Retail Asset Protection Conference
Washington, DC

Program

All Attendees
Plan to arrive at the hotel before 4:00 PM CST on Sunday, April 14, for the Welcome Reception (5:00 – 6:30 PM). We recommend scheduling your return flight after 1:00 PM to allow ample travel time following the conference conclusion at 10:15 AM.

If you are attending the post-conference workshops, we recommend scheduling your flight after 3:00 PM to allow ample travel time following the workshops' conclusion at 12:30 PM.

Sunday Meetings 
We recommend an early arrival on Sunday, April 14, to allow time to pick up your conference badge prior to your committee meeting. Your committee meeting start times are listed below.

Exhibitors
Exhibitor set-up hours will be from 8:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST on Sunday, April 14. If you do not need to set up an exhibit space, please plan to arrive at the hotel before 4:00 PM CST on Sunday for the Welcome Reception (5:00 – 6:30 PM). We recommend scheduling your return flight on Wednesday, April 17, after 1:00 PM to allow ample travel time following the conference conclusion.

Print Agenda
  • Sunday Apr 14, 2024
  • Monday Apr 15, 2024
  • Tuesday Apr 16, 2024
  • Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
10:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your conference badge here, along with answers to all your questions. To pick up your attendee badge, you must present a government-issued photo ID.

Location
Longhorn Marble Foyer
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

RILA/NDAA Retail Crime Advisory Board Meeting - Invite Only

  • Committee Meeting
The Advisory Board, comprised of district attorneys and retail AP executives, will meet to discuss progress of the RILA/NDAA partnership, next steps and future activities. Advisory Board members only. Lunch will be provided.

Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

3rd Annual RILA/NDAA Retail Theft Workshop - Invite Only

  • Workshop
RILA member retailers and district attorneys from across the country will meet to share leading practices for combatting theft, violence and other unlawful activity in and around retail stores, identify model programs for reducing recidivism and establish open lines of communication between retailer investigators and local prosecutors’ offices.

Location
Texas Ballroom C
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Asset Protection Steering Committee Meeting - Invite Only

  • Committee Meeting
This is a private meeting for RILA members on the Retail Asset Protection Conference Steering Committee. The committee is comprised of top retail supply chain executives, and is charged with the task of overseeing the structure and programming of the Asset Protection Chain Conference.

Location
Dallas 2
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Welcome Reception

  • Networking
Join us to kick off the conference at the welcome reception where you can reconnect with industry friends, network with your peers and enjoy drinks and light fare.

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Speaker Ready Room

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Location
Dallas 3
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your conference badge here, along with answers to all your questions. To pick up your attendee badge, you must present a government-issued photo ID.

Location
Longhorn Marble Foyer
7:15 AM – 8:15 AM

Women in Asset Protection Network Breakfast Workshop: Present Like a Pro

  • Workshop
Have you ever wished you had planned a bit more for that major presentation? Would you like to overcome speaking anxiety that holds you back? Could you benefit from higher level influence in front of groups? Coach Cyndi Maxey helps you answer those questions and more. She is an accomplished national speaker and communication coach who has authored six books on communication, presentations, and influence. Bring your burning questions to this Women in Asset Protection Network breakfast workshop! And leave with practical speaking tips and new friends in the industry.

Speaker
Cyndi Maxey
Communications Coach and Author
Cyndi Maxey
Location
Texas Ballroom C
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

  • Networking
Please join us for breakfast and networking before the day begins.

Sponsored by Wren Solutions

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
8:25 AM – 8:38 AM

RILA Retail Asset Protection Conference Open

Speakers
John Creuzot
District Attorney
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Brian Dodge
President
RILA
Rory Stallard
Director, Loss Prevention, Organized Retail Crime
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
8:38 AM – 8:45 AM

Welcome to RILA’s Retail Asset Protection Conference

  • General Session
Please join us as we kickoff the annual Retail Asset Protection Conference with an update on RILA's activities and how leading retailers are addressing today’s Asset Protection challenges and opportunities.

Speaker
Lisa LaBruno
Senior Executive Vice President, Retail Operations
RILA
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
8:45 AM – 9:15 AM

Creating Compelling Customer Experiences in Challenging Times

  • General Session
Creating compelling customer experiences are critical to all retail verticals. This conversation will explore the choices leading retailers make as they work to deliver delightful customer experiences while simultaneously protecting their employees and assets.

