Intro/Outro (00:02):
Welcome to Supply Chain. Now the number one voice of supply chain. Join us as we share critical news, key insights, and real supply chain leadership from across the globe. One conversation at a time.
Scott Luton (00:14):
Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Luden right here with you on supply chain. Now welcome to today’s special livestream folks. It’s breaking news now where we’re going to be sharing today some really interesting news on how a leading supply chain organization has reinvented a key annual event here in North America. And as you’ll see here today, the Reinvigorated Gathering offers supply chain leaders a terrific opportunity to gather critical market intel and learn how to overcome old and new challenges alike. So to unpack this opportunity here today, we’ve got a terrific guest and industry leader joining us. Abe Eskenazi is CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management. And under his leadership, A SEM has significantly expanded its service offerings to corporations, individuals, and communities alike, all while significantly growing, which of course mirrors the heightened industry awareness and ongoing impact of global supply chains everywhere. So I want to welcome in Abe Eskenazi, CEO, with a SCM. Abe, welcome back supply chain. Now how you doing?
Abe Eshkenazi (01:12):
I am wonderful, Scott. Pleasure be back.
Scott Luton (01:14):
Well, we enjoyed visiting last time over a great piece of industry research and report y’all published. We’ll touch on that later. But today, today, Abe, we got big news, big news, especially in the supply chain event space as y’all have reinvented and reinvigorated I think the annual event A SCM has been holding forever. So before we talk about the event, for the three people out there that may not know A SCM, tell us why as CEO, why this organization exists.
Abe Eshkenazi (01:41):
I think it’s a recognition not only of the critical role that supply chain plays in almost every organization, but the competency and the capabilities of these individuals. Right now, considering all the disruptions and the geopolitical and the environmental challenges, I couldn’t think of a more important time for these individuals to lead. Today our organization is comprised of 50,000 members globally. The focus is on enabling these individuals not only on competency and capability on collaboration today, given the dynamic nature of supply chain today as an organization, we originally focused on that supply chain professional competency, awareness, recognition, career pathways, and we thought that was the holy grail, if we could just train everybody and get them prepared for the job. And it’s now migrated to the corporation as a strategic imperative. Obviously the integration of everything today in supply chain is critical to meet the growing demands and the varying demands that we’re seeing on the marketplace, but it’s also rapidly moving towards the consumer, the patient, the employee, and the recognition of the impact that supply chain has on almost every part of our lives. I can’t think of a better time to be in supply chain’s. Got
Scott Luton (02:47):
Abe. I’m with you. I’m with you. It’s the golden age in so many different ways and that’s very arguable because there’s been some previous periods, it’s been terrific to be in global supply chain. But one of the big things I took away from your response there is especially now supply chains and all the professionals are front and center and in some very challenging times and some very fast moving times and all of that requires us to constantly learn new things and connect with our fellow practitioners to figure out new solutions to old and new problems. Would you agree with that, Abe?
Abe Eshkenazi (03:17):
I couldn’t agree more, Scott. I think when you take a look at the challenges that these individuals are facing today, even comparing it to five years ago, the roles and responsibilities have expanded significantly. Traditionally. Back office focus, problem solvers now, compliance, collaboration, sustainability, strategic and development, geopolitical, environmental concerns. I mean these are all part of their responsibilities today. So historically we focused on speed and cost. I mean that was the majority of organizations just get it there as quickly as possible and for the lowest cost today you’re balancing efficiency, adaptability, geographic diversity, political resilience. I mean this is an extraordinary time for extraordinary leaders. These are true superheroes in today’s environment.
Scott Luton (04:01):
That’s right. The equation has changed dramatically to your point, that really helps build the why. So as I’ve mentioned, the A SCM annual supply chain event, it’s been around for a long time. I’ve been there to it, have made some great relationships, power the world. I’ve really enjoyed reconnecting with my fellow supply chain folks at the annual event. But one of the biggest pieces of news here that we’re talking about here today is how you and the A SCM leadership team has chosen to reinvent this event. So I’m going to share this graphic here folks. We’re introducing change. Change in this case change North America, which is coming to Columbus September 9th and 10th, 2025. So Abe, let’s speak to your, why did y’all choose to reinvent the annual event into change?
