GHTA hosts largest conference in Fla.
Staff -- Home Accents Today, 12/1/2006
The Gift & Home Trade Association hosted its fourth annual conference at the Sanibel Harbour Resort in Fort Myers, Fla., last month.
The nearly 400 attendees, representing sales agencies, vendors, retailers and suppliers, were treated to a series of keynote speeches, with topics including retail, trends, sales management and techniques and strategizing for success.
Keynote speakers were Mary Liz Curtin, retailer and columnist; Jennifer Castoldi, president of TrendEase International; Gil Cargill, sales consultant and trainer; and Randy Eller, president of consulting group Eller Enterprises and former head of CBK.
The participants also chose four breakout sessions to attend, with subjects including sales compensation, trade show modeling and results, overseas sourcing, sales rep training and retention, rep/vendor relationships, product development, the Internet and a how to help independent retailers succeed.
The event marked the debut of the group's Retail Advisory Board, made up of six independent retailers from across the country representing a variety of gift and home retail formats.
The conference wrapped up with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a dinner and party.
Members of the Retail Advisory Board, including Melissa Haberstroh, The Burlap Horse, Boerne, Texas; Cinda Baxter, Details, Ink., Minneapolis; Gina Zagerman, Waterloo Gardens, Devon, Pa., Sonia Mott, Motif, Pewaukee, Wis.; and Carol Schroeder, Orange Tree Imports, Madison, Wis.; speak to the crowd about ways to help independent retailers succeed.
John Griffith of OneCoast with Kelly Portmann of The Thymes.
Shanna Neinast, left, Global Views, with Mary Jane Cashman of Casa Bella and Leslie Nathan-Street of George Little Management.
Patrick Council, left, of Sales Producers with Adam Schrier, Andrea by Sadek.
Jan Slusher, left, New Creative Enterprises, with Betsy Harrington, Woodstock Percussion, and Adrienne Boyer, Mud Pie.
Talkback
Related Content
Related Content
