degree certificate program/ curriculum for the CPG industry.

POI is working in partnership with

the food marketing department at

Saint Joseph’s University (and other

leading US colleges and

universities) to develop a non-

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partners can better understand approximately where they

stand on the learning curve when compared against their

peers and partner’s capabilities. Such feedback and disclo-

sure will improve the performance of companies at similar

levels of skill and available tools.

To achieve this result, the new Promotion Optimization

Institute (POI) is unveiling two initiatives:

A certification program

A promotion capability matrix

The goal of these new offerings is a higher, more profes-

sional collaboration, resulting in true promotion optimiza-

tion. The focus is on the customer / shopper through sales,

marketing and merchandising strategies.

Certification program: POI is working in partnership

with the food marketing department at Saint Joseph’s

University (and other leading US colleges and universities)

to develop a non-degree certificate program/curriculum for

the CPG industry. Starting in February, Dr. John Stanton,

food marketing department chairman at SJU, will be work-

ing with POI and a team of promotion experts to develop

curriculum specifics. A status report on this initiative will

be presented April 26-28, 2009 at the POI Spring Meeting

in Chicago, where leading industry executives and solution

providers will be on the agenda.

The certification program is centered on trade marketing and

merchandising, and leads to a certificate as a Certified

Collaborative Marketer (CCM). It develops and identifies

executives as certified for collaboration with trading partners.

The CCM certification program is designed to give indus-

try executives recognized certification for skills that enable

professional collaboration with trading partners. POI is

envisioning a one- to two-week program, with an online

and on-site curriculum conducted through alliances with

the universities. POI is encouraging all trading partners and

organizations to work with us in creating the CCM

Certificate program.

Key components of the CCM program:

Executives would receive training in person at the

Universities.

Industry leaders will be invited as guest speakers to talk

with students at the universities (on their documented col-

laborative results) and be honored for their service through

POI.

Student executives will become CCM certified.

POI meetings will have a CEU (Continuing Education

Units, i.e., standard accounting and credibility for the edu-

cation received) component, which will drive participa-

tion, industry commitment and sharing of real case studies.