Abe Eshkenazi (04:43):
Yeah. Then Scott, I think you laid the foundation there. You’ve been to how many events as we’ve all been to so many events. You can hear TED talks, you can hear it on YouTube. There are key learnings that you can get from almost any event. What’s the benefit that you got out of it and you just indicated it. You have the exchange of information meeting different individuals who are blazing their organizations on the cutting edge. You’re also learning how organizations are adapting to the environment that they’re facing today. So really the planning that we centered around was the key theme. How do we equip the supply chain professional for what’s next and that what’s next is so variable, but that’s really where the focus is. We’re being called not just to rethink about how fast and cheaply we can move things, but how responsibly, transparently and resiliently we can operate and attendees get that from each other.
(05:27):
You can listen to any TED talk today as you and I have. What we’re focused on is the engagement part. We ran this experiment of the new model in Europe and we found that the members really enjoyed the engagement. As you talked, as you indicated, that relationship development, those key relationships that you developed with other organizations and with other individuals is really the benefit that you get. So we centered the concept around how to equip the supply chain professionals, but not only from us as an organization but from each other and developing those relationships, developing those organizations that are responding to the challenges and having other organizations learn from them, develop those relationships and those collaboration opportunities. That’s what really is part of this event. It’s an event developed by practitioners for practitioners.
Scott Luton (06:16):
Love that, and I’m going to touch more on these challenges in just a minute, but folks, we’ve dropping the link to change North America. There’s an accompanying a European event as well, which took place I think a couple months ago, but join us in Columbus September 9th and 10th and we’re going to make it really easy. We’ve got the banner with the URL there, and we’re even going to give you a link, your one click away that will drop in the comments. Okay, Abe, we’ll get to those challenges in just a second. But the relationship piece, as we’ve been out to numerous events this year, as I bet you have, the number one thing I’ve heard, I’ll tell you I wish I had a recorder for all the sidebar conversations because the number one thing, especially supply chain leaders, VP of supply chain, CSEO, you name it, they love being around their peers and seeing how they’re tackling these. Again, I keep saying old new challenges. So much of what we’re seeing has been around forever and then there’s new wrinkles, new elements that really is throwing curve balls and I tell you they’re relieved and they really see so much value in interacting with your peers and sharing those best practices. What they’re trying, what’s working, what isn’t working. That’s really, really valuable. We’ll get to the challenge in just a second despite the football on that important aspect of change,
Abe Eshkenazi (07:25):
Huh? Yeah, I couldn’t agree with you more, Scott. I mean, especially in today’s environment, collaboration is no longer optional. It’s essential. No single individual organizations can solve the challenges on their own. So whether you’re navigating geopolitical issues, risk in the global network or driving sustainability, the solutions and the relationships to map cross-functional and cross industry collaboration events like change, we can accelerate those conversations and those partnerships. We can help organizations learn from each other and align their shared goals. Today, the CSEO, the chief supply chain officer, needs to work with the chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, chief sustainability officer to really drive the impact that supply chain can have on their organization and their economy as well as on the environment. This is no longer a single thread that you can pull and say, okay, just get the CSEO on it now. It requires an organizational effort to address the challenges that we’re facing today. This is really the hallmark of organizations that are responding and be much more agile is that collaboration necessary not only within the organization,
Scott Luton (08:26):
But your extended supply
Abe Eshkenazi (08:27):
Chain as
Scott Luton (08:27):
Well. So Abe, I’m trying to keep up with you and my writing skills are failing me, but you rattled off a bunch of challenges, a bunch of buckets of challenges there, and I want to make sure that say geopolitical growing risk management and different types of risk. Of course, sustainability, which some would say’s taken aback seat, but I would argue leading organizations are finding ways of making more progress, workforce challenges, right? Those challenges continue to evolve. Of course, we’re in the golden age of supply chain tech. We’ve got to figure out how to use it effectively without burning out our teams or organizations. Abe, when you think of the other challenges that’s really deliberately baked into change there in Columbus in September, what else makes a shortlist?
