Conference Schedule

2019 Conference Schedule

Download a copy of the conference program here

Conference Program

Tuesday, June 11

Please note: The conference sessions and trade show are being held at the college—not the hotel.

10:00-1:00 p.m.

12:00-1:00 p.m.

1:00-2:00 p.m.

2:15-3:15 p.m.

3:30-4:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

Registration Open and Store/Campus Tour

Registration/Tours continue. Lunch available.

Session: Keynote—Find Your "Conversation Peace"
Dr.Jodi Janati
Jody Janati has a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, and a Masters degree in Speech Communication. She has taught in higher education for over 20 years and offers a variety of public and professional workshops on conflict
reduction tactics and effective communication skills.

Learn 101 things to “say and do” during difficult interactions. Maintain your personal integrity through effective communication strategies that really work.

Learn step by step responses to transform difficult conversations while ensuring you can find and maintain your voice.

Dr. Janati will tech you to be cool, calm and collected and set healthy boundaries with others and ultimately find your "Conversation Peace."

Session: Textbook Affordability
Gary Westerland
Gary Westerland is the Director of Bookstore Collaborative Services for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and Auxiliary Services Director for Minneapolis College.

Textbook Affordability has become a core mission of most college bookstores, but brings with it new challenges in the form of declining textbook revenues.

Join Gary Westerland for a discussion of the operational side of affordability – successful strategies that have allowed Minn State Collaboration stores to remain sustainably profitable while aggressively lowering their own textbook sales through affordability initiative like Inclusive Access and OERs.

Session: NACS Industry Trends
Brittany Conley

Dinner at Britt's Pub

Wednesday, June 12

8:00-9:00 a.m.

9:15- 10:15 a.m.

10:30-11:30 a.m.

11:30 -1:00 p.m.

1:00-4:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

Breakfast on campus at Tiffin Man

Breakout Sessions:

Text: Inclusive Access PanelTalk with representatives from RedShelf, Verba, Willow Labs and schools who have successfully implemented Digital Content Delivery and Inclusive Access.Learn from their successes, and failures, and implement or improve your own Inclusive Access and Digital Content programs.
GM: What's Hot Panel
Facilitated by April Moody
This is an interactive session where buyers can show off the best-selling products in their stores. Clothing, gifts, tech, supplies . . . whatever is HOT in your store, bring it for this fun and interactive session and share it with your peers.

Breakout Sessions

Text: Inclusive Access Panel Discussion
Join vendor representatives and store personnel in a discussion on Inclusive Access strategies for your campus.

GM: Developing a Strategy for Pop Culture and Campus Events
Join this session to hear about how to develop a strategy to campus and pop culture events. Topics will include ad-on sales events, mapping out flex space, creating a year calendar, opportunities for branded and co-branded events, and tying into local events and culture. Presented by Kari Erpenbach, Marketing Manager for University of Minnesota Bookstores.

Business Lunch

Vendor Trade Show

Dinner and evening entertainment
Lakes and Legends—Catered by Potter's Pasties Food Truck

Thursday, June 13

8:00 -9:30 a.m.

10:00-11:00 a.m.

111:30-1:00 p.m.

Author Breakfast with Allen Eskens

Allen Eskens is the bestselling author of The Life We Bury, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, The Deep Dark Descending, and The Shadows We Hide. He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Minnesota Book Award, Rosebud Award (Left Coast Crime), and Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the Edgar® Award, Thriller Award, Anthony Award, and Audie Award. His books have been translated into 21 languages and his novel, The Life We Bury is in development for a feature film.

Session: Positive Impact of Merchandising, Marketing and Social Media on Today's Campus Retail
Mark Palmore

Mark has been with Nebraska Book Company for twenty one years. Before his current position as Managing Director of the consulting division, Campus Advisory Services, he served as SVP of Sales, VP of Strategic Services and Executive Director of NBC's collegiate retail consortium Connect2One. Mark has served in several leadership capacities with regional and national industry associations including President of the NACS Foundation.

Merchandising, Marketing and Social Media are the life blood of what your customers see both in store and online. Attend this session to help understand the value of key merchandise adjacencies to support product assortment and shopping behavior, tips on store layout, along with establishing key messaging to support your marketing strategies. Increase customer engagement through effectively incorporating social media into day-to-day promotion/communicate plans to support your campus store.

Lunch

Depart—Safe Travels