Prepare your firm to capitalize on the economic and political changes unfolding in North America and worldwide as leading economist Brian Beaulieu reveals how shifts in interest rates, demographics, and affairs of state will affect the retail environments industry. With comprehensive short- and long-term forecasts, Beaulieu will demonstrate how to improve your firm’s performance and profitability. His insightful analyses of China, India, and Europe will focus on partnership potential, helping you map out ways to enhance your market position. You’ll walk away with specific management objectives for the next few years based on his forecast as well as an understanding of which leading indicators to monitor for your company’s future success.

Beaulieu has been an economist with the Institute for Trend Research since 1982, serving as its executive director since 1987. He has been engaged in applied research regarding business cycle trend analysis and the utilization of cyclical analysis at a practical business level. A columnist and contributing economist for national trade associations and publications, Beaulieu has appeared on KERA TV and CBS Radio and has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Barron’s, USA Today, Knight Ridder News Services, Reuters, and The Washington Times. He is chief economist for Vistage International and TEC, global organizations comprising over 13,000 CEOs, and several NASFM members regularly consult his forecasts.

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Discover how to take your company operations to the next level with renowned lean expert Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker, author of the best-selling The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer. Professor of industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan and principal of lean enterprise consulting firm Optiprise Inc., Dr. Liker wrote and co-wrote over 70 articles and book chapters and eight books. In this session, he will outline four key elements of the Toyota Production System, provide insights into how Toyota develops culture, and show you how your firm can apply principles from Toyota’s innovative lean manufacturing.

Dr. Liker is professor of industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan and principal of Optiprise Inc. The Toyota Way is one of eight books he has written or co-written, along with over 70 articles and book chapters. It analyzes the underlying philosophy and principles driving Toyota’s quality and efficiency-obsessed culture. Dr. Liker provides consulting for manufacturers to help them further develop their potential through lean management policies and practices. Recent clients include Hertz, Caterpillar, Android, Areva, Rio Tinto Mining, Tenneco Automotive, Jacksonville Naval Air Depot, US Airforce Material Command, Johnson Controls, Harley Davidson, Eaton, and Fujitsu Technical Services.

As practice leader of the Hospitality and Retail Focus Group at an architectural firm whose advocacy for green design dates back to the early 1990s, Joe Pettipas has been at the forefront of designer efforts to champion green retailing. HOK helped develop the first LEED rating system and has promoted sustainability through resources such as The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design. With 11 LEED-certified projects and 40 others pursuing certification, HOK has adopted a policy to apply green principles to every project, regardless of whether the client requests it. The firm boasts more than 430 LEED-accredited professionals and has won numerous awards for its commitment to green building, including the 2006 Sustainable Design Leadership Award.

Among his numerous industry affiliations, Pettipas serves on NASFM’s DREAM Team.

As director of design, Bob Johnson is part of Harbor Industries’ cross-functional Green Team. The team was formed in early 2006 to help the family-owned company change how it designs, manufactures, and delivers displays and fixtures to reduce their environmental footprint. As a result, new plant strategies have saved energy and waste, environmentally friendly materials are being used, and the firm is involved in local sustainability efforts and employee education. The team continues to explore ways to implement sustainable design and to research alternative materials. Johnson has spent 18 of his 27 years of design experience at Harbor Industries and is a member of Industrial Designers Society of America.