Consumer expert Camille Schuster, PhD  to lead third Ready Set Grow executive session<!--more-->

Ready Set Grow, is a 12 month program bringing 12 nationally known business growth experts to the valley.  The second in the series “Focus on People”, held February 17th, was well received by an audience of representatives from Arizona businesses.  The series continues throughout 2004 and is held the third Tuesday morning of the month. Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to these executives tell how they have improved their businesses and then participate in workshops designed to apply the same concepts to their own companies.  Subscriptions are offered as a series and on a single session basis.

Each program will look at a different facet of business growth strategy ranging from strategic execution to product design, customer focus and service, operations, sales, and globalization.

The March 16, 2004 session, “Focus on Product” will explore how to develop the products and services that customers want to buy.  “Today consumers can buy what they want, when they want, and have it delivered when and how they want. In addition, consumers demand personalization, customization, and convenience. To create products and services that consumers seek out to purchase means that product development needs to be consumer-centered” stated Camille Schuster, the session presenter and president of Global Collaborations.  Dr. Schuster will share both research and practical experiences aimed at answering key questions including:
<ul>
	<li> What is the difference between saying the customer is #1 and having a consumer-centered business?</li>
	<li> Why the demand part of the traditional supply and demand value chain is critical for success.</li>
	<li> How to  develop the questions to ask that create a consumer-centered approach to product development and positioning.</li>
</ul>
Dr. Schuster will open the program, followed by a question and answer period and workshop where participants can apply what they have learned to their own companies.

<strong><img class="alignleft" style="margin: 10px;" title="Camille Schuster, PhD" src="http://www.globalhrnews.com/b4/vsites/22/storyphoto/DrCamilleSchuster.png" alt="" width="240" height="355" />Camille Schuster</strong> (Ph.D., The Ohio State University) is President of Global Collaborations, Inc., a Full Professor of Marketing at Xavier University, and Faculty Associate at Arizona State University. Dr. Schuster has worked with leading executives in ECR (Efficient Consumer Response) and GCI (Global Commerce Initiative) development activities since 1995 and presented keynote presentations, breakout sessions, speeches and workshops on 4 continents in more than 30 countries around the world. Her speaking, training, facilitating and coaching activities are grounded in reality, based upon experience gained primarily through data gathering, and collaborative project development with global business executives, in small, mid-size AND large, multinational companies, as well as industry associations. As a member of the Global Scorecard Committee, Dr. Schuster has worked with middle management; services, retail, and manufacturing companies; faculty; and been on panels with leading business executives.   Dr. Schuster has co-authored one book with Michael Copeland from Procter &amp; Gamble entitled Global Business: Planning for Sales and Negotiation, co-authored a second book entitled The Consumer or Else! . . . Consumer Centric Business Paradigms, with Don Dufek, retired Senior Vice President and Officer of The Kroger Company. Dr. Schuster has solo-authored a book entitled The Rise of Consumer Power – Adapting Marketing Communication Strategies.
<blockquote>“The long held strategy of IF WE BUILD IT THEY WILL COME, may have worked for Kevin Costner in the movie Field of Dreams but it does not work in today’s business environment” stated Joan Koerber-Walker, executive director of CorePurpose. “Today businesses need to products that are consumer centered to succeed. Too often our businesses invest much needed funds in developing products and services only to find that the customer has other ideas about what they want. This session is designed to help us avoid costly mistakes and bring value to our customers and success to our businesses.”</blockquote>
Other experts coming to the valley include, Greg Reid, sr. vice president of marketing and strategy at Yellow Corporation, who led customer strategy at Yellow Corporation as it moved from worst to first in its industry; Tom Esposito, president of The Insight Group, and former IBM executive who developed the IBM Global Services business model; and Roy Vallee, chairman and CEO of Avnet, Inc.  Other sessions include leading PhD's, CEO’s and senior executives who have created major impact in their organizations and industries by focusing on the concepts they will share.

The program has gained support from a number of business and community sponsors including The Business Journal, the Arizona Technology Council, AZ SNAP, ASBA, The Downtown Phoenix Partnership – Copper Square, and The Business and Industry Institute at Mesa Community College.
<blockquote>“Workforce development is key to Arizona’s economic recovery”, said Koerber-Walker. “Ready Set Grow is designed to support workforce development at multiple levels in an organization from senior leadership to the organizations key managers and next generation leaders. It is an opportunity for employees to step up and become part of the solution and an opportunity for employers to energize and endorse key team members through investing in their professional development.”</blockquote>
Program details and information:

<strong>When, Where and How Much?</strong>
Dates: March 16 – December 21st, 2004
Forums:  3rd Tuesday of every month
Focus on Product:  March 16, 2004
Time:
7:30 – 8:00 AM – Continental Breakfast
8:00—12:00PM – Forum Session
Location:
Business and Industry Institute
Mesa Community College
145 North Centennial Way
Mesa, Arizona 85201
<strong>About Global Collaborations.</strong>

Headquartered in Arizona, Global Collaborations, Inc. provides presentations, breakout sessions, speeches and workshops to help professionals become more aware of what is needed for the task at hand.   The company specialized in helping organizations create consumer centered strategies for business success for clients in the consumer, technology and manufacturing industries.

<strong>About CorePurpose, Inc.</strong>

Headquartered in Arizona, CorePurpose, Inc., is a consulting and solutions company specializing in focusing companies for greater success through high impact activities that link directly to results.   Together with members of the CoreAllianceSM, CorePurpose, Inc. works with companies and organizations to align internal resources to their areas focus while offering resources for mentoring, implementation and outsourcing in non-core areas or areas where additional support is required including:  HR, Sales and Marketing, Operations, IT, and Finance.