Hispanic Retail Conference Moves to Miami Beach in 2008

MIAMI BEACH -- The fourth annual Hispanic Retail 360 Summit will be held July 28-30 at the beautiful, newly refurbished Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.

Hispanic Retail 360 is the retail industry's premier event for retailers and marketers looking to grow their business with the U.S. Latino consumer market. Last year's summit, held in Dallas, attracted more than 500 attendees composed of retailers from across all channels of retailing, as well as major consumer products goods manufacturers, advertising agencies and consultants.

The 2008 sessions and format will include general sessions in addition to breakout workshops that allow participants to choose from an array of topics and areas of interest that suit their needs and experience levels. The 2008 Hispanic Retail 360 Summit will feature:

-- Emphasis on best practices and new ideas.

-- Concurrent sessions that allow attendees to pick and choose the topics most important to them.

-- Getting beyond "Latino 101."

-- Effective best marketing practices to Hispanics.

-- Marketing to Hispanic subcultures.

-- Innovations: the latest tools to "read" and "reach" Latinos.

-- More product areas from food to general merchandise, and topics of interest for all retail channels including department stores, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and specialty retailers in consumer electronics, home improvement, apparel and more.

-- Guided store tour by a leading industry consultant to view best practices by Miami-area retailers who serve the Hispanic community.

One of the highlights of this year's summit will be the presentation of the expanded Hispanic Retail Excellence Awards. Recognition will be given to retailers in six channels of trade for their effectiveness at marketing to and serving the needs of Latino shoppers. Companies will be honored in the categories of: Mass Merchant, Supermarket, Convenience Store, Department Store, Drug Store and Specialty Store.

Last year's winner was Phoenix-based Basha's Food City. The 2007 winner was Anaheim-based JAX Markets. The 2006 winner was Pros Ranch Market, which operates Hispanic market stores in southern California and four in Phoenix.

Hispanic Retail 360 is produced by Convenience Store News and Progressive Grocer, two leading media brands owned by Nielsen Business Media.

Several sponsorship packages are still available. For more information on sponsorships, please contact Cebele Marquez at (646) 654-4648 or via email at [email protected].

For registration information, please go to www.hispanicretail360.com, or contact Lois Miller by email at [email protected] or phone at (516) 868-9563.

The agenda is shaped by the Hispanic Retail 360 Retailer Advisory Board consisting of market leaders across all channels of retailing. The 2008 board of advisors includes:

-- Jim Hendrickson, Manager, Market Research, 7-Eleven;

-- Angel L. Garcia, Director, Global Retail Operations, Ace Hardware Corp.;

-- Jeff Weness, Director, Hispanic Initiatives, Best Buy;

-- Jon Bratta, National Beverage Lead, BP/ampm;

-- Paul Casadont, Merchandising Manager, Chevron Corp.;

-- Bob Pescarino, Merchandise Manager, CVS;

-- Angela Martin, Director, Marketing, Dollar General;

-- Bob Schwarz, VP, Merchandising, Duckwall-Alco;

-- Nicolas Medina, Global Standards & Practices Manager, Convenience Retailing, ExxonMobil;

-- Sonny Day, Director, Advertising, Food City (division of Basha's);

-- David Atkins, Director, International Foods, Giant Eagle;

-- Pat Hensley, Assistant VP, Operations, HyVee Supermarkets;

-- Maria St. Germain, Category Manager, Kroger;

-- Dror Amir, Executive Manager, La Curacao;

-- Raul A. Reyes, Strategy Leader, U.S. Marketing, McDonald's Corp.;

-- John Learish, VP, Marketing, Rite Aid;

-- Desiree Olivero, Multicultural Manager, ShopRite Supermarkets (Wakefern Food Corp.);

-- Bill Hooper, VP, Sales & Marketing, Super S Foods;

-- Judy Farniok, Category Manager, GM, SUPERVALU;

-- Greg Cunningham, Director, Multicultural Marketing, Target Stores;

-- Margie Davis, Director, Store of the Community, Wal-Mart; and

-- Andrea Rodriguez, Neighborhood Marketing Specialist, Winn Dixie.