Global Retailer Helps Students Understand Sourcing

Daniel Dias, senior vice-president of sourcing and May-Ling Martinez, senior vice-president of sourcing from Perry Ellis International came to speak about Global Sourcing to students in the Retail Leadership Seminar. They spoke of the importance of sourcing in the supply chain. They educated students on all of the aspects that go into sourcing like risk management, procuring materials, compliance, and negotiation. There are many small decisions that go into picking a manufacturing facility including picking one that optimizes productivity yet reduces environmental impact. Perry Ellis International uses 150 garment factories in several countries. Students were able to see how shirts and fabrics are made. Sourcers have many responsibilities that change minute-to-minute and require them to be available almost 24/7. They are able to travel all over the world, building relationships and communicating with people in many countries. The speakers took time to answer students’ questions about international business, sizing in different cultures, and the history of Perry Ellis International.

The Power of a Positive Mindset

The Miller Center hosted speaker CJ Pisieczko, Director of Talent Acquisition and Retention for Beall’s, Inc. for a Friday gathering of Retail You. He inspired students about maintaining a positive mindset.

The reason behind fostering a positive mindset is that success revolves around happiness, so CJ suggested ways in which students could develop themselves. To begin, he encouraged being positively disciplined involving an intentional and consistent focus. He spoke about finding the positive possibilities in any setback and flourishing through failures. He strongly encourages connection with people as people can celebrate the excitement of successes and assist with challenges.

CJ discussed positive intelligence as controlling your mind to act in your best interest. His approach to the presentation was for students to understand how it can relate to and assist a career in retailing. As students develop their positive intelligence, they will see that they are more successful in their business interactions, and they become better at problem solving. A new positive mindset will lead to new and better results.

Licensing and Trademark Process

Bob Blake works for Follett Higher Education and oversees the University of Florida Bookstore. In the seminar he taught the class about licensing and trademarks. He explained that trademarks are any marks, logos, symbols, nicknames, letters, or words that represent a company, organization, or product. Anyone who wants to use a trademark must obtain a license before using it. He explained that the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) is the licensing representative for the University. The CLC is responsible for administering the licensing program, including processing applications, collecting royalties, enforcing trademarks, and pursuing new market opportunities for the University. He explained about the top apparel vendors and their relationship with UF. As an example of how licensing works, he shared about the process and success of the collaboration with the Tom Petty brand.