Karim Rashid and Kurt Barnard Keynote Speakers

Cincinnati, OH – June 19, 2003 – World-famous, award-winning industrial designer Karim Rashid and much-quoted retail economist Kurt Barnard are among the more than 30 retail notables slated to speak at the 2003 VM+SD International Retail Design Conference. The third annual conference will be held September 17-19 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida.

Recipient of the 2003 Store of the Year award for Nambé from the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers, Rashid will provide the conference's opening keynote address, “The Business of Beautiful Spaces,” on Wednesday, September 17. Barnard, regularly cited by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Business Week, will present the VM+SD/Peter Glen Retailer of the Year keynote address, “Retailing's Big Winners and Sure Losers,” on Friday, September 19.

Completing the featured speaker line-up are retail analyst Tom Rubel, president of Retail Forward, and bank marketing guru Brad Davis, executive vp of Washington Mutual Bank. Companies represented among the conference's session speakers and discussion leaders include Gensler, Levi Strauss, Limited Brands, Nike, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Target and Walt Disney.

In addition to its 26 educational sessions, workshops and discussion roundtables, the conference features an exhibition hall and daily networking events, including an off-site party at Miami's Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Online registration and complete conference details can be found at www.irdconline.com. The conference is produced by VM+SD magazine, which carries a full conference brochure in its June 2003 issue.

Published monthly by Cincinnati-based ST Media Group International, VM+SD is the leading magazine and voice for the store design and visual merchandising industry. VM+SD and ST Media Group International may be reached at 513.421.2050 or through their web sites, www.vmsd.com and www.stmediagroup.com.