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CHICAGO-Nearly 200 retail leaders have turned out for the Retail Industry Leaders Association's Annual Leaders Exchange conference, which began here on Sunday and will come to a close today. Taking place at the Chicago Downtown Marriott, the conference has brought industry leaders to the Windy City from across the country and overseas.

After an early breakfast, attendees gathered Monday morning in the ballroom for RILA's first panel discussion, Reality Retail: Much More Than Fiction. Fox News economic analyst Stuart Varney moderated the open-forum session. Panelists included Gordon Brown, managing director of United Kingdom-based Wilkinson Hardware Stores Ltd.; Howard Levine, chairman and CEO with Matthews, NC-based Family Dollar Stores Inc.; and Kathleen Mason, president and CEO of Dallas-based Tuesday Morning Corp.

The discussion centered on the role of a company leader in the face of a changing industry. All panelists said that while technology plays a critical role in the 24/7, 365-day-a-year position, a hands-on approach to leadership and hiring the right people are key ingredients to the most successful company recipes.