“This executive-level gathering is designed to address critical business issues and provide insights into the issues—and opportunities—across today’s gift and home furnishings industries,” said Scott Eckman, International Market Center’s chief marketing officer. “For 2014, the conference content will encompass subjects relevant not only to gift and home décor specifically, but also to home furnishings in general.”

Clockwise from top: Susan Packard, Charles Garcia, Vivek Kundra

The second-annual CEO Summit will be held January 29 and 30 during the Winter 2014 Las Vegas Market. Confirmed speakers include Susan Packard, co-founder of HGTV, who will present “Entrepreneurship: How to Create and Build Great Companies,” using examples from her own career successes and discussing her best practices experience of entrepreneurship; Charles Garcia, former White House aide under George W. Bush and nationwide leader in the Hispanic community, who will address the rising consumer influence of Hispanics in the U.S., and suggest how the gift and home furnishings industries can cater to this community in everything from product development to company operations; and Vivek Kundra, the first U.S. chief information officer appointed by President Barack Obama, who will speak about proper IT planning for businesses and the role that data will play in the future to transform businesses into worldwide organizations.

The inaugural Las Vegas Market CEO Summit was held in January 2013, and according to conference organizer Randy Eller, the combination of hard-hitting keynote addresses, lively panel discussions and informative presentations was greeted enthusiastically by leading industry executives.

“No other industry event allows top-level gift and home furnishings industry executives to interact and exchange ideas in an educational and inspirational environment,” said Eller, president of Eller Enterprises. “The exceptional quality of the speakers and presentations presents an unparalleled opportunity for industry executives to address issues that affect their individual businesses as well as the overall world economy.”

“The Inaugural CEO Summit was a great event, and well worth the cost for such a great line up of keynote speakers and session topics relevant to C Level Management,” said Lendell Glassco, president of Paragon. “As a business owner, it was very helpful to hear how other companies in our industry are adapting to constantly changing business conditions. I’m sure everyone came away with an idea or two that can be implemented in their own environment to be more successful.”

Additional speakers are being confirmed and will be announced in the coming months.