Walmart-led U.S. manufacturing summit on tap next week in Orlando

Top executives from Walmart, seven governors and more than 500 supplier companies are scheduled to gather in Orlando next Thursday for a first-of-its-kind domestic manufacturing summit.

By hosting the event, Walmart is following through on a commitment made earlier this year by U.S. Stores division president and CEO Bill Simon to buy $50 billion more in products made, sourced or grown in the U.S. Simon unveiled the commitment during a speech at the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in January and at the time indicated the company also planned to host a domestic sourcing summit.

The event will be held at the Orange County Convention Center on Thursday, August 22 from 1-4 p.m. and is expected to draw roughly 1,500 people.

Among them will be Walmart’s most senior leadership, including Simon, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., president and CEO Mike Duke, Sam’s Club president and CEO Rosalind Brewer and Walmart U.S. chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan Mac Naughton.

Walmart is working with the National Retail Federation (NRF) to bring various stakeholders together for a unique event that will allow participants to connect on multiple levels.

For example, also scheduled to participate are Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE; Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani; Kevin Toomey, president and CEO of Kayser-Roth and H. Kim Kelley, chairman and CEO of Hampton Products International.

U.S. secretary of commerce Penny Pritzker and Richard Fisher, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas will attend along with governors from Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Maine, New Mexico, Idaho and West Virginia.

Walmart plans to Web cast the event live and make a replay available as well.