International Agri-Professional Development Institute (IADI)
Merchandising School

Introduction to Commodity Markets, Merchandising & Risk Management

Upcoming 2013 Schools:  October 14 - 18, 2013

Contact Rosamary Posey at 901.766.4602 for additional information

Please note that for large groups from your company, Informa will conduct a modified Merchandising School at the location of your choice. 

For details, contact Rob Westmoreland at 901.766.4424.

Bio:  Rob M. Westmoreland, Executive Vice President, is co-executive of the Informa Economics grains, oilseeds, and other crop and food ingredient research and analyses functions and client services. His many food and agribusiness consulting assignments include commodity planning, price risk management and business strategic planning for a wide spectrum of US and international food and agribusiness companies. Previously, Mr. Westmoreland was group vice president and general manager of Pillsbury Industrial Foods. His management experience includes economic analyses and commodity risk management, business strategic planning, marketing, and general management in food processing. He is an economics graduate of Rice University and of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Hedging and Trading with Options Schools

Fogelman Executive Center

About Memphis

Memphis International Airport

About IADI

IADI (International Agri-Professional Development Institute) was established in 1988 to meet the growing educational needs in agriculture, food, commodity and related industries.  IADI provides cost-effective, high quality training in a variety of programs, including commodity merchandising, hedging and purchasing.

IADI courses typically are intensive, hands-on training experiences.  The faculty is drawn from Informa Economics staff, agribusiness managers and academicians that are widely recognized throughout the industry.  The focus of this training is commodity purchasing, merchandising and risk management concepts and practices for professionals in agribusiness and related fields.  Regular IADI programs include:

• Introduction to Merchandising and Risk Management

• Introduction to Food Ingredient Purchasing

• Hedging and Trading with Options:  Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

• Managing Energy Purchasing and Weather-Induced Earnings Variability

• Off Exchange Derivatives and Risk Management Alternatives

IADI  -- Introduction to Commodity Merchandising

The Program

This introductory course examines commodity merchandising principles with emphasis on: 

• Price Risk:  Assessment and Management

• Fundamentals:  Supply, Use and Price Analysis

• Hedging:  Futures, Options and TOC Derivatives

• Merchandising

• Margin Management:  Merchandisers and Processors

• Basis Behavior:  Cash and Futures Influence

• Transportation Considerations:  Rail, Truck and Barge

• Government Programs:  Foreign and Domestic

Comprehensive Program Structure

Informa's goal is to provide each student with an understanding of merchandising principles, market fundamentals and strategy alternatives to make a measurable contribution to his or her company.  We provide a varied curriculum, such as:

• Class Instruction in futures market theory and practice presented by experienced industry leaders

• Class Presentations with seasoned commodity merchandisers who share knowledge gained from experience in the day-to-day realities of the markets

• Student Discussions, with buyer/seller, end-user/transporter and financier/operator providing contrasting and varied points of view from experience gained with the same markets

• Case Scenarios using "hands-on" learning techniques through case studies

• Informal Chat Sessions, as industry leaders describe their career "strokes of genius" and "devastating mistakes in judgment" for group discussion

• Strategy Sessions with competent market managers who offer insight into the planning and implementation of merchandising, purchasing and risk management strategies

Program Expections

By week's end, each student should gain an understanding of commodity market structures and impacts, plus the importance of each link in the value chain.  Students can begin immediately to incorporate this new-found knowledge into day-to-day job responsibilities for greater productivity.

Students will learn these highly valued market skills for career development:

• Basic merchandising and risk management fundamentals

• How cash and derivative markets work; how those markets impact basis levels

• Futures market price spreads and their relationship to basis levels

• Supply/demand analysis, price discovery and risk management

• Transportation developments impacting basis trading

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The Fogelman Executive Conference Center
The University of Memphis
330 Innovation Drive
Memphis, TN 38152

Located on the campus of the University of Memphis in the heart of the city, the Fogelman Executive Conference Center provides an "all-inclusive service" to companies and organizations hosting meetings, conferences, and training programs in the Memphis area. From the spacious classrooms equipped with up-to-date technical equipment, training tools and wireless Internet access...to the dining room offering award winning food buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner...to the private room accommodations providing the comforts and amenities of an up-scale hotel...the Fogelman Center is the right choice for Informa’s IADI Merchandising School. For more information, visit http://bf.memphis.edu/fecc/

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