Susan Dickenson

AmericasMart to honor first AMU graduating class

Seventeen retailers from across the nation will become the first graduates of AmericasMartUniversity (AMU) in a ceremony staged during the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (Jan. 8-16, 2008). The first graduating class has successfully completed professional-level courses taught by experts on a wide range of business practices, and will be honored at an exclusive dinner at the Capital City Club on Friday, January 11, with diplomas awarded to:

            Mandy Becker, Swagger, Cary, NC

            Connie Callis, Rainbow Gift Shop, Cumberland, MD

            Joyce Franklin, Exquisite Designz, Snellville, GA

            Bonnie Holland, Indulgence, Concord, NC

            Lori Jacobs, Laurel Trading Company, Richmond Hill, GA

            Brianna Lawrence, Briarpatch On 34, Greenwood, SC

            Patti Nelson, It's Christmas, Venice, FL 
            James Nolan, Willow Tree, Eatonton, GA

            James Reider III, Cats A Purrin, Harrisonburg, VA

            Wendy Reider III, Cats A Purrin, Harrisonburg, VA

            Royal Reinsch, Belk Provence, Bothell, WA

            Debbie Renner, Tullahoma House of Flowers, Tullahoma, TN

            Vickie Riley, Baskets of Love, Atlanta, GA

            Steven Schafer, The Granary Gift & Furniture Barn, Mount Cory, OH

            Debbie Seid, Lazy Fish, Pawleys Island, SC

            Elise Seidita, Couture Home, Lansdowne, VA

            Brenda Sneed, Cheerio Gift Shop, Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, TN

“AmericasMart has proven its dedication to further strengthening retailers’ education by offering classes that are truly beneficial to all types of store owners and managers,” said Bonnie Holland, owner of N.C.-based Indulgence. “The AMU classes have given me the opportunity to learn new initiatives and sales tactics from experienced business people that I can realistically put to use in my store and immediately start seeing results.” 

Established in January 2006, AMU is AmericasMart’s exclusive educational initiative with current curriculum addressing three (3) Topics of Learning: Retail Business Basics, Buying & Selling and Building Your Brand. Each offers beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. All classes are taught by renowned consultants, strategists and experts in business planning, modeling and development. To earn an AmericasMart MBA, retailers must complete all AMU curriculum requirements: completion of each Level of the three Topics of Learning for a total of nine (9) classes.

Posted by Susan Dickenson on December 29, 2007 | Comments (1)