back door theft and shrink as well security and safety risks. Learn the key elements of a really good store assessment program including timing, what to look for, warning signs and effective reporting.
Dave Winkler, Director of Security (retired), Affiliated Foods Midwest
Moderator: Nathan Boone, Portland State University
Controlling Your Cost Structure – Unsaleables and Supplies
To compete successfully, it’s imperative that your cost structure be as lean as possible. In this moderated discussion featuring retail case studies, understand how to reduce your operating costs. Two areas that represent significant opportunity for expense reduction include unsaleable product and use of packaging/materials. Take away tactics to reduce maintenance expenses and learn how to promote fit for use packaging philosophy in your service departments to reduce costs.
Terry Frank, Senior Vice President-Grocery, Bunzl Distribution, Inc.
Doug Van Til, Bakery Director, Strack and Van Til
Andrew Hoeft, CEO/Founder, Pinpoint Software, Inc.
Chris Nwakalo, Vice President of Customer Development, Pinpoint Software, Inc.
Moderator: Stephanie Ko, Cornell University
Are You Spending Your Ad Dollars Wisely?
There are so many ways to reach shoppers in today’s media rich environment – newspaper print ad, direct mail, in-store flyer, radio, tv, e-mail, etc. What works best? Discover the most effective ways to reach your customers and make the most of your advertising budget. We’ll review the success and performance factors of various forms of advertising and how different demographic groups relate to each. Learn whether to concentrate your efforts on print, digital, radio, or a combination. Discover how other independents are using their ad spending to reach new customers and build store traffic.
Don Jacobs, Consultant
Moderator: Jennifer Chase, Arizona State University
Ready to Make the Jump from Print to Digital?
Many retailers are considering making the transition from print to digital marketing. What are the keys to their success? Is a total conversion the right answer? A strong digital marketing program may be effective when combined with print, radio, web and other traditional media. Discover how targeted e-mails can be as effective as a loyalty program, how to increase hits on your website by incorporating your print ad and why a strong website is a necessary foundation for a digital marketing program. An interactive panel of retailers and suppliers will share the specific programs and tactics they have used to increase store traffic and grow sales.
Creative Merchandising
Trends in General Merchandise
Recent research from GMDC provides a fresh look at the growth trends of general merchandise products. We’ll look at the value and profitability and sales trends for the top 18 categories. Discover which categories are hot, which have slowed down and why. From other independent retail grocers, find out how to capture sales in the hottest categories and which merchandising practices are most successful.
Mark Deuschle, Senior Vice President, GMDC Global Market Develop Center
Tony Germano, Director, New Business Development, Imperial Distributors, Inc.
Rob Richardson, Director, Sales and Consumer Development, The Clorox Company
Ross Federiksen, Director, Grocery, Non-Perishables, Roche Bro.
Best Practices for Seasonal GM/HBC
Many independents use seasonal products to drive store traffic and increase incremental sales. In this highly visual presentation, take home best practices for merchandising in-line seasonal product, event-based merchandising and cross-merchandising seasonal product with non-foods and perimeter departments. Discover how retailers are measuring the performance of their seasonal programs and using the data to fine-tune their offerings. Retail panelists will share their successful programs and ways they have used seasonal merchandise to build excitement and drive sales in key categories.
Ross Frederiksen, Director, Grocery, Non-Perishables, Roche Bros.
David Rudder, Director GM/HBC, Affiliated Foods, Inc.
Tony Germano, Director, New Business Development, Imperial Distributors, Inc.
Eric Millson, Grocery Manager, Geissler's Supermarkets, Inc.
Jacob Luna, Sam Houston State University
Optimizing Merchandising Design
Not all displays and merchandising designs are created equal. In fact, some have more potential than others to be effective in-store. Discover the key attributes that serve as performance indicators for merchandising effectiveness and their unique roles of communicating with the shopper, qualities of high potential designs and key principles for optimizing merchandising solutions. We’ll review case examples to show how to optimize merchandising design before it’s too late.
Lily Lev-Glick, Founder, Chief Insights Officer, Shopper Sense
Moderator: Jacob Luna, Sam Houston State University
Creative Choice – Best of the Best
Join your peers for a dynamic and interactive discussion of effective and creative advertising and merchandising programs. Selected by industry experts, these winners of the Creative Choice Contest will share their successful strategies to grow sales – as well as some not so effective advertising and merchandising campaigns. Take home ideas of marketing programs that you can easily implement in your stores.
Kevin Coupe, Content Guy, MorningNewsBeat.com
Andy Knoblauch, Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Coborn’s, Inc.
David Ganoung, Director of Marketing, Harps Food Stores, Inc.