Moderator
Brian Dodge
President
RILA
Speakers
George Hill
Chief Retail Officer
Five Below, Inc.
John Ordus
Executive Vice President, Chief Stores Officer
Tractor Supply Company
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM

Fostering Safe and Inclusive Stores

  • General Session
Establishing a safe and welcoming retail store environment is paramount for fostering positive customer experiences and driving business success. This insightful discussion will explore effective asset protection strategies aimed at promoting inclusivity, reducing bias, and enhancing overall business outcomes.

Moderator
Tshombe Laughman
Deputy Director
Open to All
Speakers
Mecca Mitchell
Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Burlington Stores, Inc.
Meredith Plaxco
Vice President, Loss Prevention & Safety
PetSmart, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM

Business Break

  • Networking
Enjoy a business break to grab some snacks and refreshments.

Sponsored by Vaudra

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
10:15 AM – 10:45 AM

Ask an Asset Protection Leader - Dollar General (Retailer-Only)

  • Breakout Session
Each “Ask an Asset Protection Leader” session features a senior asset protection executive and offers a unique opportunity for Q&A and discussion with some of the most notable AP leaders in the industry. The topics are up to you! Ask your most burning questions on asset protection issues, industry trends, career development, and more! These sessions are open only to retailers and are limited to 25 participants.

Speaker
Amelia Kennedy
Vice President Asset Protection
Dollar General Corporation
Location
Dallas 2
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM 5 Concurrent Events

Engaging All Workforce Generations with AP Topics - Encyclopedia to TikTok

  • Breakout Session
It's well known that different generations process information and learn differently. Training is not one format fits all. Lowe’s will share how they built an AP awareness campaign that reached across generations in a creative and powerful way and made its way from the store to the C-Suite with great results.

Speakers
Kevin McMenimen
President
Learn it Media
Spencer Mosness
Asset Protection Business Lead
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Jessica Verran
Corporate Asset Protection and Safety Manager
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

Maintaining Inventory Integrity Through Operational Excellence

  • Breakout Session
Accuracy of on-hand inventory is critical to driving sales, increasing customer satisfaction, maximizing labor efficiency, and obtaining reliable data related to shrink. Learn from several retailers at different phases of the inventory integrity spectrum on how they focus on operational processes to better identify and react to inventory losses in real time while simultaneously driving higher levels of sales and customer satisfaction.

Speakers
Josh Meins
Director, Operations, Safety, and Profit Protection - Southeast
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Matt Ringsmuth
Senior Director, Assets Protection
Target Corporation
Location
Texas Ballroom C

Merging Lanes: The Intersection of Law Enforcement and Retailers in ORC Interviews

  • CLEAR
Gaining actionable intelligence in an organized crime investigation is the foundation for building a prosecutable and scalable case. While the use of technology, collaboration, surveillance, and data-sharing platforms are all essential in connecting the dots to substantiate a case, an underutilized skillset that can provide key information is the investigative interview or proffer session. We will discuss how non-confrontational approaches to interviewing can assist investigators in obtaining additional information, developing informants, and building prosecutable cases. Retailer investigators are an often-under-utilized resource in the interview or proffer arrangement with potential ORC members but must also be aware of how their actions can benefit or risk an effective prosecution. Attendees will hear from a Certified Forensic Interviewer and Prosecutors who will highlight strategic methods of using adaptive behaviors to facilitate a productive conversation while maintaining compliance to rules of a proffer session. Attendees will also learn elements of an interview method that establishes credibility, shows empathy, and structures appropriate questions to obtain the greatest amount of information to further investigate.

Speakers
Michael Casson
Assistant State's Attorney
Will County, Illinois
Dant Foulk
Assistant State's Attorney
Will County, Illinois
David Thompson
President
Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates
Location
Texas Ballroom D

Navigating Customer Relations: Effective Strategies for Addressing Customer Claims, Appeasement, and Loyalty Rewards Abuse

  • Breakout Session
As the retail landscape continues to evolve, so do the challenges faced by businesses in safeguarding their operations against fraudulent activities while continuing to provide best-in-class customer service. In this session, we will explore the various facets of customer gaming and associated schemes where fraudsters exploit customer service call centers, omni channel retail space, and customer-oriented business culture to deceive online retailers.

