Press Release
STRONGSVILLE, OH – November 22, 2011 – The IBM Retail User Group announced today plans for its 35th Annual Conference to be held in Las Vegas, NV May 20 - 23, 2012, returning to the popular JW Marriott, Las Vegas Resort. The Board also announced the election of a new President and three new Board of Director members. The User Group Board of Directors also welcomes newly elected Directors Bryan Hull, Spartan Information Technology Services, Eileen Mahoney, Group VP of Retail Technology, PVH Corp and Doug Wines, Director, IT - Taco Bell. Bryan Hull is a welcome addition to the Board of Directors, with over 25 years of experience in the retail industry. As Manager of Retail Technology Services at Spartan Stores, Inc. located in Grand Rapids Michigan, his current responsibilities include the deployment, integration and support of retail systems in both the corporate owned operations and independent customers. Eileen Mahoney, Group VP of Retail Technology, PVH Corp brings to the IRUG board a wealth of senior level retail IT experience. Eileen was the CIO at Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, Inc. Chief Information Officer - Petrie Retail and Vice President - Information Systems & End User Computing - R. H. Macy's and Company to mention a few. Doug Wines, Director, IT - Taco Bell; brings a fresh look to the board and IRUG from the hospitality segment of retail systems. His current responsibilities include development, implementation and support of consumer facing technologies for the Taco Bell Brand. He has served as VP of Information Technology - Data Impact, Sr Manager, Project Development - First American Title, and President - Cobalt Data. The board is looking forward to working with Doug going forward. The Conference included six main tent presentations, two super sessions, 34 elective sessions presented by Retail Members, Associate Members, and IBM, which addressed a large spectrum of topics selected by the members through an intense survey process and over 60 exhibits by Associate Members, presenting the latest retail solutions in their booths. About the IBM Retail User Group - The IBM Retail Users Group has, for over thirty five years, provided a platform for hundreds of retailers, IBM and IBM Business Partners to advance retail systems technology. One of the last of the “true” User Groups, it is owned and run by the representatives of over 300 Retail companies that make up it’s membership. The group focuses on advancing the state of the art of retail technology for all aspects of the retail enterprise. It is an independently-run, mutual benefit organization of IBM store system users, and providers of retail solution products and services. The 35th Annual Conference of the IBM Retail User Group will be May 20-23, 2012 at the JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, NV – be sure to mark your calendar and plan to be there for this must attend 2012 retail event. For more information, please visit www.ibmretailug.org or contact: Deb Jones, VP Administration, (440) 238-5880, or e-mail issug@roadrunner.com Press Release RTC Group and Agilysys - Winners of the 2011 Retail Innovation Award
Press Release IRUG Provides Multipurpose Conference Mobile App at 34th Annual Conference Developed through Partnership with CrowdCompass March 29, 2011 – Strongsville, OH – The IBM Retail User Group, the leading independent association of U.S. and international IBM retail systems users, and business partners today announced their development partnership with CrowdCompass to provide a multiplatform mobile app for attendees to use at the 34 th Annual IRUG Conference May 15 to 18 in Orlando, Fl. This mobile app showcases the 2011 theme of the conference, “Tools to Captivate the Connected Customer”, which will focus on emerging mobile retail solutions to captivate the increasingly mobile and technologically savvy customer of the 21st century. The mobile app, which is free to download, provides IRUG Conference attendees a single, easy to use tool to access the full conference agenda, announcements, conference messaging, social media, Twitter feeds, interactive maps and other rich content, using vivid graphics and hyperlinks. Since the app and its content are saved directly on each phone, access to vital information is never interrupted even when WiFi or Cell internet is intermittent or unavailable. “Mobile technology has staggering potential to change the way we work and shop, but the retail industry has no time for technology that will fail when they need it most,” said Tom Kingsley, CEO of CrowdCompass. “We’re excited to show IRUG members how new solutions can be both reliable and on the cutting-edge. While some mobile apps at events are notorious for not functioning under low connectivity or while downloading updates, CrowdCompass apps never impede access to vital information.” “Every year our conference connects a range of vendors with retailers determined to find the right IBM technology solutions for their business. However, these retailers can have wildly divergent needs, making it a challenge for attendees to make the right connections,” said Michael Sachar, President of IRUG. “The 2011 IRUG Conference Mobile App makes effective community building and deal making easier with integrated communication and reference tools.” “Printouts and websites just don’t cut it anymore at trade shows, and IRUG understands this trend,” said Matthew Donegan-Ryan, VP of sales and marketing at CrowdCompass. “Now that IRUG has integrated a