Annual education and networking event to offer insights on turning today’s uncertainty into tomorrow’s opportunity
ROSEMONT, IL (June 10, 2025) – Navigating trade complexities will take center stage at the International Housewares Association’s (IHA) Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession (CHESS) 2025, as Allen Morrison — senior professor at the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a globally recognized authority on U.S.-China trade relations — will present a keynote on strategic trade options for U.S. importers and manufacturers.
This annual education and networking event, organized by IHA, will be held October 7-8, 2025 at the Hilton in Rosemont, Illinois.
“It’s no secret the last several months have been marked by numerous challenges and uncertainty for the housewares industry,” said Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO. “But no company has to tackle it alone. Our goal at CHESS is to bring housewares executives together and provide expert insights and new ideas that will help them meet the challenges of our fast- and ever-changing marketplace.”
The keynote session from Professor Morrison will move beyond today’s headlines to examine the deeper forces reshaping the U.S.-China economic relationship. It will equip importers and manufacturers with a clear-eyed, pragmatic framework for making informed, strategic decisions — designed not just to navigate today’s uncertainties, but to build lasting resilience amid the structural changes reshaping global trade.
Morrison was formerly the CEO and Director General of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University (ranked No. 1 in the world for international trade) and is a globally recognized authority on U.S.-China trade relations. His work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, and he has authored 14 books, including the recent bestseller Enterprise China: Adopting a Competitive Strategy for Business Success.
His academic rigor combines with real-world expertise, having served on the board of a NASDAQ-listed Chinese technology company and held visiting professorships at two of China’s leading business schools. Over his career, he has advised and led executive programs for more than 50 of the world’s largest corporations.
In addition to Morrison, the CHESS education program will feature a wide variety of high-profile subject matter experts within the housewares industry, the retail ecosystem and in related fields. Keynote speakers, panel discussions and general sessions will dive into timely topics including more responsive supply chains, workforce optimization, and the latest retail and consumer intelligence.
CHESS also provides attendees with networking opportunities and the chance to share information and ideas with industry peers in a collaborative face-to-face environment. Past participants often share how much they value this aspect of the program.
Registration for CHESS 2025 is now open. For more information, including a link to discounted room rates at the Rosemont Hilton, visit https://housewares.org/exec-networking/chess/.
Details on the rest of the education program will be available in coming weeks.
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The International Housewares Association (IHA) is the 87-year-old voice of the home and housewares industry, dedicated to bringing buyers and sellers together. IHA hosts the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, in Chicago every March. Each year, the Show brings together more than 2,000 unique brands and 300,000 products with both global and domestic buyers; U.S.-based attendees alone represent more than 100,000 retail locations and over $64 billion in buying power. The not-for-profit, full-service Association also offers member companies a wide range of services including industry and government advocacy; export assistance; trend reports; executive management peer groups; group buying discounts; and an independent news and information platform, HomePageNews.com.