Speakers
Dr. Leslie Allen
Senior Director, Loss Prevention
Foot Locker, Inc.
Kevin Dodson
Director, Loss Prevention
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom 4-6

Using Trauma-Informed Leadership for Post-Incident Recovery

  • Breakout Session
Trauma-informed leaders can enhance store safety by supporting employees, assuring psychological safety, showing fairness, being empathic and trustworthy, and even practicing self-care. This session will provide you with a post-incident recovery roadmap for traumatic incidents in the workplace, along with a framework for understanding the impact of trauma on mental health, and preferred wellness and treatment interventions for you and your team.

Speaker
John W. Jones, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Research and Development
FifthTheory
Location
Dallas 5-7
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Business Break

  • Networking
Enjoy a business break to grab some snacks and refreshments.

Sponsored by Fujitsu

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Ask an Asset Protection Leader - Walmart (Retailer-Only)

  • Breakout Session
Each “Ask an Asset Protection Leader” session features a senior asset protection executive and offers a unique opportunity for Q&A and discussion with some of the most notable AP leaders in the industry. The topics are up to you! Ask your most burning questions on asset protection issues, industry trends, career development, and more! These sessions are open only to retailers and are limited to 25 participants.

Speaker
Claire Rushton
Senior Director
Walmart Inc.
Location
Dallas 2
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 5 Concurrent Events

Driving Change in Most At-Risk Stores

  • Breakout Session
Following her well-received ECR Fortress Store Report, Professor Emmeline Taylor has produced a new self-assessment tool for the Most At-Risk Stores, and the seven core strategies that can keep them from closing down. The tool is designed to help AP teams and the wider organization assess how they perform against each of the seven principles, in terms of awareness, acceptance, alignment and action, and to identify gaps and areas of opportunity for new thinking and investment. In this breakout session, Emmeline and the retailers who have been part of the trials of this tool will share the results from using this tool, and how it has helped them increase investments and facilitated better decisions being made in the Most At-Risk Stores, including hiring strategies, assortment and layout strategies, guarding, etc.

Speaker
Emmeline Taylor
Associate Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences
City, University of London
Location
Dallas 5-7

Emergency Preparedness and Response in a Retail Environment

  • Breakout Session
We continue to see a significant year-over-year increase in medical emergencies and active shooter events within retail stores. During this session, learn about technologies that allow retailers to respond to medical and injury emergencies as well as identify common roadblocks retailers experience including turnover, employee training, and capital expenditure request.

Speakers
Arthur Lih
CEO
LifeVac
Frank Mannino
Director of Sales
Cardio Partners Inc.
Dalton Schroeder
Officer
Austin Police Department
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

Tempering Tragedy: Violence Mitigation Through Threat Assessment and Management

  • Breakout Session
Embark on a journey to identify the need for a Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management (BTAM) program in a retail environment. Discover the significance of building a proactive team over reactive crisis response. Tailored for those committed to preventing targeted violence and offering substantive support beyond condolences, this session will provide actionable insights to convey the value of BTAM, help you to recognize violent events and concerning behavior in your workplace, and launch a successful program. Explore real-world examples, gain senior leader support, and develop a baseline understanding of BTAM principles, enabling you to articulate the program's critical importance.

Speakers
Frank Patercity
Director, Corporate Security, Investigations & ORC
The Kroger Co.
Matt Talbot, Ph.D.
Sr. Manager, Threat Assessment Team
The Kroger Co.
Location
Texas Ballroom C

Thinking Outside the Box: Innovative Retail Theft Programs Underway at Orange County (CA) and Manhattan (NY) District Attorneys’ Offices

  • Breakout Session
Over the past year, prosecutors’ offices across the country have announced innovative programs to tackle retail theft. Some have launched retail theft task forces, developed tools for identifying prolific theft offenders or designated a retail theft prosecutor to liaison with retailers and handle criminal cases. Attend this session to hear how Manhattan (NY) and Orange County (CA) District Attorneys’ Offices are working with retailers to address retail crime. This is a can’t-miss session for retailers that operate stores in these locations and for prosecutors who want tips for enhancing their own retail theft programs.

