ISPA Conference to Include Retailer/Vendor Panel

March 3, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on March 4, 2011

The International Sleep Products Association will host a mattress vendor/retailer panel at its 2011 Industry Conference and Exhibition, March 16-18.

The panel takes place Friday, March 18, during the conference at Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Fla. Seasoned mattress manufacturers and retailers will share their ideas on how these two industry segments can communicate better.

Panelists Mike Bookbinder, senior vice president of retail development, Comfort Solutions; Barrie Brown, CEO of et Oyeblik: Retail Strategies and interim CEO of Mattresses Unlimited; Karrie Forbes, vice president of marketing, Mattress Firm; and Tim Oakhill, executive vice president of marketing, Simmons Bedding Co., will share their perspectives on how retailers and manufacturers can establish more productive, collaborative relationships that can expand the mattress business for all.

"It's a no brainer that efficient and clear communication between manufacturers and retailers is critical to business success, yet we often seem at odds," said Don Hofmann, panel moderator and marketing consultant with Louisville Bedding. "During this discussion, industry leaders and I plan on throwing political correctness out the window, rolling up our sleeves and digging deep into the subject of how we can communicate and work better together."

Another program highlight is keynote speaker Dr. Roch Parayre, fellow at the Aresty Institute of Executive Education, Wharton School; and senior partner, Decision Strategies International.

Parayre's opening session, titled, "Blue Ocean--Navigating Your Way to Undiscovered Markets," will discuss how companies such as Netflix and Southwest Airlines have achieved industry dominance by identifying "blue oceans," which are untapped innovative market spaces that are ready for growth. This approach has succeeded in many corporate, government and nonprofit settings, and is now being taught at business schools worldwide.

For more information or to register, click here.