Are Conferences Still Relevant? The Expo Side

Part Two of Three

By Amber Bradley

Part One of this series revealed that loss prevention professionals must be intentional about what conferences they choose to attend. Most of these decisions must be based on relevance of content to everyday challenges: Which content addresses your specific challenges the best? If you’re a retail executive, the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s (RILA) Asset Protection conference should be on your calendar. The content has been stacked on day one, and day two was no exception.

Tuesday’s keynote brought us, “Navigating Disruption in Retail,” presented by Frank Hamlin, the Chief Marketing Officer of GameStop. Hamlin provided perspective on how transformational change in business is no longer an option and how retailers must change to survive. Hamlin offered examples of how GameStop is also innovating its own business model to adapt to today’s experience-oriented shopper.

There were other sessions throughout the day that bolstered the conference’s content even further, including relevant breakout sessions such as:

- eCommerce Investigations – Risks and Opportunities presented by speakers: Steve Hunter, Director, Global Investigations, Walmart Shane Bennett, Director, Special Investigations, Target

- The Rise of the Robot Detectives: Automating ORC Investigations with AI presented by speakers: James Cosseboom, Senior Manager, Investigation & Corporate AP, Retail Business Services LLC, an Ahold-Delhaize company Dean Takacs, Founder, Detective Analytics LLC

- Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Boost Your Fraud & Safety Programs presented by speakers: Matt Lincoln, Vice President, Loss Prevention & Safety, PetSmart Mike Vedomske, Senior Data Scientist, PetSmart Chris Hoffman, Senior Program Manager, Appriss Retail

However, this Part 2 is called, “The EXPO side” for a reason. Let’s look at the relevancy of conferences from the exhibitors’ and attendees’ perspective. Who hasn’t heard at least once, “Why should I attend conferences? The solutions providers will just come see me.” RILA underscores the inherent flaw with that perspective. By bringing together the industry’s best and brightest solutions providers, RILA provides an atmosphere of learning, value and comparison in a quick three-day perusal. How much value does that time savings provide?

“It’s always valuable to meet new friends as well as connect with old ones at each conference we attend,” said Craig Greenberg, director of sales for Gatekeeper Systems. “It’s also important to attend the sessions to learn about the challenges retailers are facing, and then determine what innovations we can make to stay ahead of those challenges for the retailers we serve.”

RILA also proved they were listening to industry feedback by extending the Exhibit Hall hours for more in-depth discussions and meetings. Let’s look at some of the Exhibit Hall activity:
 

  

Welcome to a newcomer Defendry that was also up for an RTech Asset Protection Innovation Award. They also won the award for the friendliest robot on the show floor.

  

Congratulations to Detective Analytics as the retailer’s choice for the 2019 RTech awards!

Day two underscores the importance of both a crowded exhibit floor as well as invaluable content. Stay tuned for part three that looks at the social side of 2019 RILA.

 

Gatekeeper Team: Shane Walsh, Craig Greenberg, Don Testa, Barry Gallace, and Tim Bartkowiak
 

Lots of traffic to FaceFirst booth
 

Attendees check out different booths
on the exhibit floor
 



Pictured, left to right: Sean Myers (Columbia Sportswear), Kevin Stone, CFI (Columbia Sportswear), Jessica Robertson (i3 International), and Scott Bernards (Columbia Sportswear)
 



Tara Nutley, Macy's and Ruth Rauls of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr attend the Women in LP Networking Reception



Robot Selfie with Amber Bradley, Kathleen Smith, CFI (Safeway), and Stefanie Hoover, CFI (Controltek)