Speakers
Bradley Schoenleben
Senior Deputy District Attorney
Orange County District Attorney
Andrew Warshawer
Deputy Chief of the Trial Division
New York County District Attorney Office
Location
Texas Ballroom 4-6

Utilizing Cybersecurity Partnerships and Technology to Help Solve ORC Investigations

  • CLEAR
Join members of Target’s Cybersecurity team to go deeper into data, tools, tactics, and the technology being used to address trends in theft, fraud and ORC. Learn how they identify threats, build detection, generate intel and work with law enforcement to fight the evolving challenges that ORC is bringing to the retail landscape. This session is an opportunity for retailers to learn new techniques and for law enforcement to understand fraud trends and the digital evidence that retailers have that can support their investigations.

Speakers
Shane Bennett
Principal
Target Corporation
Bill Corfield
Sr Manager Field Investigations - US East
Target Corporation
Location
Texas Ballroom D
12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

Lunch in the Expo Experience

  • Networking
Join us for lunch and networking in the Expo Experience.​​​​

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
12:15 PM – 3:00 PM

Expo Experience Open

The Expo Experience opens now! Join us to network with and learn from the service providers helping retailers meet their asset protection challenges and improve their results! The Expo Experience runs from 12:15 - 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. today

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Workplace Safety Committee & Lunch - Invite Only

  • Committee Meeting
Open only to RILA Workplace Safety Committee members and strategic partners. If your company is a RILA member retailer and you do not have representation on the Committee, please reach out to Lisa LaBruno at Lisa.labruno@rila.org to learn how to get engaged.

Location
San Antonio 5-6
3:15 PM – 3:38 PM

Vibrant Communities Initiative: Unveiling Learnings Part 1

  • General Session
To address safety concerns of employees and consumers, RILA launched a partnership among public and private stakeholders focused on identifying and tackling issues that contribute to the increase in crime, violence, vagrancy, and blight in and around retail environments, business districts and communities across the country. Hear initial research findings from the criminology expert studying the effectiveness of the VCI pilots.

Speaker
Dr. Julie Hibdon
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, School of Justice & Public Safety
Southern Illinois University
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
3:38 PM – 4:08 PM

Vibrant Communities Initiative: Unveiling Learnings Part 2

  • General Session
To address safety concerns of employees and consumers, RILA launched a partnership among public and private stakeholders focused on identifying and tackling issues that contribute to the increase in crime, violence, vagrancy, and blight in and around retail environments, business districts and communities across the country. Hear the initial learnings from two pilot communities and a preview of a national playbook.

Moderator
Lisa LaBruno
Senior Executive Vice President, Retail Operations
RILA
Speakers
Patrick Hinds
Chief Deputy, Economic Crimes & Wage Theft Division
King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Preston Schaub
Deputy District Attorney
Yolo County District Attorney's Office
Robert Strange
Police Chief
West Sacramento Police Department
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
4:08 PM – 4:30 PM

Creating Welcoming Stores: The Starbucks Outreach Worker Program Story

  • General Session
Retailers are committed to creating welcoming and safe stores. Join this session to learn about how Starbucks has leveraged a unique partnership with local nonprofits with street outreach expertise to better support their team members navigating the challenges of homelessness, mental health, and substance disorders within their stores and nearby neighborhoods.

Speaker
Julissa McWashington
Senior Manager, Global Social Impact
Starbucks Coffee Company
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Expo Experience Reception

  • Networking
Join other conference attendees for this great networking opportunity.

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

Fact vs. Fiction: Retail Theft Trends (Retailer-Only)

Recent public narratives suggest retail theft is down in most major cities across the country. These reports rely on police department crime data and fail to take into account that retailers generally under-report retail theft. Professor Julie Hibdon will lead a focus group discussion that examines the extent to which in-store theft is under-reported, reasons for retailers not reporting all crime to law enforcement, and options for closing the gap.

Speaker
Dr. Julie Hibdon
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, School of Justice & Public Safety
Southern Illinois University
Location
Dallas 2
7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your conference badge here, along with answers to all your questions. To pick up your attendee badge, you must present a government-issued photo ID.

Location
Longhorn Marble Foyer
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

  • Networking
Please join us for breakfast and networking before the day begins.

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Speaker Ready Room

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Location
Dallas 3
8:30 AM – 9:05 AM

Leadership Insights: Leading Through Crisis, Conflict, and Challenging Times (Powered by the RILA Women in Asset Protection Network)

  • General Session
Join Carmen Best for a conversation about leading teams through challenging times. With experience in law enforcement as Chief of Police for the City of Seattle and in the private sector at Microsoft, learn about her story and approach to values-based leadership.

