MERA KnowledgeFest 2007 Registration Opens
Indianapolis, IN: The Mobile Enhancement Retailers Association® (MERA) has announced online registration is now open for MERA KnowledgeFest 2007. The event will be held in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, March 17-20, at the new, state-of-the-art Knoxville Convention Center.
MERA is pleased to be delivering 29 new workshops for its 2007 event. Owners, managers, sales staff, installers, reps and others can all gain valuable information as these workshops are designed to address the most critical issues facing today’s mobile enhancement professionals. The event also includes five all-new workshops specifically for manufacturers representatives, including two panel discussions, plus workshops on time organization, hiring techniques and helping dealers to bring in more business.
This year’s new Installation Technician Workshops include “Custom Integration: Tricks of the Trade,” to be led by Bryan Schmitt, Mobile Solutions; and “Electronic Integration: Tools of the Trade,” with Mark Fukuda, Rockford Corp., Chris Kane, AudioControl and Scott Orth, Polk. Seats are limited in these workshops and an additional workshop fee applies. MERA encourages early registration for these workshops to ensure a spot is available. The other new Installation Technician Workshop is “Vehicle Security Integration and Tracking Technology,” with instructors Bill Link, Anthony Catapano and Roy Graca from Audiovox Corp. This workshop has open seating with no additional fee.
MERA considers the cornerstone of its MERA KnowledgeFest event to be the MERA Town Meeting, which sets the stage for the four-day event. For the 2007 Town Meeting, a panel of executives from leading manufacturers will come together for a discussion about consumer marketing. Renowned consultant Eddy Kay will moderate, engaging the audience and panelists for a discussion driven entirely by audience questions.
A complete list of the MERA KnowledgeFest 2007 workshops and related information is available at www.merausa.org.
The event will follow the same format as the 2006 event, with mornings devoted to industry education and the afternoons dedicated to exhibits and product training by manufacturers. This allows for more focus of all attendees, which include retailers, manufacturers, distributors, expeditors, reps and other industry professionals.
“For the fifth consecutive year, Sirius will be the proud title sponsor of MERA KnowledgeFest,” said Ian Geise, vice president, Retail Marketing and Distribution, Sirius Satellite Radio. “We believe the KnowledgeFest forum that focuses on mobile technologies has and will continue to be an invaluable asset to driving Sirius business thru the independent specialist. We look forward to further educating attendees through our training sessions and product booth at this year’s show. I strongly believe that 2007 will be a banner year for Sirius with the arrival of the biggest spectator sport in America – NASCAR. With new products and the Best Radio on Radio, we believe the independent specialist will have a prosperous 2007,” Geise added.
MERA KnowledgeFest 2007 will again provide a Peer Power Lounge, where retailers and other industry professionals can hang out and share ideas. MERA members have long identified MERA as being a “safe and neutral field where all parts of the industry can gather to learn from and share with one another.”
MERA welcomes MERA members and non-members to the event, provided the attendee works in mobile enhancement industry. Retail members receive one free registration and an early-bird rate of just $99 for each additional attendee through Jan. 26, 2007. Full event registration for non-members is $199 per attendee. These fees include four days of unlimited MERA Educational Workshops, as well as access to the exhibit area and free manufacturer product training. Access to the exhibit area and manufacturer product training only is free but requires a completed registration form.
To register for MERA KnowledgeFest 2007, or for more information, including workshop descriptions and speaker/instructor information, visit www.merausa.org.
MERA is a non-profit association founded in 1996 and based in Indianapolis, Ind. MERA’s purpose is to elevate the success of specialty retailers in the mobile enhancement industry. Membership includes more than 600 companies throughout the United States, comprised of retailers, manufacturers, manufacturers representatives and others related to the industry who realize professionalism and continuing education are cornerstones for successful business. MERA serves as the safe and neutral field where all parts of the industry can gather to learn from and share with one another. For more information, visit www.merausa.org, or call 800-WHY MERA (949-6372).