RILA Loss Prevention Auditing & Safety Conference Opens With Record Breaking Attendance

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) kicked-off its 2010 Loss Prevention, Auditing & Safety Conference (LPAS) today with a best-in-class program and record-breaking attendance that was up 26 percent over last year. The many loss prevention executives in attendance represent hundreds of the biggest and best retail companies as well as the service supplier companies who provide many their loss prevention solutions.

"We are thrilled with this year's turnout," said Lisa LaBruno, vice president of loss prevention and legal affairs. "Retail attendance is up 31 percent, we have a fantastic program and an excellent group of attendees and we're really looking forward to a great few days."

With session focusing on talent, ethics and communication, attendees heard from a strong cast of speakers including:

• King Rogers, former Target Vice President, tapped into his 35 plus years of experience mentoring, leading and developing countless men and women to discuss how best to develop talent within organizations.
• Marianne Jennings, professor at Arizona State University, spoke on ethics and corporate responsibility and gave her thoughts on the common threads among collapsed companies and what companies can do to encourage consistently ethical behavior.
• Brian Bazer, vice president of asset protection at AutoZone, shared valuable insight into managing performance of LP professionals.
• Ed Rainey, district loss prevention manager at Dick's Sporting Goods along with Chris Hinger, asset protection director at Ralph Lauren Polo, identified ways to convert store leaders into LP executives.
• John Giebel and Ann Zeltinger, members of Target's Global Security Services Team, discussed how they utilized crisis planning and cross-functional partnerships to mitigate the impact of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic on retail operations.
• Brent Bailey from Cellular Data Resources highlighted the evidentiary value of call detail records in his session entitled, "Cell Phones and Cell Towers: Call Detail Records Analysis for Criminal Investigations."
• Finally, author of 101 Ways to Make Generation X, Y and Z Happy at Work and sought-after consultant, Cheryl Cran, captivated her audience with a presentation on managing communication with generations X, Y and Z. Cran highlighted generational differences, offered suggestions for navigating those differences and shared methods for bridging the generational gaps to maximize an organization's productivity and overall success.

LPAS 2010 is the retail industry's leading loss prevention conference for educational content, quality networking, valuable sessions and expert speakers. Conference tracks include: Leadership and Development; Workplace Safety and Risk Management; Investigations; Operational Audit; Strategy and Planning; and Technology and Innovation. Sessions are comprised of a range of topics, including shrink reduction, organized retail crime, threat assessment and preparedness, social media as investigative and public relations tools, and a legislative update, to name just a few.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) promotes consumer choice and economic freedom through public policy and industry operational excellence. Its members include the largest and most successful retailers operating in the U.S.--which together provide millions of jobs and operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

SOURCE: Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)