Rent-to-own News - AVB-Brand Source Convention lights up Vegas
August 25, 2008
The nation's largest member-owned buying group, AVB-Brand Source, opens its fall convention this week at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas August 24-28, promising a flurry of fourth quarter buying activity coupled with inspiring speakers and a host of educational seminars aimed at giving indie dealers a one up over the big boxes.
Educational seminars on a variety of topics from "Getting The Most Out of On-Line Advertising" to "Marketing to Women" dominate Monday's schedule before the traditional 90 minute one-time-only specials program known as the "Stampede". Supergroup "Starship and Friends" -- featuring members of Bad Company, Deep Purple, ELO and the Romantics -- will rock out attendees Monday evening with hits from the 80's and 90's.
Seminars continue throughout the convention with the "Buy Fair" opening 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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| Former Southwest Airlines CEO Howard Putnam will keynote this week's Brand Source Convention and Buying Show in Las Vegas. |
Thousands of member dealers and exhibitors are expected at the convention which will officially kickoff with keynote speaker Howard Putnam at 8 a.m. tomorrow.
Putnam is the former CEO of Southwest and Braniff Airlines and Group VP of Marketing for United Airlines. He is a business and motivational speaker, author, consultant, commentator and online mentor on leadership, customer service, change, transformation and ethics.
Putnam served as CEO of Southwest Airlines from 1978-1981 where he helped establish a "fun" customer service centered culture that has driven the company to profitability every year since.
He is the author of "The Winds of Turbulence" -- a book on leadership and ethics. Harvard University wrote a case study on his experiences at Braniff, "The Ethics of Bankruptcy" using them as a model on how to handle stakeholders in crisis.
He is also an entrepreneur, serving as chairman of a startup company and two small manufacturing and distribution companies.
AVB-BrandSource is the nation's largest buying group based on membership claiming 4,500 members with 7,500 storefronts and an annual sales volume of $11 billion, according to Dealerscope Magazine's March 2008 buying group survey.
The buying group has eight divisions covering 15 regions. It is a 100-percent member-owned, member-managed merchandising group organized with representation on a national board. It provides buying, merchandising and a complete line of "Expert" services for its independent dealer members.
Next year, Las Vegas Paris/Bally's will host the APRO Convention and Buying Show which will co-locate with the AVB-Brand Source Convention August 30-September 3, 2009.
TRIB Group recently co-located its tradeshow with AVB-Brandsource this March in Dallas. The iconic rent-to-own buying group turned in a record $23.7 million worth of purchase orders at that show, breaking its previous single show total by 30 percent. See story, photos and video here.
APRO will cover this year's Brand Source Convention with podcasts, articles and photos throughout the week.
mevans@rtohq.org
About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.
For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.
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