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F/T's Bedding Conference is 'all about her'

By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2010

HIGH POINT —

Furniture/Today's fifth annual Bedding Conference features a full slate of female speakers (and a few men) who will address key topics in the mattress industry.

The theme of the conference, set for May 5-7 at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Fla., is “Consumer Connections: It's All about Her.” The conference will examine those issues largely through the eyes of women, the key decision-makers in bedding purchases.

The keynote address, “Connecting with the World's Most Powerful Consumers,” will be delivered by Bridget Brennan, the CEO and founder of Female Factor, a business strategy firm. She is the author of “Why She Buys: The New Strategy for Reaching the World's Most Powerful Consumers.” Her address is sponsored by Hickory Springs, the headline sponsor for the Bedding Conference.

Also featured will be Jan Latiolais-Hargrave, a nationally recognized body language expert who has done some work in the home furnishings industry. She is the author of several books on body language, including one book that specifically addresses body language issues in the business world.

Top female bedding retailers, including Karrie Forbes of Houston-based Mattress Firm, Christine Magee of Sleep Country Canada, and Sharon Smart of Addison, Texas-based Mattress Giant, also will address the conference. Also featured will be up-and-coming female retailers like Christine Chamberlin of The Clean Bedroom in Kittery, Maine.

Returning to the conference is Michael Breus, The Sleep Doctor, who last year delivered one of the highest-rated presentations ever made at the annual event. He has been researching women's sleep issues and presents an update on his findings.

The conference is again being coordinated by David Perry, Furniture/Today's executive editor, who covers the mattress beat for the newspaper.

“We know that women are the key decision makers when it comes to mattress purchases,” Perry said. “Yet the industry is dominated by men at all levels, which creates a powerful disconnect in reaching those key consumers and truly understanding the issues that motivate their purchases.

“We are aiming to help the industry close the gender gap with a program that gives women most of the spots at the table. This is a unique opportunity for bedding retailers, producers and suppliers to gain critical insights on women's issues in the mattress industry.”

The conference also will feature presentations by women executives with years of experience serving the mattress industry. Susan Ebaugh, a partner in Lilly Management Group, will present the results of her study of gender issues affecting retail sales associates, while Cindy Williams of Info Retail will examine retail displays that are designed to catch consumers' eyes.

Vicki Worden, a consultant to the Specialty Sleep Assn. working on that group's Green Initiative, will share the results of her research on terminology used for eco-friendly issues.

The Clean Bedroom's Chamberlin will join Natura's Julia Rosien for a panel discussion on social media opportunities in the mattress industry. Also appearing on that panel will be Dwayne Welch of Hickory Springs and Kurt Ling of Pure LatexBliss.

The conference's traditional “hot issues panel” gets a new look this year, with the inclusion of several female bedding executives, including Jodi Allen of Sealy, Anne Kozel of Simmons and Laurie Tokarz of Restonic. They will be joined by Gerry Borreggine of Therapedic and Eric Hinshaw of Kingsdown.

“We have more than a dozen female speakers on the agenda for this conference,” Perry noted. “We are not ignoring the men, but they will be in the minority on the podium, for a change.”

To register for the conference, go to www.furnituretoday.com.

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