SUNDAY, MARCH 22

1:00 – 4:30 pm

5:30 - 8:30 pm

Conference Registration             

Welcome Dinner 
"Havana Nights": Experience a night of Cuban flair while networking with new and old friends.

MONDAY, MARCH 23

7:00 - 8:00 am

Morning General Sessions

8:00 am - 12:10 pm

Breakfast

Welcome Remarks   
Tom Masterson, SVP Consumer Marketing and Manufacturing, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc.

John Griffin, President, Publishing Group National Geographic

What Consumers Secretly Want (…But Are Afraid to Tell You!)
Author and Editor, Kate White, Cosmopolitan, shares her passion for magazines, the importance of retail, and insights into how to connect with your customers    

Category Success Stories
From music downloads to cross-merchandising to anniversary celebrations, we bring you five case studies of successful retail promotions that you can use to build on today!

Succeeding in The New Economy
Michael Sansolo, Retail Consultant and former Senior Vice President of Food Marketing Institute, presents the challenges facing retailers and what companies are doing to build sales, profits, and customer loyalty in today’s volatile marketplace.  Michael will put today’s most critical issues into a context that draws on the history of economic change and its impact on industry structure, formats and competitive outcomes.

Visions of a Changing Retail Landscape
Lee Nichols, President and CEO, Dechert Hampe, presents the results of a groundbreaking new survey that predicts the trends in retail formats, industry structure, and anticipates the role of magazines within the changing retail environment.

New Realities for Magazines: Where the Opportunities Lie
With the previous presentations as a jumping off point, this panel of industry experts will focus on the challenges facing magazines and where opportunities exist to better connect with the retail customer to achieve mutual gain in sales and profits.  Panelists include:  Richard Alleger, Rodale; Al McClain, RetailWire; Kathy Meier, Harrisburg News Company, Lee Nichols, Dechert Hampe. Moderated by Michael Sansolo

Evolution and Revolution in Publishing
Four of the magazine industry’s most influential leaders discuss how publishers are reshaping the way they do business in the face of revolutionary change in the media environment  -- and what their new business models mean for the single copy sales.  Panelists include: John Griffin, National Geographic; Michela O'Connor Abrams, Dwell; Robert Sauerberg, Conde Nast Publications; Andy Sareyan, Better Homes and Gardens.  Moderated by Tom Masterson, HFMUS

What Lies Ahead: The Wholesalers’ Perspective
After the turmoil of early 2009, there is great anticipation regarding what lies ahead for the distribution channel.  These wholesaler leaders will present their plans for moving the business forward and share their views on the major challenges and opportunities facing the category.
Ron Clark, Hudson News Distribution
David Parry, The News Group
Alan Tuchman, Source Interlink Distribution

Mythbusters:  The Truth About Magazines at Retail
A lot of what you think you know about magazines is just plain wrong!  Hear some of the industry’s most knowledgeable executives lay out the compelling facts on what magazines mean to consumers, to retail profitability, and to customer satisfaction.
Steve Burbridge, Time/Warner Retail Sales and Marketing
Jay Felts, CMG
Todd Garland, DSI

Buffet Lunch

12:30 - 5:30 pm

 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Industry Networking Reception
Blue Lagoon Pool

TUESDAY, MARCH 24

7:00 - 8:00 am

Breakfast

7:00 am - 12:00 pm

9:00 - 10:00 am

Breakout: 2008 Revisited: Trend or Anomaly?

2008 was a tough year for retailers and a tough year for magazines.  This session will cover the facts and figures of what happened, why it happened, and what we should expect going forward.  

John Harrington
Baird Davis

11:00 am

Boxed Lunch