NACDS chairman Randy Edeker

NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson

The Expo's Meet the Market program

NACDS' Randy Edeker introduces the keynote speaker, TV news icon Tom Brokaw.

Brokaw addresses Total Store Expo attendees.

From left: Kinney Drugs' Jim Spencer, Mike Duteau, Bridget-Ann Hart and Craig Painter receive NACDS' PEP award from Steve Anderson (2nd from right).

Rite Aid's John Standley

Nielsen's Tom Duffy

On behalf of Albertsons/Safeway, Daniel Salemi (right) receives NACDS' RxIMPACT Leader of the Year award from Steve Anderson.

The 2015 Total Store Expo's Product Showcase

H-E-B's Martin Otto

Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.), the only pharmacist serving in Congress.

NACDS' Jim Whitman

The 2015 NACDS Total Store Expo, the third year of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ marquee event, brought together more than 5,600 retailers and suppliers for four days of innovative programming and exhibits at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from Aug. 22 to 25.

Attesting to the high level of interest that the Expo generated, exhibit space for the show floor — displaying a breadth of consumer goods, pharmacy, technology and other products and services — sold out a month before the event.

“What makes the NACDS Total Store Expo unique is the personalization that goes into making this a meaningful, compelling and valuable experience that extends well-beyond the four days in Denver,” commented NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson.  “The trade show’s innovative nature builds on NACDS’ reputation for providing cutting-edge events that focuses-in on retailers’ and suppliers’ needs.”

Anderson was among a list of keynote speakers who included NACDS chairman Randy Edeker, who’s also chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee, and distinguished TV newsman and author Tom Brokaw.

Other highlights of the event included educational Insight Sessions covering a range of chain drug industry topics, from health care to business to logistics; Meet the Market, 10-minute appointments that enabled exhibitors to present their company and products firsthand to retailers; Meet the Retailer sessions, which gave suppliers the opportunity to hear directly from retailers; the Product Showcase, featuring glass-enclosed displays of some the latest products exhibited during the trade show; and Vision 2026, an interactive experience providing a look at pharmacy’s and retail’s future.

Making its debut in 2013, the Total Store Expo combines the former NACDS Marketplace Conference, NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference and NACDS Supply Chain & Logistics Conference into one event.

Slideshow photos courtesy of NACDS.