Nathan Boone, Portland State University
FRESH & HEALTHY
The Evolution – and Opportunity – in Deli Prepared Foods
Thanks to close relationships with your customers and the ability to be flexible, independent retailers are well positioned to capitalize on the growing sales trends in deli prepared foods. We will explore which consumers are interested in deli products, look closely at what products are driving growth and how strong fresh grocery retailers utilize deli prepared as a key part of their success. Discover the latest trends in prepared foods and take home ideas you can use in your stores.
Jonna Parker, Director of Account Services, Nielsen Perishables Group
Julie Enerson, Director, Foodservice Operations, T.A. Solberg DBA Trig's
Moderator: Kaitlyn Dunn, Louisiana State University
Capitalizing on the Local Trend
The locavore trend continues to gain momentum and represents a huge opportunity for independents to differentiate themselves from chains and big box retailers. Many independents have found very creative ways to source local meat, merchandise locally grown produce and support local farmers. Discover how you can take advantage of the locally sourced trend and increase sales in key fresh departments
Mike Beal, Vice President & CFO, Hen House Four B Corp and PriceChopper
Carl W. Day, Owner, Day’s Markets
Mike Needler Jr., President, Fresh Encounters, Inc.
Phil Straniero, Executive in Resident, Western Michigan University (moderator)
Martin Seal, Western Michigan University
Dietitians – A Healthy Way to Reach Shoppers
In-store dietitians represent a huge opportunity to educate and guide your shoppers to make more informed and healthy shopping decisions. By providing nutrition education, cooking classes and condition-specific diet information, dietitians can become a primary reason why consumers shop your store. Discover the breadth of programs offered by dietitians in independent supermarkets, how you can develop your own programs and how dietitians can form the foundation of an effective health and wellness program created specifically for your shoppers.
Capturing the Beauty/Personal Care Market
The beauty/personal care category continues to be hot and offers the independent retailer a good opportunity to differentiate itself from other retailers in the market. Offering a niche product, providing a good assortment/variety and determining the right anchor category are strong starts to a successful beauty/personal care category program. Thanks to strong supplier research and successful retail programs, we’ll share 3-4 ways to capture this important segment. Discover which categories within beauty/personal care are hottest and successful ways to merchandise product to grow sales.
TECHNOLOGY TOOLS
Building the Case for Sustainable Technology (AKA Reducing Refrigeration System Costs)
Discover how sustainable technologies, community responsibility and a unique shopping experience can be incorporated to grow sales and improve store efficiency. A two-store independent installed the newest refrigeration system technology in a store opened in 2012. Hear how they partnered with Hill Phoenix to set their goals and objectives; identify technologies, systems and equipment; and incorporate community feedback. Find out what worked in this real world case study and how you can apply the results in your own stores.
Jim Madanci, Director of Operations, KTM Supermarkets, Inc.
Henry Pellerin, Director of Marketing Programs, Hill PHOENIX
Moderator: Ross Daily, Western Michigan University.
Mobile Marketing
Most retailers are aware of the explosive growth of mobile marketing, driven by massive consumer adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices. New solutions are leveraging shopper’s smartphones to provide valuable and innovative in-store shopping assistance while providing retailers with amazing new data on how shoppers actually shop the store. Discover how independent retailers are using these insights to better target merchandising activity. Hear how you can use new tools to increase the impact of weekly specials and in-store marketing and merchandising efforts.
Shekar Raman, President & CEO, Birdzi, Inc.
Ross Daily, Western Michigan University
The Stealth Battle for Shoppers
Many retailers and wholesalers are unaware of the most serious marketing threat they face today because it cannot be seen. Unlike in the past when competitive marketing campaigns were visible to all through television ads, billboards, or newspaper flyers, today’s stealth marketing employs the retail equivalent of laser-guided smart bombs; precision-targeted promotions to the individual shopper based on past purchases. Such efforts are enabling larger retailers to quietly absorb independent retailers’ long-standing competitive advantage of knowing their shoppers. Similar tools are available to independent grocers. Discover how you can use sophisticated marketing personalization to strengthen your relationship with your shoppers.
Ron Bonacci, Vice President of Marketing, Food City
Gary Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer, Hawkins Strategic
Al Lees, Owner, Lees Market
Dan Murphy, Senior Vice President Retail Support Services and Perishables, Unified Grocers
Rich Niemann, Chief Executive Officer, Niemann Foods, Inc.
Cassell Alexandra, Saint Joseph's University.
NGA Technology Initiatives
The use and understanding of technology has become mission-critical to retail, not just in operations but in all facets of the business. NGA is now partnering with the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART) on the development of the NGA InnovationCenter and the NGA SolutionCenter. Discover how these initiatives will provide new innovative solutions, education and best practices to NGA members. These programs will help retailers understand their options and solutions relative to technology, provide a roadmap for implement and offer benchmarks for comparison.
Sterling Hawkins, Vice President of Corporate and Business Development
Schuyler Hawkins, Vice President of Research Engineering
Matt Ott, Vice President, Membership and Information Technology, National Grocers Association