Dec 17, 2015
Save the Date By Tim Hodson

The 2016 Big Grower Executive Summit will take place Feb. 21-23, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This is the ninth year for GPN’s Big Grower Executive Summit. Our goal is to provide attendees with the insight they need to succeed in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

Our keynote speaker this year is Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic. He will discuss what companies must do to target the next generation of consumers. Thompson will examine what growers can do to take advantage of this emerging and technology-driven demographic. Thompson is a weekly contributor to NPR and appears regularly on CBS and MSNBC.

During the two-and-a-half day Summit, we also will take a look at how growers and banks can work together, succession planning, immigration issues, the economy and innovative marketing techniques to reach today’s consumers.

We also will be touring Metrolina Greenhouses’ headquarters facilities in Huntersville, North Carolina.

For additional information on the program, please visit www.biggrower.com/executivesummit.

Charlotte is the place to be in February – will you be there?

– Tim

Wal-Mart Marketing Department to See Changes in ’16

Wal-Mart’s chief marketing officer, Stephen Quinn, plans to retire at the end of January. Quinn joined the retailer in 2005 as senior vice president of marketing. He was named chief marketing officer in 2007. Wal-Mart also announced that it has hired Target Corp.’s top marketing executive, Michael Francis, as a consultant. According to the Wall Street Journal, Francis will work with Quinn’s successor to overhaul the company’s marketing department.

Home Depot Evolves to Meet Changing Baby Boomers’ Needs

As Baby Boomers age, the Home Depot is adapting to meet their changing needs. In the past, DIY Boomers have been a key demographic for Depot. But as Boomers become more do-it-for-me customers, Depot will target the professional contractors who are doing the work for them. The retailer plans to tweak its merchandise assortment so contractors can get the products their Boomer customers want.

Experts Predict Possible Record ’16 Spring Sales for Lowe’s, Depot

The housing market’s resurgence is leading retail experts to predict record revenues next spring for Lowe’s and the Home Depot. Financial indicators like rising home sales in 2015 and increased consumer spending and confidence point to a busy spring for the top two home improvement retailers. Consumer confidence is expected to hit a decade-high 90.2 in the second quarter of 2016 and consumer spending may top $12 trillion during that time.


Tim Hodson




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