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ICBA Launches New "Retail Conference and Exposition". Retail Conference to coincide with the "Apparel Institute".

ASHLAND, Oregon (September 30, 2002) - The Independent College Bookstore Association today announced a new event, the "ICBA Retail Conference and Exposition(r)." The ICBA Retail Conference and Expo will take place February 8 - 12, 2003, in San Antonio, Texas. The Retail Conference and Expo coincides with The Apparel Institute(r), and will replace ICBA's annual meeting and trade show.

"In our changing environment it is not enough to wonder what will happen next. ICBA is founded on the idea of shaping our future by action today," said ICBA Chairman of the Board Denis Snyder. "Reinventing our primary event is much deeper than a new name. The best aspects of our traditional meeting will continue to grow, including formal and informal networking, our strong education sessions, and the vendor Exposition. ICBA is a business-based organization, and our primary goal is to provide our members with cooperative retail solutions. The Retail Conference will demonstrate a growing emphasis on our vendor partnerships and the buyers who drive our programs. I invite all our institutional store colleagues to join us in exploring the unique value of the ICBA network of stores and vendors."

"The caliber of ICBA education, combined with the Apparel Institute and the Retail Conference, promises to set new standards for the collegiate retail industry. If you want to improve your buying team and your store's bottom line, don't miss this event," added ICBA Board member Jeff Zeilenga (University of Missouri). "ICBA continues to deliver solutions that matter!"

The first day of the ICBA Retail Conference offers stores three distinct, simultaneous programs: one for apparel buyers, one for general merchandise buyers, and one for store directors and management. The programs for buyers are designed as an exchange between buyers and ICBA Program vendors in an exclusive, dedicated setting. This model offers buyers the opportunity to discover marketing, merchandising and promotional models for driving sales and building better bottom lines and to explore business partnerships. The management programs span issues from campus communications and marketing to store evaluation and benchmarking, continuing ICBA's reputation for best-in-industry education.

"ICBA is an investment for our store unlike any other organization to which we belong. We are sending multiple buyers to the Apparel Institute, and the Retail Conference and Exposition because we want to learn how to improve and grow our business," said Jim Williams (University of Oregon). "We are sending buyers, our controller and our marketing manager to take advantage of networking with professionals from stores and the ICBA vendor community. Unlike other buying shows the ICBA Conference and Exposition is ideally sized and scoped to provide quality time in a comfortable setting."

Day two of the Retail Conference includes formal store-to-store presentations of innovative models for growing business and for improving the store's role in fulfilling campus missions and goals. Like its predecessor, the annual meeting, the ICBA Retail Conference remains the only nation-wide, industry event composed exclusively of independent college stores. By "independent stores," ICBA means as distinguished from private and lease stores.

"Because ICBA is a retail cooperative focused on business solutions, this is a landmark event for our owner stores and our vendor partners," said Retail Conference 2003 Chair Lara Mann (Southern Oregon University). "And I guarantee you there has never been an event in our industry like the ICBA Retail Conference and Expo."

ICBA invites all institutional and independent college bookstores to join ICBA owners at the Retail Conference and Expo. All qualified stores may register the same as ICBA owners. Buyers attending The Apparel Institute are invited to add extra value to their business travel by continuing with the Conference. The Apparel Institute is February 6 to 8, immediately followed by the Retail Conference, February 8 to 12. Both events take place in San Antonio, Texas.

"Change is not synonymous with improvement, but improvement presupposes change. To thrive in this marketplace, our buyers must continually change product offerings and marketing tactics. ICBA and our vendor partners have joined talents to bring stores the knowledge and experience that can assure that our changes lead to improvements in customer satisfaction and retail sales," according to Bryan Thornton (University of Montana).

"Our industry is changing now more than ever and ICBA is a true necessity for independent college stores," declared Carol Nel (Northern Arizona University). "The invaluable partnerships with our vendors, the key networking and support opportunities with member stores, and the depth of the educational opportunities of our Retail Conference and Expo make ICBA the tool to help independent stores be stronger. This will prove to be the best event in our industry."

"As we continue our tradition of innovation and excellence in education programming, I believe that ICBA has put together our best program yet," added Dan Archer (University of Southern California). "With store and vendor leaders from every corner of our industry providing expertise, this is truly a meeting you can't afford to miss."

"ICBA has a time honored tradition of offering our members the very best in collegiate buying programs. The addition of the Apparel Institute and the superior quality program it offers surpasses any opportunities in our industry," according to Wendy Hagins (Georgia Southern University). "Being a member of ICBA in this special time of growth and innovation, is an opportunity for each of us to affect real change in our operations."

FOR MORE INFORMATION: ICBA Business Office, Stacy Waymire, ICBA Executive Director, StacyWaymire@ICBAinc.com, 800.888.9222, or Denis Snyder, ICBA Chairman of the Board and Olympic College Auxiliary Services Officer, dsnyder@oc.ctc.edu, 360.475.7421, or Lara Mann, Chair ICBA Retail Conference and Expo 2003 and Southern Oregon University Bookstore Director, mannl@sou.edu, 541.552.6248.

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