WR President and CEO Renée Sunde will help lead an industry panel discussion during the 2019 PNW Future of Retail Summit and Job Fair on September 13. The panel will meet during a luncheon at The DoubleTree Southcenter hotel while the job fair will follow in the Macy’s Court at Westfield Southcenter Mall in Tukwila.

The summit is for government leaders, property managers, retailers and others interested in learning about the industry. The job fair is for people looking for jobs as well as managers looking for talent. WR’s participation is part of the association’s annual Careers in Retail promotion in September.

Sunde is co-hosting the panel discussion with Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Professor and Dean at the University of Washington School of Business. The panel will include industry leaders Lisa Bridge, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ben Bridge Jeweler; Jason Dyer, General Manager of Westfield Southcenter; Karen True, Director of Business and Community Development for the Alliance for Pioneer Square; and Tamara Marsh, Store Manager of Nordstrom at Southcenter. More participants will be announced soon.

The event is sponsored by the City of Tukwila and Port Jobs Center for Onboarding and Advancement in Retail (COAR). With grants from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions and the Walmart Foundation, COAR offers onsite training and scholarship opportunities for entry-level workers with support from employers and anchor tenants. It aims to ensure employee retention and promote careers in the retail and hospitality industries.

Space for the summit is limited. Register online or call the Seattle Southside Chamber during office hours at 206-575-1633. Companies interested in participating in the job fair should contact Renatta Emerson, the chamber’s Membership & Programs Manager at [email protected].