Doug, Duncan, Matt, Mike, Pam, Stephen and John on CRE agenda

It looks like there are going to be some unhappy folks in Walmart’s supplier community later today. That’s because there are only a few seats remaining for the Emerging Trends in Retail conference that is organized each fall by the Center for Retail Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

This year’s event will be held Nov. 2 at the Don W. Reynolds Center on the University’s Fayetteville, Ark., campus and this year’s program is arguably the strongest it has ever been, especially for those who have an interest in Walmart. However, there were only a few seats remaining and center director Claudia Mobley expects those slot will be filled quickly due to some late additions to the program.

Scheduled to participate all along were Walmart International president and CEO Doug McMillon and Walmart U.S. EVP merchandising Duncan Mac Naughton. However, plans now call for Mac Naughton to lead a discussion with a power panel that includes some of Walmart’s top executives. Scheduled to participate in the panel are Matt Kistler, SVP merchandise execution, Dr. John Agwunobi, president of health and wellness, Mike Moore, EVP operations, Stephen Quinn, chief marketing officer and Pam Kohn, EVP merchandise services. Concluding the conference will be Bob Connolly, a retired Walmart executive who at various points in his career oversaw merchandising and marketing.

While there are plenty of Walmart folks on the program, other participants include Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business & Economic Research at the Walton College, Kermit Crawford, president of the pharmacy services division at Walgreens and Dina Howell, CEO Saatchi & Saatchi X and Tyler Murray with Saatchi & Saatchi X.

To learn more about the event and view the agenda click here.