Hispanic Retail 360 is the retail industry's premier event for retailers and marketers looking to grow their business with the Latino consumer market in the U.S.

Target Stores' director of multicultural marketing, Greg Cunningham, will be keynote speaker at the fourth annual Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, which will be held July 28-30, 2008 in Miami. Register for the Summit here.

Cunningham will open the speaker program on Monday afternoon, July 28, followed by Lyne Castonguay, vice president, multicultural merchandising and marketing for The Home Depot. Castonguay will discuss how the home improvement retailer has won the loyalty of the Hispanic market by marrying its marketing message to an integrated merchandising and store operations strategy.

Hispanic Retail 360 is the retail industry's premier event for retailers and marketers looking to grow their business with the Latino consumer market in the U.S. Last year's Summit, held in Dallas, attracted more than 500 attendees composed of retailers from across all channels of retailing, major consumer products goods manufacturers, advertising agencies and consultants.

Confirmed attendees already include representatives from such major retailers as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Family Dollar, SuperValu, Navarro Discount Pharmacies, CVS, Advance Auto Parts, Hy-Vee Supermarkets, and Kroger.

Hispanic Retail 360 is produced by Progressive Grocer and Convenience Store News, two leading media brands owned by Nielsen Business Media. The "presenting sponsors" are The Coca-Cola Co. and Anheuser-Busch Inc. Association partners include the Neighborhood Market Association, Latin Vision and Point of Purchase Online Network. Media partners include Ethnic Events, Hispanic MPR, Mercado de Dinero, Hispanic Trending and Supermercados. Sponsors and partners continue to sign on.

This year's list of speakers includes these retailers, consumer product goods companies and marketing experts:

-Armando Martin, former head of Multicultural Marketing, SuperValu, and columnist, Progressive Grocer;
-Jose Espinosa, Director, Multicultural Commercialization and Customer Programming, Strategic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America;
-Terry Soto, President, About Marketing Solutions, Inc.
-Gary Berman, President, Si Change Consulting
-Manuel Delgado, CEO, Agua Marketing;
-Cristina Benitez, author, founder and President, Lazos Latinos;
-Jon Bratta, Proprietary Brands Director, BP;
-Brad Eaton, Category Manager, The Spinx Co.;
-Ruben Gonzalez, President, OLE Advertising;
-Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, founder, Hispanic Food Communications;
-Alan Edelstein, Shopper Insights Manager, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group;
-Derene Allen, Managing Partner, Santiago Solutions Group;
-Isabel Valdes, author and President, IVC;
-Jeff Weness, Director, Hispanic Initiatives, Best Buy;
-Gregory Smith, President, GS Retail Services;
-Alicia Morga, CEO, Consorte Media;
-Cesar M. Melgoza, co-founder and Managing Partner, Latin Force Group LLC;
-Valerie Shalom Berman, partner, Market Segment Research;
-Michelle Zweig, VP Nielsen Homescan and Spectra Product Leadership, The Nielsen Co.

The 2008 Hispanic Retail 360 Summit will feature an emphasis on best practices and new ideas, with the goal of getting beyond "Latino 101" and providing the audience with advanced insights on reaching and selling to Hispanic shoppers. Topic areas and exhibitors are expected to cover all retail channels including department stores, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and specialty retailers in consumer electronics, home improvement, apparel and more.

In addition, a new research study conducted by the Retail Group of Nielsen Business Media and Market Segment Research will be unveiled exclusively at the conference.

As in past years, the Summit will also include a guided store tour by a leading industry consultant to view best practices by Miami-area retailers who serve the Hispanic community. Visits to two leading area Hispanic-themed supermarkets – Winn-Dixie and Publix Sabor -- are already confirmed.