Education conference was ’grand’

The 4th Annual Retail Education Conference, held for the first time in Grand Rapids, at the Amway Grand Plaza, was deemed a success by participants and speakers alike.

“The speakers were just fabulous—so motivational,” said Marian Charter, who attended the March 27 event with her husband Norm. The Charters, co-owners of Village Chocolatier in East Tawas, attend every year they can and appreciated both the earlier date and the west-side location.

“We come back to our store feeling refreshed and energized, with new, practical ideas and perspectives,” she added.

Peter Bowe, a speaker on a panel discussion about retail websites, said the event is just the sort of thing more members ought to make time to attend.

Members on the west side of the state attended in greater numbers than in past years, presumably due to the Grand Rapids location. The move from June to an early spring date was a response to member suggestions to hold it at a less busy retail season.

“I’ve wanted to go to this event in past years, but dates in June were not feasible,” said Greg Husby of Foliage Design Systems in Lansing. “Now that I’ve attended this one, I’m extremely impressed with the information and inspiration and hope to go again next year. The whole event was—wow!”

Next year the conference will return to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, where the conference was held its first two years. The date—for those of you who schedule events well in advance—is March 5, 2007.