Retailing and Technology - 2017 Update and Outlook

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., October 28, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Retailing and Technology – 2017 Update and Outlook presented by CFA (Commercial Finance Association South Florida) Nov. 14, 2017 at Lauderdale Yacht Club, 1725 SE 12th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33316, USA. Registration and networking begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by the program and lunch at 12:00 noon.

Guest Fees: $35/member; $45 non-members and walk-up guests. CFA, TMA and ACG included as members. Sponsorships Available: $250 includes three attendees and logo in event program, public relations initiatives, and signage Register online through the CFA link below. Call 954-415-6369 to purchase sponsorships. CFA link: https://community.cfa.com/floridachapter/events/eventdescription?CalendarEventKey=51adb375-ed3e-43bd-a421-82631b24f10c&CommunityKey=826c674b-90ab-4cd2-857f-7fa08f5bd943&Home=%2ffloridachapter%2fhome

Experienced retailers will share their insights about the ever-changing retail industry, online growth, technology and brick and mortar players. The threats and opportunities in the Age of Amazon will influence future performance and investment in the broad consumer products arena.

Thomas H. Hicks, CFA South Florida Director

The Experienced Panel profiles follow:

Paula Rosenblum is co-founder and Managing Partner at RSR Research and is widely recognized as one of the industry’s top retail technology analysts. She has been selected as one of the “Top 50 Retail Technology Influencers” from 2014 -2016. She also writes a weekly blog for Forbes and is frequently quoted in other major media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, NPR Marketplace and many others. She serves on the advisory board of three consumer goods importers companies. Previous to her years as an analyst, she spent over 20 years as a retail technology executive and CIO at companies including iParty, Hit or Miss, Morse Shoe, Domain Home Fashions and others. Paula received her MBA in 1991 from Northeastern University, with a major in management of High Technology firms and was nominated to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. She’s active in a variety of organizations supporting human growth and development, and in particular has been involved with the RetailROI charity since its earliest days.

Sam Zietz is the founder and CEO of the financial technology company TouchSuite^® and its affiliated companies. Prior to Touchsuite, Mr. Zietz was a corporate attorney specializing in Structured Finance with the New York-based law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, LLP. Prior to Skadden, Mr. Zietz worked in the Business Tax Planning Department at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan then went on to receive his JD from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, Florida where he graduated first in his class.  Mr. Zietz then earned his LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law. In 2015, Sam received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Florida.  In 2014 he was named one of South Florida's Ultimate CEOs by the South Florida Business Journal. Zietz sits on the board of several educational and entrepreneur-focused organizations, including the Palm Beach chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Chief Executives Organization (CEO), Florida Council of 100 and the Orange Bowl Committee. He speaks regularly at professional events and at universities and most recently, testified before Congress on Entrepreneurship and gave a TED talk on achieving success on the entrepreneurial path. Sam is an active speaker, mentor and sponsor of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) which teaches students the process of starting and running a real business over the course of a full academic year.  He is also an active angel investor with a number of investments under management. Thanks to Sam’s leadership, TouchSuite has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including eight appearances on Inc. Magazine’s “Inc. 500” list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Two years ago, TouchSuite was named the fastest growing privately held company in South Florida, as well as the fastest growing technology company in the entire state, by the Business Journals of Florida. Sam has appeared on the South Florida Business Journal’s list of Top 100 Power Leaders for the last three years. Sam was also presented with the Governor's Business Ambassadors award that centered on TouchSuite’s growth and significant contributions to Florida’s economy.

Raymond Zimmerman is the CEO of online retailer Service Merchandise LLC. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of 99 Cent Stuff, Inc., a company he founded (formerly 99 cent Stuff, LLC). He founded Service Merchandise Co. Inc. ("Service Merchandise") and served as its Chief Executive Officer from October 1981 to April 1997, President from July 1984 to ... November 1994 and also from 1981 to October 1983 and Non-Executive Chairman from January 1999 to November 2000. Zimmerman also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iVideoNow Inc. He has been a Director of The Limited Inc. since 1984 and a Non-Independent Director of L Brands, Inc. since 1984.

Joe Pennacchio has enjoyed a long and successful career in the retail industry. Raised in New Jersey and a U.S. Army veteran with service in Vietnam as an engineer, Pennacchio then served in merchandising positions at leading U.S. retailers Federated Department Stores, Macy’s, Abraham & Straus and Jordan Marsh, where he was President. Pennacchio is experienced in global sourcing, was head of the Textiles Group at Federated/Macy’s, and subsequently applied his merchandising/marketing and cost reduction skills to retail/consumer products turnarounds as CEO of Aurofin Corporation (jewelry manufacturer) and President of WestPoint Home where he was instrumental in acquiring Manam Textiles in Bahrain. Joe is best known as an innovator and cost- effective builder of profitable volume and teams. His business experience has recently been applied as President of the nonprofit Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association where he has been effective in dealing with the Florida legislature in seeking to preserve jobs in the significant Florida equine/agriculture sector. He also heads Joe P Racing LLC and has earned over 150 victories as an amateur driver of standardbred horses. Pennacchio embraces change, saying, “In today’s business world, one has to embrace change and use it over those who are afraid of it. Agility and innovation are ongoing and a key to success tomorrow!”

Source: Commercial Finance Association Florida