Jul 17, 2003
WASHINGTON, DC — July 17, 2003 — Food Marketing Institute (FMI) announced today that it will be joined by the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA) in the planning and coordination of the 2004 MARKETECHNICS. The annual technology convention will be held February 29 – March 2, 2004, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, CA.

“FMI is very pleased to have IMRA members join us in the planning of the retail/wholesale industry’s signature technology convention,” said FMI President and CEO Tim Hammonds. “In addition to gaining input from some of the best-known names in retail, this venture will help us enhance the overall quality and operating efficiency of the show.

“Many retail technology issues have great implications for IMRA members. Like supermarket operators, they use technology to increase efficiency throughout the supply chain and their stores. We believe food and nonfood operators will benefit from this venture, learning from each other and from thought leaders in this field.”

“IMRA is focused on bringing retailers and suppliers together for learning and problem-solving to drive innovation, no matter what their channels,” said Sandy Kennedy, IMRA President. “Partnering with the supermarket industry on an issue as important as technology makes perfect sense for IMRA members, and complements the work of IMRA’s Technology Leaders Council.”

According to the agreement, IMRA members will join FMI members in the planning of more than 20 MARKETECHNICS educational sessions. The two organizations also agree to extensively market the convention to their respective memberships.

Launched in 1992, MARKETECHNICS is a global trade show focusing on technology products and services specific to the retail/wholesale community. Featuring hundreds of exhibits, new product introductions, a progressive and interactive education program addressing top-line industry issues, networking opportunities and specialized tours, MARKETECHNICS is the premier annual industry technology convention.

Topics include biometrics, data mining, privacy, fuel technology, retailer/e-retailer convergence, maximization of technology investments, point-of-sale merchandising, security and loss prevention, business-to-business, radio frequency identification, wireless communications and supply-chain collaboration.

Attendees include senior executives and other professionals working in technology, merchandising, marketing, customer service, logistics, electronic payment systems (EPS), human resources, finance and other critical areas of retail operations.

For details about MARKETECHNICS 2004, please visit the show Web site at http://www.fmi.org/events/tech/.