James R. Stock is a University of South Florida Distinguished University Professor and Frank Harvey Endowed Professor of Marketing. He has interviewed many of the greatest minds in transportation logistics, a practice area we call supply chain management today. He shared those interviewed with Chris Barnes to be republished as part of the Supply Chain is Boring program.
In this interview, Stock speaks with Don Bowersox, one of the most well-known and influential supply chain management academics in the world, about the influencers along the path of his life’s journey and the advice he would give new Ph.D.’s today if he could.
Listen in to learn more about this important thought leader in supply chain management.
Chris Barnes (00:06):
Hey, it’s Chris. The supply chain doctor and host of supply chain is boring. Over the years. I’ve interviewed some of the brightest minds and successful leaders in the world of supply chain management. In May, 2020. I sat down with Ken Ackerman to learn more about him, collect a little supply chain management history. After our discussion. Ken told me about a similar interview he had with Dr. James stock many years prior, and the related work Dr. Stock was doing in November, 2020. I was able to catch up with Dr. James stock to learn about his work as an academic in the field of transportation logistics. And now what we call supply chain manage ment Jim was well connected to many of the original academic thought leaders in the space. Jim did interviews with many of these original thought leaders and shared them with me. The list includes Ken Ackerman, Don Bauer, SOS James Hasket, bud littleand John Langley, Jr. Tom Menser, Tom SP and Daniel Ren To carry on the great work started by Dr. Jim stock. I’m dusting off these interviews and bringing them to you on supply chain is boring.
Dr. Jim Stock (01:14):
Now, Don changing course for just a moment, looking at, uh, the history aspect, uh, other than the present time, what historical period or era would you like to have lived in?
Donald Bowersox (01:27):
What I’d like to really be able to live is in the decades right out ahead of us, because it’s, during those decades, say the next, uh, 30 to 50 years that we are going to really face the most challenging problems. I think that we’ve ever faced in the history of civilization. I’d love to be part of that technology rich environment that we have out in front of us because, uh, people in our field are gonna make a real difference.
Dr. Jim Stock (02:00):
Mm-hmm <affirmative> if you could meet any historical person, uh, of the past or present, who would that be? And there could be more than one perhaps.
Donald Bowersox (02:12):
Yeah, I, um, boy, that’s a tough question. There are many people, but I, I would like to be able to sit and talk to George Patton, uh, like we’re talking right now. Uh, because I think that the, the true story of Patton has never really been told. And, uh, uh, there were certain characteristics of, uh, of his leadership style that, uh, that I would enjoy pursuing further. I think he had most of the people fool most of the time, but I’ve been intrigued by him. I’ve read a lot about him. And, uh, uh, there are many other people, but you said one,
Dr. Jim Stock (02:57):
Well, certainly pat knew a lot of military history, which, uh, did him well and
Donald Bowersox (03:01):
His and combats. And he had sort of, uh, a sense of, uh, of, uh, commitment to, to the images of achievement that he, he was able to visualize and then feel almost a, uh, an ordained right to proceed for them, which to me, uh, was a passion for that few people could deny the worst thing that ever happened was making the movie patent. Cuz I think it told the wrong story about pat.
Dr. Jim Stock (03:34):
How do you hope that people will remember you in the future as they look back upon the life of Don power socks, what will they remember about you?
Donald Bowersox (03:46):
Well, I think for people that don’t know me very well, what will come to mind will be the work that’s been done in the evolution of physical distribution, to logistics, to supply chain. And I think they’ll, uh, they’ll see me in that context and uh, hopefully feel like that there’s been a contribution made for people that do know me. Uh, I think they will. I hope they will remember me more for, as a person who care about a lot of things that weren’t just things that of my own best interest, but anybody that stays in academia for 40 years has got to like students and like being around them and working with them. And I’ve just got some, some people that have done wonderful things in life that I have small part in, in their early development. And, and I guess, uh, that stands out high. And we like to think about the PhD students and, and there are some fantastic ones. You mentioned a few earlier, there are many others mm-hmm <affirmative>, uh, but there’s also the people that went in business and there’s also the people that, that didn’t go into supply chain, uh, but went into other things and became physicians. And when you teach undergraduate, you teach a lot of people and mm-hmm <affirmative>. And, uh, I think I’d like to think those people remember as somebody that, that made time most of the time.