Moderator
Khris Hamlin
Vice President, Asset Protection
RILA
Speaker
Carmen Best
Director of Global Security Risk Operations, Microsoft
Chief of Police, City of Seattle (retired)
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
9:05 AM – 9:45 AM

Tom Sawyer’s Fence: A Creative Collaboration

  • General Session
Join this session for an in-depth case study about an organized retail theft investigation of a “fence” stealing and re-selling tools. This session will walk through how prosecutors, law enforcement, retail theft investigators and tax investigators worked together to identify a target, gather evidence and ultimately charge a fence utilizing state criminal and tax charges. Attendees will walk away with key lessons learned and strategies useful for all.

Speakers
Sarah Domke
Senior Deputy District Attorney
Colorado's 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office
Jennifer Higgs
Revenue Agent
Colorado Department of Revenue
Melody Kirscht
Revenue Agent
Colorado Department of Revenue
Daniel Paulson
Deputy District Attorney
Colorado's 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM

Business Break

  • Networking
Stop by the Business Break for a morning pick-me-up.

Sponsored by AMD

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM 6 Concurrent Events

Addressing Vulnerable Populations in the Retail Setting

  • Breakout Session
Retailers have increasingly had to address the impact vulnerable populations in and around their stores are having on their customers and team members. In this panel session, retailers will share both short-term and long-term approaches they are taking to foster a safer shopping and working environment, including proactive measures like law enforcement partnerships for immediate issues and collaborative efforts with cities and community resources for broader challenges.

Speakers
Matt Kelley
Head of Retail - Go to Market
LiveView Technologies
Lincoln LeFebvre
Senior Manager, AP Field
The Home Depot, Inc.
Wes Pate
Senior Director, Loss Prevention and Risk Management
Refuel Market
Location
Texas Ballroom C

Control What You Can Control: Increasing Profitability to Offset Escalating Shrink Rates

  • Breakout Session
During this session you will hear from AP leaders who are actively enhancing profitability and contributing greater value to their company’s overall financial performance. While AP professionals have traditionally been focused on combatting shrink caused by external theft, internal awareness, and process efficiency, we will delve into innovative strategies for bolstering the organization's performance by identifying and addressing factors that erode a store's profit margins. Discover how leading retailer LP teams foster a culture of Total Retail Loss through education, alignment, and sponsorship from top leadership (ELT).

Speakers
Jesse Jones
Senior Manager, Continuous Improvement
Meijer, Inc.
Emilia Luedtke
Field Operations and Safety Manager
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom 4-6

Leveraging Wearable Technology to Improve Safety and Reduce Injury Costs

  • Breakout Session
Strains and sprains are the most frequent, and often most costly, work-related injuries. Hear how PetSmart is using wearable devices in its distribution centers to reduce injuries, promote safe behaviors, and provide real-time haptic feedback to associates. This leading-edge technology gives visibility to ergonomic risks in daily work activities and improves safety with actionable intelligence.

Speakers
Bryan Hillman
Senior Director, LP & Safety Stores and Distribution Centers
PetSmart, Inc.
Sean Petterson
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
StrongArm Technologies Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

Making the Change (From LE to Retail)

  • CLEAR
This presentation will feature former law enforcement officer and season 3 star of Live PD Sgt John Curley who found himself facing the Defund the Police movement and COVID. Curley will discuss his transition to the private sector and the differences from the regimented path of LE to the world of the private sector. Also hear from an experienced retail leader on ways to manage LE coming into the private sector and ways to help them assimilate quickly so that they can be successful and provide ROI in their new roles.

Speakers
Raul Aguilar
Senior Director, Law Enforcement Partnerships
Auror
John Curley
Manager, Business Development
enVision Solutions Group
Ron Foss
Director, Loss Prevention
Albertsons Companies
Location
Texas Ballroom D

Prosecutor-Only Roundtable: Addressing the Sale of Stolen Goods Online

  • Breakout Session
In recent years, much progress has been made in investigating and prosecuting the supply-side of the organized retail crime problem. But what can prosecutors do to address the demand-side of the equation? Pawn shops have been replaced by online marketplaces, opening the sale of stolen goods to everyday consumers across the country. In this exclusive forum for prosecutors, we will consider the role online marketplaces play in the retail crime ecosystem and what tools might be available to prosecutors for reducing the demand for stolen goods.

