DECA, a student organization with programs in Buying & Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, Retail Marketing, Retail Merchandising, and more, is a great partner of NRF Foundation — and retail. Last fall, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel about how the organization prepares students for the workforce. With over 185,000 high school members, DECA [...]

NRF Foundation’s Executive Director, Kathy Mance, traveled to Beijing, China earlier this month to follow up on a training program first delivered in December.  While there, Kathy watched a retail training program in action (and delivered in Chinese!), tasted new cuisine and climbed the Great Wall of China. But what excited her most was learning about the retail opportunities [...]

It’s an exciting time at the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing at the University of Arizona. With the addition of the brand new McClellan Park Building and the upcoming Global Retailing Conference, it’s no wonder that so many alumni return to the Center to pursue advanced degrees as their careers unfold. We asked Melinda [...]

When Drexel University signed on as an NRFF College Partner, I wanted to learn more about how the Design and Merchandising program prepared students for the real world.  They referred me to Abby Kessler and Katie Loftus, co-owners of SMAK Parlour in Philadelphia.  After speaking with them, I became so impressed that these two best [...]

Valentine’s Day is over.  You bought the flowers, the gifts and shared the romantic dinner. I can’t help but think about a different kind of love – a love for working in retail. What I love about this industry is that it provides a niche for everyone, whether it’s sales, marketing, buying, supply chain or [...]