Retail Industry Leaders Association
Encyclopedia
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is American trade association
headquartered in Arlington, Virginia
. RILA promotes consumer choice and economic freedom through public policy and industry operational excellence. Executives participate in RILA for its educational forums, its public policy advocacy, and its advancement of the industry.
Members include retailers, product manufacturers and service suppliers. Together, RILA's members provide millions of jobs and operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad. RILA represents:
In April 2007, The Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network, set up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
, RILA, and the NRF, began operation. Law enforcement and loss prevention
specialists can use the database to track and identify retail theft nationwide through a secure Web portal
.
, was first elected to that position in January 2010.
Retail executives serving as the 2011 Board of Directors are as follows:
.
In 2010, RILA also lead the effort to pass reforms introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) aimed at curbing the fees banks charge merchants who accept debit cards. RILA successfully defended these reforms from an effort in 2011 to unravel them.
RILA is currently at the center of the fight to level the playing field between e-tailers and brick and mortar retailers as it relates to collecting and remitting sales taxes. The effort, which has led to the passage of laws in a number of states, including Texas, California, Arkansas and Illinois, requires e-tailers to collect and remit sales taxes owed, just as traditional Main Street retailers have long been required to do.
In late June, the NRF and RILA announced that the merger had been called off. The decision was by the boards; members had not yet been asked to vote on the matter. "NRF and RILA will devote all resources to continuing the work they are each doing to address the serious issues that America's consumers and retailers are facing in today's economic environment," the groups said in a joint statement.
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
headquartered in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
. RILA promotes consumer choice and economic freedom through public policy and industry operational excellence. Executives participate in RILA for its educational forums, its public policy advocacy, and its advancement of the industry.
Focus and membership
RILA's board of directors has focused its efforts on five specific areas:- Asset Protection
- Supply Chain
- Human Resources
- Enterprise Issues (sustainability, privacy and data security, among others)
- Finance
Members include retailers, product manufacturers and service suppliers. Together, RILA's members provide millions of jobs and operate more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad. RILA represents:
- More than 200 retailers, product suppliers and manufacturers in the United States
- 9 of the Top 10 U.S Retailers
- 6 of the Top 10 Global Retail Leaders
- 6 of the Top 10 Importers
History
RILA was started in 1969 as a research organization to help regional discounters network and learn from one another. Roughly 20 companies were founding members, all were regional discounters. Companies such as Kmart, Jamesway, Caldor, Bradlees, Hills, Target, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Zayre, Korvettes and Ames were among the founding members. The organization was originally named the Mass Retailing Institute. In 1986 they acquired the Association of General Merchandise Chains (AGMC) and in 1988 became the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA). In early 2004, the organization's board of directors voted to change its name to the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).In April 2007, The Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network, set up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, RILA, and the NRF, began operation. Law enforcement and loss prevention
Loss prevention
Retail loss prevention is a form of private investigation into larceny or theft. The focus of such investigations generally includes shoplifting, package pilferage, embezzlement, credit fraud, and check fraud...
specialists can use the database to track and identify retail theft nationwide through a secure Web portal
Web portal
A web portal or links page is a web site that functions as a point of access to information in the World Wide Web. A portal presents information from diverse sources in a unified way....
.
Leadership
The President of RILA, since December 2002, is Sandy Kennedy. The current chairman of RILA, William C. Rhodes, III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of auto parts retailer AutoZoneAutoZone
AutoZone is a retailer and distributor of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Originally a division of Memphis-based wholesale grocer Malone & Hyde, the company went under the name Auto Shack...
, was first elected to that position in January 2010.
Retail executives serving as the 2011 Board of Directors are as follows:
- Chairman - William C. Rhodes, III, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Autozone, Inc.
- Vice Chairman - Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Target Corporation
- Treasurer - Richard W. Dreiling, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Dollar General Corporation
- Immediate Past Chairman - Robert A. Niblock, Chairman & CHief Executive Officer, Lowe's Companies, Inc.
- Francis S. Blake, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Home Depot, Inc.
- William C. Crowley, chairman, Sears Canada
- Brian J. Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, President & COO, Best Buy Co., Inc.
- Sally Jewell, President & Chief Executive Officer, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI)
- Karen A. Lowe, General Manager, Global Retail Industry, IBM Corporation
- Joseph W. McClanathan, President & Chief Executive Officer, Energizer Household Products, Energizer Holdings, Inc.
- Eugenio Minvielle, Presdient, North America, Unilever
- Robert Moran, President & Chief Executive Officer, Petsmart, Inc.
- James. M. Myers, Chief Executive Officer, PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc.
- Steven Preston, President & Chief Executive Officer, OAKLEAF Waste Management
- Myron (Mike) E. Ullman, III, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, J.C. Penney Company, Inc.
- William S. Simon, President & CEO, Walmart U.S., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Public Policy
The Retail Industry Leaders Association is a leading public policy advocate for the retail industry. In 2009 RILA played a key role in the debate over health care reform. RILA successfully lobbied to protect existing health care options for part-time and seasonal employees in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
.
In 2010, RILA also lead the effort to pass reforms introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) aimed at curbing the fees banks charge merchants who accept debit cards. RILA successfully defended these reforms from an effort in 2011 to unravel them.
RILA is currently at the center of the fight to level the playing field between e-tailers and brick and mortar retailers as it relates to collecting and remitting sales taxes. The effort, which has led to the passage of laws in a number of states, including Texas, California, Arkansas and Illinois, requires e-tailers to collect and remit sales taxes owed, just as traditional Main Street retailers have long been required to do.
2009 merger with NRF
In April 2009, RILA and NRF announced that they would merge. NRF, based in Washington, DC, had about 100 employees; RILA had a staff of about 30. The process was expected to be completed by summer 2009, after both NRF and RILA went through a due diligence process. The boards of directors of both associations needed to recommend the merger, and members of both groups needed to approve it. The combined association was to be run during the transition by RILA President Sandy Kennedy. Kennedy said in May that she envisioned a smaller staff, of about 75, after the merger was fully completed.In late June, the NRF and RILA announced that the merger had been called off. The decision was by the boards; members had not yet been asked to vote on the matter. "NRF and RILA will devote all resources to continuing the work they are each doing to address the serious issues that America's consumers and retailers are facing in today's economic environment," the groups said in a joint statement.