Presidential Election To Take Center Stage At CHESS

With the race for the White House expected to remain a focal point for many Americans throughout the summer and fall, the International Housewares Association will focus a portion of its annual Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession (CHESS) event on what impact the next president could have on the housewares industry.

Under the overall theme, “Navigating Transitional Times… Through Political, Economic and Cultural Shifts,” the 2016 CHESS event will be held October 6-7 in Rosemont, IL.           

Among the featured speakers will be political pundit Charlie Cook, who will preview the elections in his keynote session, “Where is Our Country Headed?”  on October 6. Cook, a well-known Washington pundit, will share his insights on the 2016 political season and offer an insider’s perspective on how we got here, who will prevail and what it means going forward.

The program opens October 6 with the annual blue-ribbon panel of housewares CEOs moderated by Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of HomeWorld Business. The afternoon will feature a global economic outlook by Bernard Baumohl, chief global economist at The Economic Outlook Group. Baumohl will address topics including the effect China has on global manufacturing and potential reshoring issues, the impact of free trade on keeping the U.S. competitive, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement and the impact of the upcoming presidential election on the economy and how it may change after a new president is in office.

Dana Telsey, retail analyst, CEO and chief research officer at Telsey Advisory Group, returns to CHESS to examine, “The Future of Retail: Implications for the Housewares Industry.” In this keynote session on October 7, Telsey and her partner, Joe Feldman, will build upon their 2015 CHESS presentation, offering a view into the future direction of both brick and mortar and online retail. Telsey is a regular guest analyst on CNN and CNBC and has also appeared on Wall Street Week, ABC News, The NBC Evening News and The Today Show.

Other general sessions will cover marketing to Baby Boomers and Millennials and supply chain logistics. Time will be provided after each session for question and answer sessions with the speakers.