Abe Eshkenazi (09:05):
Yeah, I think Scott, I think that’s really the key aspect here. One of these issues that they’re dealing with today that are going to help ’em when they get back to their jobs and we structured the event around several of those core themes. First, building resilient and agile supply chains. Those are the keys for almost every organization. The resiliency in terms of absorbing the shocks, the agility to take advantage of those disruptions and move your organization forward. Secondly, and you can’t get out to any discussion today without leveraging the technologies like ai, digital twins. This has now become a core part of every organization. Further, as you’ve just indicated, Scott, advancing sustainability practices. While it may not be front and center in terms of the marketing and the indication in terms of what companies are doing, they’re still focused on sustainable supply chain, so I don’t think we’re getting away from it. Lastly, as you indicated, and most critically for us, addressing the talent gap, and that is having the appropriate individuals with the right knowledge to take advantage of the technology that you’re investing in today. That’s a winning combination between the talent side and technology to address the resiliency and agility as well as sustainability. That’s a winning formula for a lot of organizations and that’s where the focus is for the event.
Scott Luton (10:15):
Well said. We could have a whole podcast series in your last response there, but two quick thoughts folks. If you’re doubting sustainability in terms of the imperative that I believe is still out there, you look at lots of data, what are stewardship? More and more companies are investing lots of organizational resources and just that one element of making sustainability gains. Then secondly, one of the things that Abe just wrapped on there, your workforce craves development. They crave to learn new skills and it’s on us as organizational leaders to provide those investment opportunities so they can get better and better and better and be in a better positioned to find success for themselves and the organization. Alright, so let’s do some compare and contrast, babe, last time I was at the annual event, A SCM, it was there in Chicago, man, we enjoyed the food and the people and the sessions, knocked out some interviews, had a great time, great time, Columbus new market, but it’s an important market for especially manufacturing and supply chain. When you compare and contrast change versus what folks have enjoyed in the past that have come out to the annual event, what are some of the new benefits they’re going to enjoy there in Columbus? The core part of this is
Abe Eshkenazi (11:20):
The engagement part. As we indicated, we’re getting away from those 40, 50 minute presentations where you can see a slide deck and somebody sharing it with you much more in terms of impactful content and then get them talking to each other. The engagement that we saw in Europe was the highest rated in terms of the attendee feedback that they enjoyed the opportunity to exchange information from each other and develop those relationships, and I think that’s what’s really separated or driven us. You don’t have to pay six figure down payments to get into a conference like you do for some other organizations here. This is an organization that we were built the supply chain professional, and that’s where the focus is expanding the awareness of supply chain as a rewarding career path for those individuals. Now, you talked about the talent side before, that’s what’s really the defining issue of our time. From our perspective, supply chain has moved from the back office to the board, the demand for skilled professional, far outpaces our supply today. We need to focus on investing in ongoing professional development, creating those inclusive workplaces to attract and retain that diverse talent. That’s what the event is about. It’s not only addressing the supply chain challenges, but the key talent challenges in ensuring that you have the right talent to address the challenges that you’re facing today.
Scott Luton (12:33):
Abe, love it. I could go back to the first part of your response though, if I heard you right, rather than investing in more one-way communication, like so many conferences and events and you name it, lean into, sounds like a big focus here is creating the two-way conversation that so many folks are craving to lean into. Is that right?
