WASHINGTON, DC — December 22, 2003 — Designed exclusively for the IT leaders of today and tomorrow, the 2004 Food Marketing Institute (FMI) IT Strategy Forum will focus on the strategic investments and skills businesses need to be competitive. This year’s conference, held Saturday, February 28, at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA, is co-located with the 2004 MARKETECHNICS convention.

The event will include sessions on portfolio management, outsourcing and off-shore development and business ethics. Discussion breakouts will provide opportunities for IT executives to network with industry peers.

“CIOs and their staff are facing new challenges as scrutiny of I/S operations in general has increased,” said Pat Shinko, senior director of education, FMI. “The IT Strategy Forum is an ideal opportunity for IT professionals to network among their peers and exchange ideas on streamlining operations, reducing costs and improving overall business performance.”

Conference sessions include:

• Leadership Development — Situational Leadership, a model for developing people over time so they can reach their highest level of performance, is based on a relationship between the individual’s development level and the amount of direction or support they need from a manager. This session will take a look at how to effectively match leadership styles with the commitment and competency of individuals. Jan Bazow, vice president, Alongside Management Incorporated
• Technology Portfolio Management: Aligning Corporate Strategy with IT Investments — In today’s economic environment, business leaders are asking how they can unlock value from their IT investments. This session examines how to deliver improved business results by managing IT portfolios more effectively, aligning IT initiatives with the business strategy and making intelligent decisions about technology investments and outsourcing. Ingmar Leliveld, principal, DiamondCluster International
• IT & Business Ethics — This session will offer guidelines and stress key points on how to better understand IT governance, Sarbanes-Oxley and privacy issues. Marianne Jennings, professor of legal and ethical studies, Arizona State University
• Organizational Structure: IT Outsourcing and Off-shore Development — As IT executives strive to reduce costs and streamline operations, companies are considering off-shore development and outsourcing for a number of applications. This session will explore the benefits of each option and what competencies and skills should be retained by the organization. Bill Morris, president, William Morris Consulting Group; Anant Ahluwalia, director of replenishment systems, Hannaford Bros. Co.

Conference Chair Bill Homa, senior vice president and CIO, Hannaford Bros. Co., will kick off the conference following a continental breakfast. A 30-year IT veteran, Mr. Homa’s career has focused on the grocery retail supply chain, ranging from grain elevators in the Midwest with Continental Grain, CPG manufacturing and distribution with Pepsico, DSD with Arnold bakers and logistics with CHEP. He was appointed CIO of Hannaford Bros. in 1996.

For more information about the IT Strategy Forum, please contact Pat Shinko (202-220-0705, pshinko@fmi.org) or Kaari Oberg (202-220-0716, koberg@fmi.org) or visit www.fmi.org/events/.