Souvenir Industry Veterans Launch New Association For Retail Buyers

The National Association of Retail Buyers will offer a unified, organized resource for retail professionals seeking to advance their skills and careers.

In an effort to bring buyers from different types of retail backgrounds together to share ideas, career and professional development strategies, souvenir industry veterans Angela Dalby and Andrew BeauChamp have founded the National Association of Retail Buyers (NARB).

Offering a unified, organized resource for retail professionals seeking to advance their skills and careers in the retail buying, selling, planning or product development fields, NARB will develop and host formal and informal educational programs, roundtable discussions and networking events throughout the year at industry trade shows, meetings, as well as via web-based courses and other gatherings.

To formally kick off the new association, NARB will host its first membership meeting on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 during the Las Vegas Souvenir Resort Gift Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Scheduled for 8:30 a.m., the meeting will include a complimentary breakfast and the exclusive opportunity for new NARB members to shop the show floor before its official opening at 9:30 a.m.

"In today's challenging economic climate, it's more important than ever for retailers to hone their skills to stay competitive," explains NARB co-founder, Andrew BeauChamp, who brings a wealth of industry experience to the association, including positions as director of retail for Destination Cinema, retail general manager for Aramark and others. "Informal groups of retailers have been gathering online and at various industry events over the past year and wonderful ideas have come out of these meetings.  Through NARB, we're hoping to fill a void in the marketplace with a formal organization that brings retailers together—across many different job responsibilities and industries—to offer a well-defined picture of today's retail landscape and new ideas that can help all of us succeed."

"The specialized needs, career and professional growth of the individual retailer are at the heart of NARB's mission statement," adds co-founder Angela Dalby, director of buying, Color Inc./ Destination Clothing Company. "Where other association memberships are arranged through companies and organizations, NARB membership belongs to and follows the individual.  Because we're not limited to one type of retail or industry, a member becomes part of a fairly extensive community of retailers within their own category, as well as countless other retail backdrops, that promises to generate exciting new business growth strategies."

As a non-profit organization, NARB is open to all professionals in the retail trade, including buyers, wholesalers, retailers, sales representatives, planners and sales. Open to all industries, the initial NARB membership-drive efforts will target the souvenir/resort, giftware, spa/personal care, jewelry and fashion accessories categories.

To help shape the programs and member services of the new organization, a founding Board of Directors has been established for the 2009-2010 term and its members include:

• Christine Anderson, Bay Retail
• Tracy Barlow, HMS Host
• Laura Provenzano, Caesars /Harrah's Entertainment
• Michele Flamer, M. Flamer Consulting
• Art Phillips, Phillips International dba Cool Jewels
• John Drummond, Out of Hand Graphics
• Michael Atkinson, A & F Gift & Souvenir
• Diana Borcz, Rock  Roll Hall of Fame
• Lisa Shroyer, The Space Needle

Annual membership for individuals is $60, which provides access to the wide array of  NARB member benefits, including: special networking events and exclusive buying times at affiliated trade shows; password protected access to the NARB website and its features, including online articles, Member Directory, job postings, and the NARB  "Gift Building," a searchable online source of vendors and products; subscriptions to NARB publications; connections to peer professionals in their respective regions; e-mail and instant message discussion forums; discounts on a range of business services; volunteer activities and more.

Corporate Sponsorship is also available to individuals and organizations working with retailers, including manufacturers, trade show management companies and other service providers. The annual Corporate Sponsorship fee of $1,000 will provide access to NARB's membership of qualified buyers through mailing lists, inclusion in the association's online vendor database, a "store front" in the NARB online "Gift Building," listing in the Member Directory, discounted advertising rates and preferred placement in NARB publications and many other benefits. In addition, an Industry Partner membership level is also available.

To learn more about NARB and membership opportunities, visit www.narbuyers.org, e-mail NARBuyers@hotmail.com or write to NARB, Greeley Square Station, PO Box 20290, New York, NY 10001

"Souvenir Industry Veterans Launch New Association For Retail Buyers" Country Sampler's Country Business 17 Jul. 2009 <http://www.country-business.com/giftindustry/news/article.aspx?id=8768>