Dr. Jim Stock (05:18):
Now we know that you didn’t work all the time. You probably did other things. Uh, do you have some interest, uh, in your spare time hobbies, things that you did outside of, uh, the workplace?
Donald Bowersox (05:30):
Well, I, um, I have a really pathetic golf game, which I totally enjoy. And I think the fact that I enjoy it so much, uh, actually makes it more as time goes on. Uh, so golf has been a lot of fun. I’ve been pretty active in sports. Uh, I like, uh, attending sports events and I’m, uh, you know, very, uh, close follower of, uh, of specific teams. And I’ve been a, I helped recruit and did a lot of work with Tom IZO at the Michigan state basketball program and have a great admiration for that form of, of true unselfish leadership that he, he is able to do, um, express with that team. And, uh, so I’m very, very interested in, uh, how they’re progressing. I read a lot. Uh, I, uh, I’m not, I just can’t get exciting, excited about browsing around the internet and I’m still writing and I have, uh, believe it or not given some thought to actually writing outside my field and, uh, have done some research on a, a story based in Australia, which sometime I see the, the light of day, which would be a novel. Okay. Uh, so we’ll see,
Dr. Jim Stock (06:55):
But it won’t be called a precipice.
Donald Bowersox (06:58):
I hope not. <laugh> I hope
Dr. Jim Stock (06:59):
Not.
Donald Bowersox (07:00):
Although we wrote our version of that nickel, how check and I, we wrote, uh, the title of the book is, uh, start pulling your chain leading responsive supply chain transformation. That book will be out in January
Dr. Jim Stock (07:14):
And as you were growing up and, uh, and really throughout your life, did religion have a, a place in your life and, uh, an impact on you in any way?
Donald Bowersox (07:23):
Sure. It really was my parents. Uh, my mother was a Catholic. My father was a Protestant, so I, uh, attended, uh, uh, catechism classes and was raised, uh, a Catholic and married a Protestant and left the Catholic church. And I now a member of the Presbyterian church and, uh, uh, my wife is very active in the church and, uh, and we, our regular attendees and enjoy it. It’s a very important part of life. Mm-hmm <affirmative> it’s moments of reflection. It’s where you learn to be humble. Mm-hmm <affirmative>,
Dr. Jim Stock (08:03):
As you look back at your life, what do you think are the main lessons that you’ve learned throughout those 40 years, both in academia, and then growing up before those 40 years began
Donald Bowersox (08:16):
Everything, every single thing you do in Penn act somebody in some way, you wanna make those impacts as positive as you can, but you can’t always control ’em. And so you’ve gotta understand fairness, and that’s where I think church can help you a great deal in religion to understand that as you impact people, uh, be honest, don’t, uh, don’t try to kid them. Don’t try to persuade them, uh, tell ’em the truth and the truth may hurt, but, uh, but there are general ways to tell the truth in harsh ways. And, uh, uh, I think just trying to, to, to keep everything as much as you can in the open and be an open person and laugh at yourself
Dr. Jim Stock (09:08):
Now, were there any turning points that, uh, you can look back to in your life that you say, well, those were significant in terms of having a present or future impact on where I ended up or things that I did, uh, personally and professionally?
Donald Bowersox (09:24):
Well, clearly, um, when I didn’t go to pharmacy school was a turning point and, uh,
Donald Bowersox (09:35):
Experiencing the, the joy of accomplishment in undergraduate school, going from sort of a solid C student to, uh, to, uh, a couple of years on the Dean’s list and graduating with a high enough overall GPA to get into good graduate schools. Those were turning points. The air force was clearly a turning point because of the reasons I expressed earlier and, and the ability to carry forward, some knowledge that I could apply in the next, uh, um, I think, uh, uh, in graduate school, the, the different decision points where I didn’t go to this school, but stayed at Michigan state, uh, staying there in, in, in becoming a professor there, the, the sickness was a turning point. I think my second marriage was a turning right. And realizing that that marriage really was, was okay because we, we did depart friends and we do have two wonderful sons and they’re doing well. And then another turning point was then finding someone that I’m totally happy with. And now well into many years of that marriage and, and, uh, those were all turning points and that we’re still turning mm-hmm <affirmative> you never stop hitting turning points in life.
