Aug 02, 2007RFID Journal, the world's leading media and events company covering radio frequency identification (RFID), and EPCglobal North America, a not-for-profit member organization supporting the adoption of EPC technology, announced today that Microsoft's chief operating officer, Kevin Turner, will present a keynote address at EPC Connection 2007. The conference and exhibition will be held Oct. 2-4 at Chicago's Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
As chief operating officer of Microsoft and former chief information officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Turner has developed a unique perspective on the business impact of RFID technologies and how companies can use sensor-based technologies to transform their organizations. In his keynote address, he will share his views on why the right time for RFID is now, explaining how companies can unleash the potential of EPC information with a new class of solutions designed to leverage the power of physical-world data to drive real-time competitive advantage.
"RFID is emerging as a very significant technology for companies in all industries, and EPC Connection has emerged as a great event for companies seeking to take advantage of Electronic Product Code standards," Turner says. "Microsoft is pleased to be the Cornerstone sponsor for this year's event, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to discuss the importance of this innovative technology with business leaders who understand the significant role it plays in today's technology solutions."
As Microsoft's chief operating officer, Turner is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the company's worldwide sales, marketing and services organization. Turner also oversees corporate operations and internal information technology supporting the work of Microsoft's more than 70,000 employees worldwide. Along with Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and five other senior executives, Turner serves on Microsoft's senior leadership team, which sets the company's overall strategy and direction.
Prior to Microsoft, Turner worked for nearly 20 years at Wal-Mart Stores, where he started as a cashier while attending college. After graduation, he held various leadership positions within Wal-Mart, including, most recently, president and chief executive officer of Sam's Club, with more than 46 million members and $37.1 billion in annual sales. Prior to that, Turner worked for 13 years in Wal-Mart's IT department, where he achieved the level of executive vice president and chief information officer, overseeing all information systems and IT operations for the company worldwide.
"We are very pleased to have someone with Kevin Turner's knowledge and experience presenting at EPC Connection," says Mark Roberti, founder and editor of RFID Journal. "Kevin was actually CIO at Wal-Mart when the retailer began to seriously explore RFID's potential, so he understands both the business imperatives of the technology and the technological requirements needed to achieve RFID's benefits."
EPC Connection will offer four educational tracks: Supply Chain/Inventory Management, IT/Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Distribution/Logistics. It will also feature three preconference seminars: EPC Essentials, RFID in Packaging and the sixth RFID Academic Convocation, highlighting the latest research on RFID applications.
In addition, the event will highlight new case studies and objective end-user presentations from numerous companies, including Ahold, AmerisourceBergen, Boeing, Cephalon, Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Kimberly-Clark, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rolls-Royce, Schiff Nutrition, Shaw Industries, Technicolor, Wal-Mart and Wilson Sporting Goods.
"RFID Journal has always been committed to providing the highest-quality information about radio frequency identification, and helping companies understand the benefits of EPC technologies is a big part of that," Roberti says. "This event will feature the same high-quality presentations for which RFID Journal's other events are well-known."
