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iRACE Industry Lecture Series©

Technology and innovation have been revolutionizing retail businesses in both product and service industry sectors. The iRACE Initiative offers a semester-long industry lecture series from which Auburn University students and faculty can hear from key industry lecturers who share the current and near future innovations in the retail industry with novel technologies and approaches and entrepreneurial spirits.

2024 iRACE Industry Lecture Series

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Mr. Daniel Black

Founder & CEO, Glass-Media

Tentative Topic: Purpose-driven experimental marketing

12:00 - 12:50 pm, Jan 29, 2024

Mr. Rory Fane-Hervey

VP of Sales, Visual Retailing by IWD Group

Tentative Topic: Shape your store with virtual visual merchandising using interactive 3D stores

1:00 - 2:00 pm, Feb 5, 2024

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Mr. Ivan Borovikov

Co-Founder & CEO, Maestra

Tentative Topic: Automation of direct-to-customer marketing through centralized customer data platform and machine learning

12:00 - 12:50 pm, Feb 19, 2024

Ms. Sarah H. Johnson

 Sr. Director of Asset Protection - Operations, Home Depot

Tentative Topic:  How technologies and analytics are leveraged for loss prevention and asset protection

12:00 - 12:50 pm, Feb 26. 2024

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Ms. Jane Rawnsley

Sr. Vice President of Creative AI, Avataar

"Breaking Boundaries: How Generative AI+Human Co-pilot Transforms Product Narratives in Spatial Storytelling"

12:00 - 12:50 pm, March 11, 2024

Mr. Scott Light

Vice President, Churchill Systems Inc.

"Revolutionizing Retail: Unveiling the Power of AI in Merchandise Planning"

12:00 - 12:50 pm, March 18, 2024

Past iRACE Industry Lecturers

Thank you very much for all of our past iRACE Industry Lecturers! Your generosity made huge differences for Auburn University students as they prepare themselves as future retail professionals.

 

We are always seeking industry speakers who are interested in sharing innovative ideas and approaches from their workplace with our students and faculty!

For inquiries on industry lecturer opportunities, please email kwonwis@auburn.edu.

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Ms. Susan Flake

Director of RFID Business Development,  

Zebra Technologies Corporation

 

2023,2022, 2019, 2018, 2017

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Ms. Sarah Hix

Senior Director of Asset Protection - Operations, 

Home Depot

 

2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017

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Mr. Ted McCaffrey

Business Development Consultant Inventory Intelligence

Data Analytics,

Sensormatic

2023, 2022, 2021, 2019

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Mr. Isaac Korn

Director of RFID Business Development,  

Zebra Technologies Corporation

2022, 2019, 2018, 2017

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Mr. Ivan Borovikov

Co-Founder & CEO, Mindbox

2023

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Mr. John Hwang

Manager,

Regulatory Engagement, Amazon

2022

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Mr. Sanjeev Sahni

Senior Director,

eGain Corporation

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2022

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Dr. Seth Bridges

Co-Founder & Head of Product & Marketing, Rival IQ

2022

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Mr. Daniel Black

Founder & CEO, 

Glass- Media 

2023, 2021, 2019, 2018

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Lorna McKinlay

Communications Manager & Marcoms Team Lead, PAL Robotics

2023

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Ms. Chandralika Hazarika

 Co-Founder & CEO, Bigthinx-

2023 

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Àlex Font Ibañez

Sales Account Executive, PAL Robotic

2022

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Mr. Trey Tinnell

North America Lead for Watson,

AI, & Deep Learning, 

IBM


2021, 2019

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Mr. Mac Howard

Chief Revenue Officer,

AMZ Atlas

 

2021, 2018

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Ms. Wendy Earon

CTO, Retail, Travel & Transportation, IBM

2021

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Mr. Allan Gulley

Senior Designer & Technical Architect, People Rocket

 

2021

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Mr. John Kim

SVP, WW Sales

& Alliances, 

ThreeKit

2021

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Mr. Corey Thomas

Co-Founder/CEO,

AMZ Atlas

2021

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Mr. Bill Connell

Former Executive VP of

Logistics and Operations,

Macy's

2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

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Mr. Jason Adlman

Senior Customer Loyalty and Analytics Manager,

Hibbett Sports

2019

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Mr. Chris Dudley

Co- Founder / CEO, 

Patron

2019

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Ms. Cecile Lee

VP of Revenue,

Trendalytics

 


2019

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Mr. Jeremy Miller

Product Marketing Director, 

SmartHome Solutions,

GE Appliances

2019

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Mr. Jason Smith

Lead Innovation Strategist

Watson Customer Engagement,

IBM

2019

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Mr. Jason Sain

Senior Manager,

Kurt Salmon

2019

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Mr. Justin Lambert

CEO, 

The Mint Julep Boutique

2018, 2017

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Mr. Jannis Koehn

CEO,

Looklet

2018

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Ms. Anna Malkan

VP of Sales,

Volumental

 


2018

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Mr. Michael Fisher

Former President, 

Yes Lifecycle Marketing

2017

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Mr. Rusty Redecker

Market Development Director, 

RFID - Performance Apparel,

Avery Dennison

2017

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Mr. Petteri Strömberg 

Head of Product Management, 

ynvisible

2017

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Mr. Chris Young

Former Vice President Supply Chain Operations, Timberland, 

VF Corporation

2017

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