SAN JOSE, Calif. - January 9, 2009 - Cisco's Big Idea Sessions at the 2009 NRF (National Retail Federation) conference and expo will bring together the retail industry's foremost experts for targeted discussions about the topics that will have the most profound effect on the retail industry this year.

As retail businesses face tremendous pressure to maintain profitability during an extraordinary economic climate, linking customers, inventory, employees, stores, and data in an efficient manor will be paramount to success.

Cisco's Big Idea Sessions panelists will facilitate interactive sessions which topics include the evolution of PCI security compliance, lean retail strategies, ubiquitous mobile capabilities and the latest in TelePresence video collaboration.

WHEN:

January 12-13, 2009

WHERE:

NRF 98th Annual Convention & Expo
Jacob Javits Convention Center - New York City

WHO:

See the following Cisco retail experts speak at NRF Big Idea Sessions about key industry issues:

Big Idea Session 1
Session Title: Who Is Watching the Store? PCI Audit Best Practices
Date: Monday, January 12, 2009
Time: 10:30-11:00 a.m. ET
Location: 3D08

Session description: Today's connected consumers can purchase anytime and anywhere.

With all of the personal and financial data being transmitted over multiple devices and channels, retailers are more challenged than ever to protect consumer data as well as their own brand and overall profitability. Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard security has evolved from industry compliance to mandate; audits can be daunting and complex and require more than "checking the boxes." This session highlights best practices for working with an auditor and establishing an ongoing retail security framework.

Session speakers:
Carol Ferrara-Zarb, Retail Solutions Manager, Cisco
Christian Janoff, Retail Enterprise Architect, Cisco
Terri Quinn-Andry, Senior Manager of Compliance Solutions, Cisco
Eric Brohm, Senior Security Consultant, Verizon Powered by Cybertrust

Big Idea Session 2
Session Title: Lean Retail Architecture: Doing More with Less
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon ET
Location: 3D09

Session description: How can CIOs deliver more capabilities in a time of decreasing budgets? How can IT avoid paying too much for underutilized infrastructure that adversely affects new application deployment and peak load periods, resulting in increased costs? Learn how a Lean Retail Architecture helps you do more with less and do it more effectively.

Session speaker:
Michael Heffler, Industry Solutions Manager, Cisco
Bart McGlothin, Retail Enterprise Architect, Cisco

Big Idea Session 3
Session Title: Mobile as the Next Channel: Hype or Reality?
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Time: 3:00 -3:30 p.m. ET
Location: 3D09

Session description: Telephone? Camera? Direct link to best friends? Audio player? Television? Wallet? It's today's mobile phone, and it's all of the above. Mobiles are a pervasive part of daily life, used for everything from 24x7 communication with friends and loved ones to a primary means of business communication. Is this essential tool becoming the next commerce channel? What types of strategies should retailers adopt to meet customers on their mobiles? This session will examine effective mobile retail strategies for the year ahead.

Session speakers:
Lisa Fretwell, Director, Internet Business Solutions, Cisco
Lindsay Parker, Director Global Retail Solutions, Cisco
Jon Stine, Director, Internet Business Solutions, Cisco

Big Idea Session 4
Session Title: Cisco TelePresence Collaboration in Retail
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Time: 3:45-4:30 p.m. ET
Location: 3D09

Forget low-quality, highly complicated, and low-utilization video conferencing. Forget long flights, long customs lines, high airfares, and big carbon footprints. Cisco TelePresence delivers an "in-person" global collaboration experience without any of these headaches. This session will highlight innovative ways that retailers are changing the way they work using Cisco TelePresence collaboration. Specific examples will cross the traditional retail business model from the concept to the consumer.

Session speakers:
Paul Schottmiller, Director, Internet Business Solutions Group, Cisco
Alan Benway, Executive Director, TelePresence Product Management, AT&T

CISCO AT NRF:

Visit Cisco at booth 2525 to see live Connected Retail demonstrations that showcase the four major portfolio solution areas that address the challenges of today's retailers including customer experience transformation, employee optimization, secure store/PCI, and lean retail architecture.

To schedule a meeting with a Cisco expert, receive a guided booth tour, and participate in a Cisco TelePresence demonstration, visit the customer meeting, booth tour, and Cisco TelePresence demonstration page.

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