Texas State instructor inducted into RETHINK’s 2026 retail expert list

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Maurizio Turri, assistant professor of instruction in the management department at Texas State University’s McCoy College of Business, has been inducted into the 2026 list of retail experts by RETHINK retail, a global media platform that recognizes industry leaders shaping retail.

Turri was selected after a competitive nomination process, with hundreds of submissions reviewed by RETHINK Retail’s editorial and advisory teams. The teams focused on industry impact, depth of thought leadership, and sustained contributions to advancing retail through research, public discourse, and real-world implementation.

The recognition reflects almost two decades of Turri’s work in technology and retail. He began developing technology solutions for retailers in 2007 and founded Vox Elements, LLC in 2016, a company offering supply chain technology services. Turri, who started teaching at McCoy College in 2021, sees the award as a defining moment in his professional and academic journey.

“I am honored to be recognized by an organization that has brought together some of the brightest and most accomplished professionals in the retail industry … being recognized alongside them is a truly humbling experience,” Turri said.

In addition to his role as an educator, Turri is enrolled in the inaugural cohort of the Doctor of Business Administration program at McCoy College. He said that, despite sometimes feeling overwhelmed by the workload, his passion for research and teaching energizes him.

“This path is exactly what I have planned for a long time,” he said. “This recognition validates that my professional experience brings significant value to both sides of my roles at the McCoy College of Business.”

RETHINK Retail’s Top Retail Expert Community brings together an international network of expert voices who drive industry innovation through research, public discourse, and real-world solutions. The annual list includes technologists, academics, consultants, analysts, and industry practitioners whose work influences how retail is evolving across physical, digital, and emerging channels.

RETHINK Retail CEO Marie Chevier Schwartz said the 2026 list of experts reflects a wide range of perspectives that are shaping the retail industry’s landscape. “Retail is evolving quickly, and learning from one another has never mattered more,” she said in the organization’s announcement.

Turri said the recognition facilitates connections between academia and practice. He recently attended a RETHINK Retail event in New York City, where the discussion focused on the most pressing challenges facing the contemporary retail ecosystem including the integration of unified commerce to bridge physical and digital storefronts, the ethical implementation of generative AI in personalized marketing and agentic AI in customer support roles, and the logistical complexities of maintaining sustainable supply chains amidst shifting consumer loyalty. He said the intersection of academia and practice is essential to serving students and advancing the college’s mission.

“It is all about the network,” Turri said. “Being part of this community means I can contribute to high-level discussions, thematic workgroups, and industry debates throughout the year. I plan to use this opportunity to create a feedback loop, bringing fresh industry insights back to the classroom and sharing academic perspectives with the field.”

Turri and the rest of the 2026 Top Retail Expert Community cohort were formally recognized during RETHINK Retail’s AI in Retail Conference and Gala on January 12 in New York City. The full list of 2026 honorees is available on the RETHINK Retail website. ✯