George Zimmer

He’s guaranteed millions of men they’re going to like the way they look. On March 19, 2013, Santa Clarita Valley professionals will have a chance to hear secrets of success from George Zimmer, founder and executive chairman of Men’s Wearhouse, when he takes the stage as keynote speaker for the Valley Industry Association’s B2B Industry Show at the Hyatt Regency Valencia.

The annual expo is the valley’s largest business-to-business networking event, typically drawing a crowd of about 2,000 attendees (and 200 keynote luncheon attendees), and featuring nearly 50 exhibitors.

“We did considerable research to locate a speaker who would communicate a message that would be of interest to our collective membership,” VIA President Kathy Norris said. “We found him especially desirable not only because he has an incredible story of entrepreneurship of his own, but also because he has created an amazing ‘employee centric’ culture throughout the 1,200 stores in the Men’s Wearhouse network. He believes in his employees and consistently offers them the tools and the opportunities they need to grow within the company.”

Zimmer opened the first Men’s Wearhouse in Houston in 1973, after travelling around Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana selling clothing samples out of the trunk of his car for his father, a manufacturer of menswear. After opening that first store, he spent the next decade opening one store per year in Texas. In the early 1980s the company opened its first store in San Francisco, and in 1992 Men’s Wearhouse went public, spending the next 10 years opening 50 stores annually. The gravelly voiced public face of Men’s Wearhouse has attributed his company’s success to a few factors: Investing in one’s workforce, developing trust with customers and finding a good slogan.

About Men’s Wearhouse

Men’s Wearhouse is one of North America’s largest specialty retailers of men’s apparel. The Men’s Wearhouse, Moores and K&G stores carry a full selection of men’s designer, brand name and private label suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories. Tuxedo rentals are available in the Men’s Wearhouse, Moores and Men’s Wearhouse and Tux stores. Men’s Wearhouse operates a global corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of Twin Hill in the United States, and Dimensions and Alexandra in the United Kingdom.

For more information on VIA’s B2B Industry Show, visit www.via.org. For more information on Men’s Wearhouse visit www.menswearhouse.com.