ROSEMONT, Ill.—Experts in politics, retail, economics, marketing and supply chain logistics will offer insight into the upcoming presidential election, a changing retail environment, aging consumers and global economic distress at the International Housewares Association’s CHESS forum here next month.
CHESS, which stands for Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession, is a strategic and networking event for chief officers of all IHA member companies. The annual meeting addresses hot-button issues that affect the housewares industry. This year’s event will be held Oct. 6-7 in Rosemont, Ill.
The program includes two keynote sessions. Political pundit Charlie Cook will preview the elections in his keynote session, “Where is Our Country Headed?” Oct. 6. Cook will share his insights on the 2016 political season and offer an insider’s perspective on how we got here, who will prevail in both national and state elections, and how those results may impact the business world. Cook frequently appears on the ABC, CBS and NBC network morning and evening news programs as well as “Meet the Press” and “Nightline,” and since 1994 has been an election night analyst on CNN, CBS and NBC.
On Oct. 7, Dana Telsey, retail analyst, CEO and chief research officer at Telsey Advisory Group, returns to CHESS to examine “The Future of Retail: Implications for the Housewares Industry.” In this keynote session, Telsey and her partner, Joe Feldman, will build upon their 2015 CHESS presentation, offering a view into the future direction of both brick and mortar and online retail. Telsey is a regular guest analyst on CNN and CNBC and has also appeared on “Wall Street Week,” “ABC News,” “The NBC Evening News” and “The Today Show.”
CHESS opens on Oct. 6 with the annual blue-ribbon panel of housewares CEOs. The session titled, “Housewares Hot-Seat: Navigating Through Unprecedented Change” will include William Endres, president, Select Brands; Peter Felsenthal, CEO, Whitmor; Melissa Kieling, CEO, PackIt; and Dan Siegel, president, Lifetime Brands.
The afternoon will feature a global economic outlook by Bernard Baumohl, chief global economist at The Economic Outlook Group. Baumohl will address topics including the effect China has on global manufacturing and potential reshoring issues, the impact of Free Trade on keeping the U.S. competitive, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and the impact of the upcoming presidential election on the economy and how it may change after a new president is in office.
The second day opens with Telsey’s keynote followed by Scott M. Sanders exploring “Protecting Your Value in the Supply Chain: Techniques for Avoiding your Customers/Factories Going Direct.” Sanders, founding partner of Sanders & Montalto, will address essential contract terms U.S. companies need in negotiations with foreign concerns, highlight the challenges with contractual agreements with companies from Asia, and explore the international law implications of contracting with companies from particular Asian countries.
Marketing to an aging consumer is the focus of Peter Hubbell’s presentation, “Getting Better With Age: How Business Can Win Big in the Age of Aging.” Hubbell, founder and CEO of Boomagers, an advertising agency dedicated to understanding aging consumers, will share his intensively researched perspectives on Boomers, millennials and what kind of consumer millennials are and will become.
The closing panel, “The Future of Omnichannel Fulfillment,” will include Rick Blasgen, president & CEO, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals; and Dan Coll, vice president of retail logistics, FedEx Genco. The session will present the latest update on the state of logistics in the U.S., including trends in costs and free delivery.
