Top Women in Retail Technology 2026

Forter’s Howard serves as the voice of retailers

November 3, 2026 by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

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Company: Forter

As Forter's first chief merchant, Howard serves as the voice of retailers across the company, bringing more than two decades of retail and digital commerce leadership.

She is responsible for deepening relationships with Forter's global merchant community, strengthening executive engagement and ensuring real-time customer insights inform product development, research and development and go-to-market strategy.

Leading Forter's Agentic Commerce Collective webinar series, she creates a space where industry leaders can openly discuss the questions shaping retail's future. She brings an unusually deep merchant perspective to the technology industry, paired with a leadership philosophy built on mentorship.

These are just a few reasons why we chose Jennifer Howard as one of Connect Media's Top Women in Retail Technology Award winners. Connect Media's Top Women in Retail Technology Awards recognize women driving retail technology innovations.

About Judy Mottl

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Judy Mottl is the editor of RetailCustomerExperience.com and DigitalSignageToday.com at Connect Media. She is an award-winning editor, reporter and blogger who has worked for top media for nearly four decades,  including AOL, InformationWeek and Internet News, as well as for leading technology providers including HP. She’s written everything from breaking news to in-depth industry trends and reported on technology long before the internet arrived, including the debut of the first smartphone. When she's not sharing insights on digital signage deployments and trends in retail customer experience she's on the beach or watching the latest live murder trial.

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