Three More Speakers Confirmed for NSGA Conference

MOUNT PROSPECT, IL – Best Buy President & Chief Operating Officer Brian Dunn is among the featured speakers who have been confirmed for the 45th Annual NSGA Management Conference & 11th Annual Team Dealer Summit, which will be held May 3-6, 2009, at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas.

Dunn will speak on Tuesday, May 5, on “The Importance of Building Great Customer Relationships.” In a challenging environment that finds many retailers retrenching, Best Buy continues to stay true to its customer-centric strategy. Dunn will share lessons from the company’s five-year journey to better understand its customers’ unique and changing needs.

He will offer perspectives on why relationships between energized employees and satisfied customers help create strong brands and loyal customers, especially in uncertain times.

On Monday, May 4, Sal LaRocca, executive vice president, global merchandising group, of the National Basketball Association, will share some of the league’s plans for future growth in the multibillion-dollar licensed product category including NBA products to be introduced soon that will carry the brand.

Also on May 4, retail expert and author Neil Stern, senior partner at McMillan/Doolittle, will discuss the revolutions occurring in the retail marketplace today with particular emphasis on the influential green trend in retailing, or “Greentailing.”

This trend capitalizes on the growing demand for organic, sustainable and wellness-related products. Using examples from leading edge greentailers, Stern will explain how any retailer or manufacturer can implement such programs and, most importantly, increase profits.

“Brian Dunn, Sal LaRocca and Neil Stern have unique insights to share,” said NSGA Chairman of the Board Bob Dickman, general manger of the Sport Supply Group Team Dealer Division. “Retailers will be able to take away valuable information that can help make their businesses more profitable.

“The lineup of speakers for the Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit may be the strongest ever,” Dickman said. “This is a very impressive group of keynoters, speakers and workshop leaders. I encourage anyone who wants to strengthen his or her business to attend.”

Team Dealer Summit co-sponsors are Mueller Sports Medicine, Russell Athletic Group (Russell Athletic, Bike, Spalding, Huffy Sports, Moving Comfort, Brooks Sports and American Athletic, Inc.), The SportsOneSource Group, Sporting Goods Dealer Team Business and the NSGA Team Dealer Division.

Conference & Summit sponsors include ADT Security Services, Inc., Champion Athleticwear, Cruzin Cooler, Edifice Information Management, Gatorade, GE Money Sport Finance Program, Glenview Health Systems, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Messe Műnchen GmbH (ISPO), Mizuno USA, Inc., Mueller Sports Medicine, Inc., M.J. Soffe Co., Inc., New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., NIKE, Inc., The NPD Group, Inc., NSGA Team Dealer Division, Russell Athletic Group (Russell Athletic, Brooks Sports, Spalding, Bike, Moving Comfort, Huffy Sports, American Athletic, Inc.); SGD TEAM Business; Sporting Goods Business; The SportsOneSource Group, Wild Sales, LLC – Tailgate Toss; and Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Scholarship providers include Alleson Athletic; All Star Division/Ampac Enterprises, Inc.; American Sporting Goods Corp.; Bison, Inc.; Irwin Broh & Associates; Champion Athleticwear; Cramer Products, Inc.; Holloway Sportswear, Inc.; Leisure Trends Group; McDavid Sports; Rawlings Sporting Goods Co., Inc.; Russell Athletic Group (Russell Athletic, Brooks Sports, Spalding, Bike, Moving Comfort, Huffy Sports, American Athletic, Inc.); Skechers USA; Spira Footwear; Sportline, Inc.; Twin City Knitting Co., Inc.; and Wilson Sporting Goods Co

A complete schedule of speakers, panel discussions, workshops, networking time and social activities is included in brochures that were mailed earlier this month and posted on the NSGA website (www.nsga.org).

For more information, please contact Sue Wenderski or Chuck Suritz at NSGA, (800) 815-5422, or e-mail: info@nsga.org.

About NSGA:
NSGA, which has served the sporting goods industry since 1929, organizes and hosts the annual NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit, the sporting goods industry’s premier educational and networking event (Next: May 3-6, 2009, at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas).

For more information on NSGA member services, visit the Association home page (www.nsga.org); call Sue Wenderski at NSGA, (847) 296-6742, Ext. 102; e-mail: swenderski@nsga.org; or fax (847) 391-9827.