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 Date:5/11/2007 AAFA |
| News Release AAFA Debuts Product Innovation Council One of the oldest and most prestigious committees of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), Arlington, Va., the Enterprise Competitiveness Council (ECC), has redefined its mission and renamed itself the Product Innovation Council. AAFA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke says, Just as our industry is evolving and changing to stay strategically connected to its customers, so too is the AAFA in bringing impact and value to our members. The mission of the council is to identify and disseminate information on innovation in consumer insight, design and merchandising, product development, pre-production and demand management, and the alignment of these activities with sourcing and production. With its roots in manufacturing research and technology, the 50-plus-member council will focus on providing leading-edge learning opportunities relative to designing and developing products in a market environment where the consumer is king. Theres not a brand, retailer or manufacturer who isnt challenged daily by how to effectively differentiate its products and give the consumer a reason to buy, said the Councils former chairman Tim Nymberg, who was at the helm when the new name and mission were adopted. Current chair of the council Brett Mathes, a vice president at Carhartt, Inc., added, We recognize that the market is constantly changing and that consumers demand an ever growing variety of products. We are hugely enthusiastic about the opportunities to bring our members highly significant information to help them meet these needs. The council will examine innovative best practices both inside and outside the apparel and footwear industry and will feature a variety of guest speakers and presentations at its twice-yearly meetings. The Councils next meeting is scheduled for October 22-24, 2007 in Washington, DC. For more details or an invitation, please contact AAFAs Susan Lapetina at or at . |
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