ARLINGTON, VA — December 15, 2010 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today announced details about Future Connect, a one-of-a-kind leadership conference focused on developing high-potential associates for the food retail and supplier industry. Future Connect will take place May 10-12, 2011 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

“Providing leadership training to store associates, management and executives is important for any company that wants to plan for a smooth leadership transition in the future,” said FMI President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie G. Sarasin. “Highly qualified and motivated people want to grow, whether it is with your company or with someone else. Future Connect offers you the ability to motivate your employees and demonstrate your commitment to their growth.”

Future Connect 2011 continues the leadership development process set in motion when FMI launched the successful conference two years ago. It is well suited for every level of leadership.

Current and future leaders will be immersed in the knowledge, skills and issues that industry executives must master, including team-building, leadership, developing and executing a vision, industry and consumer trends, business development, and motivating high performers.

Program Tracks Suited for All Levels of Management
Programming for the conference is built along three concurrent tracks, each of which is suitable for individuals from retail, wholesale and supplier organizations:

• Operations Management — provides more tactical lessons in management, operations and store-level concerns.


• Strategic Management — encompasses a broad perspective of industry issues and management of large teams.


• Sales/Marketing/Merchandising — geared toward executives immersed in trading partner and supply chain issues.

The sessions will feature opportunities to discuss issues, share ideas and strategies, and collaborate on case studies with industry peers and business partners.

The general sessions will focus on leadership and industry trends. Speakers include highly regarded athletic coaches, CEOs of well-respected organizations from both inside and outside the food industry, and business knowledge experts. Attendees will gain a better understanding of building and motivating teams, recognizing and rewarding associates, leveraging consumer insights and industry trends, and strategies for guiding change.

Future Connect officially begins with the opening general session on Tuesday, May 10 at 1 p.m. As a special bonus, attendees are invited to come early on Tuesday morning to take advantage of one of three pre-conference events:

• Best of Future Connect — Hear from several of the most highly-rated speakers from Future Connect 2009.


• Supermarket Financials — Learn the economics and financial metrics of retailing.


• Optimizing Talent — Review strategies and tactics to build your organization’s bench strength.

Future Connect registration is open. Sign up to bring your team and get a discount through the Group Advantage Program: bring a group of 10 or more and receive a group discount as well as a complimentary registration for every 10 paid registrants from your organization. For more information, visit www.fmi.org/futureconnect/.