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W&L to Host 2019 DataCon Event Attendees will discover the technology, insights and trends shaping the future of data and analytics.

Ames-McArdle-headshot W&L to Host 2019 DataCon EventAmes McArdle ’02

W&L’s third DataCon event will take place on campus Sat., Nov. 9, and highlight the impacts of data analytics, big data, and statistical computing across a variety of industries. This year’s keynote speaker is Ames McArdle ’02, Head of Industry, Global Retail at Google.

Ames McArdle ’02 has been at Google in Seattle for four years, exclusively working with retail clients in pure-play e-commerce, most notably with Amazon and its subsidiaries. Over that time, he has led a team focused on consumer insights and market research efforts on personalization, direct-to-consumer shopping behavior, mobile strategy and search engine results optimization.

Currently, McArdle manages a team responsible for the global business relationship between Amazon and Google across the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. Before Google, he worked at Facebook in Austin, Texas.

McArdle’s talk, titled “Next Personalization in Retail,” will focus on the role of data in personalization, and how companies like Google gather consumer insights and conduct market research.

Following the keynote address, there will be an alumni panel on supply chain and logistics and a series of case studies highlighting real-world business problems involving data analytics.

Students will get the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from alumni working at companies such as ADP, Berkeley Research Group, Dynovis, Inc., Industrial Turn Around Corporation, Owens & Minor and Uber.

DataCon is co-sponsored by the Office of Career and Professional Development and the Williams School. The full agenda is available online here.

This event includes a networking lunch, so interested students should RSVP on Handshake to attend. Faculty and staff who wish to attend the event, email Alvin Wheeler at awheeler@wlu.edu.