The seminars and programs we are presenting at our Summer Market offer an incredible range of options for attendees and represent the most diverse line-up to date.
Dana Andrew, Director of Marketing, World Market Center

Almost 50 different free events and educational seminars will be offered during the summer Las Vegas Furniture Market.

“The seminars and programs we are presenting at our Summer Market offer an incredible range of options for attendees and represent the most diverse line-up to date,” said Dana Andrew, director of marketing and public relations for World Market Center. “Attendees can take advantage of educational, trend-setting, industry and business seminars that provide meaningful and strategic tools to make their business successful.”

According to Andrew, these events are designed to be timely, targeted and memorable education and networking programs that help distinguish Las Vegas Market from other trade events around the country.

Educational Options Inform and Empower
Among the varied seminars to be presented at the Summer Market, featured presentations include:

* Christine Chow, director of membership and associate director of The Color Association will be presenting a ColorWatch seminar at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 30 in World Forum in World Market Center’s Building B co-sponsored by Vance Publishing’s Furniture Style.

* David Perry, Furniture/Today’s bedding editor, will address the question “Who are today’s bedding consumers and what do they want?” on Tuesday, July 30 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.in the World Forum in World Market Center’s Building B. Perry will present the newspaper's latest consumer research on the mattress industry. The comprehensive survey reveals the bedding size, price and retail store preferences of today's mattress shoppers. It also documents the continuing move in the market toward high-end bedding and reveals why bedding remains a standout on retail sales floors.

* Mary Liz Curtin of Leon & Lulu delivers a hilarious, fast-paced look at customer service – the good, the bad and the ugly in stores, with manufacturers and in other businesses. She will provide tips on improving versus destroying customer relationships. Her presentation will be Monday, July 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m in the Retailer Resource Center on the 16th floor of Building B.

* Maxine Lauer, founder and president of Sphere Trending LLC will present a ConsumerWatch seminar that will cover big-picture macro trends that cause consumers to shop, think and live differently, and how that affects the future. The seminar will be held on Tuesday, July 31 at 10 a.m. in the World Forum in World Market Center’s Building B.

* American Express and Home Furnishings News will present Consumer Behavior Trends in Home Furnishings Roundtable on Tuesday, July 31 at 8:30 am in the World Forum in World Market Center’s Building B. BIG Research will be sharing research on consumer behavior, purchase intentions and key challenges specific to the industry.  

* On Tuesday, July 31 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender of Kizer & Bender will present “The Inside Secrets of Charismatic Retailers.” Their seminar, in the Retailer Resource Center on the 16th floor of Building B, will answer the question, “Is your store great, or is it just another place to buy stuff?”

* Michelle Lamb, co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions Inc. and senior editor of The Trend Curve, will present the TrendWatch seminar on Wednesday, August 1 at 10 a.m. at the Sands Expo. It is co-sponsored by Vance’s Accessory Merchandising.

* On Tuesday, July 31 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Retail Sustainability Panel will take place at the Sands Expo, moderated by Mike Italiano, president and chief executive officer of Market Transformation to Sustainability and founder, director and chief executive officer of the U.S. Green Building Council. Steve Freeman, of Room & Board, a Minneapolis-based furniture retailer, will be one of the panel’s participants. The discussion will focus on leadership and the environment and is presented by Home Furnishings Business, and is co-sponsored by Foamex Reflex Natural, World Market Center and the Sustainable Furniture Council.

* Retailers can attend a panel discussion, “From Asia to the Home – a Complete Supply Chain Review” on Thursday, August 2 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Retailer Resource Center on the 16th floor of Building B. Panelists include Carl Abernathy and Eric Clarke, Four Truckers and Featured Guests.

*Academy Training Series, a higher level, focused series of seminars, will be offered daily from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Featuring different speakers who will discuss various consumer habits, the newly expanded 90-minute format is in direct response to the evaluations received during January’s Market.

Social Events & Entertainment Add to Market Experience
World Market Center hosts a number of special networking and entertainment events throughout the week, which continue to be popular with attendees.

The variety of complimentary special events include:

* Las Vegas Market’s second-annual Rep Appreciation Day will be held Sunday, July 29 in Building’s B atrium with events during the day and early evening exclusively for manufacturer’s representatives attending the Market.

* World Market Center and Furniture/Today co-host the Official Market Kick Off Party, the largest home furnishings industry networking event Monday, July 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Grand Plaza between Buildings A and B. Buyers and sellers will mingle and kick off Summer Las Vegas Market in style with plenty of food, fun and refreshments. Live entertainment provided by Tommy Rockers Band who will play the best of Jimmy Buffet and more hits.

* The Viva la Venetian Festival will be held Tuesday, July 31 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the events at the Sands Expo. The Sands venue will be transformed into the sights, sounds and tastes of Venice with music, costumed performers and delicious cuisine befitting the spectacle and fantasy of the magical Italian city known for its savory food, breathtaking beauty and romance.

* World Market Center will host a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony on Tuesday, July 31 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Japanese Pavilion at the Sands Expo & Convention Center – complete with chashitsu (tea house) and omogashi (pastries). The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a traditional ritual in which green tea, or matcha, is ceremonially prepared by a skilled practitioner and served to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting.

* World Market Center will host a free lunch on Wednesday, August 1 beginning at 12 noon at Sands Expo. Free box lunches will be available for all attendees, while supplies last.

* The International Buyers Breakfast will be held Wednesday, August 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the WorldView on Sixteen in World Market Center’s Building B.

* The Green Party, sponsored by World Market Center, Sustainable Furniture Council, Channel Logic Inc. and Celebrity Host Josh Dorfman (The Lazy Environmentalist), will kick off the inaugural Living Green pavilion on Wednesday August 1, starting at 4 pm. Located at the Sands, the exhibit promotes the latest in sustainable furniture designs.

* The Island Dreams Polynesian Party on Wednesday August 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at World Market Center will take place in the Grand Plaza between Buildings A and B.

* Delightful Desserts will be offered in the atriums of Buildings A and B on Thursday, August 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees can wind down with lavish desserts and refreshing spirits as the soothing sounds of a jazz band play in the background.