APICS – the Educational Society for Resource Management (www.apics.org) – will focus on the latest trends, developments, and practices in materials management and other aspects of resource management next month at its annual International Conference and Exposition.

Over 4,500 professionals are expected to attend the four-day event, October 28-31, in San Antonio, Texas. There will be 130 educational sessions located in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Meanwhile, the Expo will feature over 175 companies showcasing software, systems, services, and information technology.

Lisa Prats, director, communications division, says APICS has re-branded the educational offerings of the show this year under a new heading – The APICS University.

For those resource management professionals who are new to the manufacturing industry or in their first supervisory role, The APICS University offers a series of sessions designed to find solutions to the concerns and issues their organizations face.

Conference topics range from e-business, collaborative commerce, and customer relationship management to technology, inventory control, and other key business drivers of the supply chain.

General session speakers include Senator Bob Dole and authors Rick Butts and Don Peppers. Each will provide expert insight on leadership, personal development, and customer satisfaction.

In addition, industry expert sessions will be held this year with senior executives from DuPont e-Business, Quaker Oats, and United Parcel Service.

"Top-level executives will be speaking about real-life experiences in implementing successful resource management strategies," says Prats.

Also new is an executive forum, October 29-30, tailored to senior-level executives. Classified as a mini-executive conference within the APICS conference, it will provide attendees with information on how to navigate through the complexity of today's business environment.

And for those attendees who wish to see product demonstrations, they can browse through the new APICS Manufacturing Showcase Theater. This portion of the show allows exhibitors to reserve time to showcase new products or demonstrate products. For more conference details, visit the Web site.