May 22, 2009

1-800-FLOWERS.COM President to Speak at Seeley ConferenceSource: Cornell University

The Seeley Conference Board of Directors recently announced the addition of Christopher G. McCann, president of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, to the Seeley Conference program. He will address the subject of “Delivering Our Message to Multiple Audiences.” McCann is responsible for the company’s overall performance and direction. Under his guidance, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM has earned a reputation as one of the leading multi-channel retailers in the country. Additionally, his role in building the company’s e-commerce channel has helped accelerate growth and earned him speaking engagements at numerous interactive conferences and universities around the country.

Stan Pohmer, CEO of Pohmer Consulting Group and regular GPN contributor, is coordinating the conference, whose topic is “Chaos! Are YOU realizing the opportunity?” It has been an especially challenging year for business dealing with the global economic pressures and their impact on consumer spending. The Seeley Conference aims to answer these questions:

• Chaos, or market disruption, creates new opportunities to reposition and differentiate. Are YOU ready?
• Consumer mindsets and purchase behaviors have changed dramatically. Are they permanent?
• Business Darwinism”¦survival goes not to the strongest, but to those who are the quickest to adapt to change. Where do you stand?
• We’ve become comfortable with evolutionary change. Chaos calls for revolutionary change! Can you cope?
• What’s your value message? Is it relevant to today’s customers and how do you communicate it?
• Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Blogs, Podcasts”¦new tools to reach tomorrow’s customers. Are you ready for 21st century marketing?

For 2009, the schedule has been altered slightly from past years, with Sunday, June 28 as the arrival date, and the conference ending at noon on Wednesday, July 1.

Full program details and online registration are available at www.hort.cornell.edu/seeleyconference. For additional information, contact Dolores Higareda at dh29@cornell.eud or (607) 255-1789.