Nov 8, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC — November 8, 2004 — Smart cards, biometrics, IT outsourcing and the wireless revolution are just a few of the topics that will highlight MARKETECHNICS® 2005, a comprehensive and compelling look at the latest retail technologies that could change the way we work, shop and live, and the way that companies conduct business. This annual convention will be held February 13-15 at the Washington, DC, Convention Center.


Following the theme "Clearly Focused," MARKETECHNICS® 2005 will bring together thousands of retail industry professionals and hundreds of exhibitors in a metropolitan area that has experienced a boom in information technology businesses over the past decade.
     

"Technology continues to be an extremely important component of strategic business planning, covering nearly every aspect of company operations — from logistics to human resources to customer service," stated FMI Senior Vice President Brian Tully. "MARKETECHNICS® 2005 will be a dynamic, invigorating display of the latest technological innovations and their applications, and a real opportunity for tech professionals to learn from leading experts about new and emerging trends."
     

America Online Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis and futurist Andrew Zolli will headline the multifaceted education program, which will be complemented by an expansive exhibit floor featuring 60 different product categories and demonstrations of new technologies. Other highlights of the 2005 show include:


Tech Lane: Created to highlight dynamic new technologies, Tech Lane is an interactive new product showcase displaying innovative products from 20 different companies.

Group Advantage Program: Companies bringing eight or more people to the show receive discounted registration rates, exhibitor appointment scheduling, access to meeting space on the show floor and on-site concierge service.


Technology Tour: The show kicks off on Sunday morning, February 13, with a Technology Tour of the exhibit floor for first-time attendees led by Tom Murphy, president, Peak Tech Consulting. Murphy, a former Kroger Co. executive, will identify hot new technology trends that are revolutionizing food retail operations and consumer-purchasing behavior.


Opening Night Reception: Show attendees are invited to a networking reception on the show floor on Sunday evening beginning at 5 p.m.


Education Program Explores New Technology Frontiers


Three days of education programming will be built around exhibit floor hours. Two general sessions lead the program:


Customer-Based Interactive Technology — What will be the demands and desires of tomorrow's consumers? How can companies, both new and established, prepare to meet these expectations? AOL Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis explores the world of new media and today's changing technology landscape. A participant in launches of some of the world's most notable technological innovations of the last 30 years — including the Apple MacIntosh computer, IBM PC and Wang office automation — Leonsis speaks with extraordinary authority about the needs and wants of a changing society.


Forces Shaping the Coming Decades — Noted futurist Andrew Zolli explores the modern world of complex, accelerating and unpredictable change. From mind-boggling new technologies to tectonic shifts in global demography, from the continuing transformation of the physical environment to the emergence of new global imperatives, the sheer volume of change is daunting. Drawing together the connections among demographic, technological, geopolitical, and business trends, Zolli is one of a new breed of foresight strategists who help organizations, institutions and governments see, understand and respond to these complex changes.


More than a dozen workshops covering issues such as radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless networks and biometrics complete the program.


Online Registration and Information


For current exhibitor, program and registration information, visit the MARKETECHNICS® 2005 Web site at http://www.fmi.org/events/tech/2005/show_guide/. Site visitors are invited to subscribe to the free MARKETECHNICS® 2005 e-newsletter, which provides frequent updates on the show.