Furniture First buying group has finalized their list of speakers for their Annual Symposium, which is being held in Chicago, IL on August 19 – 21, 2008. This year’s theme, “New Strategies for Survival and Success,” is focused on teaching strategies that can help members improve their store’s profitability and direct them towards what needs to be done now in order to have a solid future.

Six industry leaders will take part in a Industry Panel Discussion and Question and Answer session. In addition to this panel, a Retail Panel Discussion, comprised of three Furniture First members, will also take place at the Annual Symposium. Henry Terk, of The Old Brick Furniture Company in Albany, NY will review concepts and strategies on how to increase profits by reducing the number of suppliers; Larry Mark of Furniture Warehouse Design Gallery in Beaufort, SC will talk about his experience with the Furniture First Consumer Website Program; and Jeff Winter of Discovery Furniture in Topeka, KS will outline the processes and outcomes of transitioning commissioned sales staff to non-commissioned merchandising category experts.

Other educational topics will include a seminar by Karla Graves of Klaussner Home Furnishings about how to appeal to the Generation Y Consumer; a Private Label presentation on the new Simple Elegance Gallery program by Steve Brower and Bones O’Briant of Klaussner Home Furnishings, a how-to session on implementing, distributing and managing an E-Mail Marketing campaign by Furniture First member Larry Schneiderman of Schneiderman’s Furniture and Schneiderman’s Online Marketing and Britt Beemer of America’s Research Group will suggest hard hitting Marketing and Advertising Strategies that retailers can immediately implement in their stores. This year’s Annual Symposium sponsor, Serta International, will be providing tours of their newly revitalized America’s Mattress Store, Mattress 1 st Line-Up and their new Headquarters.

Furniture First is a home furnishings and mattresses only buying cooperative representing independent retailers from medium-low to medium-high end quality products across the United States. Our aim is to continually improve members’ profitability through volume purchasing, innovative operations, and marketing. If you would like more information about the organization, contact Bill Hartman, President at 1-800-411-3477 ext. 123 or via email at BHartman@FurnitureFirst.com or stop by our Las Vegas Showroom: World Market Center, Building B, 10 th Floor, Space #1045. Tom Unger, Director of Membership, will be available to meet or schedule an appointment.