Summer is just around the corner and stores are changing to reflect the new season. As you know, it is a season of activity and change for RILA as well. RILA and the National Retail Federation (NRF) are proceeding full steam ahead with the merger, intending to complete the process by summer’s end. Due diligence, including a full financial review and analysis, is the first step we expect to complete by the end of June. The merged organization will be retail’s lead advocate in Washington and the industry’s premier forum for pursuing operational excellence and educational programming. You can find updated information about the merger process and pose any questions to RILA President Sandy Kennedy at the new Merger Resource Portal.
At the same time, service to our members and advocacy for the industry remains RILA’s number one priority, and we have been as active as ever. RILA’s Logistics Steering Committee met in April to begin planning for the Logistics 2010 Conference, which will be held as scheduled February 21-24, 2010 in Orlando. The International Trade and Supply Chain Security Committees convened in May to discuss some of the industry’s most pressing issues, including pending free trade agreements, the China trade deficit, Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program and goods movement during a pandemic or natural disaster.
RILA also announced the creation of a new weekly publication on trade issues – RILA Report: International Trade—and recently co-sponsored a highly attended webinar on Emerging and Alternative Ports with American Shipper. RILA will be hosting webinars on Supply Chain Losses and Transportation Procurement this summer.
As you can see, RILA continues to be an active voice for the industry in Washington and the go-to resource for educational programming and operational best practices. We look forward to continuing to serve you as RILA in the coming months and in the future as a new, united advocate for the retail industry.
As always, I would love to hear from you on ways that RILA can support your organization.
Kindest regards,