CrowdCompass app, vendors and retailers can engage each other more deeply before, during and after the conference.” The 34 th Annual IRUG Conference Mobile App can be downloaded by searching for “CrowdCompass” on the iTunes Store or Android Market or directing your device browser to http://j.mp/irug2011. The link will automatically detect your device and download the appropriate app. The same link will redirect unsupported platforms to a website with the same content as on the app. For more information on the app, stop by the CrowdCompass conference booth or visit www.crowdcompass.com. The 34 th Annual IRUG Conference will take place from Sunday, May 15 to Wednesday, May 18 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, Fla. To register, please visit www.ibmretailug.org/conference. About CrowdCompass CrowdCompass develops and delivers leading-edge mobile device solutions for the global event and meeting market. The CrowdCompass Event Experience Platform TM is a complete platform to create and publish mobile apps used to plan, navigate and follow-up on events such as tradeshows, conferences and corporate meetings. CrowdCompass gives event organizers a competitive edge to produce better events than ever before. Press Release
The IBM Retail User Group Bob L. Martin Awarded Lifetime Innovation Award at IBM Retail User Group Conference The IBM Retail User Group awarded Mr. Martin a Lifetime Innovation award at their 30 th Annual Conference at the J. W. Marriott Resort in Las Vegas . Mr. Martin has been at the forefront of retail Innovation for over three decades and continues to lead the way in the use of technology to allow retailers to be more competitive and innovative. As a retail executive he has led the teams that found innovative ways to use technology to improve customer service, reduce IT costs and go global. Bob led the teams that changed the game of retail and defined the way it would be played. Mr. Martin is quick to point out that he did not do this alone, however he was the visionary catalyst that allowed his teams to successfully do things no one else had been able to do. Mr. Martin was one of the founders of the IBM Retail User Group in 1977. In 1973, Mr. Martin saw the value in an integrated Point of Sale system and installed the very first IBM Retail Point of Sale System when he was CIO of Dillard’s Department Store. About the IBM Retail User Group: The IBM Retail User Group has, for thirty one years, provided a platform for hundreds of Retailers, IBM and IBM business partners to advance retail technology. Jointly, the group advanced the development of IBM POS and retail solutions to the resolution of common business problems and established a working partnership for mutual benefit. The representations include Board of Directors Announces New Branding – “IBM Retail User Group” The Board of Directors of the IBM Store Systems User Group is extremely pleased to announce that the organization’s name has been officially changed to the “IBM RETAIL User Group”. As we all know, the one constant is change. As retailers, IBM professionals, and IBM business partners, we adjust the dial every day to pilot our strategies through the latest vagaries of the change that drives us. The User Group is no different. We must maintain our relevance to our members in order to achieve the stated goals of the organization. We will soon be celebrating our 30th year…30 years and many changes. The time is right for a new look—a new brand. In keeping pace with the dynamics of the retail industry, the time is right to expand the focus of the association to incorporate and integrate all the elements of IBM retail including: Websphere, Linux, I-series, host and enterprise systems, and other solutions and services. The name of the group is changing to “IBM Retail User Group” to reflect the new focus of the retail association and the expanded education and networking environment. A Short History… As the organization grew, adding specialty, supermarket, and hospitality retailers to their ranks, their focus broadened to include the diversified POS platforms represented. It was this diversification, and the introduction of the PC that lead to the inclusion of associate members--IBM business partners, broadening to total store solutions. Today retailers, IBM, IBM business partners, and several Retail Professional groups comprise the membership. The User Group has served its purpose well for three decades under a variety of names, the longest-standing being “IBM POS Users Group”. In 2000, in recognition of the rapidly-changing store environment, we changed the name to “IBM Store Systems User Group”. And in the past 3-4 years, our annual conference agenda has reflected the broadening scope of retail, as we introduced topics like e-commerce, Linux, and RFID. The term “store” can no longer effectively define what we do. We moved a long time ago from Point-of-Sale to Point-of-Service and further to Point-of-Contact. The reality of today’s retail industry is a broader more consumer-focused, interdependent environment working together to effectively meet customer expectations. All the elements of the retail enterprise—stores, merchandising, operations, logistics, financial, e-commerce, et al—are interconnected through technology and the IS infrastructure that supports it. You will see our new branding as we migrate to this broadened scope. We are all excited to be part of the changing face of our organization and hope that you will join us in the journey. IBM Retail User Group |
