During his presentation, Mierdorf will discuss Metro AG's vision of the near future. Metro AG, a $54 billion retail giant, has been an innovator in employing a powerful combination of wireless equipment and RFID technology that promises a boost in store efficiency, micro-marketing and the end of long checkout lines. Mierdorf will also talk about wireless-controlled price displays, smart shelves that know when to restock, handheld scanners to track what's in the store, and shopping carts with a touchscreen that enables automatic checkout as well as providing directions to desired products.

This exclusive, invitation-only summit of CIOs and industry leaders will also include in-depth discussions and planning sessions that will help determine what the future has in store for retail technology capabilities.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the world's largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores as well as the industry's key trading partners of retail goods and services. NRF members represent an industry that encompasses more than 1.4 million U.S. retail establishments, employs more than 20 million people - about 1 in 5 American workers - and registered 2002 sales of $3.6 trillion. NRF's international members operate stores in more than 50 nations. In its role as the retail industry's umbrella group, NRF also represents 32 national and 50 state associations in the U.S. as well as 36 international associations representing retailers abroad. For more information, visit www.nrf.com

NRF is pleased to grant complimentary registration to editorial staff members of the press. Click here to register online for NRFtech, or call Ellen Tolley at (202) 626-8189.

For more information about NRF and a complete list of programming for NRFtech, visit our web site at www.nrf.com/nrftech