IHA News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Deborah A.Teschke
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
847-692-0110

Senior-Level Conference for Industry Decision Makers to be held in September

ROSEMONT, IL  (July 24, 2008)—Three prominent retailers representing different channels will present a panel discussion to conclude the 2008 Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession (CHESS), a senior-level conference for housewares industry decision makers set for Sept. 9-10 in Chicago. CHESS is open to all chief executive officers of IHA member companies.

Chris Nielsen, vice president, Home and Garden Store at Amazon.com, Rod Ghormley, senior vice president and GMM—home of ShopKo Stores and Dominic Cimilluca, chief executive officer of Dominic's Kitchen Store, will explore how suppliers can best meet the needs of each channel.  They will answer questions, including:

• What are retailers looking for from housewares suppliers in terms of product, delivery and service?
• How important is innovation?
• What collaborative role can retailers play with vendors in developing new products?
• How does a vendor make it to the top?
• How is sustainability impacting retailers?

In addition to the retail panel, the two-day program will feature sessions on critical industry issues, including China, consumer trends, product design and innovation, sustainability, the state of the retail environment, the Vietnamese market, protecting intellectual property and factory compliance and product safety.

Keynote Address to Focus on China's Futures
China expert and author Peter Navarro will give the keynote address, "China's Futures—From El Dorado to Armageddon," to open the conference. Navarro is a business professor at the University of California-Irvine, a regular CNBC contributor and author of the bestselling book, "The Coming China Wars." His video series, "The China Effect" appears on YouTube.  Navarro's other books include the path-breaking management book, "The Well-Timed Strategy," and the bestselling investment book, "If It's Raining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks." His articles have appeared in a wide range of publications from Business Week, the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, to the Harvard Business Review, the Sloan Management Review and the Journal of Business.

His unique and internationally recognized expertise lies in his "big picture" application of a highly sophisticated but easily accessible macroeconomic analysis of the business environment and financial markets for investors and corporate executives.

Consumer Trends, Design, Sustainability and Retail Environment
Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at The NPD Group, Inc., will give an update on "Consumer Trends: Home—The Place to Be, Again." Cohen will look at the new economy and the new consumer, explaining to housewares suppliers where they can find new opportunities. "We have seen more changes in the past six months than we have seen in the past six years with consumers," the noted consumer expert says. He will provide specifics of those changes and how suppliers can effectively communicate with consumers both directly and indirectly.

Gregg Davis, IDSA, founding principal and president, Design Central, will present, "Design: Carpe Diem! Seize the Day!," where he will discuss what innovative design tools companies can use to come out ahead in the competitive landscape. His talk will include new tools in Neuroeconomics and marketing, consumers' emotional buying habits and using innovation as an engine for change.

Steve Belletire, IDSA, associate professor of industrial design at Southern Illinois University/Carbondale, will explore "Sustainability: Creating Retail Opportunities with Sustainable Design." His presentation will feature an overview of how sustainable design and development connect to ongoing challenges and opportunities in retail housewares markets. It will also include a glimpse at Okala, an innovation tool being used by new product teams to create concepts that meet the needs of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consumers and the environment.

A panel of financial experts will examine "The State of the Retail Environment: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly," focusing on bankruptcy, insolvency, dark stores and debtor-in-possession financing. Panelists include Tim Cropper, senior vice president and chief customer credit officer, CIT Commercial Services; Richard Heller, partner, corporate revitalization, Carl Marks; and Thomas Scotti, managing director and chief operating officer of appraisals, appraisals & valuation division, Gordon Brothers. These experts will offer their thoughts on early warning signs of retailer financial problems and ways suppliers can protect themselves and give guidance about what a company can do after its products are on the retail shelves and the invoices are late. 

Three breakout sessions will offer attendees up-close access to experts:

• "Vietnam: An Emerging Market for Sourcing" with Dinh Tran, president of North America-Vietnam Trading Agency Inc. (NAVTA)
• "Protecting Intellectual Property on a Budget: How One Small Company Battles IP Pirates Globally" with Robert Engel, president, Angel Sales Inc.
• "Managing Factory Compliance & Assuring Product Safety" with Gene Rider, president, Intertek's Consumer Goods North America operation.

To register for CHESS or for more information, contact Judy Colitz of IHA at jcolitz@housewares.org or visit IHA's website at www.housewares.org/chess

EDITORS NOTE:  To download a high resolution photo of Peter Navarro, please go to http://www.housewares.org/images/iha/releases/NavarroHeadShotHiRes.jpg  If you would like to attend CHESS 2008, please contact Debbie Teschke at 847.692.0110 or dteschke@housewares.org

The International Housewares Association is the 70-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for (US)$306 billion at retail worldwide in 2007. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world's premier exposition of products for the home, the International Home + Housewares Show, and offers its 1,700 member companies a wide range of services, including industry and government advocacy, export assistance, State-of-the-Industry reports, point-of-sale and consumer panel data through Housewares MarketWatch, executive management peer groups, a unique Web-based community at www.housewares.org and group buying discounts on business solutions services.