By: Lidia Evita, Staff Writer for World Liberty TV

The Vendors in Partnership (VIP) Awards are an industry celebration for the solution providers that power the retail ecosystem, and the new ways that partnerships were formed and challenges were overcome. We want to acknowledge service to this industry, and will recognize and celebrate a willingness to transform from within, create deep and perceptive partnerships, and great solutions.

Having established these awards for the solution provider community, we are also giving retailers a formal way to support, influence and recognize those partners who integrate business methodologies based on shared success measures and a service level designed for mutual benefit.

Let’s recognize the brave, the innovators, the teachers, the supporters and the agitators.

The Vendors in Partnership (VIP) Awards are an industry celebration of the partnership between retailers and the solution providers that power the retail ecosystem.

Join us on Friday, January 13, for an exciting evening of celebration and dinner at Gotham Hall, recognizing the solutions and companies making meaningful change to create better partnerships.

I believe in retail, and have always worked to advance our success and drive the art of the possible. Retail has been my entire career. I’ve been lucky enough to work for top retailers and brands, to have represented the industry as a spokesperson, and to work for long-time retail solutions providers.

Through Vendors in Partnership, we will forge a community of solution providers and retailers founded on trust and executing on a collaborative methodology for transformative partnerships, to positively impact and develop retail’s future.

This partnership and the solutions that drive retail should be celebrated. The ecosystem that powers retail is made up of important companions that deserve recognition, for guiding, providing, innovating and investing. Let’s celebrate!

Billy May has been at the intersection of physical and digital since the mid-1990s, and as a 4th generation retailer, he brings 25 years of hands-on experience transforming, managing, and scaling customer-focused brands.

Bill May was the Emcee, Most recently, Billy was the Chief Customer Officer for J. Crew Group where he oversaw all customer facing aspects of the J.Crew brand and helped guide the business thru a successful Chapter 11 restructuring.  Prior to J.Crew, he was CEO and board member of Sur La Table, a privately-equity owned, premium kitchenware brand and retailer.  While at Sur La Table, he developed a multi-year strategic plan, overhauled its go-to-market offering, rebuilt the leadership team, and led the organization thru a successful refinancing effort.

Keynote speaker was Dave Finnegan, As a year-long world traveler, hear about this retail executive’s life changing experiences and the impact on his future life and career. Dave will share insights that can only be gained through the appreciation of culture, respect, tradition, and life in our multi-cultural universe.

The Following Finalist Companies participated in the VIP Awards: Best Quick Impact Technology Solution: Quorso, Storeforce, PROGLOVE, Competra, LITMUS7, Orckestra, ESW and Social Q.

Best Unified Customer Experience: Proximity Insight, algolia, EPSILON, talkdesk, Predict Spring, Nanovo, Salesfloor and Bloomreach.

Retail Voice Award:  Coresight Research, IHL Group, Third Eye Podcast Network and Retail Razor.

Best Commerce or Multi-Vendor Platform: logic Broker, Commerce tools, MAROPOST, MARKETPLACER and MIRAKL.

Retail Partner of the Year:  Snipes, WOW Connect, Costco Wholesale, SEPHORA and ULTA Beauty.

Best Retail Insights: T Mobile for Business, Coresight Research, Competra, Invafresh and RELEX.

Best Kept Secret: waitwhile, Smarter Sorting, Stylumia, PROGLOVE, YOOBIC, Orckestra, Digital wave Technology, Appriss Retail and Aftership.

Best Long Standing Partnership: iterate AI, Orckestra, Perfaware, Zipline, and T.

Partner of the Year: Slalom, LITMUS7,RELEX, EPSILON and  ASHLIN HADDEN Insurance.

The Retailers Favorite: Storeforce, SLALOM, XC Commerce and Invent Analytics.

The VIP Challenge Award: RELEX, T Mobile for Business, XC Commerce, Impact Analytics and Amaze.

Best Breakthrough Technology Solution: Salesfloor , Pathr AI, PERFECT, Autostore and Wiliot.

Best Distribution Innovation: Logic Broker, Wiliot, Manhattan Associates, Logility and PROGLOVE.

Best Fulfillment Advancement:  Logic Broker, Manhattan Associates, RELEX,  ProShip and SHIPSTATION.

Best Business Intelligence & Analytics Platform: Impact Analytics, True Rating, PEAK, onQ,

Best Digital Agency: January Digital, raccoon. monks and agency stack.

Retail Transformation of The Year: TSC Tractor Supply Company and Music direct.

Best Security Solution: Signifyd, riskified and Kount.

Best Customer Experience Marketing Automation: Vibes, Digital Wave Technology, talkdesk and  dotdigital.

Best Payment Innovation: adyen,  Verifone, elo and  Kount.

Best Sustainability Initiative: Smarter Sorting, Manhattan Associates, RELEX, DispatchTrack and dotdigital.

It was a great event over 300 people were in attendance, at the Iconic Gotham Hall, see the winners and much more by going to the VIP Awards website by clicking here.

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