Abe Eshkenazi (12:52):
Oh, absolutely. I mean, we’ve all been in our offices or our homes depending on your work style today, and that engagement part is really critical. Making those connections, finding organizations that are advancing supply chain and talent development and learning from them and applying it for your own organizations. Additionally, providing insight from your own organization to others in terms of how you’ve responded. That’s really the benefit of having a thousand individuals together is that exchange of information as opposed to, again, I could send you a deck and you can read it and get whatever you need out of it. I want to talk to you, I want to find out what your challenges were, how did you overcome some of the obstacles that were in your way? How did you engage other your vendors? How did you engage your tier two and your tier three organizations? They asked What organizations are looking for today? Give me the tools, give me the ideas, give me the things that have worked for you and allow me to adapt it to my own organization.
Scott Luton (13:42):
I like it. Well, using your example, if you sent me the deck, I’ll probably have chat, GBT, digest it and give me the key takeaways. It’s a human interaction to your point, and yeah, I bet everybody out there is watching or listening to us are like, absolutely, man, sign me up. But for me, hearing you describe it, it took me back to college. Raise your hand if you’re in a college class, whereas nothing but a lecture, an instructor up the front and he or she spoke for 60 minutes or two hours maybe, and then you got those classes where the teacher, the professor, encouraged conversation and dialogue and those were the events. I took lessons home and wanted to create more conversations and that’s what you’re stressing here today. Okay, so let’s do this. We know Abe, especially in a year like this, has been challenging for a variety of different reasons. Certainly no shortage of uncertainty out there, right? A lot of supply chain leaders and their organizations are having to as always judiciously choose where to invest their event dollars and resources, where to send their teams, especially amongst this tidal wave of events that are out there. Now, you’ve already put out there a pretty compelling value proposition, but is there anything else that you’d like to communicate to those leaders that are making those tough decisions? I think
Abe Eshkenazi (14:51):
As organizations are investing in closing the gaps that we all experienced during the pandemic between visibility, transparency, and traceability and using technology as a tool from advanced analytics, ai, digital twins, it’s really transforming how we forecast, how we manage risk and how we build resiliency. The real innovation is combining that cutting edge technology with highly steeled, adaptable workforce. It’s that combination that really does leverage the investment that you’re making and technology and talent. Technology without the talent to drive it is not, can’t deliver its full value. And so we’re seeing a combination of the talent with the technology really advancing organizations, specifically ai, and it’s not just AI in and of itself. I heard a great quote, it’s not that AI is going to take your job, it’s going to be another individual using AI that’s going to take your job. It’s that combination of the talent and the technology that’s really advancing organizations today, and that’s really a major focus for organizations in terms of how they address agility, how they address resiliency in their organization. That combination really does make a difference.
Scott Luton (15:59):
Well said Abe. So folks, again, I’m just going to stress if you don’t get your answers that change, just make sure you get your answers somewhere, but this is a tremendous opportunity. September 9th and 10th there in Columbus, Ohio. We’re going to drop a link for you to click and learn more here in just a second. I want to just, Hey Aya, I see you there. Great to see you again tuned in via LinkedIn from Pakistan. We’re going to have to get you to Columbus and get you plugged in. I appreciate the great innovation you’re driving in your own part of the world and in our industry. Okay, hey, let’s do this last time you’re with us, we walked through some key takeaways from a great piece of research that you and A SCM team invested in the 2025 A SCM supply chain salary and career report, and it was chockfull me and Corrine Bursa learned all sorts of key takeaways from you, and there’s so many, we had to put ’em in two font, but you probably can’t see that. But one I want to pull out that was really good news to me, is that according to y’all’s findings, median US supply chain compensation has reached $103,000, which is 52% higher than the national median ads reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. That has some really good news in my book, but now that the report has been out there, I want to say you joined us in either March or May. The report’s been out in the market for a few months. What’s been some of the most significant feedback
Abe Eshkenazi (17:18):
That you’ve gotten? A number of key takeaways. First, there is a strong recognition and a reward for supply chain professionals. Companies are recognizing the value that these individuals provide their organization, not only on the bottom line, but as you indicated before on sustainability, on a variety of different compliance issues that these individuals are now not only sharing their experience but enabling organizations to respond to them further career pathways. We’re starting to see that individuals are coming into college looking for a supply chain degree and wanting to move into a supply chain. The sky wasn’t that long ago that most of the individuals in the supply chain came out, finance and engineering. Now we’re seeing a significant cohort, a huge diversity of individuals coming into the workforce today. A couple of takeaways in terms of recruitment. Women out earning men, I think for the third year in a role for starting salaries, great news in terms of our response to attract more women.
(18:12):
The unfortunate part is that the longer they stay in the environment or in the job, the pay gap inverts and men earn more depending on their tenure. We’ve got to find ways to provide opportunities for leadership, for growth, for different roles for these individuals in every aspect of it. So there are opportunities further, the digital natives that are coming into the workforce today are significantly different than yours, and my day when we got into supply chain, we’re still looking at the Excel spreadsheets, I’m afraid to say today’s environment where the individuals are much more adept in using technology, whether it’s AI or any other of the tools, they’re extremely comfortable. So this presents a reverse mentoring opportunity for individuals coming into the workforce for guys like you and I to see that there are technological advancements that can enable better decision-making, better informed information on our talent side. Lastly, and most importantly, the recognition of the role of the supply chain professional. Today, for years, we’ve advocated for a seat at the table in the C-suite. We now have that seat at the table. Now we have to have the supply chain professionals use their voice to use their knowledge, to use their experience to help the organizations not only respond but advance in today’s turbulent times.
Scott Luton (19:26):
Well said. And folks, there’s a whole bunch more to these highlights and key takeaways Abe has been sharing. So check out the 2025 A SCM supply chain salary and career report. I want to say y’all have been publishing this now for three or four years in a row, is that right? It’s eight years
Abe Eshkenazi (19:40):
I believe now. Yeah,
Scott Luton (19:41):
Eight.
Abe Eshkenazi (19:42):
Yeah.
Scott Luton (19:42):
Oh my gosh. Well, as usual time gets away from me, but appreciate,
Abe Eshkenazi (19:47):
Well, we talk supply chain years. The last four or five years are like 20 years, so,
Scott Luton (19:51):
Right, right. Oh my gosh. Well, regardless, kidding aside, I really appreciate the investment of time, energy, and research that you and the team put into these great pieces of analysis that betters industry and betters our view of the industry. And really, despite all the heavy lifting we still got to do, I want to stop and celebrate the gains we’ve made, which as you pointed out there, which is really important, folks. So as we start to wrap here with Abe Eskenazi, CEO, with a SCM, I want to pull up two more links. So let’s share again. Come join us at Change in Columbus, September 9th and 10th. We’re going to drop the link. There it is, right there. Na change events. And hey, notice you can’t miss anything. Notice the creative way that they spelled change. I like that, Abe. I like that. NA change, CHAI Nge event. So check that out folks. And then secondly, let’s drop. If you want to learn more about anything that Abe and the A SCN team are up to, including that great report, you can go to ascm.org. Okay, Abe Eskenazi, always a pleasure. Thanks for joining us here on Breaking News now here at Supply Chain now, and I look forward to seeing you in Columbus in September.
Abe Eshkenazi (21:01):
My pleasure, Scott. Look forward to seeing you as well.
Scott Luton (21:03):
All right, folks. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed and learned from this conversation as much as I have. Abe and the team are on the move. Hey, again, be sure to join us at Change North America in Columbus, Ohio. Be able to look out for the next European version of this newly reinvented event. Again, Columbus, September 9th and 10th. You can learn more, do change.events, and you can connect and get your own copy of that salary and career report@ascm.org. So with all that said, Scott Luten here on behalf of the whole supply chain now team challenging you do good, give forward, be the change that’s needed. We’ll see you next time, right back here on Supply Chain now. Thanks everybody.
Intro/Outro (21:39):
Join the supply chain now community. For more supply chain perspectives, news and innovation, check out supply chain now.com. Subscribe to Supply chain now on YouTube and follow and listen to Supply chain. Now, wherever you get your podcasts.