Dr. Jim Stock (11:08):
Now, those, uh, 30 doctoral students that, uh, you chaired and obviously many others that, uh, you were involved with beyond just those, you, you, uh, chair, their dissertations, what advice would you give recent PhDs in our discipline? Yeah,
Donald Bowersox (11:25):
I think today’s person coming out, uh, hit, had better reconfirm a commitment in their own minds to basic education. Cause when I think back I of the people I’ve known over the years, that really made a difference. Uh, they were all committed to being great teachers first mm-hmm <affirmative> in researchers second. And, uh, among the people that have accomplished the most and, uh, they’re all really quite humble people. They don’t really get as carried away with all the awards as, as they think about how is Joe or Mary at some school doing? I mean, they really, people in education really have to love people and wanna be in the business. There’s nothing, uh, less happy than a PhD who doesn’t like to teach. And doesn’t like students, they’re miserable people and we’ve all worked with them. And so I would advise students to be sure you really want a career educated to giving and service because the pay while adequate is not overwhelming the, uh, challenges to get into, to, to get, uh, into things that take you away from your primary mission is overwhelming. And you have to constantly reconfirm why you’re there <affirmative>,
Dr. Jim Stock (12:54):
Which leads us into our, our next question. What do you believe the most significant, uh, ways in which the marketplace has changed since you, uh, entered the, the profession? Um, and have those changes been good or bad?
Donald Bowersox (13:09):
Well, um, I think the, the, uh, the most serious is part of it has got to do with the age old, uh, uh, publisher parish paradigm that, uh, seems to surround academia. Uh, we must publish, we must publish certain articles in certain journals that are peer reviewed in order to progress in the profession. I, uh, while I was Dean, I tried really hard to get a new category of, uh, professorship established for PhD, tenure track professors who were great teachers, but mediocre researchers, we were able to get a professor of practice for people coming in from industry, but we were never able to get a professor of teaching. I’m not sure how to call it exactly that because everybody thinks every professor is a great teacher. Well, some of the greatest teachers I’ve known are users of research, not generators of research. And I think that profession has, uh, has gotten to the point where, uh, we’re getting a lot of, uh, uh, attention to research that does not really generate new knowledge, but meets some test of, uh, significance either statistically or shows a, a level of mathematical sophistication that doesn’t have much to do with the discipline and gets published in journals that only academics read.
Donald Bowersox (14:45):
And I think that, uh, there’s some good professors, uh, who have taught for many years. Many people have gone on for successful businesses that don’t get their fair recognition in the business schools, cuz they didn’t get their quote five articles a year for three consecutive years to make the next academic rank. And that, that really bothers me tremendously.
Dr. Jim Stock (15:10):
Now some specific questions, Don, uh, based upon your experience, you were one of the founders of the, uh, council supply chain management professionals then called the national council of physical distribution management. How did that, uh, group get together? How was the organization found it? And did you envision that, that small meeting that you had founding the organization would develop into what CSE and P is today in 2007?
Donald Bowersox (15:45):
Well, clearly I didn’t and uh, but actually it’s been longer than 40 years that really occurred back before I actually joined Michigan state full time, uh, that, that occurred, uh, during the length of time that when I was in New York with the railway express agencies, the early, the early thing was, it was almost like, uh, uh, an evangelistic effort. I remember ed Mikey and I sitting in the lobby of the panel hotel in grand rapids, Michigan waiting to catch the traffic manager of a big chemical company coming back in after his night out to dinner and stuff, to see if we could get him to come over to the campus and speak. And I remember going down to meek Rover Plowman, who was one of the real early industrial pioneers and Bruce Riggs, uh, you know, both gentlemen are deceased now, but, uh, and talking about this concept and being asked to speak at Delta new alpha in New York and the New York traffic club to talk about this new thing that our book was about.
