In this special episode of This Week in Business History, host Scott W. Luton shares the inspiring business journey of his beloved grandfather: Leroy “Dick” Winton Rutland. Throughout his life, Dick Rutland represented the ‘gold standard’ in terms of professional integrity and action-based, servant leadership. He was a dedicated employee at Winn-Dixie and Kimberly-Clark, providing an example that now lives on – at scale – through Supply Chain Now’s organizational values. Like most people, Dick Rutland was loyal to a few brands – the Solo Cup Company and Buick in particular – and his relationship with their products serve as emblematic reminders of his personal values. Among the key lessons we learn in this week’s episode are:
- Don’t let anything go to waste if you can avoid it, even if it means eating chitlins or handwashing a ‘disposable’ cup
- Strive for balance between work and family, making your own luck and opportunities as you can
- Let your actions speak for themselves, doing the right thing for its own sake, not the attention it may garner
More Podcast Episodes
technology
Podcast
May 22, 2024
Key Takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium and Expo 2024 with Mike Griswold
Mike Griswold is back with us, and in this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton welcomes Mike to the show to discuss the key takeaways from the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium & Expo 2024. Listen in and learn more about: the keynote by Gartner’s CEO Tom Enright, and the challenges ahead for the supply chain industry the emphasis on CSCOs to demonstrate their value beyond traditional execution roles and to focus on new areas the appropriate use of technology in supply chains Tune in for that and more, including a look ahead to upcoming Gartner events, including the reveal of the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2024.
return management
Podcast
October 20, 2025
Ask Me Anything on Reverse Logistics & Returns
In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Claudia Freed, President & CEO of EALGreen, welcome Chuck Johnston, Chief Strategy Officer at ReturnPro, for a deep dive into the “dark side” of supply chain: reverse logistics and returns management. They unpack why returns are a nearly trillion-dollar challenge in the U.S., how BORIS (buy online, return in store) strains store operations, and why many retailers still under-invest: leaders often can’t see the full cost across functions or make the ROI case for what’s treated as a cost center. Chuck shares how the space has evolved from yellow notepads to data-driven decisioning, highlighting intelligent algorithms that route items at the customer’s first return click, fraud mitigation with imaging and behavior signals, and how third-party innovation is compressing software build times. Claudia adds a nonprofit and circularity lens: donation channels, extended tax credits, and AI pilots (computer vision + MCP agents) that identify item condition and slotting in real time. Together, they explore where to start, why cross-functional “ambassadors” matter, and how partnerships across retailers, manufacturers, nonprofits, and 3PLs can turn returns from margin erosion into measurable value and social impact. This episode is hosted by…