Retail Space Planning Community
Who We Are
Meet the Team! Our Charter Leaders
The Space Planning Charter by ARC is a community of senior leaders in Space Management at both global and regional retailers. They touch planogramming and store planning, new concepts and data analytics, cross-functional integration and all the most high-level deliverables that a well-run Space Management team provides a retail organization. ARC is the master association and parent company for not only the Space Planning Charter, but also both the Category Management Association (CMA) and Shopper Insights Management Association (SIMA).
Flora Delaney
As president of Delaney Consulting, Flora Delaney works with large and small retailers around the world, helping them to rediscover what makes them successful. Her consulting clients include large multinationals, like Target and Apple, as well as small single-store boutiques. Before founding Delaney Consulting, Flora held officer positions in Visual Merchandising and Buying at Best Buy. She has also worked at organizations such as Ahold USA, Kraft and Unilever. Flora is the author of the book “RETAIL: The Second-Oldest Profession.”
Emily Callahan
Emily Callahan was named President of the Association for Retail and Consumer Professionals (ARC) in March of 2022 but also holds a dual role as the Chief Innovation and Administration officer for ARC’s parent organization, Xerxes Global. In her Xerxes Global role, Emily has sat on CMA, SIMA and ARC Boards since 2017 and her innovation role spearheaded the 2021 Virtual ARC Campus and Virtual Conference “Rising to the New Retail Reality”. While Emily’s background is entrepreneurial in nature, her career spans roles with large and small CPG manufacturers, visioning start-up strategy, data and analytics software, M&A and Marketing.
ARC is the master association and parent company for both the Category Management Association (CMA) and Shopper Insights Management Association (SIMA) and will become the overarching body for all new charters, communities, and associations. “We have long believed that the need for networking and connection, peer learning and continued education, common languages and talent retention should exist within all functional areas of the retail and consumer industries. It is why we started SIMA, and have begun implementing our Charter and Community strategy in 2022.”
“I am incredibly excited be a part of this first of its kind, Retail Space Planning Charter specifically for retailers. Organizing visionary partners and resources gives the industry a better way to address foundational concepts, core language, training and certification for those who share the same job title – but not the same skills – across companies. The Space Planning Charter is off to an incredible start, and we plan to launch several new charters in 2023.”
Keri Hamel
Keri has several years of experience in the event industry. She has coordinated the design and build of trade show booths at an exhibit house then moved on to managing & executing 150 trade shows & events annually for a technology company in the Twin Cities. Keri has learned the value of communication, relationship building, organization, teamwork, and problem solving.
Today, Keri manages the Annual Conference for CMA|SIMA that hosts 700 – 1,000 attendees. Keri is also taking on the role of Concierge for the Space Planning Charter. She will be available to help you with questions you may have, providing you with updates regarding the network or relevant information specific to your industry or channel.
Jackie Lewis
As the VP of Content and Member Engagement Jackie is responsible for determining and executing a best in class content strategy for both the CMA and SIMA based on member feedback and the evolving retail landscape. She plans, facilitates and manages both CMA and SIMA’s executive boards and sub-committees to guide thought leadership and industry standards, producing numerous whitepapers, surveys, blog posts, newsletters, webinars, sharegroups, and other association events and written content. Prior to joining the CMA + SIMA Jackie spent 7 years at Cleveland Research Company writing research and hosting events on the broadline retail industry. Jackie is a University of Notre Dame alum and currently lives in Chicago with her husband Alex, daughters Joey and Morgan, and border collie mix Scout.
Michael Bitzer
Michael is a 25-year veteran of the retail industry who started his career in field and corporate leadership roles at Best Buy. He has been sought after as a strategic retail consultant and account executive that enabled him to gain unique experiences and invaluable learnings with over 15 of the best and biggest brands in retail. Throughout his career Michael has spent more than 5 years as a consultant working with organizations, from start-ups to Fortune 50, to simplify complex problems and successfully lead organizations through meaningful change.
The opportunity to work with such a high-caliber and diverse group of industry experts to bring the Space Planning Association Charter to its potential is a humbling and energizing endeavor.