Donald Bowersox (17:01):
It was, uh, the book came out in the early sixties and it was, uh, uh, sort of gathered together anybody you could. And finally, the AMA agreed to do a set on the subject of Saranac lake and all of us headed to CAC lake. And it was flying out of there waiting in the airport after the, the meeting of the American management association, uh, that the 13 of us that became founders decided sitting at the airport that we needed to formalize something. And there were two academics in the group, ed, Mikey, and myself and, and the others were all practitioners. And we agreed to, uh, have another meeting. And we had a meeting in St. Louis. And then later in the year we formed the organization and the first two years, maybe three, we had two meetings a year and we all had ’em all at the Kellogg center at Michigan state. Cuz we talked the university into a, to allowing us to use the room without charge and, and uh, slowly the other people, by the time we actually founded the organization, we were starting to expand and, and um, we didn’t have an end game and we, uh, we just were trying to, to get a forum and get legitimacy in our own institutions. Uh, it worked slowly but surely, but over four decades it’s become, uh, quite a global force. Yeah. Okay.
Dr. Jim Stock (18:37):
Now we’ve talked about, uh, being a co-author on the earliest, uh, physical distribution book. Um, and a question related you, you mentioned was difficult to get a publisher.
Donald Bowersox (18:48):
Yeah. Tell
Dr. Jim Stock (18:49):
Us a little bit about that process. Uh, because there were no books obviously at that time. Yeah.
Donald Bowersox (18:53):
There were no classes
Dr. Jim Stock (18:55):
<laugh> yeah, there was no history of sales.
Donald Bowersox (18:57):
No, no, no competitors, no history of sales, no classes except ours at Michigan state. And we went to all the publishing companies. We were turned down by everyone except one guy that, that, uh, was with, uh, McMillan. And he, uh, he was interested and he got sold and he got turned down. I believe it was two or three times. And the fourth time they finally agreed to, to publish the first book and we’d convinced them that it would sell, uh, uh, great in the, uh, business market. So they did few people know this, they actually did two different, uh, cover colors and they had a little jacket on it. And the first, the first one, one was in blue with silver print and one was in red. So that was the difference between the academic edition and the, and the business edition. It, uh, when we reprinted, when the book was, uh, was done the second time, uh, uh, all that was dropped, uh, for physical distribution management, I believe was done two times. And then we moved to logistics management and, and that was done five times, I believe. And then we, the new one is now in its second and soon we’re working. Uh, next year we start on the third edition of supply chain logistics management <affirmative> so it’s lived all those years. Okay.
Dr. Jim Stock (20:37):
Now having been a textbook writer myself, it’s a lifelong and it’s almost constant revision process and
Donald Bowersox (20:45):
We’d have probably done better if you hadn’t have written that competitive book.
Dr. Jim Stock (20:49):
<laugh> why do you think you got into textbook writing? Cause you’ve done a number of books over the years. Yeah. Uh, as well as number of articles. Uh, but oftentimes academics typically stay with, uh, article writing as opposed to getting into textbooks.
Donald Bowersox (21:05):
First off when, um, when we wrote the first book, it was still considered academically respectable to write textbooks. Mm-hmm <affirmative> uh, so to have a textbook in a new area was considered especially good. So I mean, we, we got a lot of academic credit for writing that book. Our school was behind the initiative and therefore it did us a lot of good. Now I’ve actually written one book a lot of times, as opposed to a lot of books. Uh, if you look at almost all my other books, except the stout Taylor, one edition that I collaborated on, look at all the other books, they’re research books, they’re books that are not textbooks, but books, that report research that we did in Michigan state under various grants.
Dr. Jim Stock (21:57):
And as you look at the profession, who do you believe, and there could be more than one person excluding yourself. Who’s made the most significant contributions to the profession, both in logistics of supply chain management. And why did you pick them?
Donald Bowersox (22:13):
Well, that’s, uh, that’s a tough question, Jim. I don’t know how you’ve done generally with that when you ask people, because it seems like no matter what you say, you’re gonna make somebody very unhappy. Uh, the, uh, uh,
Dr. Jim Stock (22:29):
That’s why you can name more than one.
Donald Bowersox (22:31):
Yeah. Well, uh, you know, focusing on the academics, uh, for just, uh, a few moments, uh, I would have to say, uh, uh, Jim Heska, you know, bottle ofAnd, uh, I think, uh, Doug Lambert and you made a major contribution in the field as you, as you came along later and took it to another level. Um, and then in your generation, there’d be several others going back to the earlier. I think of a person, a lot of people don’t remember working hard in the field, Carl Ruben mm-hmm <affirmative>, uh, he, he did some, uh, Ernie Williams at Columbia who didn’t write much, but opened a forum for many of us to talk den house to very senior executives. Uh, most people don’t know the Grover Plowman was, uh, a PhD and that he, while he was at us, steel, opened the doors for a lot of things to happen.
