ICSC Announces RECon 2014 Keynote Speakers
NEW YORK, 2014-3-5 — /EPR Retail News/ — Want to understand how to decode the symbols and codes that surround us every day; learn about the future of technology from the founder of Twitter; or how to make money make sense? Then join the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) at RECon, the largest global retail real estate convention, on May 18-20 in Las Vegas, Nev.
ICSC is pleased to announce the keynote speaker lineup for the show: Brad Meltzer, host, HISTORY Channel, Brad Meltzer’s Decoded, and New York Times best-selling author; Biz Stone, co-founder, Twitter; Michael T. Duke, chairman of the executive committee of the board, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Jean Chatzky, financial editor, NBC’s Today, and New York Times best-selling author; and Howie Mandel, comedian and judge on America’s Got Talent.
“Nerd of the Year” according to GQ and one of TIME magazine’s “Most Influential People,” Biz Stone is best known for developing collaborative systems freely accessed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. As a progenitor of early social media, Stone became an Internet entrepreneur working at Xanga and Google before co-inventing and co-founding Twitter. In 2013 he formed his latest startup, Jelly, a search engine mobile application. He speaks about the shift in electronic communication from the personal (e.g. email, instant messaging) to the public (e.g. blogging, social networking), how we can redefine success, and some of his “Simple Lessons” about business, life, service and creativity. A clip of Stone can be seen here http://bit.ly/1kUgd2T. He will speak during RECon’s opening session on Sunday, May 18, from 4:15 – 5:00 pm.
Brad Meltzer doesn’t care where you went to school or how much money you make. Why? Because, “I believe ordinary people change the world,” Meltzer says. It’s this core belief that runs through each one of his projects – of which there are many. He has written best-selling thriller novels…and non-fiction…and comic books. He currently produces and stars in his own TV show, Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the HISTORY Channel, where he investigates the secret history of symbols and codes that surround us every day. He was also a speaker for on TED Talks (a clip can be seen here, http://bit.ly/1jOGaRu). Meltzer will speak during lunch on Monday, May 19 from 12:00 – 2:00 pm.
An expert on everything from debt elimination and retirement planning to mortgage options and long-term care insurance, Jean Chatzky takes the complicated world of personal finance and makes it accessible to all. Chatzky—financial editor for NBC’s Today, a frequent Oprah contributor and New York Times best-selling author—is one of the media’s most recognized money experts. She specializes in providing the sort of expert financial advice that is not only entertaining and interesting to listen to, but that can be absorbed and used to change lives. Chatzky will speak during the opening breakfast on Monday, May 19 from 7:30-9:00 am.
Mike Duke was President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. from 2009 to 2014 and continues to serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board. Since joining Walmart in 1995, Duke has led the logistics, distribution and administration divisions, as well as Walmart U.S, and was Vice Chairman of the company. Prior to Walmart, he had 23 years of retailing experience with Federated Department Stores and May Department Stores. Duke has served on the board of directors of the Consumer Goods Forum and the executive committee of the Business Roundtable. He will discuss The Future of Retail: Serving Customers at the Intersection of Physical and Digital during his keynote presentation on Tuesday, May 20 from 12:00 – 2:00 pm.
Howie Mandel, comedian, judge on America’s Got Talent, and former host of Deal or No Deal, will be the entertainment for the ICSC Foundation’s Gala Dinner. See Mandel’s video invite to the dinner here http://bit.ly/1kUwKE1. Taking place Sunday, May 18 from 6:00 – 9:30 pm, the ICSC Foundation Gala Dinner is a veritable “who’s who” of retail real estate. Join the ICSC Foundation for an evening of entertainment and high-level networking while giving back to the industry. Separate registration is required and can be completed here http://bit.ly/1czHRgy. For sponsorship opportunities visit http://bit.ly/1mT74wo.
Join the conversation on Twitter, follow @ICSC and use the hashtag #RECon14.
Registration fees for ICSC RECon 2014 are $570 for members in advance and $1,120 for non-members in advance. To qualify for the advanced rate, registration must be completed by April 30, 2014. Press registration is complimentary. To register, contact ICSC’s Members Services Department at 646-728-3800, or register online at http://bit.ly/1kuXEoW. To obtain press credentials contact Elana Krasner in ICSC’s media relations department at 646-728-3515 or ekrasner@icsc.org.
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 63,000 members in over 100 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world. For more information, visit www.icsc.org.
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Contact: Jesse Tron
+1 646-728-3814
jtron@icsc.org
@JesseTronPR