ATLANTA/HIGH POINT, N.C./LAS VEGAS – April 14, 2020 – As part of its ongoing support of the design and retail community during the COVID-19 crisis, International Market Centers (IMC) is presenting a series of free webinars for gift, home and apparel buyers and exhibitors, beginning this week. Tailored to each market and market center’s audience, but available to the industry at large, the webinars allow AmericasMart, Atlanta Market, Atlanta Apparel, IMC High Point Market, Las Vegas Design Center and Las Vegas Market customers to continue to connect despite current social distancing efforts.

“Our April webinar content is designed to help retailers, designers, manufacturers and sales agencies both during the current crisis and as they look toward the future,” said Dorothy Belshaw, IMC chief marketing and digital officer. “We are committed to continuing to support our customers through this difficult time and will continue to present online content as long as there is a need.”

April topics include timely discussions like preparing for businesses to reopen and navigating remote selling, plus trend education, business efficiency tips, branding exercises and discussions on sustainability and new technologies.

The April 2020 webinars are:

How to Create Processes & Procedures for Your Business… So Your Business Runs More Efficiently

Presented by Gail Doby, ASID and Kathleen DiPaolo

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 | 2:30pm PM ET / 11:30 AM PT

Registration: https://gaildoby.com/operation-ignite-session6

One of the least favorite tasks that designers avoid like the plague is documenting processes and procedures. However, one of the most magical things they can install in their businesses that will allow their teams to execute their visions with precision, are those pesky tools. Topics in this webinar include how to prioritize processes and procedures so a business can run efficiently with fewer costly mistakes, how to write a process so it is not too detailed, but it gets the point across for the team; and how to write a procedure so that it is easy to follow and replicable by a team.

Botanica: Cooperation and Hope for Spring/Summer 2021

Presented by Laurie Pressman, VP of the PANTONE Color Institute

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 | 11 AM ET / 8 AM PT

Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2592653222297918987?source=PantoneEmail

Spring / Summer 2021 looks to a world that teaches how to be flexible, how to adapt, how to be resilient, how to live with more cooperation and hope. In line with this new feeling is a palette of color highlighted by quieter, more natural tones, as well as bursts and blooms of brilliant and stunning floral hues that cross the spectrum. In this webinar, Laurie Pressman, VP of the PANTONE Color Institute, explores key color trends and inspiration for S/S 2021.

Baths: Investment in Health, Water Conservation, and Overall ROI

Presented by David Gunter of Stover Sales and Associates

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT

Registration: https://www.ceuevents.com/americh/20200415

If everyone only showers, why keep the bath on the plans? In this webinar, participants will learn about materials, old and new, and manufacturing processes used to create the modern bathtub. Attendees will discuss the bath as health maintenance equipment, practical wash product and emotional support tool as well as water conservation as it relates to bathing and showering. The presentation will look at bath styles for every design aesthetic and size requirement plus square foot costs versus the space the bath occupies.

Navigating Remote Selling While Markets are on Pause

Presented by GHTA

Featuring Dorothy Belshaw, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at IMC; Eric Dean, President at IMC_di; and Teddy Pekalski, Director of Sales at IMC_di.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 | 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT

Registration: https://imcenters.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JsHr8QZYTSqjI_Rd95p5Rg

As the COVID-19 outbreak evolves, business norms change in hyper-speed. In this webinar, Dorothy Belshaw, Eric Dean and Teddy Pekalski will share tips and strategies to increase productivity through technology, drive remote collaboration between buyers and sellers, foster retailer relationships and prepare for recovery.

Roundtable Discussion with Global Tradeshow Leaders

Presented by FashionSnoops

Featuring David Audrain, executive director of Exposition Division and CEO and partner of SISO; Dorothy Belshaw, Executive VP, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer International Market Centers;  Sam Ben-Avraham, owner of Liberty & Cabana; Dodo & Aroma, show directors of On Time Shanghai; Michelle Finizo, CRO of Foundermade; Kelly Helfman, president of WWD MAGIC, PROJECT Women’s, Micam Americas and Sourcing; Mattia Miglio, international marketing manager for BolognaFiere Cosmoprof s.p.a.; Sharifa Maurdoch, co-owner of Liberty Fairs and founder of ENVSN Festival; Raffaello Napoleone, CEO Pitti Immagine; Boris Provost, CEO of Tranol; Nicole Leinbach Reyhle Founder & Publisher of Retail Minded; Karalynn Sprouse, executive VP of Emerald Expositions; and Anita Tilman, CEO of Premium Berlin.

