GIANT EAGLE'S PORTER ELECTED OFFICER OF VSDA
le Entertainment, Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh, was elected secretary of the Video Software Dealers Association, Encino, Calif., during the group's convention here last month. Porter is the only supermarket executive serving on VSDA's board of directors. Other officers elected to serve during the 2004-2005 year were: Bob Geistman of Ingram Entertainment to chairman; Tom Warren of Video Hut to vice chairman; and Marty Graham of Rentrak to treasurer. In addition, Circuit City Stores and Netflix assumed seats on the board. Amazon.com, Hastings Entertainment and Ingram Entertainment were reappointed to the board. Other board members are generally video specialty retailers elected from the association's membership.
GMDC: REGISTRATION INCREASES FOR HBC CONFERENCE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The General Merchandise Distributors Council here is reporting a 10% increase in supplier companies registered for the 2004 GMDC Health and Beauty Care Marketing Conference and nearly a 19% increase in wholesale/retail registrants for the event, said Douglas Blough, director of communications. These increases are based on 2003 attendance figures. The event will be held in Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 10 to 13. The GMDC Educational Foundation, New York, will host both business sessions at the HBC Conference. On Saturday the presentation will be "Leveraging the Synergy of Pharmacy and GM/HBC." "This program will provide members with guidance, as well as template programs, for creating a positive interplay between the pharmacy and health-related categories throughout the store," said Roy White, GMDC's vice president, education. The Sunday session will be "Merchandising for Success" and, according to White, "is another action-education study providing attendees with tested strategies for successful implementation in stores. In addition, there will be a strong focus on in-store execution of GMDC's Women's Well-Being concept."
