Retail Observer

June 2017

The Retail Observer is an industry leading magazine for INDEPENDENT RETAILERS in Major Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Home Furnishings

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RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2017 58 THE "DREAM TEAM" MAKES ITS DEBUT During BrandSource's annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, FL, the formation of the company's 'Dream Team' was announced amid the various guest lectures, product demonstrations, and informative seminars that made up the four-day extravaganza at the Marriott World Center. This new initiative assembled a team of prominent industry experts and consultants from different sectors of the company to help educate the members at regional meetings about the products and services BrandSource has to offer. They will also be tasked with conducting quarterly webinars and seminars on hot industry topics that materialize throughout the year. The introduction of the dream team of experts is indicative of the creative methods employed by BrandSource to keep its membership informed about new products and other happenings within the independent retail industry. The team's experience and intricate knowledge will no doubt provide valuable assistance to our membership. The dream team is comprised of five persons who all possess a specialized knowledge of a specific area of the retail sales industry. Two prominent members of the dream team are Daniel Abramson — Hiring & Recruiting and Bob Baird — Merchandising. Daniel Abramson, the dream team's expert on hiring and recruiting is the founder and president of StaffDynamics, a consulting and training firm that specializes in the creation of workforce performance and growth strategies. Prior to founding StaffDynamics in 2002, Abramson was president of Dunhill Staffing Systems from 1992-2001. Dunhill Staffing was an international staffing firm, which was represented in 120 offices worldwide. A staff industry expert, Abramson is the author of "The Secret of Hiring Top Talent" and currently offers his services as a career coach and keynote speaker. Abramson earned a BS in marketing and management from Long Island University and currently lives in the Washington, DC area with his wife and pets. Bob Baird, the team's merchandising guru, was hired last year by AVB/BrandSource as a consultant to advise and assist its independent dealers in their battle with their box store competitors. Baird currently works with BrandSource's leadership team in a bid to drive sales and marketing as they continue on their track of rapid growth. A seasoned industry insider, Baird has been in the retail appliance business for 50 years where he has amassed a wealth of experience. Baird arrived at BrandSource after 15 years with The Home Depot, where he held several executive posts. When he arrived in 2001, Baird was given the arduous task of building an appliance business from scratch. Upon his departure last year, Home Depot's appliance business was #2 in the country behind Lowe's. Baird earned a BBA in marketing and quantitative analysis while graduating with honors from the University of Iowa, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Drake University, earning an MBA in Financial Management. Among other accolades, Baird was named Marketer of the Year in 1995 by Adweek magazine. He lives in Big Canoe, GA, a community 50 miles north of Atlanta and has four children. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, exercise and spending time with family. The assembling of the dream team is yet another example of BrandSource's commitment to their membership and its desire to support their business by providing them with the most knowledgeable and battle-tested consultants and experts in the industry. SERTA'S TRIP TO PARADISE BrandSource members recently returned from their trip to paradise in French Polynesia. Serta treated their top 20 members & their spouses to a luxury vacation in Moorea (based on increases over last year). Guests stayed at the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa where they enjoyed 6 nights and 5 days of beautiful sunsets, a golf outing, jeep tour, a private snorkeling trip, ATV rides, and jet skiing. Mike Derro, VP of sales, buying groups for Serta said, "Moorea was nothing short of amazing. We wanted to show these exceptional members our appreciation for their support of the Serta brand this past year by bringing them on this trip to paradise." B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S RO

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