Thursday, April 16, 2020 | Noon ET / 9 AM PT

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/6315868042322/WN_gh_nCwOlQfWxQtOwLpZr4w

Fashion Snoops presents a roundtable discussion with some of the most influential cross-market tradeshow leads from across the globe who will discuss the current reality and answer questions from the community.

JUST ONE Sustainability Essentials Webinar

Presented by the Sustainable Furnishings Council

Thursday, April 16, 2020 | Noon ET / 9 AM PT

Registration: https://sustainablefurnishings.org/civicrm/event/info%3Fid%3D433%26reset%3D1

Companies of all sizes and in all segments of residential furnishings are compelled to each do their bit to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Similarly, the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) is mindful that mitigating CO2 emissions and other life-threatening pollution is equally important. It can be overwhelming, but SFC member companies are in action, knowing that each step taken counts. In this webinar, SFC will present its new campaign, JUST ONE, which encourages the industry to learn from peers about what they are doing in their operations to reduce energy consumption, better manage their supply chains and be loud about it.

10 Things You Can Be Doing Right Now to Improve Your Business in Anticipation of Re-Opening

Presented by Lisa Ard, founder of Curate Hive

Thursday, April 16, 2020 | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT

Registration: https://imcenters.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nuuTGIMCSo6F8JJ6ZXBQFA

In this webinar, Lisa Ard, founder of the Curated Hive small business community, discusses how to make the most of down time to be ready to meet pent-up market demand when the economy re-opens.

Retail Town Hall: An Open Panel Discussion to Focus on Key Industry Concerns

Moderated by Paul Erickson and Celeste Boehm of Management One

Tuesday, April 21, 2020 | 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT

Registration: https://lp.vbt.site/10587/coronavirus-retail-strategies-webinar-series

In a live Q&A session, a panel of retail business owners, consultants and industry experts will address key concerns from the mounting threat of coronavirus.

Clarity & Confidence Amidst Change

Presented by Kimberly Sundt

Wednesday, April 22, 2020 | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT

Registration: https://imcenters.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7CuSKnCxRGqNvz0_J_vBYg

The foundations of creating a strong brand are timeless, but with where the world is today, where should designers be focusing when it comes to their brands and their marketing? Kimberly Sundt is a brand and client experience strategist who works with the interior design industry, empowering them to position and promote their businesses in ways that make them stand out in their clients’ minds. In this webinar, Sundt shares the “4Cs of Branding,” her framework to build a brand that resonates, has a soul, and lives throughout all parts of a business; what brand clarity is, and tactics to find it; how brand clarity leads to brand confidence, and how that can guide every marketing decision; how brand consistency can increase the trust factor between designers and clients; and how to communicate with clients, stay on-brand, and build relationships during this time.

Paint & Pigment

Presented by Rachel Moeller, designer account executive at Sherwin Williams

Thursday, April 23, 2020 | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT

Registration: http://sweventexpress.com/registration/?eid=20877

In this webinar, Rachel Moeller, designer account executive at Sherwin Williams, discusses how pigments play a crucial role in delivering a desired color and outcome to surfaces. Attendees will learn insights into the foundation of color and how certain colors affect our mood, perception and decision-making. Moeller will address the practical application of specifying color today, and how to determine the best paint system for your project.

Design’s Role in a Healthy Home Movement

Presented by Rachel Moeller, designer account executive at Sherwin Williams

April 30, 2020 | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT

Registration: http://sweventexpress.com/registration/?eid=20878

In this webinar, Rachel Moeller, designer account executive at Sherwin Williams, discusses paint technologies to help improve the quality of clients’ homes with respect to indoor air quality, odors, mold and mildew and disease-causing bacteria on painted surfaces. Attendees will learn how to find paints and coatings that are 3rd party-certified so they can recommend a product with confidence.

Information about IMC’s markets is available online via these links:

Atlanta Market / Atlanta Apparel / AmericasMart: AmericasMart.com

High Point: IMCHighPointMarket.com

Las Vegas Market / Las Vegas Design Center:  LasVegasMarket.com

About International Market Centers: International Market Centers (IMC) is the world’s largest operator of premier showroom space for furniture, gift, home décor, rug, and apparel industries. International Market Centers owns and operates nearly 20 million square feet of world-class exhibition space in High Point, N.C., Las Vegas and Atlanta. IMC’s mission is to build and operate an innovative, sustainable, profitable and scalable platform for the furniture, gift, home décor, rug, and apparel industries. For more information on IMC, visit IMCenters.com

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Media Contacts:
Cathy Steel, 203-340-9251, cathysteel@cathysteelassociates.com
Chelsea Peabody Bohannon, 404-220-2141, cbohannon@imcenters.com
Dallas Britt, 336-821-1507, dbritt@imcenters.com