How to Drive Business Value from Retail Technology
Creating a roadmap for success with today’s emerging technologies

Alexi L. Sarnevitz
Senior Director Retail Strategy
SAS Global Retail Practice
Alexi is responsible for guiding SAS’s retail vertical go-to-market strategies and solution development priorities on the basis of the latest industry trends. His responsibilities also include leading the Retail Product Marketing team, retail alliance relations strategies, analyst relations and evaluating competitive intelligence implications. Alexi works closely with Retail Product Management, R&D and the SAS regional retail field organizations around the globe.

Before joining the SAS Global Retail Practice, Alexi was Research Director, Retail for AMR Research where he gave clients advice on their processes and IT strategies combined with insight into retail enterprise application market technology trends and dynamics. Prior to AMR Research Alexi was an Associate Partner at Accenture, where he led the roll-out new processes and enabling technologies in the merchandising, marketing, supply chain and store operations areas for a variety of leading retailers. His engagement teams also pioneered the development of new pricing, lifecycle management and advanced planning strategies that have been embraced by the retail industry. Alexi began his career with a variety of prominent national retailers where he held senior merchandising and inventory management roles.

Alexi holds a B.A. degree from Brandeis University and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

Ann Calder
Senior Solutions Specialist, Retail
SAS Canada
Ann Calder, Senior Solutions Specialist, Retail for SAS Canada is responsible for providing strategic direction for SAS retail solutions in Canada. Additionally, she is responsible for assisting retailers with implementing industry best practices and methodologies and for delivering the go to market strategy for tier one and mid market retailers.

Helping to drive SAS Canada’s retail strategy with a primary focus on customer and partner-facing activities, Ms. Calder fosters close working relationships with marketing and sales to ensure that SAS technologies are aligned with customer needs and market demand. In her role she is also responsible for maintaining close relations with The Retail Council of Canada.

Calder joined SAS in 2006 as a Senior Retail Consultant and later became Senior Retail Solutions Specialist. She has an extensive background in the retail industry with twenty plus years of experience. She has held various management positions including, Director, VP, and Senior VP positions at leading retailers such as Bowring, Hbc, Wal-Mart and Winners.

A graduate of Sheridan College with Fashion Technique and Design Diploma, Business Retailing Diploma, and Business Administration Diploma, Calder received the Board of Governors Silver Medal from Sheridan College for highest marks in the Business Retail Course.

Ken Brame
Ken brings his experience as CIO for several leading retail companies including AutoZone, a $6.2 billion chain of auto parts stores with over 4,000 locations in the US and Mexico; Bass Pro Shops, a leading multi-channel outdoor and sporting goods retailer, and Service Merchandise, a large multi-channel jewelry and hard lines specialty store chain. Prior to this Ken was the CTO for a leading software company that developed solutions for retailers, and held various IT and business management positions with other leading Department Store, Fashion Apparel, Grocery, and Drug retail companies.

The first half of career was spent on the business side of retailing and the second half on the IT side. Past Chair of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), Technology Leader’s Council and the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS). Ken holds an MBA and BBA from Texas Tech University.