Advisory Board Member Howard Gross talks with RMI students (left to right) Christiana Hulsey '03, Howard Gross, Anchor Blue, Molly Maixner '03, Melissa Iannone '99.
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This year's Advisory Board reception distinguished itself in excellent location, presentation, and conversation. The annual event was held at the Levi Strauss & Co.'s Corporate Headquarters in San Francisco on November 13 and entertained nearly 70 guests consisting of the Retail Management Institute's faculty, staff, students, alumni, and board members.
The reception followed a biannual board meeting in which members and directors covered such topics as a new scholarship from the Strategic Mindshare foundation, new internal initiative, and updates of existing programs.
Levi Strauss & Co. corporate office in San Francisco.
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In introducing alumni and students afterward, spirits were lifted by the quality of the reception, as well as meaningful dialogue. Though age and experience differentiated the guests, shared enthusiasm about the retail industry created a unified atmosphere of opportunity and interest. Yvonne Yip, RSSA President offered "It was a great opportunity for students to speak with a wide variety of people with very different experiences to offer. I believe that a large contributing factor to the success of the event was the large turnout of attending alumni."
This year's large alumni attendance reflected the number of alumni in the San Francisco market, and provided current students with increased confidence. "It was really reassuring to see how happy the RMI alumni are in their job environments. Many of them had just come from work where they were completing projects or meeting with mentors and it got me excited to be a part of that next year" noted RSSA Vice President of Marketing, senior Jennifer Hooper.
Similar feelings were realized in speaking with Board members. As a senior student in the Retail Studies program,
Ted Upland newly appointed Chairman RMI Advisory Board with Dale Achabal.
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I felt encouraged by the willingness of the Advisory Board to share all aspects of their career paths. Insights on the industry's advances in professionalism and diversity offered by leading retailer executives such as Howard Gross, President of Anchor Blue, offered me a more grounded understanding of the industry, as well the chance to share common experiences in store-line and laughter over his branding work with Victoria's Secret. The presence of Advisory Board members including Bobbi Silten, President of U.S. Dockers and Slates at LS&CO, Lisa Harper, Chairman and CEO of Gymboree, Barry Gilbert, CEO of Smith & Hawken, and Ed Brennan, CEO of DFS Group Limited, among many others, created a setting in which students and alumni could build connections and gain inspiration.
RMI Advisory Board reception at Levi's corporate office in San Francisco.
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Fortunately, our anticipation of future involvement in the industry was enjoyed by the board, as Associate Dean & Director of RMI, Dale Achabal, offers, "I believe the board members felt truly pleased in having spent time with the students. They were impressed by their high level of energy and enthusiasm." Such positive feedback confirms the reception was a success in every aspect. |
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