University of Arkansas - Daily Headlines

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, June 02, 2005

RFID Forum Panel Announced

The University of Arkansas has created the first multidisciplinary, "supply chain in a box" RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Research Center devoted to examining the technology as used in the retail supply chain, wireless and sensing contexts and beyond.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas has created the first multidisciplinary, "supply chain in a box" RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Research Center devoted to examining the technology as used in the retail supply chain, wireless and sensing contexts and beyond. On Friday, June 10, 2005, a unique convergence of market leaders - including key executives from Wal-Mart, E&J Gallo Winery and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. - will discuss this emerging technology at a public forum followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception.

The media, public and campus community are invited to attend.

The forum panel participants are:

. Dan Brown, vice president global marketing, ACNielsen - Schaumburg, Ill.
. Mark Engle, senior director of information technology, Campbell Soup - Camden, New Jersey
. Christopher Hook, leader RF solutions, Deloitte Consulting - New York, N.Y.
. Kent Kushar, CIO, E&J Gallo Winery - Modesto, Calif.
. Ken Mangold, vice president information systems, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. - Lowell, Ark.
. Vince Fung, solutions marketing manager, Intel Corporation and its professional services organization, Intel® Solution Services - Santa Clara, Calif.
. Janet Kennedy, managing director retail vertical, Microsoft - Redmond, Wash.
. Herbert Markwardt, project leader, Tyson Foods Inc. - Springdale
. Kerry Pauling, vice president of information systems, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. - Bentonville

Schedule: Friday, June 10, 2005

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 noon - RFID Forum - Reynolds Center Auditorium

A unique confluence of market leaders in the use of RFID.
A representative from 10 RFID Research Center sponsoring member companies will present their perspective on RFID. Includes opportunities for questions and answers.

11:30 - 12:00 noon

Transportation to RFID Research Center Laboratory 2700 S. Armstrong Road, Fayetteville

12:00 noon - Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

12:30 - 2:00 p.m. - Reception and Facility Tour

For more information on these events: http://itri.uark.edu/rfid/

About the Center:

The RFID Research Center has attracted the support of 22 Sponsoring Members - a group of retail, market and industry leaders - to participate in the research.

The center examines not only technical issues, but also questions of public policy. This nonprofit center provides testing and research services to a nationally arrayed group of sponsoring members and uses the testing environment to further research RFID applications and to train students at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. Already, there are student and faculty projects under way.

Distinctive Research Center Features:

. The RFID Center aims to be an internationally recognized leader in RFID application research by examining its use and its related impacts on business and society.
. An independent "live-environment" laboratory put together for creation and dissemination of RFID knowledge in the retail, consumer product goods and supply chain fields.
. Strategically positioned in the epicenter of current RFID activity.
. Multidisciplinary expertise from across the University of Arkansas campus provides input into the research.
. Graduate and undergraduate students trained in the center are already being pursued by companies preparing to employ this technology.
. The center will serve as a clearinghouse for RFID information and as a conduit for participating companies to share information.
. The center offers product testing for a substantially lower cost than a for-profit laboratory.

Definition of RFID:

At its simplest, RFID consists of a read/write device called a "reader" that is networked to a computer system and one or more tags. A reader can identify more than one tagged object at one time. Tags contain a computer chip and an antenna embedded into a substrate material. At present, manufacturers and retailers plan to use RFID to track pallets and cases of products from the manufacturing facility, on trucks, and in the retail distribution centers and storerooms to increase efficiencies and minimize costs in the supply chain from manufacturer to the store shelf.

Research Center Director:

Dr. Bill Hardgrave, associate professor, Edwin and Karlee Bradberry Chair and
executive director, Information Technology Research Institute and UA RFID Research Center
Sam M. Walton College of Business
University of Arkansas
bhardgrave@walton.uark.edu
(479) 575-6099

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Contact:

Brad Lawless, Information Technology Research Institute
(479) 575-5291, BLawless@walton.uark.edu

Laura H. Jacobs, University Relations
(479) 575-7422, laura@uark.edu