Final Summer Hardware Show Ahead

More than 2.000 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees are expected to converge on Chicago, I1., for next month's National Hardware Show.

In addition to the expansive trade show. new product showcase and awards cerentonies, the Aug. 10-12 event at McCormick Place will olfer a host of free scminars. including:

. "New Age in Distribution-or Who's Moved the Money'/" (Aug. 10. Noon to I p.m.) by Bradley T. Farnsworth, president, The Farnsworth Group, and John P. Hammond, managing director, National Retail Hardware Association;

"Where is Lawn & Garden Headed From Here'/" (Aug. I l, Noon to 1p.m.) with moderator Stan Pohmer, president, Pohmer Consultant Group, and panelists Dave Meder, director of garden centers, TruServ Corp.; Bridgett white, editorial director. Lawn & Garden RetaiLer, and John D. McGreevey, Jr., executive director, Lawn & Garden Marketing & Distribution Association;

. "The Last Frontier" (Aug. 12, 8 to 8:45 a.m.) by Dan Paul, President and c.e.o., General Management Technologies.

The cost is $100 to attend the World Powers Forum 2003, a roundtable discussion featuring Paul Ingevaldson, senior v.p.-IT & international, Ace Hardware Corp.; Steve

Gilman. international director, B&Q PLC; Ray Colman, c.e.o., Woodie's DIY: Ron Beal, senior v.p. & general mgr.-hardware division, Orgill. Inc.; Guillerrro Aguero. president & c.e.o.. Sodirnac, and Fengjiang Li. PhD.. president & c.e.t'r., OBI Asia.

This year's show will be the last held in the summer and staged bY both sponsor American Hardware Manufacturers Association and show manager Reed Exhibitions. Next year the two organizations will hold separate shows in the spring, AHMA remaining in Chicago and Reed moving to Las Vegas, Nv.