UA's global reach in retail

SW Retail Center readies students for world of retailing

RANDY HARRIS/Tucson Citizen

Giant retailers such as Target, Office Depot and even megagiant Wal-Mart turn to the University of Arizona to maintain their dominance.

The three-person Southwest Retail Center for Education and Research at UA captures the rapt attention of more than 20 major corporate partners in a you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours relationship.

Walgreens, Neiman Marcus, Toys R Us, Mervyn's and the above three are among the companies that fund most of the near-$200,000 budget for the retail center, which is self-supporting and does not rely on state funding.

The center, part of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, links faculty and students with industry. Result: The school's curriculum remains razor sharp in addressing issues of the day that most concern retailers, and the retailers get graduates ready to face real-world issues.

"The curriculum is tailored to the retail environment today," Target district manager Dan Eggers said.

Some of those graduates will land assistant manager jobs when the new Target store opens next year at El Con Mall.

"We will use the U of A to fuel our growth in Tucson," said Eggers, who serves on the retail center's corporate advisory board.

Only the University of Florida, Texas A&M, Indiana University and Santa Clara University have similarly active retail centers.

"We're the eyes and ears for the academic side," said Melinda Burke, the retail center's director.

The center sets up internships for students with retailers around the country and world. Last year, the school had interns in New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, among many other cities. Typically, 75 to 100 interns pass through the center in a year.

The center each year also puts on the Global Retailing Conference, which will feature high-level executives from IBM, Wal-Mart, Neiman Marcus, Mattel and Estée Lauder at the Marriott University Park hotel April 10-11.

The global conference is an opportunity to position us as a leading center to address issues on a global scale," Burke said. "It's one more example of sharing information. We identify best practices among world leaders. How do you survive and thrive in today's retail world?"

And today's retail world is not the same one that was around for the Disco Age.

"Historically, retail was only selling," said Soyeon Shim, director of the family and consumer sciences school. "Just selling doesn't cut it any more. Consumers are becoming sophisticated. Retail is technology-driven and management-driven. We need people who can keep up with change, are quality leaders and are able to globalize.

"We don't teach them how to sell. We teach them how to analyze and think."

Eggers said the Southwest Retail Center is key to Target's growth plans.

"If we continue with the growth we have planned, we have to recruit not only experienced talent but also new talent - college graduates," Eggers said. "They are going to run our company in 15 to 20 years. I personally feel being involved with the Southwest Retail Center is important to Target's future growth."

Target hired about 20 graduates from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences last year as assistant managers or in its corporate offices. Eggers said his district, covering all of Arizona except Phoenix, was the only district in meeting recruiting goals the past two years.

Phoenix-based PETsMART became a corporate partner with the retail center last year and has hired six graduates. PETsMART would like to see many more universities offer retail education, spokeswoman Esther Caceres said.

"It sets a precedent and hopefully sets a trend in educating students in the importance of education in retail," Caceres said.

The Southwest Retail Center was set up in 1994 as a way for the Family and Consumer Sciences School to connect with the outside world. Along with the internships and global conference, the center in January launched an executive education program.

That program marks the first time the students are retail executives.
A group of 16 executives from Brazil launched the "Retail Tools for Retail Executives" last month.

"They wanted a better understanding of how successful U.S. businesses are running their businesses," Burke said.

The Brazilians learned about distribution, retail techniques, customer service and how to manage employees from UA faculty, as well as managers at department stores and large discount retailers in Tucson and Phoenix.

"We're teaching that to our students," said Kim Brooke, program coordinator at the retail center. "Why wouldn't we teach that to the world?"

Help for small business

The Southwest Retail Center at the University of Arizona focuses on the big retail merchants, but attention also goes to the smaller ones in Tucson.
Small business can call on the center for assistance with customer service issues.

The center will send out a student involved in the Students in Free Enterprise program, sponsored by the retail center.

These students will consult with the business free.

Business people may call 621-1715 or visit the center in the Family and Consumer Sciences Building, Room 127, 1110 E. South Campus Drive.

HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:

What: Retail Tools for Retail Executives

A program developed by the Southwest Retail Center for Education and Research, a part of the University of Arizona's School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

The participants: 16 retail executives from Brazil

Which cities? Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Pôrto Alegre, Curitiba, Vila Velha, Parnamirim

Type of business: drugstores, specialty footwear, specialty apparel, financial services, specialty cosmetics.

Stores visited: JC Penney, Bashas', PETsMART, the UA Bookstore in Tucson; Macy's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus in Scottsdale; the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Buckeye; and TCI Solutions in Tucson.

UA faculty involved: 6

Price paid by each Brazilian for the program: $2,000

SW RETAIL CENTER'S CORPORATE PARTNERS:

Corporate sponsors of the Southwest Retail Center for Education and Research within the UA College of Family and Consumer Sciences include: