| Doug Stephens Founder Retail Prophet Doug Stephens is one of the world’s foremost retail industry futurists. His intellectual work and thinking have influenced many of North America's best-‐known retailers, agencies and brands including Target, Home Depot, Disney, Crayola, WestJet, Citibank, Razorfish and Air Miles. Prior to founding Retail Prophet, Doug spent 20 years in the retail industry, holding senior international roles including the leadership of one of New York City's most historic retail chains. Doug is the author of the ground breaking book The Retail Revival: Re-‐ Imagining Business for the New Age of Consumerism. He is also the consumer technology contributor on the acclaimed television series App Central TV, as well as the retail contributor for CBC Radio Canada. Doug sits on the advisory board of the Dx3 Digital Conference. He speaks regularly to major brands and organizations across North America and Europe about the future of retail and consumerism. | |
| John Riordan Retail Client Partner As a Client Partner for the Retail category at Twitter, John is responsible for driving marketing activity and advertising revenue for key clients like Nike, Best Buy, Amazon and others. Prior to joining Twitter in 2010, John served as Director of Sales at shopping ad network, Longboard Media. He spent three years at Yelp as the Head of National Sales and cut his teeth in sales as an Account Director at InterActiveCorp in New York and Los Angeles. John is a graduate of the University of Richmond in Virginia where he studied Finance. He currently lives in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. | |
| Stan Pohmer CEO Pohmer Consulting Group Stan Pohmer is a business consultant focusing on the horticulture, floral, lawn & garden, and other perishable and seasonal industries, working with the entire demand chain (breeders, growers, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers/distributors/dealers and retailers) to increase consumer consumption and sell-through, increase operating efficiencies, and to strategize, position and market programs for maximum effectiveness and profit. Stan has more than 26 years of retail and consumer products experience working for premier retailers and has served in leadership positions in organizations including the Produce Marketing Association, the Floral Marketing Association, ANLA, OFA and the Flower Promotion Organization. Stan was an officer in America in Bloom and currently serves on their Board. He serves on the advisory committee for the Ellison Chair of International Floriculture at Texas A&M University. The Produce Marketing Association honored him as the Floral Marketer of the Year in 2005 and the Michigan Floral Association with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. And for his industry contributions, he had a lily named after him, ‘Lillium Stan Pohmer’, in 2011. | |
| Dr. Marco Palma Associate Professor and Extension Economist Texas A&M University Dr. Marco Palma is Associate Professor and Extension Economist in the Agricultural Economics Department, at Texas A&M University. Dr Palma’s responsibilities involve leadership and coordination for extension educational programs and applied research in Horticultural Marketing by providing technical expertise and educational program development for industry audiences, such as producers, packers, and shippers, wholesale and retail trade. Dr Palma conducts applied research on consumer preferences and trends for horticultural products. | |
| Patrick O'Toole Publisher & Editorial Director Professional Builder Magazine Patrick O’Toole is editorial director and publisher of Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler and HousingZone.com. O'Toole holds a masters degree in journalism and began his career as a news reporter for the Associated Press in Chicago. | |
| Dave Edenfield Business Development Manager McConkey Company | |
| Kip Creel President StandPoint Kip Creel is the President of StandPoint, an Atlanta-based market research firm with expertise in the home and garden industries. Kip is an alumnus of the University of Florida, and holds a BA in Statistics (1988) and an MBA in Marketing (1993). StandPoint is recognized as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the home and garden industries, which includes lawn and garden, outdoor living, landscaping, horticulture, home décor, home improvement, kitchen and bath, and new home construction. As the Green Industry continues to evolve, organizations such as Bailey Nurseries, Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association, Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Assocation, Briggs & Stratton, Scotts, Syngenta, the American Nursery and Landscape Association, Corona Clippers, Kellogg Garden Supply, Ball Horticulture, and Ariens power equipment have relied on StandPoint’s insights and counsel. | |
