Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
The foundation to a great customer experience is the product she/he buys, and specifically the Quality of the product. The most basic expectation of every consumer is that the product Works. In a recent (informal) survey of 24 “C-level” executives (Chief - Merchandising, Marketing, Digital, Transformation- Officers), were asked to rank the following attributes in terms of importance to customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction – Quality, Price, Sustainability, Brand Image and Customer Service – Quality was rated #1 by 22 of the executives.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- The importance of product quality as a key driver of customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.
- That product quality is often the most basic and essential expectation for consumers when making a purchase.
- How C-level executives in various roles (Merchandising, Marketing, Digital, Transformation) view the relative importance of product quality compared to other factors like price, sustainability, brand image, and customer service.
Speakers:
Rick Horwitch
Chief of Supply Chain & Sustainability Strategy – Global Retail Lead
Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services
Rick Horwitch is Vice President, Global Retail Lead and Supply Chain Strategy, for Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services. Bureau Veritas is the world’s oldest and one of the largest providers of Quality, Healthy, Safety, Environmental and Sustainability (QHSES) services. Bureau Veritas’ customers include 48 of the top 50 retailers in North America and 41 of the top 50 consumer products brands. Rick’s focus is on developing Supply Chain Risk and Quality Management (SCRQM) and Sustainability solutions, as well as strategic partnerships and alliances which help their customers protect their brands, reduce cost and improve cycle time. Rick has over 30 years experience in the consumer products industry covering all facets of business – Sourcing, Sales, Marketing and Operations with companies such as Deena, Kurt Salmon Associates and Warnaco.
Joe Mellaci
Business Development Americas
Impactiva Quality Assurance
Joe Mellaci is a seasoned professional in the apparel, footwear, and leather goods industries, with a strong background in quality assurance, global sourcing, and product development. He is celebrating his 13th year with Impactiva. Joe was a principal at Nova International, a sourcing, development, and production agency with a focus on better quality leather goods prior to joining Impactiva. He also worked with the Maydiang Group as a factory and tannery representative, and the Cromwell Leather Group in sales and marketing.
Throughout his career, Joe has demonstrated a commitment to, and passion for quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. His diverse expertise across multiple functional areas makes him an asset to organizations working to optimize their operations and drive growth by leveraging supply chains as a competitive advantage.
Duncan Scott
Senior Vice President, Strategic Sourcing & Quality
New Balance Athletic Shoe
Duncan Scott is Senior Vice President of Strategic Sourcing & Quality for New Balance Athletic Shoe, a leading manufacturer of branded athletic footwear, apparel and equipment since 1906.
Currently based in Boston, Scott started his career in the industry in 1986 and has held global leadership roles in footwear & apparel sourcing and manufacturing in Korea, Taiwan, China, Brazil and Hong Kong. He was Country Manager of China for Reebok, Head of Social & Environmental Compliance at adidas, and subsequently Head of Global Footwear Sourcing for adidas and VP of Sourcing for Sportswear at VF. Scott also served as Head of Latin American Sourcing for adidas, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil before joining New Balance in 2010.
Scott has been active in corporate social responsibility forums and organizations during his career and has represented New Balance since 2017 in the Industry Summit initiative, a coalition of 13 global brands focused on social and environmental issues. He currently serves on the advisory board of the Global Labor Institute, which drives new conversations about work in global supply chains powered by quantitative research and action. Scott is also currently Vice Chair of the ESG Committee of the World Federation of Sporting Goods. He is a 1981 graduate of Cornell University, where he was an English major in the College of Arts & Sciences and ran for the varsity Cross Country & Track Teams.
Ebube Agu
Senior Director - Global Sourcing, Manufacturing & Quality Assurance
Formerly Nike, Converse, PepsiCo, and Target
Ebube Agu is an experienced people leader with roles spanning the Product and Fulfillment supply chains at global brands and retailers. Most recently, Ebube served as Nike’s Senior Director of Global Apparel & Accessories Product Integrity. Nike is the world’s largest supplier of athletic footwear and apparel and has operated for 50+ years. Ebube is also a proud alumnus of Target, PepsiCo, Converse, Harvard Business School, and the University of California, Riverside.
In his most recent role, Ebube was responsible for Quality, Compliance, and Safety impacting 1B units produced annually across 66 suppliers in 350+ manufacturing locations. Ebube and his team strategically worked with Product Development, Suppliers, and Consumer Insights to champion a culture of quality across the enterprise and industry.
While currently based in Oregon, Ebube previously resided in Nigeria, California, Indiana, and Massachusetts through various points of his personal and professional growth. Ebube is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and has a passion for ensuring children from all backgrounds have access to STEM career paths. In his spare time, you’ll likely find Ebube laughing with his family, kicking a soccer ball, or listening to music.
Moderator:
Chelsea Murtha
Senior Director, Sustainability
AAFA
Chelsea Murtha serves as the association’s advocate and spokesperson on matters of sustainability and product safety. She engages with Congress, the Executive Branch, independent agencies, as well as state and local legislatures and agencies and foreign governments on sustainability, product safety, and chemical management issues important to the industry. Chelsea is also the staff liaison to AAFA’s Environmental Committee and Product Safety Council.
Chelsea joined AAFA from a Washington, D.C., government affairs firm where she led advocacy efforts for clients, including several trade associations and apparel and footwear importers, on policy developments related to environmental, social, and governance issues in global supply chains. She has also worked for the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, and a Washington, D.C., international trade policy consultancy firm. Chelsea earned a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts from the George Washington University.
Unable to join on November 21?
Register for the webinar to receive an email containing the direct link to access the recording of the webinar and a link to a PDF copy of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the webinar.
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong