Digital Transformers
Episode 45

When we talk about smart buildings, smart cities, what we're really talking about is real-time data that gives us the opportunity to find out where we can put into place new efficiencies, where we're having what's called energy leakage, so that as we look at a system, whether it's a telecommunication system, whether it's a factory, we can look and see ways in which we can improve efficiencies so that we have a more robust use of energy without the waste that otherwise comes when we don't have that data to let us know what's really happening.

-Glen Gilmore

Episode Summary

Sponsored by AT&T Business, this episode closes out 2022 with some bold predictions from two of tech’s brightest leaders: Sally Eaves and Glen Gilmore. Tune in as the duo joins Kevin L. Jackson to discuss the most highly anticipated technology trends for 2023. Explore technology convergence, the link between 5G and sustainability, new VR and AR use cases, the rise of industry-specific cloud and (much) more.

Episode Transcript

Intro/Outro (00:01):

Welcome to Digital Transformers, the show that connects you with what you need to build, manage, and operate your digital supply chain. Join your host in a timely discussion on new and future business models with industry leading executives. The show will reveal global customer expectations, real world deployment challenges, and the value of advanced business technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robotic process engineering. And now we bring you digital transformers.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:32):

Hello everyone, and welcome to the at and t Biz Talks, LinkedIn live, exciting tech trends for 2023. My name is Kevin L. Jackson, host of digital Transformers on supply chain now, and I will serve as the moderator for today’s exciting discussion. 2022 was an exciting year for connectivity and technology. As the global 5G rollout continues, fiber internet coverage has also expanded. While both of these enhancements have accelerated the digital transformation of business everywhere, the cybersecurity threat landscape has also expanded making each additional network connection point a possible vulnerability. Joining me to discuss both sides of the digital transformation coin are two of the most insightful and clairvoyant technology experts I know. First, we have the c o for tomorrow’s tech today and senior policy advisor to the Global Foundation for Cyber studies and research. Ms. Sally Eves and wither a Tom man of action and dubbed a futurist by I b m, an international speaker on digital transformation and marketing strategy to the Fortune 500. Mr. Glen D. Gilmore. I am also proud to have worked with them both for many years. Thank you both for joining me today. Thank

Sally Eaves (02:20):

You, Kevin. Brilliant to be here. Absolutely.

Kevin L. Jackson (02:23):

Wow. So, uh, to kick things off, Sally, please tell us a little more about you and your work. Uh, yeah, I understand you’re in London today and what a little surprise.

Sally Eaves (02:38):

Yeah, abs absolutely. The weather has changed, you know, what UK and Britain is with weather. We’ve gone from a lot of sun to a lot of snow at the moment. So yeah, very atmospheric <laugh>

Kevin L. Jackson (02:47):

Snow in London. Woo.

Sally Eaves (02:49):

I know, I know you heard it here first. Absolutely. <laugh> Brilliant stuff and great quest. Lovely introduction as well. Been so looking forward to this today in great, great company. Um, in terms of some, some highlights about the things I’m doing at the moment mm-hmm. And kind of where I come from, kinda three pillars. I like talking in three pillars. So one emergent technology. So I come from a C T O background now do a lot of advisory kind of right across the tech estate. So from AI and securities to, to 5G and sustainability and tech, all those different areas together. Um, but also do a lot around education and uplift. So I run a non-for-profit called Aspirational Futures, kind of breaking down those barriers to access and using data and technology as a force of a good. Um, and I also do a lot of the, or authorship around kind of tech for good subjects, but also tech innovation, the digital transformation you mentioned, you know, start the show Yeah. And how you embed things like sustainability, security, and inclusion by design. So I’m, I’m sure we’ll dive into more, but as a start of a 10, that’s a little bit more about me.

Kevin L. Jackson (03:45):

Oh, no, that that is great. Thanks Sally. And now I’d like to have Glen introduce self. You, you both see the world as your playground. What, what have you been up to recently, Glen?

Glen Gilmore (03:57):

Oh, most recently, I, I actually had a chance to, uh, uh, go to, uh, Cairo, Egypt and then, uh, later to, uh, Istanbul and talk about technology and learn about technology. But actually one of the most exciting things I, I, uh, did very recently, uh, right around Thanksgiving was to, uh, go out to Texas a and m and see what, uh, at and t is doing by way of, uh, using 5G in an academic setting, but an academic setting where the real focus is how do you make that 5G technology something that, that industries can tap into businesses that can tap into. And it was just fascinating to, to see what, what, uh, what’s being, uh, done out there. And, and like, uh, Sally Sinai share a a lot in common in that our emphasis really is about technology for good. Uh, how do we, uh, make, uh, technology, uh, people-centric, uh, so that, uh, we see greater cybersecurity to allow people to trust in technology so that we can really leverage technology for public good.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:59):

You know, I really liked the way you said that. Make technology people-centric. You can’t really forget the humans when we talk about tech. Can we <laugh>? So Sally, as you look back at 2022, what moments are trends stand out to you?

Sally Eaves (05:19):

What’s a great question? I think it’s almost a pick a mix of different types of answers to this as well. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, so one on a personal moment, kind of referring to what Glen mentioned there as well, about kind of moments that mattered along the way. A getting back together more in person, you know, the event side of things. And one absolute highlight for me was at and t and Disney and being in the parks and seeing the connected experience for users. And there was so much focus on accessibility, really opening up access and making everything part of the experience, you know, from the Q system even right, to the fact you got to his particular exhibit mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it was absolutely incredible. It’s a really very much connected technology to the fore, but focusing in on that experience and just everything about it with all the kids there, et cetera as well, it was just joyful.

Sally Eaves (05:58):

So everything about that moment and just being back in person, so much more of keynotes, et cetera, is just a real joy. So the power of tech and community is definitely something that’s right up there for me. So that’s kind of like a personal sort of milestone moment that that’s really meant a lot. Um, then kind of referring to what we’ve talked about quite already, which is brilliant, it’s come to the thought. Yeah. But purpose, purpose, human centered leadership being center stage, you know, when it comes to things like sustainability and other SD G impacts, they’re not something that’s on the periphery anymore. They’re really being, you know, center stage and people are demanding more. You know, consumers are incredibly more conscious, so are stakeholder partners. So it’s that move from transparency to commitment to accountability. So I’m great and great progress there, which is great to see.

Sally Eaves (06:37):

I think beyond that tech convergence, you know, we don’t talk about things like AI over here, or 5G or iot, ot, or security. It’s all about these things coming together and how they work and support one another. And supported by things like smart education too. Helping people learn more smartly by understanding their learning styles, giving them support on that. AI is having great impacts in that particular area. And I think just the skills resonance, you know, helping people to upskill and reskill in their own roles or for new roles and at all different ages too. I think it’s a new resonance around this, you know, hybrid learning for life and that holistic skills, attention, so things around technology disciplines, but how you learn, you know, and things like emotional intelligence and empathy being at the four too. Um, beyond that security being center stage, the heightening focus on that.

Sally Eaves (07:21):

And again, looking at it more holistically. So tech support, but also focus on things like culture and shared responsibility skills, uplift the right process, the right change management, bringing all those different areas together. And I, I wanna be careful on time, but, um, collaboration. No, go ahead. More organizations working together. That I think has been the biggest thing, the biggest learning point from the pandemic. You know, we can go further faster, and we’re seeing organizations say, you know, they might, might have competed in the past, they’re coming together mm-hmm. <affirmative> for social challenges, which is fantastic to see. So I love that. And then other things I think consumers are looking at differently is, is experience and cx, you know, I think it’s starting to eclipse, you know, products and services as, you know, one of the top three, um, type of, type of consideration now alongside the purpose I mentioned just now.

Sally Eaves (08:04):

And I think another one, you know, metaverse, and I know, and go, Glen, I kinda give you a segue in on this particular subject. I’m setting you up for this one. Um, but the actualization of Metaverse, we’re seeing a lot of steps forward here, and I think particularly like in private settings within organizations, kind of taking collaboration towards to the next level with that extra level of immersion. So we are starting to get to true action now around Metaverse. So I’m excited to see where that develops. And at that point, I might just kind of segue over to over to Kevin Flynn, <laugh>, <laugh>.

Kevin L. Jackson (08:33):

I’ll tell you one, one of the things you really are highlighting is the, uh, uh, I guess busting of the si silos between tech and culture, between different types of technology. They’re all sort of blending together. So, so Glen, do Sally’s reflections resonate with you? A Absolutely, yeah.

Glen Gilmore (08:55):

Sally’s done a beautiful job, as she generally does, of really giving a broad spectrum of, of what’s happening in terms of technology mm-hmm. <affirmative> in the technology space. And really, I, when I look at it, uh, I think of, you know, 5G as being kind of the empowerment, uh, that that’s allowing us to, to have new possibilities and, and, uh, and new innovations. And I think, uh, I, uh, ally’s absolutely unmarked when she talks about, one of the biggest things that we’ve seen this past year is really that this coming together in terms of new collaborations, we need new collaborations in cybersecurity because Kevin, as you’ve pointed out, w with new things being pushed to the edge and the new technologies coming, and we’re seeing new surfaces that, that are now, uh, becoming the basis for cyber attacks. And so we need collaboration to, uh, help us find ways to make the internet, uh, more secure. And certainly what we saw telemedicine lead the way in creating new possibilities for how we can tap into, uh, digital transformation to, uh, make things far more efficient, far more accessible, even more, uh, affordable. And that’s something that, that as we look to the future, I think is, is going to to be a top priority for, uh, business and for people, which is how do we continue that, that theme of new collaborations, new innovations, and new cybersecurity mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that makes sure that, that, uh, we do it with trust.

Kevin L. Jackson (10:22):

Well, you know, one of the things I, I think, uh, individuals have to take more responsibility for their personal cybersecurity Sure. As we use more and more technology, and it’s really, uh, an integral part of society in our, our everyday lives. But, but getting back to some of the things that you, you said, uh, on that, Glen, what, what industries or or sectors do, do you think will see the greatest continue impact from 5G and or, uh, fiber connectivity in in 2023?

Glen Gilmore (11:01):

That, that’s a tough question, Kevin. B, because I, I think we’re gonna see virtually every, uh, industry, uh, come to the realization that that, uh, at and t has brought us a nationwide, uh, 5G network. The infrastructure is there, and now they can tap mm-hmm. <affirmative> into that. Uh, certainly healthcare is going to continue to be a leader in innovation, because it has to be, it has to, uh, leverage in tech’s. Its, uh, technology. And 5G is the perfect way to, uh, give that real-time data that, that, uh, brings, uh, patients and doctors, uh, together to, uh, to have, uh, data when it’s needed, where it’s needed. In manufacturing, we’re seeing a, a greater need for automation tapping into artificial intelligence, uh, to make sure that that, uh, uh, manufacturing can meet the demands, uh, the high demands, uh, with a, a workforce that, that, uh, that needs a additional assistance.

Glen Gilmore (11:56):

And again, with a focus on, uh, people centricity, meaning that, that the workforce mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, can have, uh, connectivity that, that watches them, whether they’re, uh, on a factory floor and making sure that that automated equipment is at a safe distance and moving, uh, at speeds that, that are efficient. And yet, uh, compatible with, uh, workers who, who may be nearby, uh, supply chain. Uh, we’ve seen a, a real crisis in, in the supply chain. And every industry, uh, wants to see the, uh, greater efficiencies so that, uh, they can have greater reliability so that their customers can get the goods, uh, and have their expectations met and, and exceeded. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And if we look, as we look in the year ahead, this is a year in which I think travel will, will once again get back to the pace that, that it had been prior to covid. And that means, uh, again, consumers want a more touchless digital experience, seamless experience, that, that lets them, uh, track what’s happening with, with their flights, track what’s happening with, uh, their luggage. And it’s all about digital transformation. It’s all about computing on the edge, and it’s all about cybersecurity as well.

Kevin L. Jackson (13:08):

Yeah. I’ll tell you, the hospitality industry really, uh, took it bad over, uh, sure. Over covid, and they’re, they’re, they’re trying to come back. But you also mentioned education and healthcare and, and manufacturing, so, so, Sally, do you agree with that from a European point of view?

Sally Eaves (13:28):

Yeah. G great points then and themes that are occurring as well around, for example, personalization, uh, and experiences at all levels, including healthcare. I think that’s a really huge one. And kind of that rise of personalized precision medicine. Totally agree about manufacturing as well, particularly in areas like digital twinning and again, like metaverse or omniverse, and again, examples of collaborations using this technology. So the likes of, of Siemens and Nvidia being a couple that spring to mind on that particular vertical. So definitely those areas, education, big passion of mine, I think 5G and, and related, um, opportunities are allowing that deeper level of immersion and these levels of experiences that can take you back, you know, to a moment in time in history. And e equally for things like empathy, training, you know, the internet senses, if you will, helping you to almost like, walk in someone else’s shoes or experience what they’re experiencing, I think is really, really impactful for, for d EI into the future too.

Sally Eaves (14:17):

That one thing that hasn’t come up is mobile gaming. I think there, I think we’re gonna have, again, a, a bigger increase. I think it’s about 2 billion, um, mobile gamers are expected in around two years from now. I think it was statistical about that particular research. So we’re seeing a lot of developments there. And again, a lot of partnerships actually between colleges, universities, and businesses tapping into these as an innovation opportunity and even like catalyzing degrees and things. So with the increasing, um, advance of 5G and fiber, et cetera, it’s gonna really enable that to go, to go to the next level and with the quality and the friction free, you know, performance and low latency that we need. And then maybe finally, kind of from a channel perspective as well, again, we’ve got new streams of revenue that are coming to the fore. Um, one example might be things like ar mapping, um, and again, coverage in rural areas.

Sally Eaves (15:00):

So improving accessibility there and just really opening up, I think, use cases yet to be invented, actually, as well as the verticals we’ve already mentioned. So really exciting times. And again, I think it’s also an example of the right context and the right convergence of different technologies coming together. You know, for example, certain technologies we talk about today have actually been around a long time. So the lakes likes of VR, for example, or ai, but it’s all these other parts coming together, you know, the power of the ecosystem, the computing power, the storage, et cetera. We’re now a real moment in time where we can really seek, reap the benefits of this. And 5G is kind of the hub of the wheel as kind of came up earlier when we were talking with Glen. It’s, it really is, um, yeah, the catalyst for so much innovation, for business, for society, and both for shared values. That’s what really excites me.

Kevin L. Jackson (15:43):

Well, when you, when you talk about the, the value of 5g, one of the biggest challenges has been people are really understanding how it affects business. I mean, having the communication service providers really understand how developers need to take networks into account when they are developing their applications and how they drive new business models and new ways of interaction. You talked a bit about empathy training. That’s, that’s something that’s really out of outta the left field, but something that’s really, really important in a diverse world. So, uh, you, you, me, you talked a lot about how 5G and these, um, advanced networking technologies will affect business. But how will the organizations modernize their networks in, in 2023, Sally, uh, in order to take advantage of all of this?

Sally Eaves (16:50):

Yeah, there’s lots of different ways of looking at this. And, and one, it hasn’t come up so much so far. I think this could be a lovely moment to mention it. It’s focus on sustainability of networks. I think people are expecting this. It’s something I’m seeing in lots of service provider conversations at the moment. There’s a round table earlier this week, it was kind of looking into what people want and a need and being asked for from their ecosystem partners. And it was right up there. There’s also some related research, actually I think called, um, breaking the curve. Um, so that was Ericsson, so mostly from amere perspective, but I think there’s North America data in there too. And it was really drilling into the fact that, you know, mobile networks represent, I think it’s about North 0.2%, um, of global carbon emissions today. And it’s around north 0.6 when it comes to energy.

Sally Eaves (17:29):

But equally, yeah, we really focus in on improving the sustainability of networks. We can do that in a few different ways. We can have a massive catalyst for impact. Cause we’ve just seen so far today, you know, 5G connectivity, network connectivity is the hub of the wheel for innovation in all areas. So it’s so important and can make a kind of contagion of impact. Got a ripple effect, um, by getting this right. So I think we need to look more, and I’m sure this is gonna be a big focus for 2023. It’s on energy resilience and robustness in the network. So looking at energy, energy efficient solutions that can, can turn things off when they’re not being used as one very simple example, <laugh>. But you can do that on a typical site. You know, you can look at the radio, um, designs, et cetera, use different materials, make them lighter, make them more recyclable, um, but also transition more to using, um, alternative energy sources within this as well.

Sally Eaves (18:13):

So we could look at it from an equipment level, from a site level, um, and obviously more broadly as I, as I spoke about earlier too. So definitely energy, robustness and resilience in the network and demonstrating that improvement in that area will be amazing. Not just for service providers, but for all the ecosystem around this. Um, security has come up a lot today. So increased investment in this, and not just from a technology perspective. So I think more things around XDR will be really important. But again, around the skills training to support people of all levels and roles in the organization to have kind of have that shared responsibility ethos around security. You know, it’s not, most roles obviously do involve tech and data, but to different degrees. But I think everybody should have that opportunity to learn and understand and fill equipped, kind of, you know, highlight things out and stand up someone, is that right?

Sally Eaves (18:57):

You know, people need to have that confidence. And that comes from having the right skills based to work from, um, I think other things, increasing rise of cloud native technology within networks too mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but also bringing in the open ecosystem. So getting more developers involved in co-creating solutions with, you know, software development toolkits, for example. We’re seeing a lot of growth in that particular area. And I think that will only continue cuz again, I think the collaboration around development is a really exciting area. So definitely how we do more outreach there and give the right tools and techniques to get more involved from a developer angle too. I think it’s really exciting.

Kevin L. Jackson (19:29):

Well, you say a lot about sustainability and, and energy and collaboration. I mean, just, just yesterday I guess it was, we had ignition, uh, in, in North America with respect to fusion. So, uh, it’s it’s really going to be only 30 years away from now, <laugh>. But, um, is, is that how you see things Glen?

Glen Gilmore (19:49):

I I, I, I really do. I I think, uh, sustainability is on the minds of, of everyone. And, uh, I like the fact that, uh, Sally has brought it up as she and I share this passion for, uh, sustainability in technology. And people overlook the role that, that 5G can play in bringing far greater, uh, sustainability. And Sally did a nice job of, of highlighting some of those areas. When we talk about smart building, smart cities, what we’re really talking about is realtime data that gives us the opportunity to find out where we can, uh, put into place new efficiencies where we’re having, right, uh, what’s called energy leakage, uh, so that as we look at a system, whether it’s a telecommunication system, whether it’s a, uh, uh, factory, we can look and, and see ways in which we can improve, uh, efficiencies so that we have, uh, a more robust use of, of energy without the waste that, that, uh, otherwise, uh, comes when we don’t have that data to let us know what, what’s what’s really, uh, uh, happening.

Glen Gilmore (20:52):

Hmm. Uh, certainly as I, as I mentioned early on, uh, there is a far greater need for us to, uh, collaborate in the space of, uh, cybersecurity. And as we look to the year and years ahead, I think that that is going to have to be, uh, the foundational question, uh, that we all ask is how are we collaborating in the area of, um, cybersecurity as, uh, ransomware and cyber attacks become far more frequent, far more sophisticated, and so on, uh, the side of, of collaboration, there needs to be much more, uh, of a focus on that, uh, uh, so that we can again, uh, have those efficiencies without, uh, having the risk even as we’re, uh, moving, uh, uh, computing to the edge.

Kevin L. Jackson (21:37):

Well, you, uh, mentioned data quite a few times, uh, uh, there, um, i is that important as we move forward? And in fact, Lynn, what, what technology trends do you think will be most heavily adopted, uh, by organizations in, in 2023? Is, is, is data one of them?

Glen Gilmore (21:58):

Uh, data certainly, uh, drives all, all the efficiencies. And, and 5G gives us that real-time data, uh, knowledge to mm-hmm. <affirmative> help us have a predictive maintenance before a piece of equipment, uh, has a failure, uh, with real-time information and artificial intelligence, uh, we can assess that there may be a problem rising, uh, correct that problem so that customers don’t, uh, uh, have any, have any, uh, uh, pain from it. Uh, I think we’re gonna see in the academic front and as well as in enterprise, uh, augmented reality become far more commonplace by way of collaboration, so that in healthcare, it doesn’t matter where in the world you are, you can have the best physicians at your side collaborating with, with your physicians, uh, to make sure that, that an operation or an assessment is being done as, as efficiently as it should on the, uh, work floor or at a remote, uh, work site in, in, uh, uh, construction perhaps, uh, to again, right, be able to bring in a, a, an expert, uh, even if they’re far, uh, far away. Uh, so when we hear about the metaverse, w would certainly is an exciting theme. I think we’re also gonna see a lot more happening, uh, with augmented reality, that overlay of information to, uh, uh, bring more, more collaborations. But certainly I also think, uh, uh, Gartner isn’t far off what it says in the near future. Uh, we can expect to be spending about an hour in the metaverse, uh, that’ll happen as technology improve.

Kevin L. Jackson (23:31):

Wow. That sounds, uh, uh, exciting. And, um, you, you talked a bit about data and, um, and it sort of hark, harks back to what Sally mentioned earlier about digital twins. And I know data’s critical in, in digital twins. So, Sally, what, what’s your response to the question? What technology trends do you think will be most heavily adopted by organizations? You, you both mentioned telehealth, so will we have, you know, digital twins of our bodies that will help us get better quicker? <laugh>

Sally Eaves (24:09):

<laugh>, I’ll tell you what, though, there’s some really interesting research on actually how we can use our bodies and other surfaces that are already existing to be a catalyst for new energy sources. So, funnily enough, I think we’re gonna see some interesting connectivity from skin, um, really into the four. So maybe not in 2023, but going ahead a bit. We are going down that route. So not just the internet of senses, but kind of our audio of senses as well. So yeah, that, that could be an interesting one. Definitely. Um, but to totally echoed that, the comments Glen made, I, that was a really, really good overview of some of the areas there. I think beyond those ones that have already been covered, I think rise of things like industry specific clouds, I think that’s gonna become more and more important over the coming year as well. And also going back to that experience, um, theme that’s come across a lot today, going beyond personalization to hyper-personalization. And again, that’s catalyzed by convergence, particularly around AI machine learning, but I think that’s gonna become home more as standard rather than something that’s more unusual at the moment. So definitely acceleration around those areas. And then finally, kind of going back to that convergence theme, and I, I might make up a word here, so apologies for the, for, for me doing so, but Oh, ok. I’m call it like sensitation. So

Kevin L. Jackson (25:15):

Again, it’s, oh, wow. That sounds great.

Sally Eaves (25:18):

I gonna, I have to kind of like,

Kevin L. Jackson (25:20):

You’re gonna coin that. You gotta patent what copyright it.

Sally Eaves (25:24):

Absolutely. Absolutely. You heard it here first or on, on the show. Absolutely. <laugh>.

Kevin L. Jackson (25:28):

Um,

Sally Eaves (25:28):

But, um, but yeah, I think it really is. So going back to sustainability, thematic again with 5G is this kind of hub of the wheel, and I go back to expression, I think it really does kind of give us that metaphor and all the spokes of impact that comes off of that. And I think with sustainability, not just having the connectivity, but this active realtime intelligence of the data that you were talking about just now, embedded sensor technology and then the AI and automation, et cetera, to mine this efficiently, I think that’s gonna be incredible for smart technology and smart data management of buildings, as we’ve mentioned there by Glen at schools and other different, um, factories, environments as well. But to automatically help you make the right decisions to, to reduce consumption when you don’t need to it to monitor when people go out of a room, so you turn the lights off automatically and turn the heating off, et cetera.

Sally Eaves (26:10):

Yeah. Also to automatically do things around air purification from a safety point of view, et cetera as well. So this sensitation, I think is where we are heading, um, in so many different areas, not just sustainability and energy, but, you know, co you know, cost effective management of building safety, all sorts of different things. But definitely it’s kind of what we’ve seen so far, but we’re going more granular to the next level. And just one quick thing as well about data, that one other area we’re gonna see more attention to is data waste as an opportunity. So something I’ve done, um, with my nonprofit is in an open, secure data sharing way, you know, at the moment, 90% of data we archive, we don’t touch it after three months. And if you think of how much more data we’re gonna have with all this convergence we’re talking about today, yet we’ve got big talent gaps in technology, and we’ve got big problems about, you know, how can we get more people access to training, bring down those barriers, bring out the, the, the cost restraints, but also the access to good data to work and train on this can be an amazing opportunity to do that.

Sally Eaves (27:05):

So there’s a lot of work happening in that area, and I’d love to, you know, share more about that maybe on another day. But that excites me too. Again, challenge to opportunity. It’s a, it’s an important narrative, I think.

Kevin L. Jackson (27:15):

Well, we’re gonna have to bring you back to talk about how all these sensors are creating all this, this data and, uh, ambient computing is here. Yes. Right. Absolutely. And, uh, absolutely. We live in a sphere of computers, so, so Sally, as we we enter this new year, what is the most important thing for organizations to keep in mind from a connectivity and communications standpoint? How, how is all of this coming together to support specific business goals?

Sally Eaves (27:49):

Yeah, I, I think it really reflects our conversation today. You know, all the holistic considerations that need to come together to make things work in the most optimized way to, to negate the risk and to kind of capitalize on the opportunities. Um, and for me, I’m, I’m gonna go for a lot of s’s are ringing around my head at the moment, <laugh>, um, I’m gonna put them together and I think it might be a way to bring it together. So we’ve got security. Okay. In particular though, I would say age security. And, and again, there was some great research from at and t very recently looking at that. And it’s very clear that it’s coming across, um, for CIOs, et cetera. But just leadership more broadly. It’s a big, big, um, opportunity area to improve on. There’s some concerns about vulnerabilities there. Um, so again, as a focus area, all the benefits of Edge mm-hmm. <affirmative>,

Sally Eaves (28:30):

But just ensuring we, we negate the risk as well. So focus on edge security I think is really huge, but security more general. So that’s our first guess. Um, scalability, particularly around solutions that impact society. Sometimes it could be difficult to get the scale on, sustain on those types of impacts. And a lot of the times that’s down to measurement. So bringing in smart measurement the same way we do with lots of other KPIs with business, better ones around social impact. And there’s a new index, um, that I’ve been involved in that comes out next year, that kind of helps that too. So that’s the scalability for another s sustainability kind of, I’ve kind of said that already. So that’s a third one. Fourth would be skills. And as I mentioned earlier, in its broader sense, so think if it may be going beyond STEM to steam so that we have an equal focus on technology disciplines, as we do for things around the arts in its broader sense.

Sally Eaves (29:16):

So helping people to express communication skills, empathy, as we spoke about earlier, um, eq et cetera. So skills is right up there. And also within that, things like data literacy and financial literacy as well, including in non-tech facing roles. Fifth one, I’m, I’m gonna go, I’m being a bit, I’m creative with an S here, but sensemaking, <laugh>. Um, so I’m going, I’m going a bit down tangent, but sensemaking, I’m gonna say, and that’s the power of the narrative, particularly around 5g. So some research that came out a few months ago this year, um, from Salesforce, it was looking at the communications sector, and as part of that, it was saying, consumers want 5g when they really understand all the use case benefits and all the advantage it’s offered. And not only that, they’re happy to prepare, well, I don’t say happy, but prepared to promote, spend more to get those opportunities as well. But there was like a, an an awareness gap between the

Kevin L. Jackson (30:03):

Benefits well, maybe, uh,

Sally Eaves (30:04):

Delivered. Yeah.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:04):

So I think maybe as you’re looking for a story, you gotta know the story. Absolutely.

Sally Eaves (30:09):

Yeah, absolutely. The story and being able to understand it, you know, cause some of the examples that want to make it relatable to their particular sense, uh, particular context. So it’s a story. And then the sense making to make it relatable to your organization, whatever size you are, whatever context, this is what it can offer you. So all of those elements, we get an extra, I think, story and sense making. Kevin, I like

Kevin L. Jackson (30:29):

That. <laugh>. Um,

Sally Eaves (30:30):

And then I’ll just throw in one more simplicity. Uhhuh <affirmative>, I think pretty much, I’m sure you’ve heard this Glen and, and Kerry in yourselves, but in so many conversations, this desire to reduce complexity is everywhere. And alongside things like better integration and visibility as well, that kind of 360 view. So simplicity, everybody needs a little bit more than that. Including, including people, you know, on the frontline, middle middle managers and operators who are feeling increasingly squeezed as well. How can we get things easier for people? Um, and skills is important to that, but also reducing sprawls important too. And that can be cloud sprawl, it could be a different tool or technique, it could be a vendor. Um, but get, make things easier for people and have that right trusted partnership to support you,

Kevin L. Jackson (31:10):

<laugh>. So ladies and gentlemen, today’s show has been brought to you by the letter s <laugh>. So Glen, your response, what s do you have to pull out <laugh>

Glen Gilmore (31:24):

Success, uh, success, that, that, wow,

Kevin L. Jackson (31:27):

That’s a big one.

Glen Gilmore (31:28):

<laugh>. That, that the ecosystem, uh, of 5G can, can bring to us. And, and Sally once again did a beautiful job of giving this broad, uh, spectrum on so many different areas. Uh, as we look to, to the year ahead, uh, business enterprise really needs to, uh, tap into the innovation that, that, uh, 5G can, can allow us, and that, that requires, uh, collaborations and new thinking mm-hmm. <affirmative> so that we, we focus on that people centricity. Uh, how do we make that customer experience more seamless? Uh, how can we be more creative when people need to have new training? Uh, what we’ve seen, for example, uh, Purdue University, uh, doing a lot with, uh, helping, uh, those in healthcare, uh, tap into the power of virtual reality to have, uh, mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, training that that is far more immersive, far more effective, and that will become far more commonplace, uh, technology, uh, today, uh, because of the real time, uh, ability that 5G gives us, and the reliability that, that 5g, uh, gives us, uh, is going to open so many new doors. And what it requires is that, uh, enterprise really focus on, on new use cases. Uh, I, I think that consumers have been a little dis disappointed because enterprise really hasn’t, uh, uh, taken the lead where it should in bringing those new, uh, use cases to life. I think that though, that, that, uh, the priority and emphasis is there for enterprise, and I think we’re gonna see very exciting times, uh, ahead of the year ahead.

Kevin L. Jackson (33:06):

Wow. So, so as we come to the end of the show, Glen, what gets you excited about business connectivity and the evolution of technology in 2023? Is this convergence, uh, part of it,

Glen Gilmore (33:21):

It, it certainly is. What, what gets me excited as I look to, to, uh, uh, 2023 is that, uh, we have a 5G infrastructure that gives us mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, realtime data exchange that will, uh, be able to allow us to collaborate in new ways, whether it’s in healthcare, uh, with remote patient monitoring, with the collaborations between, uh, doctors so that, uh, rural health becomes as top-notch as health in, in any major city. Uh, that, uh, the supply chain, which has really gone through a, a crisis in this past year can move forward. Yeah, with a lot more, uh, efficiencies and that emphasis on, uh, sustainability, that, that, uh, uh, 5g, uh, data, um, information can, can bring us, uh, can help us, uh, uh, meet what’s also an energy crisis. So I think, uh, successes, as I said, really becomes a theme of the year ahead, uh, as you look for new innovation, uh, brought to us by that 5g, uh, ecosystem and, uh, uh, fiber as well.

Kevin L. Jackson (34:30):

All right. That’s, that’s huge. So, so Sally, what drives your adrenaline? I mean, you’re bringing it today,

Sally Eaves (34:36):

<laugh>, <laugh>. Oh, thank you. Lovely overview. Bye by Glen there as well. I, I couldn’t agree more about this platform, um, that 5G is bringing and like next year is that enterprise grade level, and it is for businesses of all sizes as well. I think it’s a really important narrative, that one. So totally echo those I’ve already kind of messaged, I think we got to eight S’S just now, didn’t we? So all of those are very much what I’m excited about for next year, but maybe if we try and kind of pull those together for me, it’s something I’ve cared about for so long, it feels like it’s a dawn of actualization around it. So it is about the rise of purpose-driven business. You know, I, I’ve said for it for a long time that, you know, we don’t have to have this juxtaposition with, you know, big enterprise or for profit over here and say, social enterprise and charity over there.

Sally Eaves (35:17):

It doesn’t need to be that way. We can bring these aims and aspirations together. You can do well by doing good and you can create shared value business models that I think is gonna be the biggest driver for competitive advantages. You’re particularly going beyond 2023 actually. And I’m excited that this is now something that’s becoming truly embedded by design, you know, right from the start of conceiving products and services. Now, now. So for me, that to me for 2023, it’s the rise of, of scale, of purpose-driven business that’s truly transparent, committed, and accountable. And again, connectivity and collaboration ecosystem around this too. It’s absolutely the pathway forward. So I’m really excited about where this convergence is leading us.

Kevin L. Jackson (35:53):

Wow. Awesome. Awesome. Thank, thank you both for, for sharing that tremendous insight. Uh, unfortunately that brings us to the end of the at and t Business Biz Talk on exciting tech trends for 2023. This was such a high note for ending this year’s Biz Talk series. As we enter the holiday season, I would like to wish everyone a safe and prosperous and transformational new year. We’ll see you in 2023 on at and t Business Biz Off.

Intro/Outro (36:33):

Thank you for supporting Digital Transformers and for being a part of our global supply chain now community. Please check out all of our programming@supplychainnow.com. Make sure you subscribe to Digital Transformers anywhere you listen to or view the show, and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on Digital Transformers.

Would you rather watch the show in action?

Featured Guests

Sally Eaves, A member of the Forbes Technology Council, Sally is an award-winning international keynote speaker, author, and influencer with globally leading rankings across all advanced technology disciplines, digital transformation, future of work, and social innovation aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. She has recently been ranked 8th in the World in Blockchain impact and is continually ranked in the top 10 for digital disruption and across frontier technology subjects by leading bodies such as Onalytica. Connect with Sally on LinkedIn.

Glen Gilmore called a “man of action” by TIME magazine, and a “futurist” by IBM, Glen Gilmore, is an author, a founding faculty member at the Rutgers University School of Business Executive Programs, an attorney and former mayor. He works with members of the Fortune 500 in Technology and Digital Transformation. Connect with Glen on LinkedIn.

Hosts

Kevin L. Jackson

Host, Digital Transformers

You May Also Like

Click to view other episodes in this program

Additional Links & Resources

Learn more about Digital Transformers

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now and all other Supply Chain Now programs

Check Out Our Sponsors

Kristi Porter

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Kristi Porter is VP of Sales and Marketing at Vector Global Logistics, a company that is changing the world through supply chain. In her role, she oversees all marketing efforts and supports the sales team in doing what they do best. In addition to this role, she is the Chief Do-Gooder at Signify, which assists nonprofits and social impact companies through copywriting and marketing strategy consulting. She has almost 20 years of professional experience, and loves every opportunity to help people do more good.

Connect on :

Kim Reuter

Host

From humble beginnings working the import docks, representing Fortune 500 giants, Ford, Michelin Tire, and Black & Decker; to Amazon technology patent holder and Nordstrom Change Leader, Kimberly Reuter has designed, implemented, and optimized best-in-class, highly scalable global logistics and retail operations all over the world. Kimberly’s ability to set strategic vision supported by bomb-proof processes, built on decades of hands-on experience, has elevated her to legendary status. Sought after by her peers and executives for her intellectual capital and keen insights, Kimberly is a thought leader in the retail logistics industry.

Connect on :

Sofia Rivas Herrera

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

Sofia Rivas Herrera is a Mexican Industrial Engineer from Tecnologico de Monterrey class 2019. Upon graduation, she earned a scholarship to study MIT’s Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and graduated as one of the Top 3 performers of her class in 2020. She also has a multicultural background due to her international academic experiences at Singapore Management University and Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg. Sofia self-identifies as a Supply Chain enthusiast & ambassador sharing her passion for the field in her daily life.

Connect on :

Demo Perez

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

Demo Perez started his career in 1997 in the industry by chance when a relative asked him for help for two just weeks putting together an operation for FedEx Express at the Colon Free Zone, an area where he was never been but accepted the challenge. Worked in all roles possible from a truck driver to currier to a sales representative, helped the brand introduction, market share growth and recognition in the Colon Free Zone, at the end of 1999 had the chance to meet and have a chat with Fred Smith ( FedEx CEO), joined another company in 2018 who took over the FedEx operations as Operations and sales manager, in 2004 accepted the challenge from his company to leave the FedEx operations and business to take over the operation and business of DHL Express, his major competitor and rival so couldn’t say no, by changing completely its operation model in the Free Zone. In 2005 started his first entrepreneurial journey by quitting his job and joining two friends to start a Freight Forwarding company. After 8 months was recruited back by his company LSP with the General Manager role with the challenge of growing the company and make it fully capable warehousing 3PL. By 2009 joined CSCMP and WERC and started his journey of learning and growing his international network and high-level learning. In 2012 for the first time joined a local association ( the Panama Maritime Chamber) and worked in the country’s first Logistics Strategy plan, joined and lead other associations ending as president of the Panama Logistics Council in 2017. By finishing his professional mission at LSP with a company that was 8 times the size it was when accepted the role as GM with so many jobs generated and several young professionals coached, having great financial results, took the decision to move forward and start his own business from scratch by the end of 2019. with a friend and colleague co-founded IPL Group a company that started as a boutique 3PL and now is gearing up for the post-Covid era by moving to the big leagues.

Connect on :

Kim Winter

Host, Supply Chain Now

The founder of Logistics Executive Group, Kim Winter delivers 40 years of executive leadership experience spanning Executive Search & Recruitment, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Corporate Advisory, Motivational Speaking, Trade Facilitation and across the Supply Chain, Logistics, 3PL, E-commerce, Life Science, Cold Chain, FMCG, Retail, Maritime, Defence, Aviation, Resources, and Industrial sectors. Operating from the company’s global offices, he is a regular contributor of thought leadership to industry and media, is a professional Master of Ceremonies, and is frequently invited to chair international events.

He is a Board member of over a dozen companies throughout APAC, India, and the Middle East, a New Zealand citizen, he holds formal resident status in Australia and the UAE, and is the Australia & New Zealand representative for the UAE Government-owned Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the Middle East’s largest Economic Free Zone.

A triathlete and ex-professional rugby player, Kim is a qualified (IECL Sydney) executive coach and the Founder / Chairman of the successful not for profit humanitarian organization, Oasis Africa (www. oasisafrica.org.au), which has provided freedom from poverty through education to over 8000 mainly orphaned children in East Africa’s slums. Kim holds an MBA and BA from Massey & Victoria Universities (NZ).

Connect on :

Adrian Purtill

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Adrian Purtill serves as Business Development Manager at Vector Global Logistics, where he consults with importers and exporters in various industries to match their specific shipping requirements with the most effective supply chain solutions. Vector Global Logistics is an asset-free, multi-modal logistics company that provides exceptional sea freight, air freight, truck, rail, general logistic services and consulting for our clients. Our highly trained and professional team is committed to providing creative and effective solutions, always exceeding our customer’s expectations and fostering long-term relationships. With more than 20+ years of experience in both strategy consulting and logistics, Vector Global Logistics is your best choice to proactively minimize costs while having an exceptional service level.

Connect on :

Kevin Brown

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Kevin Brown is the Director of Business Development for Vector Global Logistics.  He has a dedicated interest in Major Account Management, Enterprise Sales, and Corporate Leadership. He offers 25 years of exceptional experience and superior performance in the sales of Logistics, Supply Chain, and Transportation Management. Kevin is a dynamic, high-impact, sales executive and corporate leader who has consistently exceeded corporate goals. He effectively coordinates multiple resources to solution sell large complex opportunities while focusing on corporate level contacts across the enterprise. His specialties include targeting and securing key accounts by analyzing customer’s current business processes and developing solutions to meet their corporate goals. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.

Connect on :

Jose Miguel Irarrazaval

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Jose Manuel Irarrazaval es parte del equipo de Vector Global Logistics Chile. José Manuel es un gerente experimentado con experiencia en finanzas corporativas, fusiones y adquisiciones, financiamiento y reestructuración, inversión directa y financiera, tanto en Chile como en el exterior. José Manuel tiene su MBA de la Universidad de Pennsylvania- The Wharton School. Conéctese con Jose Manuel en LinkedIn.

