Today we’d like to introduce you to John R. Conte.
Thanks for sharing your story with us John R.. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Working on “both sides” of Seventh Avenue, John R. Conte has gained his expertise in the retail and wholesale industries at some of the most prestigious brands in the United States. As a product of the executive training program at Bloomingdale’s, John began his career in the corporate buying office of this large, national department store retailer. Passionate about the buying process throughout his career, John is currently co-authoring a textbook on the subject for Pearson-Prentice Hall.
Before transitioning from retail to wholesale as Project Manager at Vanity Fair Corp working with Nautica and John Varvatos brands in menswear, womenswear, and childrenswear, John held a merchant position at Banana Republic Catalog and Banana Republic.com. He later served as Director of Retail Development for Ralph Lauren womenswear.
At Lauren, John functioned as a liaison between Ralph Lauren’s wholesale operations and the nearly 1000 department store doors carrying the brand. His role was that of key visual director, corporate trainer, retail marketing and events producer, as well as director of field communication for the Lauren womenswear brand. He was instrumental in the development of several sales and visual “pitches” for new Ralph Lauren initiatives, including the sell-in of a new Lauren premium denim collection and a women’s activewear line to major accounts including Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk and Nordstrom.
Concurrently, for over a decade, John has been a passionate educator, serving as an adjunct professor of buying and merchandising disciplines at major New York fashion colleges including the Fashion Institute of Technology, LIM College, Berkeley College and the Katharine Gibbs School. John has taught marketing, advertising, public relations, media planning, branding, retailing, buying, retail math, sales and promotions, management, fashion history, capstone and internship seminars.
Since relocating to Dallas, John worked as a retail training and communications consultant and was Chairperson of the Merchandise Marketing department at Wade College. John was promoted to Vice President of Education in January 2011 and Executive Vice President in April 2015. In these roles, John has been instrumental in maintaining a strong, well-qualified faculty, bringing aboard several new industry professionals with strong credentials.
John has also contributed significantly to the design and development of the college’s programs through research, curriculum development, talent acquisition, and instruction. John has also expanded the college’s on-campus student programs, its external industry outreach, marketing campaigns, admissions outreach and career services.
John earned a master’s degree from New York University in business education and a baccalaureate degree from LIM College in fashion merchandising. John has been recognized for his contributions to the fashion industry and to fashion education with special awards granted by Saks Fifth Avenue and Carolee Designs.
John received the Peter L. Agnew Award Master’s Degree award for scholarship and leadership in business education, as well as the John W. Wither’s Memorial Award for outstanding scholastic attainments at New York University. He was also presented with a special Business Leadership Award for his contributions to the Polo Ralph Lauren company in 2006. In 2010, Fashion Group International named him a “Fashion Police,” one of ten fashion industry and philanthropic leaders in Dallas.
John is a former member of the Board of Directors of Fashion Group International, the largest fashion industry networking and philanthropic organization in the world. He was the 2011 co-chair of Four Legged Fashion: Canine Meets Couture, a non-profit animal rescue fundraising organization sponsored by Fashion Group International.
He also serves as an advisory board member to the Pin Show, the largest independent fashion show organization in the state of Texas. He is also on the steering committee for Accessible Luxury, benefiting the Scottish Rite Texas Children’s Hospital and a contributor to the Miss Texas Scholarship Organization.
Has it been a smooth road?
Relocating from NY to Dallas was a challenge. It was a culture shock growing up in New York, starting my career there, establishing myself in my twenties in the fashion business and then uprooting in my 30’s to start over in Dallas where I knew no one and had no connections.
It was equally challenging and another culture shock to leave management of large corporations to manage in an academic setting. Managing fashion industry professionals vs. professors and administrators is a very different existence.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Wade College story. Tell us more about the business.
Wade College was established in 1962 by Sue Wade, with the goal of helping individuals join the fashion and merchandising industries immediately. She began with $1,500 and 10 students.
Today, the college offers cutting-edge Associate & Bachelor of Arts programs in Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Merchandise Marketing and Management. Wade College’s location in the Dallas Market Center and Infomart buildings offers students unparalleled opportunities to practice what they learn in a hands-on environment.
In 2013, the college introduced new concentrations within its baccalaureate degree program including Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Visual Communication. Located in the largest data center in Texas, it is only fitting that the college introduces its first Information Technology program in 2018, backed by IT industry collaboration and input.
Wade College is the oldest specialized Merchandising and Design College in Dallas, Texas. One of the key objectives of the college is to render its graduates with credentials suitable for immediate employment and rapid advancement.
I am most proud of what an ethical and honest organization is. We are one that makes decisions that are in the best interest of our students. We don’t answer to a private equity firm or a corporate parent. We are a family business and the extended family takes care of each other.
Our competitive advantage is our proximity to the Dallas Market Center (we’re next door in the Infomart) and our strong relationships with the fashion, interior design and information technology industries. Students come to Wade College because they want to start building a resume in their first term. And they do!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
As for education, I think there is a big double standard for how small, private colleges are being treated by the government. These are standards that large public institutions do not need to account for. How unfair for the federal government to hold a small beauty school in a remote town to the same standards as a bigger nursing or medical program in a big city! I foresee there being a correction in our industry by the new administration.
As for fashion, the certain answer to the question is the impact of technology. From 3-D printing, artificial intelligence, data mining, digitized patternmaking and automated supply chain management functions, we are seeing a “speed up” from design concept to consumer. Anyone asleep at the wheel will not be able to compete in any consumer goods industry especially fashion.
Pricing:
- College textbooks today can spiral upwards of $250 to $500 per title. This cost is covered as is the electronic tablet needed to read these e-books or to participate in web-based classroom exercises.
- Every piece of fabric, every piece of technology, even a tablet is included in our $33k for entire associates prorgam and $66k for entire bachelors program.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1950 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 4080
Dallas, TX 75207 - Website: www.wadcollege.edu
- Phone: 214-637-3530
- Email: admissions@wadecollege.edu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wadecollege/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WadeCollege/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wadecollege
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/school/355768/
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