The Connecting Point for
Innovative Retail Technologies
Omni Talk Retail’s Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga are taking their popular weekly Retail Fast Five podcast on the road. Come and hear them discuss the top headlines from the past year that indicate where the future of retail is headed and, most importantly, how to prepare for it.
Chris Walton
Co-CEO, Omni Talk
Chris Walton is a leading expert and influencer in omnichannel retailing. An accomplished Senior Executive, Chris has high-level executive experience across nearly every discipline within retail. Currently he is the Co-CEO of Omni Talk, one of the fastest growing media companies in retail. He is also a Senior Contributor for Forbes, where his work has been read by over 3 million people, a regular keynote speaker, and he also sits on the Advisory Boards for Firework, Buncha, Sezzle, Lucky, and Mirakl. Prior to starting Omni Talk, Chris worked for Target, where he was the Vice President of the retailer’s Store of the Future project and also the Vice President of Merchandising for Home Furnishings on Target.com. Chris began his career at Gap, Inc. and holds a BA in Economics and History from Stanford University, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Anne Mezzenga
Co-CEO, Omni Talk
Anne Mezzenga is a top retail influencer and Co-CEO of Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing media platforms in retail, where she provides expert commentary on the future of the retail industry and current trends. Anne also serves on boards for Firework, Buncha, Lucky, Broadhead and Sovereign Collective. Prior to starting Omni Talk, Anne was the Director of Marketing and Partnerships for Target’s Store of the Future project and spent time in leadership positions at ad agencies Martin Williams and Fallon, as well as media outlets NBC Universal in New York and Minneapolis FOX affiliate KMSP. From 2014-2022 she also owned and ran operations and marketing for three boutique fitness facilities in the Twin Cities.
Corey A. Cook
Chief, Advanced Technology Concepts and Strategy
Training, Logistics & Sustainment, Lockheed Martin
Corey Cook serves as the Chief of Advanced Technology Concepts and Strategy for Lockheed Martin Corporation. He is responsible for the identification, development, and integration of disruptive technologies, strategic planning, and corporate partnerships. His programs include Global Supply Chain, Autonomous Systems, Artificial Intelligence, 5G program implementation, IoT and Automated Identification, Holographic Visualization, AR/VR Distributed Maintenance, and Anti-Counterfeit applications. Selected the 2020 – 2021 winner of the FLOW Award for Autonomous Warehouse Operations and the 2021 and 2023 winner of the international RFID Journal Innovation and Implementation Award.
Prior to his tenure at Lockheed Martin, Corey served more than 20 years as a Naval Officer and served as a Center Fellow at the White House. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University in Virginia, an M.B. A. and a master’s degree in Program Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is a native of Texas and currently resides in Winter Park, Florida.