"Queen of Retail" Faith Hope Consolo will moderate an all-star panel at a retail real estate-centric edition of "The View" television show in the First Anniversary edition of the International Council of Shopping Centers' Women's Special Interest Group program, to be held at RECon in Las Vegas. Holly Cohen, senior vice president of real estate, planning and construction of J. Crew Group;Terri Simard, vice president of law of Target Corporation; Renée West, president and COO of the Excalibur and Luxor Hotels and Casinos; and Elaine Wynn, a director of Wynn Resorts, will join SIG program chairman Consolo at the session, to be held Sunday, May 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, Nev.
Following a meet-and-greet reception, Consolo, chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman's Retail Group, and her panelists will offer a lively, candid panel discussion of issues important to retailers and real estate professionals.
"I'm delighted and thrilled to welcome Elaine, Holly, Renée and Terri to this growing cadre of women who are willing to share their expertise and experience," Consolo said. "RECon, in particular, deserves an all-star lineup of speakers, and our headliners rival any performing on The Strip!"
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) focus on a specific discipline of the industry and allow professionals in the field to meet and share common ideas, interests and challenges. They also provide excellent opportunities for networking with colleagues and engaging with business associates. The group meetings especially allow for informal, interactive discussions. After its launch at ICSC's RECon 2010, the global conference held in Las Vegas in May, the program continued at ICSC regional conferences in Boston, Kissimmee, Fla., San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta and New York City. The first session of 2011 took place in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
"I can't believe that a whole year has gone by since we launched our first SIG at RECon 2010," Consolo adds. "It's been a whirlwind bringing our sessions around the country, and I'm delighted to chair the program again this year."
Past Women's Special Interest Group sessions were formatted as roundtables. The large attendance at RECon, the largest gathering of retail real estate professionals in the world, and its Las Vegas location encouraged the planners to do something special. In addition to the panel discussion, attendees will be able to question the speakers, creating an exciting, interactive session.
"The theme for the Women's SIG is 'Enlighten, Entertain, Enjoy,'" Consolo continues. "What better place for unique, but informative presentation than amid the bright lights and attractions of Las Vegas?"
ICSC and Consolo will continue to host Special Interest Groups at a number of ICSC regional meetings through the rest of the year. A separate RSVP is required to attend the Special Interest Group. To register for ICSC's RECon, and for the Women's Special Interest Group, visit www.icsc.org/2011SC.
RECon is the global convention for the shopping center industry. It provides networking, deal making and educational opportunities for retail real estate professionals from around the world. With nearly 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors it is the largest industry convention. The RECon brand now spans four regions: North America, Asia, Middle East and Latin America.