Virginia Retail Merchants Association Annual Meeting 

Join us for our 111th Annual Membership Meeting at the Doubletree Williamsburg Hotel on Thursday, September 29th. This event is a chance to network with your peers, hear updates from Virginia Retail Merchants Association, participate in "HR 101: The Great Refresher Workshop for Every Manager", and political updates from Bob Holsworth. 

Your registration includes continental breakfast during registration, lunch and cocktail hour while shopping in our Annual Silent Auction. 

About the Event:

HR 101: The Ideal Refresher Workshop for Every Manager - This year, retailers will face dozens of new government mandated changes with the revisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act. This mini-seminar will review all of the major changes and discuss how those changes will impact you, your employees, and your business as a whole. 

Be sure bring your employees! This is open to VRMA members AND the public! 

Bob Holsworth, Political Analyst - Bob provides entertaining and amusing insight on the current political climate and his forecast for upcoming elections - both local and national. 

Be sure bring your employees! This is open to VRMA members AND the public! 

Legislative Meeting - Our Director of Governrment Affairs, Petrina Jones, will recap the highs and lows of the 2016 General Assembly Legislative Session with an in-depth overview of VRMA's legislative accomplishments. 

The Legislative Meeting is open to current VRMA members only. 

Silent Auction - During lunch and cocktails, get a headstart on your holiday shopping. Help the Virginia Retailers Political Action Committee (VARPAC) during our annual FUNraiser by shopping at the silent auction. Items will be available to bid on and include gift baskets, gift cards, and furniture. 

Speakers:

Randy Sparks, Kaufman & Canoles - Randy is a member of the Labor and Employment  Law Practice Group at Kaufman & Canoles. He concentrates his practice in employment litigation, representing employers in employment discrimination, sexual harassment, breach of employment contract, non-compete, and wage and hour claims before various state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Randy also advises and trains clients on lawful employment practices and other workplace issues.

Bob Holsworth, DecideSmart - Bob Holsworth is a Managing Principal of DecideSmart. Prior to joining the  firm, he was the Founding Director of the Center for Public Policy and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. He also served as Dean and Interim Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences, the largest unit of the 31,000 student university. Holsworth has occupied key positions in a number of major governmental initiatives. He was the executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness in Virginia State Government from 2002-04, a comprehensive analysis of the business practices of Virginia state government that became the foundation of an extensive governmental reform package. He has been the Director of the Virginia Executive Institute, the leading professional development program for state executives in the Commonwealth. He was Co-Staff Director of the Commission on the Future of Virginia’s Urban Areas, a gubernatorial commission that examined how Virginia’s urban areas could become flourishing parts of regional economies.

Schedule of Events:

• 9:00am  - 11:00 am Training Opportunity: HR 101 &  Fair Labor Standards Act Impacting All Employers
• 9:00am  - 11:00 am Keeping Virginia Business Friendly, Legislative Committee Meeting (Open to all VRMA Members)
• 11:00am  - 1:30 pm VARPAC Silent Auction, Networking, Meeting and Lunch, Speaker: Bob Holsworth
• 1:45pm - 3:00 pm VRMA Board Meeting 

Sponsorship Opportunities Available:

Platinum - $1500.00: Your logo and link, rotated with other sponsors, appearing on the homepage in the right side bar; your logo and link appearing on the landing page of the online auction site; your logo and link appearing on email communications for the online auction; your company name on all signage, in the Retail Review, and meeting materials. Platinum sponsors will receive free registration for six guests. 

Gold - $1000.00: Your logo and link on the landing page of the online auction site; your company name appearing on all email communications for the online auction; your company name on all signage, in the Retail Review, and meeting materials. Gold sponsors will receive free registration for 4 guests. 

Silver - $500.00: Your company name appearing on all email communications for the online auction; your comapny name on all signage, in the Retail Review, and meeting materials. Silver sponsors will receive free registraton for 2 guests. 

Bronze - $250 or less: Your company name on all signage, in the Retail Review, and meeting materials. Bronze sponsors will receive free registration for 1 guest.