Connect on :

Nick Roemer

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Nick Roemer has had a very diverse and extensive career within design and sales over the last 15 years stretching from China, Dubai, Germany, Holland, UK, and the USA. In the last 5 years, Nick has developed a hawk's eye for sustainable tech and the human-centric marketing and sales procedures that come with it. With his far-reaching and strong network within the logistics industry, Nick has been able to open new avenues and routes to market within major industries in the USA and the UAE. Nick lives by the ethos, “Give more than you take." His professional mission is to make the logistics industry leaner, cleaner and greener.

Connect on :

Allison Giddens

Host

Allison Krache Giddens has been with Win-Tech, a veteran-owned small business and aerospace precision machine shop, for 15 years, recently buying the company from her mentor and Win-Tech’s Founder, Dennis Winslow. She and her business partner, John Hudson now serve as Co-Presidents, leading the 33-year old company through the pandemic.

She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia, a Masters in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, a Masters in Manufacturing from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Finance from the University of Georgia. She also holds certificates in Google Analytics, event planning, and Cybersecurity Risk Management from Harvard online. Allison founded the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and currently serves as Treasurer. She serves on the Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation Board as its Secretary, the liveSAFE Resources Board of Directors as Resource Development Co-Chair, and on the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association Board as Membership Chair and is also a member of Cobb Executive Women. She is on the Board for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Northwest Area Councils. Allison runs The Dave Krache Foundation, a non-profit that helps pay sports fees for local kids in need.

Connect on :

Billy Taylor

Host

Billy Taylor is a Proven Business Excellence Practitioner and Leadership Guru with over 25 years leading operations for a Fortune 500 company, Goodyear. He is also the CEO of LinkedXL (Excellence), a Business Operating Systems Architecting Firm dedicated to implementing sustainable operating systems that drive sustainable results. Taylor’s achievements in the industry have made him a Next Generational Lean pacesetter with significant contributions.

An American business executive, Taylor has made a name for himself as an innovative and energetic industry professional with an indispensable passion for his craft of operational excellence. His journey started many years ago and has worked with renowned corporations such as The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) leading multi-site operations. With over 3 decades of service leading North America operations, he is experienced in a deeply rooted process driven approach in customer service, process integrity for sustainability.

A disciple of continuous improvement, Taylor’s love for people inspires commitment to helping others achieve their full potential. He is a dynamic speaker and hosts "The Winning Link," a popular podcast centered on business and leadership excellence with the #1 rated Supply Chain Now Network. As a leadership guru, Taylor has earned several invitations to universities, international conferences, global publications, and the U.S. Army to demonstrate how to achieve and sustain effective results through cultural acceptance and employee ownership. Leveraging the wisdom of his business acumen, strong influence as a speaker and podcaster Taylor is set to release "The Winning Link" book under McGraw Hill publishing in 2022. The book is a how-to manual to help readers understand the management of business interactions while teaching them how to Deine, Align, and Execute Winning in Business.

A servant leader, Taylor, was named by The National Diversity Council as one of the Top 100 Diversity Officers in the country in 2021. He features among Oklahoma's Most Admired CEOs and maintains key leadership roles with the Executive Advisory Board for The Shingo Institute "The Nobel Prize of Operations" and The Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME); two world-leading organizations for operational excellence, business development, and cultural learning.  He is also an Independent Director for the M-D Building Products Board, a proud American manufacturer of quality products since 1920.

Connect on :

Tandreia Bellamy

Host

Tandreia Bellamy retired as the Vice President of Industrial Engineering for UPS Supply Chain Solutions which included the Global Logistics, Global Freight Forwarding and UPS Freight business units. She was responsible for operations strategy and planning, asset management, forecasting, and technology tool development to optimize sustainable efficiency while driving world class service.

Tandreia held similar positions at the business unit level for Global Logistics and Global Freight forwarding. As the leader of the Global Logistics engineering function, she directed all industrial engineering activies related to distribution, service parts logistics (post-sales support), and mail innovations (low cost, light weight shipping partnership with the USPS). Between these roles Tandreia helped to establish the Advanced Technology Group which was formed to research and develop cutting edge solutions focused on reducing reliance on manual labor.

Tandreia began her career in 1986 as a part-time hourly manual package handling employee. She spent the great majority of her career in the small package business unit which is responsible for the pick-up, sort, transport and delivery of packages domestically. She held various positions in Industrial Engineering, Marketing, Inside and On-road operations in Central Florida before transferring to Atlanta for a position in Corporate Product Development and Corporate Industrial Engineering. Tandreia later held IE leadership roles in Nebraska, Minnesota and Chicago. In her final role in small package she was an IE VP responsible for all aspects of IE, technology support and quality for the 25 states on the western half of the country.
Tandreia is currently a Director for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Foundation Board and also serves on their Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Previously Tandreia served on the Executive Advisory Board for Virginia Tech’s IE Department and the Association for Supply Chain Management. She served on the Board of Trustees for ChildServ (a Chicago child and family services non-profit) and also served on the Texas A&M and Tuskegee Engineering Advisory Boards. In 2006 she was named Business Advisor of the Year by INROADS, in 2009 she was recognized as a Technology All-Star at the Women of Color in STEM conference and in 2019 she honored as a UCF Distinguished Aluma by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems.

Tandreia holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Systems from UCF. Her greatest accomplishment, however, is being the proud mother of two college students, Ruby (24) and Anthony (22).

Connect on :

Marty Parker

Host

Marty Parker serves as both the CEO & Founder of Adæpt Advising and an award-winning Senior Lecturer (Teaching Professor) in Supply Chain and Operations Management at the University of Georgia. He has 30 years of experience as a COO, CMO, CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), VP of Operations, VP of Marketing and Process Engineer. He founded and leads UGA’s Supply Chain Advisory Board, serves as the Academic Director of UGA’s Leaders Academy, and serves on multiple company advisory boards including the Trucking Profitability Strategies Conference, Zion Solutions Group and Carlton Creative Company.

Marty enjoys helping people and companies be successful. Through UGA, Marty is passionate about his students, helping them network and find internships and jobs. He does this through several hundred one-on-one zoom meetings each year with his students and former students. Through Adæpt Advising, Marty has organized an excellent team of affiliates that he works with to help companies grow and succeed. He does this by helping c-suite executives improve their skills, develop better leaders, engage their workforce, improve processes, and develop strategic plans with detailed action steps and financial targets. Marty believes that excellence in supply chain management comes from the understanding the intersection of leadership, culture, and technology, working across all parts of the organization to meet customer needs, maximize profit and minimize costs.

Connect on :

Laura Lopez

Marketing Coordinator

Laura Lopez serves as our Supply Chain Now Marketing Coordinator. She graduated from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente in Mexico with a degree in marketing. Laura loves everything digital because she sees the potential it holds for companies in the marketing industry. Her passion for creativity and thinking outside the box led her to pursue a career in marketing. With experience in fields like accounting, digital marketing, and restaurants, she clearly enjoys taking on challenges. Laura lives the best of both worlds - you'll either catch her hanging out with her friends soaking up the sun in Mexico or flying out to visit her family in California!

Connect on :

Jake Barr

Host

An acknowledged industry leader, Jake Barr now serves as CEO for BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting, providing support to a cross section of Fortune 500 companies such as Cargill, Caterpillar, Colgate, Dow/Dupont, Firmenich, 3M, Merck, Bayer/Monsanto, Newell Brands, Kimberly Clark, Nestle, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Sanofi, Estee Lauder and Coty among others. He's also devoted time to engagements in public health sector work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At P&G, he managed the breakthrough delivery of an E2E (End to End) Planning Transformation effort, creating control towers which now manage the daily business globally. He is recognized as the architect for P&G’s demand driven supply chain strategy – referenced as a “Consumer Driven Supply Chain” transformation. Jake began his career with P&G in Finance in Risk Analysis and then moved into Operations. He has experience in building supply network capability globally through leadership assignments in Asia, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. He currently serves as a Research Associate for MIT; a member of Supply Chain Industry Advisory Council; Member of Gartner’s Supply Chain Think Tank; Consumer Goods “League of Leaders“; and a recipient of the 2015 - 2021 Supply Chain “Pro’s to Know” Award. He has been recognized as a University of Kentucky Fellow.

