The Center for Retailing Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas is sponsoring its eighth annual full-day conference for the retail industry, titled "Growing in Today's Retail Environment."

The conference, designed for members of the retail and vendor industry, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 4, at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center, Rogers, Ark. For more information and registration, call (479) 575-6812 or online at: http://cre.uark.edu/conference.

"We are very excited to be able to present such a dynamic program this year," said Claudia Mobley, director of the Center for Retailing Excellence. "With ever-advancing technology, connected consumers, a wavering economy and pressures for more environmentally friendly business practices, the retail industry has many opportunities to take advantage of these challenges. Our speakers will address many of these issues and give participants ideas for succeeding in a changing retail landscape."

The "Growing in Today's Retail Environment" Conference program includes:

• Bill Simon, executive vice present and chief operating officer, Wal-Mart Stores Division
• John E. Fleming, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Wal-Mart Stores Division
• Stephen Quinn, executive vice present and chief marketing officer, Wal-Mart Stores Division
• Kathy Deck, director, Center for Business and Economic Development, Sam M. Walton College of Business
• Javier A. Reyes, assistant professor, department of economics, Sam M. Walton College of Business
• Adam Werbach, (former CEO of Act Now) Saatchi & Saatchi X
• Bryan Gildenberg, chief knowledge officer, MVI

Sponsors of the conference include MARS Advertising, Energizer, ALL YOU magazine, ConAgra Foods, The J.M. Smucker Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The day before the conference, Sept. 3, the center is holding its eighth annual golf tournament sponsored by CROSSMARK at the Springdale Country Club to raise money for student scholarships.

The Center for Retailing Excellence was established in the Walton College in 1998 with a portion of the $50 million endowment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation Inc. and created to bridge the gap between university faculty, students and the retail industry. The center is focused on research and the development of students as future leaders in the retailing and related industries