Jun 8, 2007

Pacific Market Center Announces Speakers for August Show

Seattle – Pacific Market Center announces a dynamic group of speakers providing buyers with insights, inspiration and information during Seattle Market Week – Summer Gift and Home Accessories Show August 15-21, the Pacific Northwest’s premier week-long buying event. Speakers will conduct complimentary seminars where attendees will learn how to become a brand, how to meet the consumer’s demand for sustainable products, create web presence, improve retail marketing strategies and learn to utilize new technologies that better serve customers. Featured Speakers include:

• Ray Allegrezza, Editor in Chief, Furniture Today – Wednesday, Aug. 15th
• Kalie Kimball-Malone, Vice President/Creative Director, WORKTANK – Thursday, Aug. 16th
• John Saxton, Editor in Chief, Giftware News – Friday, Aug. 17th
• Andrew Ballard, President, Marketing Solutions, Inc. – Saturday, Aug. 18th
• Paul Thompson, VP Creative, OneCoast – Monday, Aug. 20th
• Rebecca Huston, Communication Strategist and Kelly Coller, Director of Marketing, Twenty Four Seven, Inc. – Tuesday, Aug. 21st

Limited seating is available to attend the seminars and advance registration is required. Held in the Second Floor Learning Forum, each one hour session begins promptly at 9 a.m., with the exception of Saturday’s morning’s which begins at 10 a.m, with complimentary coffee, pastries and networking beforehand at 8:30.

“We are very proud to announce this years’ speaker line up which will provide buyers with invaluable information on consumer trends and how to give their business that extra edge,” said Lisa Goodman, marketing director, Pacific Market Center. “Visitors are in for a fabulous experience where they will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business, meet with industry experts, key vendors, and manufacturers’ representatives who are focused on helping them grow their business.”Information about the speakers:

Ray Allegrezza is the editor in chief of Furniture Today, the industry’s leading newspaper and also serves as editorial director of Kids Today, the leading journal for the juvenile products market. During his seminar, titled “The Greening of America and What It Means To You”, Allegrezza will speak about consumer attitudes towards sustainability and how these attitudes impact the retail arena for green home furnishing. A 30-year veteran of the business publishing world, Allegrezza has been responsible for a number of startup publications including Relish, a magazine serving the luxury segment of the home furnishings arena, and the recently launched digital publication Green, an online magazine devoted to the burgeoning market for eco-friendly, sustainable-source products within the home furnishings market.

Thursday’s seminar features Katie Kimball-Malone, vice president/creative director of the Seattle-based ad agency WORKTANK. In her seminar titled “Creating a Unique Web Presence”, Kimball-Malone will discuss how combining the power of storytelling with digital media can result in a powerfully branded web site that engages and inspires customers. Kimball-Malone will also talk about best practices to attract and retain customers through marrying your brand to your web presence.

John Saxton is the editor in chief of Giftware News, the largest and leading publication in the giftware industry, and will lead Friday’s entertaining seminar titled “Promotion on a Shoestring”. Saxton’s seminar will focus on how retailers can promote their store on a budget. Saxton will share money-saving tips and inform attendees on how to get attention for their store through anything from affordable television commercials to newspaper articles. Saxton has held positions in advertising, marketing and public relations and, together with his staff, continues to build on his more than 30-year tradition of helping retailers succeed in their businesses.

Saturday’s seminar is led by Andrew Ballard, president of Marketing Solutions, Inc., a Seattle area agency that develops brand leadership strategies for small businesses. His seminar, titled “Increase your Competitive Advantage” will teach attendees how to better understand and leverage “the voice of the customer”, increase competitive advantage, and generate more revenue. Ballard has 25 years of experience in marketing, communications and management and has helped hundreds of organizations (from startups through Fortune 500 companies) achieve their marketing objectives.

Monday’s seminar, ‘Visual Magic: Sensory Perception + Inspiration”, features Paul Thompson, vice president of creative at OneCoast. Thompson is a merchandising expert and will discuss how retailers can convey positive emotional messages to customers and increase sales by focusing on their customer’s five senses. Co-sponsored by OneCoast, attendees will learn how the senses relate to the retail experience.

Rebecca Huston, communication strategist and Kelly Coller, director of marketing, for Twenty Four Seven, Inc., will lead Tuesday’s seminar titled “Visual Merchandising 101: From the curb side to the dressing room.” Twenty Four Seven is an award-winning Portland-based company ranked in the top 50 retail design firms nationwide by Visual Merchandising and Store Design Magazine. Based on their years of collective experience in leading design and merchandising strategies, Huston and Coller will discuss how retailers can build their brand through imagination, intelligence and a commitment to meet and exceed expectations.

In collaboration with Seattle Gift Show, Pacific Market Center presents Seattle Market Week which gives buyers access to more than 10,000 innovative national and international product lines including many not found anywhere else. Seattle Market Week provides visitors with networking opportunities every night including late night buying and Summer Breeze Picnic Party at the Pacific Market Center and a Terrace Party at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. For its impact on both the City and State, Pacific Market Center has been recognized by both Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Governor Christine Gregoire who have again for the second year issued proclamations declaring the week of August 14 to be Seattle Market Week.

Representing every major product category, the Summer Gift and Home Accessories Show will take place from August 15 to August 21, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with late night buying available on Friday until 8 p.m. and with the show closing at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Pacific Market Center. The Seattle Gift Show will take place at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center from August 18 to August 21, 2007. For complete seminar information and to register, please visit www.pacificmarketcenter.com or call (800) 433-1014.

About Pacific Market Center

The industry destination for buyers in the Western United States, Canada and beyond, Pacific Market Center offers permanent showrooms on five floors featuring thousands of product lines for a wide selection of merchandise to help buyers keep up with every trend affecting their consumers. Pacific Market Center draws thousands of buyers from more than 30 channels of distribution including high-end department stores, corporate, specialty retailers, home furnishings, kitchenware, events, gourmet food, hospitality, garden/outdoor living, salons & spas, wineries, Internet, and regional chain outlets. Located in Seattle’s Design District, Pacific Market Center is open to the trade only. For more information, visit pacificmarketcenter.com. Pacific Market Center is owned and managed by The Benaroya Companies.