Connect on :

Marcia Williams

Host

Marcia Williams, Managing Partner of USM Supply Chain, has 18 years of experience in Supply Chain, with expertise in optimizing Supply Chain-Finance Planning (S&OP/ IBP) at Large Fast-Growing CPGs for greater profitability and improved cash flows. Marcia has helped mid-sized and large companies including Lindt Chocolates, Hershey, and Coty. She holds an MBA from Michigan State University and a degree in Accounting from Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay (South America). Marcia is also a Forbes Council Contributor based out of New York, and author of the book series Supply Chains with Maria in storytelling style. A recent speaker’s engagement is Marcia TEDx Talk: TEDxMSU - How Supply Chain Impacts You: A Transformational Journey.

Connect on :

Luisa Garcia

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Luisa Garcia is a passionate Marketer from Lagos de Moreno based in Aguascalientes. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico. She specializes in brand development at any stage, believing that a brand is more than just a name or image—it’s an unforgettable experience. Her expertise helps brands achieve their dreams and aspirations, making a lasting impact. Currently working at Vector Global Logistics in the Marketing team and as podcast coordinator of Logistics With Purpose®. Luisa believes that purpose-driven decisions will impact results that make a difference in the world.

Connect on :

Astrid Aubert

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Astrid Aubert was born in Guadalajara, she is 39 years old and has had the opportunity to live in many places. She studied communication and her professional career has been in Trade Marketing for global companies such as Pepsico and Mars. She currently works as Marketing Director Mexico for Vector Global Logistics. She is responsible for internal communications and marketing strategy development for the logistics industry. She is a mother of two girls, married and lives in Monterrey. She defines herself as a creative and innovative person, and enjoys traveling and cooking a lot.

Connect on :

Sofia Rivas

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

Sofia self-identifies as Supply Chain Ambassador, her mission is to advocate for the field and inspire young generations from diverse backgrounds and cultures to join the industry so that thought diversity is increased and change accelerated. Recognized as Linkedin Top Voice and Linkedin Community Top Voice in Supply Chain Management, as well as Emerging Leader in Supply Chain by CSCMP 2024, Top Women in Supply Chain by Supply & Demand Executive 2023, and Coup de Coeur Global Women Leaders in Supply Chain by B2G Consulting in 2021

Public speaker at multiple international events from keynotes and panels, to webinars and guest lectures for bachelor's and master's degrees, discussing topics such as sustainability, women in the industry, technology and innovation. Writer at different online magazines on logistics, supply chain and technology. Podcast host and guest on different recognized programs in the industry. Sofia has more than 5 years of experience from academic research and field studies to warehouse operations, demand planning and network design. She has worked in manufacturing, airport operations, e-commerce retail, and technology hardware across Latin America, North America and Europe

Currently working as Supply Chain Network Design and Optimization Manager at HP within their Global Supply Chain and Logistics team

Connect on :

Karin Bursa

Host

Karin Bursa is the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year and the Host of the TEKTOK Digital Supply Chain Podcast powered by Supply Chain Now. With more than 25 years of supply chain and technology expertise (and the scars to prove it), Karin has the heart of a teacher and has helped nearly 1,000 customers transform their businesses and share their success stories. Today, she helps B2B technology companies introduce new products, capture customer success and grow global revenue, market share and profitability. In addition to her recognition as the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year, Karin has also been recognized as a 2019 and 2018 Supply Chain Pro to Know, 2009 Technology Marketing Executive of the Year and a 2008 Women in Technology Finalist. 

Connect on :

Vin Vashishta

Host

Vin Vashishta is the author of ‘From Data To Profit’ (Wiley 2023). It’s the playbook for monetizing data and AI. Vin is the Founder of V-Squared and built the business from client 1 to one of the world’s oldest data and AI consulting firms. His background combines nearly 30 years in strategy, leadership, software engineering, and applied machine learning.

Connect on :

Amanda Luton

Vice President, Production

Amanda is a production and marketing veteran and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across a variety of industries and organizations including Von Maur, Anthropologie, AmericasMart Atlanta, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Amanda currently manages, produces, and develops modern digital content for Supply Chain Now and their clients. Amanda has previously served as the VP of Information Systems and Webmaster on the Board of Directors for APICS Savannah, and founded and managed her own successful digital marketing firm, Magnolia Marketing Group. When she’s not leading the Supply Chain Now production team, you can find Amanda in the kitchen, reading, listening to podcasts, or enjoying time with family.

Connect on :

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

As the founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, you might say Scott is the voice of supply chain – but he’s too much of a team player to ever claim such a title. One thing’s for sure: he’s a tried and true supply chain expert. With over 15 years of experience in the end-to-end supply chain, Scott’s insights have appeared in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and CNN. He has also been named a top industry influencer by Thinkers360, ISCEA and more.

From 2009-2011, Scott was president of APICS Atlanta, and he continues to lead initiatives that support both the local business community and global industry. A United States Air Force Veteran, Scott has also regularly led efforts to give back to his fellow veteran community since his departure from active duty in 2002.

Connect on :

Greg White

Principal & Host

When rapid-growth technology companies, venture capital and private equity firms are looking for advisory, they call Greg – a founder, board director, advisor and catalyst of disruptive B2B technology and supply chain. An insightful visionary, Greg guides founders, investors and leadership teams in creating breakthroughs to gain market exposure and momentum – increasing overall company esteem and valuation.

Greg is a founder himself, creating Blue Ridge Solutions, a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader in cloud-native supply chain applications, and bringing to market Curo, a field service management solution. He has also held leadership roles with Servigistics (PTC) and E3 Corporation (JDA/Blue Yonder). As a principal and host at Supply Chain Now, Greg helps guide the company’s strategic direction, hosts industry leader discussions, community livestreams, and all in addition to executive producing and hosting his original YouTube channel and podcast, TEChquila Sunrise.

Connect on :

Chris Barnes

Principal, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain is Boring

Talk about world-class: Chris is one of the few professionals in the world to hold CPIM-F, CLTD-F and CSCP-F designations from ASCM/APICS. He’s also the APICS coach – and our resident Supply Chain Doctor. When he’s not hosting programs with Supply Chain Now, he’s sharing supply chain knowledge on the APICS Coach Youtube channel or serving as a professional education instructor for the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistic Institute’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) program and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Center for Professional Education courses.

Chris earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University, an MBA with emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of West Florida, and is a Doctoral in Supply Chain Management candidate.

Connect on :

Tyler Ward

Director of Sales

Tyler Ward serves as Supply Chain Now's Director of Sales. Born and raised in Mid-Atlantic, Tyler is a proud graduate of Shippensburg University where he earned his degree in Communications. After college, he made his way to the beautiful state of Oregon, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

With over a decade of experience in sales, Tyler has a proven track record of exceeding targets and leading high-performing teams. He credits his success to his ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members alike, as well as his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

When he's not closing deals, you can find Tyler on the links or cheering on his favorite football and basketball teams. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing pick-up basketball, and traveling back to Ocean City, Maryland, his favorite place!

Connect on :

Kevin L. Jackson

Host of Digital Transformers

Kevin L. Jackson is a globally recognized Thought Leader, Industry Influencer and Founder/Author of the award winning “Cloud Musings” blog.  He has also been recognized as a “Top 5G Influencer” (Onalytica 2019, Radar 2020), a “Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader” (Thinkers 360 2019) and provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, Ericsson and other leading companies. Mr. Jackson’s commercial experience includes Vice President J.P. Morgan Chase, Worldwide Sales Executive for IBM and SAIC (Engility) Director Cloud Solutions. He has served on teams that have supported digital transformation projects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US Intelligence Community.  Kevin’s formal education includes a MS Computer Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School; MA National Security & Strategic Studies from Naval War College; and a BS Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Internationally recognizable firms that have sponsored articles authored by him include CiscoMicrosoft, Citrix and IBM.  Books include “Click to Transform” (Leaders Press, 2020), “Architecting Cloud Computing Solutions” (Packt, 2018), and “Practical Cloud Security: A Cross Industry View” (Taylor & Francis, 2016). He also delivers online training through Tulane UniversityO’Reilly MediaLinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight.  Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems EngineeringCarrier Onboard Delivery Logistics and carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Control. While active, he also served with the National Reconnaissance Office, Operational Support Office, providing tactical support to Navy and Marine Corps forces worldwide.

