Apr 16, 2015

April 16, 2015 – ARLINGTON, VA – Today, FMI shares its keynote lineup for FMI Connect 2015 and its professional development conference Future Leaders 2015, running as parallel events, June 8-11 in Chicago at the McCormick Center.

FMI Connect, the unique gathering for all things food retail, will focus on food retail competition; improving efficiencies; and identifying consumer engagement strategies. FMI Connect will inspire food retailers to help shoppers select their grocery store as their resource for one more family meal each week at home. Requiring a separate registration for conference-goers, Future Leaders @Connect provides current and high-potential leaders in food retail with skill-building content and activities.

Keynotes include: 

Flying High with Fearless Leadership
Joint Session with Future Leaders @Connect
Tuesday, June 9, 2015 10:00 am-11:00 am
Carey Lohrenz, U.S. Navy's First Female F-14 Fighter Pilot and Team-Building, Leadership and Strategy Expert

Cary Lohrenz shares the fundamentals that helped her win in the cockpit at Mach 2 as the Navy’s first female Tomcat F-14 fighter pilot. By translating the lessons she learned to the challenges of food retail, she provides applicable insight on market change, customer evolution and the importance of adaptability. 

FMI Speaks: The Noble (and Ever-Evolving) Work of Feeding Families 
Joint Session with Future Leaders @Connect
Wednesday, June 10, 2015, 9:30 am-10:30 am
Leslie G. Sarasin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Food Marketing Institute

FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin premieres a high-level examination of new 2015 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends with a particular focus on the cultural concerns impacting family eating patterns and influencing supermarket business practices. Her review of key trends will explore how changes in household composition, shifts in the work force, technological advances, growth in the wellness proposition and modifications in food culture are impacting the supermarket industry.

Building and Motivating a Winning Team: Leadership Lessons from Winning Coaches
Thursday, June 11, 2015, 9:00 am-10:00 am
CBS Sportscaster Greg Gumbel will moderate a panel of winning coaches

Like so many businesses, food retail is a team sport. Success is dependent on talent, a combination of experienced and fresh players, and lots of hard work. This discussion will elicit insights from coaches on how to build, motivate and maintain strong teams, especially teams of millennials. Greg Gumbel’s standout work in the world of sports broadcasting has made his face, name and voice as familiar as any in the industry. Gumbel will engage a panel of top coaches from college sports on their winning strategies including John Calipari, head coach of men's basketball at the University of Kentucky, and Rick Pitino, head coach of men's basketball at the University of Louisville.

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About FMI

Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org. 

About FMI Connect

FMI Connect is the prominent annual event for food retailing bringing a dynamic exposition together with education formats focusing on the imperatives of keeping ahead of the accelerating pace of change in food retail. The catalysts for change represent intense competition from new formats, drive for operational excellence, including speed to market, and consumer transparency and customization – all of which are enabled by technology. www.FMIConnect.net

About Future Leaders

Formerly known as Future Connect, provides current and high-potential leaders in food retail with the tools, knowledge, insights and skills to be successful in today's and tomorrow's business environment. In 2015, Future Leaders is co-located with Future Connect and requires a separate registration. www.fmi.org/future-leaders