Action Packed Schedule Finalized For 5th Annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium

Action Packed Schedule Finalized For 5th Annual
Wine Industry Technology Symposium

Early Bird Registration Discount Ends July 3

June 17, 2009. Napa, CA – The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS)®, the premier event showcasing innovation and strategic use of information technology and services for the wine industry, announced today the complete action packed schedule for its fifth annual conference July 16-17, 2009 at the Marriot Napa Valley.
www.WineIndustryTechnologySymposium.com

”WITS began over five years ago with the simple observation that the wine industry had no information technology focused venue for wineries, distributors and retailers to share best of class tools and experiences along with the world’s leading technology providers,” said J. Smoke Wallin, Co-Chairman of WITS. He continued, “Today WITS is unequivocally a must attend event that brings to life the original vision. In the midst of one of the toughest economic environments in memory, WITS stands as a beacon for all those in the wine industry who want to run their business better, sell more wine and make a bigger impact in the market place.”

Day One: Interactive Technology Workshops, VIP Dinner

The summit kicks off at 1pm Thursday July 16th with a series of workshops that focus on three important uses of
technology:
• Web 2.0 Technology: Learning how to cultivate brand loyalty and develop grassroots evangelists via the latest
social media technologies
• Consumer Compliance: Insights into the next generation of compliance issues as the wine-shipping landscape
continues to evolve
• Free (or Very Low Cost) Web Technologies to Run Your Business: Join a revolution that is transforming the
way businesses are run
The Interactive Technology Workshops are followed by a wine reception and the opening of the Technology Showcase,
where a wide range of technology leaders will demonstrate their products and services and mingle with winery CIOs and
other business leaders. The evening concludes with a VIP dinner that will attract senior wine industry executives as well as
WITS 2009 speakers, moderators and sponsors.
Day Two: Main Event – Keynotes, Panel Discussions and Technology Showcase
Day two, Friday July 17, includes a full day of thought-provoking ideas and practical advice from expert panels, composed
of industry insiders and expert outsiders who will tackle topic such as:
• Social Media / Commerce and New Consumer Behavior: Understanding the new dynamics in consumer’s
learning and purchase cycle
• Consumer Direct Breakthroughs: Better metrics, bench-marking & best practices to maximize return on
investment in reaching consumers.
• Three Tier Technologies: – Lessons & Challenges of Key Retailers & Distributors in utilizing supply chain and
other technology tools.
• Sales Force Automation: Enabling your sales force to optimize their effectiveness by providing the latest tools
and up to date information.
• Business Intelligence: Revealing the key factors for leveraging your BI into information that can be acted upon to
directly impact your business decision making.
• Production Management: Showcasing new tools and best practices that increase efficiency and effectiveness
Early Bird Pricing Ends July 3
Register online before Friday July 3rd and pay an “early bird” special of $100 for day one and $250 for day two, per guest. If
you register on or after July 4th, prices for these days go up to $150 and $300, respectively. Visit
www.WineIndustryTechnologySymposium.com
About WITS
The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) was created in 2005 by a group of wine industry and technology
professionals. The purpose of WITS is to address the unique information technology and services needs of the wine
industry. WITS is dedicated to bringing the world’s leading wineries, wholesalers and retailers together with some of the
world’s leading technology experts to foster learning and discussion. Panels of experts will discuss specific examples and
case studies. www.WineIndustryTechnologySymposium.com
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Media Contact:
Lesley P. Berglund, co-chair, 707-246-6827