Connect on :

Enrique Alvarez

Host of Logistics with Purpose and Supply Chain Now en Español

Enrique serves as Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics and believes we all have a personal responsibility to change the world. He is hard working, relationship minded and pro-active. Enrique trusts that the key to logistics is having a good and responsible team that truly partners with the clients and does whatever is necessary to see them succeed. He is a proud sponsor of Vector’s unique results-based work environment and before venturing into logistics he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During his time at BCG, he worked in different industries such as Telecommunications, Energy, Industrial Goods, Building Materials, and Private Banking. His main focus was always on the operations, sales, and supply chain processes, with case focus on, logistics, growth strategy, and cost reduction. Prior to joining BCG, Enrique worked for Grupo Vitro, a Mexican glass manufacturer, for five years holding different positions from sales and logistics manager to supply chain project leader in charge of five warehouses in Colombia.

He has an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a BS, in Mechanical Engineer from the Technologico de Monterrey in Mexico. Enrique’s passions are soccer and the ocean, and he also enjoys traveling, getting to know new people, and spending time with his wife and two kids, Emma and Enrique.

Connect on :

Kelly Barner

Host of Dial P for Procurement

Kelly is the Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point and MyPurchasingCenter. She has been in procurement since 2003, starting as a practitioner and then as the Associate Director of Consulting at Emptoris. She has covered procurement news, events, publications, solutions, trends, and relevant economics at Buyers Meeting Point since 2009. Kelly is also the General Manager at Art of Procurement and Business Survey Chair for the ISM-New York Report on Business. Kelly has her MBA from Babson College as well as an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College and she has co-authored three books: ‘Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals’, ‘Procurement at a Crossroads’, and ‘Finance Unleashed’.

Connect on :

Mary Kate Soliva

Host, Veteran Voices

Mary Kate Soliva is a veteran of the US Army and cofounder of the Guam Human Rights Initiative. She is currently in the Doctor of Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. She is passionate about combating human trafficking and has spent the last decade conducting training for military personnel and the local community.

Connect on :

Constantine Limberakis

Host

Constantine Limberakis is a thought leader in the area of procurement and supply management. He has over 20 years of international experience, playing strategic roles in a wide spectrum of organizations related to analyst advisory, consulting, product marketing, product development, and market research.Throughout his career, he's been passionate about engaging global business leaders and the broader analyst and technology community with strategic content, speaking engagements, podcasts, research, webinars, and industry articles.Constantine holds a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA in Finance & Marketing / Masters in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

Connect on :

Clay Phillips

Business Development Manager

Clay is passionate about two things: supply chain and the marketing that goes into it. Recently graduated with a degree in marketing at the University of Georgia, Clay got his start as a journalism major and inaugural member of the Owl’s football team at Kennesaw State University – but quickly saw tremendous opportunity in the Terry College of Business. He’s already putting his education to great use at Supply Chain Now, assisting with everything from sales and brand strategy to media production. Clay has contributed to initiatives such as our leap into video production, the guest blog series, and boosting social media presence, and after nearly two years in Supply Chain Now’s Marketing Department, Clay now heads up partnership and sales initiatives with the help of the rest of the Supply Chain Now sales team.

Connect on :

Trisha Cordes

Administrative Assistant

Trisha is new to the supply chain industry – but not to podcasting. She’s an experienced podcast manager and virtual assistant who also happens to have 20 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. It’s safe to say, she’s passionate about helping people, and she lives out that passion every day with the Supply Chain Now team, contributing to scheduling and podcast production.

Connect on :

Chantel King

Social Media Manager

My name is Chantel King and I am the Social Media Specialist at Supply Chain Now. My job is to make sure our audience is engaged and educated on the abundant amount of information the supply chain industry has to offer.

Social Media and Communications has been my niche ever since I graduated from college at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. No, I am not a West Coast girl. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my travel experience goes way beyond the garden state. My true passion is in creating editorial and graphic content that influences others to be great in whatever industry they are in. I’ve done this by working with lifestyle, financial, and editorial companies by providing resources to enhance their businesses.

Another passion of mine is trying new things. Whether it’s food, an activity, or a sport. I would like to say that I am an adventurous Taurus that never shies away from a new quest or challenge.

Connect on :

Lori Sofian

Marketing Coordinator

Lori is currently completing a degree in marketing with an emphasis in digital marketing at the University of Georgia. When she’s not supporting the marketing efforts at Supply Chain Now, you can find her at music festivals – or working toward her dream goal of a fashion career. Lori is involved in many extracurricular activities and appreciates all the learning experiences UGA has brought her.

Connect on :

Katherine Hintz

Director, Customer Experience

Katherine is a marketing professional and MBA candidate who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.

Connect on :

Mary Kate Love

Chief of Staff & Host

Mary Kate Love is currently the VP of marketing at Supply Chain Now focused on brand strategy and audience + revenue growth. Mary Kate’s career is a testament to her versatility and innovative spirit: she has experience in start-ups, venture capital, and building innovation initiatives from the ground up: she previously helped lead the build-out of the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific and before that, MxD (Manufacturing times Digital): the Department of Defense’s digital manufacturing innovation center. Mary Kate has a passion for taking complicated ideas and turning them into reality: she was one of the first team members at MxD and the first team member at the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific.

Mary Kate dedicates her extra time to education and mentorship: she was one of the founding Board Members for Women Influence Chicago and led an initiative for a city-wide job shadow day for young women across Chicago tech companies and was previously on the Board of Directors at St. Laurence High School in Chicago, Young Irish Fellowship Board and the UN Committee for Women. Mary Kate is the founder of National Supply Chain Day and enjoys co-hosting podcasts at Supply Chain Now. Mary Kate is from the south side of Chicago, a mom of two baby boys, and an avid 16-inch softball player. She holds a BS in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Connect on :

Joshua Miranda

Marketing Specialist

Joshua is a student from Institute of Technology and Higher Education of Monterrey Campus Guadalajara in Communication and Digital Media. His experience ranges from Plug and Play México, DearDoc, and Nissan México creating unique social media marketing campaigns and graphics design. Joshua helps to amplify the voice of supply chain here at Supply Chain Now by assisting in graphic design, content creation, asset logistics, and more.  In his free time he likes to read and write short stories as well as watch movies and television series.

Donna Krache

Director of Communications and Executive Producer

Donna Krache is a former CNN executive producer who has won several awards in journalism and communication, including three Peabodys.  She has 30 years’ experience in broadcast and digital journalism. She led the first production team at CNN to convert its show to a digital platform. She has authored many articles for CNN and other media outlets. She taught digital journalism at Georgia State University and Arizona State University. Krache holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans. She is a serious sports fan who loves the Braves. She is president of the Dave Krache Foundation. Named in honor of her late husband, this non-profit pays fees for kids who want to play sports but whose parents are facing economic challenges.

Connect on :

Vicki White

Controller

Vicki has a long history of rising to challenges and keeping things up and running. First, she supported her family’s multi-million dollar business as controller for 12 years, beginning at the age of 17. Then, she worked as an office manager and controller for a wholesale food broker. But her biggest feat? Serving as the chief executive officer of her household, while her entrepreneur husband travelled the world extensively. She fed, nurtured, chaperoned, and chauffeured three daughters all while running a newsletter publishing business and remaining active in her community as a Stephen’s Minister, Sunday school teacher, school volunteer, licensed realtor and POA Board president (a title she holds to this day). A force to be reckoned with in the office, you might think twice before you meet Vicki on the tennis court! When she’s not keeping the books balanced at Supply Chain Now or playing tennis matches, you can find Vicki spending time with her husband Greg, her 4 fur babies, gardening, cleaning (yes, she loves to clean!) and learning new things.

Connect on :

Katherine Hintz

Creative Director, Producer, Host

Katherine Hintz, MBA is a marketing professional who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.

Connect on :