LAS VEGAS, Oct. 17, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Leading senior executives from Best Buy and Circuit City have been named keynote speakers at the recently announced Consumer Electronics Supply Chain Academy (CESCA), which is taking place at the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology trade show, January 10-11, 2007 in Las Vegas Nevada.
Bob Willett, CEO, Best Buy International and CIO, Best Buy and Ronald G. Cuthbertson, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and Inventory Management, Circuit City will lead the day-and-one-half conference in providing insights into ways to maximize efficiencies in the manufacturing, delivery and retailing of consumer technology products.
Other presenters include:
-- George Bailey, Global Leader, IBM Global Services
-- Jim Bottoms, Director, Understanding & Solutions
-- Didier Chenneveau, VP Operations, Hewlett-Packard
-- Charlie Covert, VP Consulting Services, UPS
-- Yoshito Ezure, President, Sony Logistics of America
-- Joe Formichelli, Former EVP Retail Operations, RadioShack
Corporation
-- Dr. Bill C. Hardgrave, Exec. Director, RFID Research Center
-- Curt Kavano, CEO, TradeCard
-- Sanjay Sarma, CTO, OATSystems
As chief executive officer of Best Buy International, Robert A. Willett is responsible for growth outside the U.S. for Best Buy, a Fortune 100 company and North America's No. 1 specialty retailer of consumer electronics. He was appointed to his new role in 2006. Under Willett's leadership, Best Buy is laying the groundwork to support the opening of retail stores in China, including the development of the supply chain and IT infrastructure there. Prior to his new role, Willett served as Best Buy's executive vice president of operations & CIO, and today continues to lead the company's efforts to improve efficiencies and simplify its customer-centric operating model.
Ronald Cuthbertson joined Circuit City in 2005 as senior vice president, supply chain and inventory management. Before joining the company, he was president and chief executive officer of Southport Consulting, Inc., a technology consulting company. Prior to his role at Southport Consulting, he was employed at Best Buy Co., Inc. from 1999 to 2004 and served in numerous roles including enterprise vice president, with concurrent roles of vice president Best Buy International and vice president global sourcing, and executive vice president, merchandising, marketing and supply chain at Best Buy Canada Ltd. Mr. Cuthbertson also served in various positions at Sears Canada Inc., a division of Sears, Roebuck & Co., a retailer of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and related services, from 1979 to 1998.
To register to attend CESCA, visit the official CES website at: www.cesweb.org
For more information about CESCA visit: www.CESupplyChain.com
For sponsorship opportunities contact: Deborah Rice at deborahr@netzero.com or call 513-895-2051.