Speaker
Peyton Smith
Partner
Forman Watkins & Krutz, LLP
Location
Dallas 5-7

Retailer-Only Roundtable: An Honest Mistake? Identifying and Preventing Third Party/Vendor Losses

  • Breakout Session
As Operations and AP resources continue to be squeezed further and further, this creates an opportunity for honest (or not so honest) “mistakes” to occur that may not be on your organization’s radar. Join us for a discussion on case studies and mitigation strategies related to identifying and stopping third party/vendor losses. This session is only available to retail and consumer product manufacturer attendees. Limited to 30 eligible attendees.

Speaker
Kelly Harrington
Director, Asset Protection
RaceTrac Petroleum
Location
Dallas 2
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Business Break

  • Networking
Enjoy a business break to grab some snacks and refreshments.

Sponsored by Salesforce

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 6 Concurrent Events

How Target Uses an Integrated System to Detect, Investigate, and Build Cases Against Retail Crime Perpetrators

  • Breakout Session
Target will share how it streamlines the investigation process by gathering as much evidence as possible automatically and uses the data to prioritize what investigators spend their time on. Target has built a fully integrated system that allows them to detect theft using technology and provides leads to help their AP and fraud teams build world class cases for prosecutors. Additionally, the session will touch on how IT and Asset Protection can work well together to expedite pilots and projects.

Speakers
Kristin Hanson
Director of Product Management, Assets Protection
Target Corporation
Ethan Sommer
Director, Technology - Assets Protection
Target Corporation
Location
Texas Ballroom 4-6

Improving Safety and Reducing Losses Through Store Design

  • Breakout Session
In this session, Walgreens will take you on a journey of a new store format leveraging the latest omnichannel experience to improve team member and customer safety while simultaneously reducing shrink and improving in-stocks. You will see the newest store formatting concepts, advancements in technology, as well as the expected and unexpected consequences of such a radical design concept. Session attendees will walk away from this session understanding the newest tools, resources, and technological advancements leveraged to improve overall safety, decrease losses, and improve sales.

Speaker
Mark Bunyan
Lead Director Asset Protection Solutions
Walgreen Co.
Location
Dallas 5-7

ORC Task Force and AG/Prosecutor Panel Discussion

  • CLEAR
With the ever-growing complexity of ORC cases, come hear from Prosecutors, Attorney General’s Offices and ORC Task Forces on what it takes to successfully prosecute and dismantle these groups. Hear proven strategies and lessons learned from seasoned ORC Task Forces and Prosecutors that have been leading the charge across the country.

Speakers
Eric Marlowe
Special Agent, ORC Task Force
Arizona Attorney General's Office
Aseil Mohmoud
Deputy Attorney General, Special Prosecutions
State of California Department of Justice
Michael Monteagudo
Lieutenant, Border Division, Organized Retail Crime Task Force
California Highway Patrol
James Russell
Supervising Special Agent
Utah Attorney General's Office
Denise Wynn
Assistant Vice President Director, Loss Prevention
The TJX Companies, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom D

Proactively Addressing Ongoing Threats Using New Technology

  • Breakout Session
Workplace violence, ORC and burglaries often start outside of the store. Learn proactive strategies being deployed by a panel of retailers across multiple categories to better understand how they are leveraging technology to protect their customers, employees, and profits.

Speakers
Bill Atwell
Senior Director, Loss Prevention
The Neiman Marcus Group
Tim Larouere
Director, Loss Prevention
Dierbergs Markets
Ben Schwartz
Senior Manager, Asset Protection Resources & Technology
The Home Depot, Inc.
Frank Sorgie
Senior Manager, Loss Prevention
Academy Sports + Outdoors
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

Retailer-Only Roundtable: Processes, Policies and Technology for Safeguarding the Supply Chain

  • Breakout Session
Retail supply chain operations continue to evolve along with shopper preferences, and asset protection leaders work closely to address changing circumstances and ensure that people are safe and products are safeguarded. Connect with fellow retailers to discuss your questions and share leading practices on topics in the supply chain space—including cargo security, DC safety, ecommerce fulfillment challenges, inventory control and much more. This session is only available to retail and consumer product manufacturer attendees and is sponsored by RILA’s Supply Chain Asset Protection Working Group. Attend to learn more and join retailer peers in this space! Limited to 30 eligible attendees.

