Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2014 36 RO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS INCLUDED: BENJAMIN ZANDER—CONDUCTOR The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra The Art of Possibility Benjamin Zander is the conductor of The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and a guest conductor around the world. With London's famed Philharmonic Orchestra, he is recording the complete cycle of Mahler symphonies for Telarc, recordings which have been received with extraordinary critical acclaim and several awards. Their latest recording of Bruckner's 5th Symphony was nominated for a 2010 Grammy. Mr. Zander is one of the most sought-after speakers in the world. He gave the opening Keynote address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where on another occasion he was awarded the Crystal award for "outstanding contributions in the arts and international relations". In 2002 he was awarded the "Caring Citizen of the Humanities" Award by the International Council for Caring Communities at the United Nations. In honor of his 70th birthday, and 44 years of teaching, he was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the New England Conservatory. His partner, Rosamund Zander, and he have collaborated on a best- selling book, "The Art of Possibility" which has been translated into fifteen languages. GARY VAYNERCHUK—BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT VaynerMedia Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook Gary Vaynerchuk is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author as well as a self-trained wine and social media expert. In 1997, Gary launched Winelibrary.com and helped grow his family business from $3 million to $45 million within eight years. In 2005, he began video blogging and established himself as a social media trailblazer. Gaining nearly 1 million Twitter followers, Gary was included in Business Week's list of the "top 20 people every entrepreneur should follow." Gary's first business book, Crush It! Why Now Is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion, hit the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press Best-Sellers lists in its first weeks. His second New York Times bestseller The Thank You Economy details the effect of social media on business and has become required reading for business leaders around the world. Gary's newest book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook was released November 2013. Gary and his brother, AJ, oversee VaynerMedia, an agency that helps Fortune 500 companies find their social media voices and build their digital brands. Gary is also the General Partner of a newly formed venture fund, VaynerRSE and has appeared on countless programs such as Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Ellen, MSNBC, CNBC, CNN and NPR. SHERYL CONNELLY—GLOBAL TRENDS & FUTURING Ford Motor Company How Generational Cohorts are Reshap- ing the Way We Live, Work and Play As the in-house futurist for Ford Motor Company, Connelly is in charge of helping Ford stay ahead—preferably way ahead—of forces outside the industry that will be shaping it for years to come. To do so, she immerses herself in what she calls STEEP trends—social, technological, economic, environmental and political—going well beyond traditional business analysis to consider situations the company can't control or influence, and to imagine what consumers might want up to 20 years in the future. Connelly's creative prowess has earned her a spot on Fast Company's 2013 list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, an annual look at the people and businesses that are redefining creativity in industry, culture and commerce. • ATTENDEE PROFILE—Verified registrants representing the West- ern United States, Canada, Mexico and more than 25 other countries include homebuilders, developers, architects, investors, general contractors, trade contractors, interior designers, real estate brokers, consultants, product manufacturers, and other industry advisors. • PCBC 2015 —There's a great vibe and a lot of positive momentum as plans get underway for PCBC 2015. Exhibit sales launch in mid-September and attendee registration begins in late February. PCBC is open to anyone professionally involved in the building industry: builders, developers, architects, remodelers, designers, contractors, dealers/distributors and suppliers/manufacturers. • HISTORY—PCBC was launched in 1959 as a small educational conference at the Sheraton Palace Hotel in San Francisco, and for more than five decades, PCBC has connected the homebuilding industry with ideas, inspiration and innovation. PCBC has been known by different names in the past, including the Pacific Coast Builders Conference and the Western Building Show. Today, it's simply called PCBC. • SPONSORING ORGANIZATION—The California Building Industry Association is a statewide trade association based in Sacramento representing thousands of companies, including homebuilders, trade contractors, architects, engineers, designers, suppliers and other industry professionals. HIGHLIGHTS FROM PCBC ® 2014 SAN FRANCISCO NEW directions

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