Speaker
Matt O'Keefe
Senior Director, Global Supply Chain Protection
Gap Inc.
Location
Dallas 2

The Theft Balancing Act: Strategies for Mitigating Internal Theft in a World of Competing Priorities

  • Breakout Session
Two decades ago, internal theft was the primary contributor to retail shrink, comprising as much as 70% of losses. Even today, it remains a significant concern, accounting for 20-30% of overall shrink. However, with Asset Protection Teams now juggling multiple competing priorities such as safety, workplace violence, profit protection, operations, ORC, and external theft, addressing internal theft risks can often take a backseat. In this insightful session, industry leaders representing diverse retail settings, including discount, consumer electronics, and mass retailers, will come together to discuss the challenges of managing internal theft amidst competing priorities. Drawing from their experiences, they will share effective strategies for developing robust internal theft programs that not only engage team members in internal investigations but also keep business partners informed about internal theft trends.

Speakers
Jennie Anderson
Vice President, Loss Prevention
AutoZone, Inc.
Cynthia Grizzle
Vice President, Asset Protection
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
Lekiya Manzo
Director, Asset Protection
T-Mobile, USA Inc.
Eric Shultz
Senior Manager, Asset Protection
T-Mobile, USA Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom C
12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

Lunch in the Expo Experience

  • Networking
Join us for lunch and networking in the Expo Experience.​​​​

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
12:15 PM – 3:00 PM

Expo Experience Open

The Expo Experience opens now! Join us to network with and learn from the service providers helping retailers meet their asset protection challenges and improve their results! The Expo Experience runs from 12:15 - 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. today

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Asset Protection Leaders Council Meeting - Invite Only

  • Committee Meeting
Open only to RILA Asset Protection Leaders Council members and strategic partners. If your company is a RILA member retailer and you do not have representation on the Committee, please reach out to Lisa LaBruno at Lisa.labruno@rila.org to learn how to get engaged. Lunch will be provided.

Location
San Antonio 5-6
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Crimes Against Business Committee Meeting - Invite Only

  • Committee Meeting
Open only to RILA Crimes Against Business Committee members and strategic partners. If your company is a RILA member retailer and you do not have representation on the Committee, please reach out to Lisa LaBruno at Lisa.labruno@rila.org to learn how to get engaged.

Location
Texas Ballroom 4
3:15 PM – 3:45 PM

Harnessing Data to Combat Systemic Shrink and Make Effective Decisions

  • General Session
Using data effectively is a challenge for all retailers. This session will dive into Co-op’s risk data journey including how they built models for crime, shrink, regulatory compliance, and operational complexity. From making reporting accessible across business levels to differentiating between lead indicators and lag outputs, this presentation will provide a window into how a leading UK retailer uses its data.

Speaker
Graham Watt
Retail Risk and Compliance Manager
Coop
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM

Leading Insights: Strategic Approaches to Shrink

  • General Session
As shrink levels have increased, the issues profile has risen to become the topic of news reports, investor calls, and boardrooms. This conversation will explore how leading AP executives approach shrink holistically focusing on solution-oriented strategies that work at scale and on the communication necessary to address this challenge across the C-suite.

Moderator
David Lund
VP Loss Prevention
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Speakers
Paul Jaeckle
Vice President
Meijer, Inc.
Chris Nelson
SVP, Head of Asset Protection
Gap Inc.
Mark Stinde
VP of Asset Protection
Casey's General Stores, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Expo Experience Reception

  • Networking
Join other conference attendees for this great networking opportunity.

Location
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E-F
7:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Speaker Ready Room

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Location
Dallas 3
7:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Registration and Information Desk Open

Pick up your conference badge here, along with answers to all your questions. To pick up your attendee badge, you must present a government-issued photo ID.

Location
Longhorn Marble Foyer
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Breakfast

  • Networking
Please join us for breakfast and networking before the day begins.

Location
Texas Ballroom Foyer
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM 3 Concurrent Events

OSHA Compliance and New Workplace Violence Programs: Is It Part of Your Culture?

  • Breakout Session
Learn how retailers are managing their compliance program along with the new workplace violence laws and unsafe work conditions guidance. Gain insights into preparing for and preventing these types of situations and understand the actions to take if they should arise.

Speakers
Rachel Conn
Chair, California Practice Group
Conn Maciel Carey LLP
Brad Langer
Sr. Manager, Safety Compliance
Best Buy Co., Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom C

Retailer-Only Roundtable: Strategic Approaches to Shrink

  • Breakout Session
In this follow-up discussion to Tuesday afternoon's general session, we will dig deeper into the evolving strategies employed by leading AP executives to combat rising shrink levels. Join us to discuss and share innovative approaches aimed at mitigating shrink and fostering organizational resilience in today's dynamic retail environment.

Speakers
Paul Jaeckle
Vice President
Meijer, Inc.
David Lund
VP Loss Prevention
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Chris Nelson
SVP, Head of Asset Protection
Gap Inc.
Mark Stinde
VP of Asset Protection
Casey's General Stores, Inc.
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

The Current State of Retail Violence: Safety Trends, Tools, and Tactics

  • Breakout Session
Retail violence has never been harder or more important to address. The threats are real. Join AP leaders from the organizations who are outpacing retail violence and explore their varying strategies for addressing these growing challenges. Run through the latest global data on retail violence and learn how these leaders base their safety approach on such insights.

Speakers
Gianna Davis
Vice President, Investigations
Dollar Tree, Inc.
Matt Hall
Senior Director, Asset Protection & Safety NA Retail
Lululemon Athletica, Inc.
Chris McCarrick
Senior Manager, Asset Protection Solutions and Technology
The Kroger Co.
James Stark
Manager, Segment Development, Retail
Axis Communications
Location
Texas Ballroom 4-6
9:30 AM – 10:20 AM

Connecting Across Generations

  • General Session
We are boldly striding into a new world of work where up to five generations are working alongside each other, bringing their own attitudes, behaviors, and communication preferences. Leaders and managers might be looking at once worked to engage, motivate, and communicate and questioning if it still does. Add to those generational challenges the tricky process of navigating changes from the past few years, while also preparing for the future, and it can feel like an almost daunting task to be a leader today. While it might be tempting to return to what was familiar and comfortable before, we need to take recent lessons to heart and courageously create a work environment that serves all generations at work. This presentation shows you how!

Speaker
Hannah Ubl
Co-founder
Good Company Consulting
Location
Texas Ballroom A-B
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM 2 Concurrent Events

Stay INFORMed: Leveraging the Law in Your Investigations (Registration Required)

  • Workshop
Retailer-Only. 2023 saw the implementation of the federal INFORM Consumers Act, which puts new obligations on online marketplaces to collect, verify, and disclose certain seller information, suspend non-compliant sellers, and create a reporting mechanism for suspicious marketplace activity. This workshop will provide an overview of the INFORM Act and explore how it can be utilized in AP investigations, as well as the ways you can leverage those efforts to aid in state and federal enforcement.

Speakers
Sean Browne
Senior Manager, Asset Protection Investigations
The Home Depot, Inc.
Ben Dugan
Executive Director, Asset Protection
CVS Health
Paul Singer
Partner
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Location
Texas Ballroom C

Telling Your Story: A How-To for Writing Investigations Reports That Will Impress Even Prosecutors! (Registration Required)

  • Workshop
This workshop is for every AP investigator who has had holes poked in their investigation reports. (See you all there!) What’s included in your report – and what’s left out - can make or break a criminal case. Your law enforcement partners and local prosecutors rely on AP reports for many reasons, including whether to file charges, offer a plea deal, or take a case to trial. Criminal defense attorneys will seize on inaccurate or missing information in your report to call your credibility into question and plant reasonable doubt. It’s important to get your report right from the outset to avoid having to correct or add to the record later on. Who better to teach AP investigators how to write a lock-solid report than a prosecutor working in the trenches every day? In this 2-hour interactive workshop, ADAs from King County (WA) and San Francisco will share tips for writing factual, comprehensive and well-organized case reports that will pass prosecutorial muster no matter where you are located. You’ll leave with a checklist that can serve as a framework for training your entire team. Law enforcement officers are encouraged to attend!

Speakers
Patrick Hinds
Chief Deputy, Economic Crimes & Wage Theft Division
King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Nicole Lawson
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Conrad del Rosario
Assistant District Attorney
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
Location
Texas Ballroom 1-3

Attend the can’t miss event for your asset protection team!

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