Donald Bowersox (23:37):
Uh, unfortunately I could just go on naming people. I don’t think individuals alone have built, uh, uh, what we have to work with today. I think it’s been the contribution of many, many different people. Mm-hmm, <affirmative>, uh, and more are rolling through my mind, but, uh, the further you go, the more you’re gonna not okay. Confident, but all those people I did mention, and I’m sure there’s someone else, uh, uh, all built on those things that Mosman and Mikey were first, first developing. And, you know, if you think back at those two guys, they probably understood a lot that they never got a chance to say, cuz they didn’t have an audience to speak to. But
Dr. Jim Stock (24:24):
Now you talked very early and, and have mentioned this a few times in terms of living in the future in the next 30 to 50 years. Yeah. Because of the discipline and its impact. Uh, uh, what do you think the future is of supply chain management? What’s on the horizon for the discipline?
Donald Bowersox (24:42):
Uh, we have have a absolutely no use about lack of technology. You know, for years we worried about the fact technology was always trailing what we felt we needed. If we didn’t get any new technology for 10 years, we couldn’t really fully deploy what’s out there now. And yet new technology keeps coming, but this technology gives us an opportunity to change the time context, instead of doing everything and anticipation of and forecasting, we’re dealing in a connected world with, uh, global optic fiber connectivity and we’re, and this, while this introduces many new great things, also magnifies a lot of problems we have. Um, I’ll give you one example. We have societies contributing actively to global commerce today that 10 years ago didn’t have electricity didn’t know there was an external world. They’re also contributing to deterioration of the environment now, uh, because they’re living in a style of life that has become characteristic. And, uh, uh, I think we have the opportunity if we are realistic about our problems to exploit connectivity in a way that can eliminate trauma into some amounts of waste.
Dr. Jim Stock (26:09):
Well, it sounds like as most of us feel have been in the profession for some time, we’d love to be, uh, know what we know now, but be as young as we were when we got our
Donald Bowersox (26:18):
PhDs. Yeah, I, yeah, I think that’s a great way to sum it up. I might just qualify a little bit of and say that most of what we know now is obsolete. And so we, we can’t rest our laurels too much on, on what we’ve learned, but what we gotta keep learning.
Dr. Jim Stock (26:37):
Now, when you think of the profession today of supply chain management, what’s the single most important issue facing supply chain academics and then the most important issue facing supply chain practitioners.
Donald Bowersox (26:50):
Um, I think it’s larger than the, the academics and the practitioners. I think it’s got a lot to do with, uh, um, <affirmative> realizing that only a fraction of the world’s population is enjoying the standard of living as possible in this day and age. And that people cannot possibly be content knowing that they are the have nots and living with poverty and sickness. And I think that, uh, that we, we truly have to tackle the problems of the planet, you know, first with making sure the people that are living there can live in harmony by being properly taken care of. And second, by taking care of the planet.
Dr. Jim Stock (27:41):
Now it’s interesting, you know, being in marketing department and combination with logistics and now supply chain management, um, think back to Philip Cotler, making a reputation, uh, based upon, uh, several articles, but the one that he’s probably most famous for is broadening the concept of marketing mm-hmm <affirmative>. Um, do you think it’s time for an act academic article on broadening the concept of supply chain management?
Donald Bowersox (28:09):
Uh, well I think quite clearly, uh, that article might not be well received, but it’s, but it’s timely. We have to start, start scoping, uh, what might be before we can change what is mm-hmm <affirmative> and I think, uh, yes, I think that, uh, in, uh, in the very last chapter of this, the new book, uh, we, we actually are taking on some of the, or at least keying up the issues mm-hmm <affirmative>
Dr. Jim Stock (28:38):
Now personally, do you think, um, as academics, we have a definition of supply chain management today.
Donald Bowersox (28:47):
Uh, I don’t think we have the final or, or, uh, terminal definition of supply chain it’s expanded so significantly, uh, over the years. Um, uh, I think it will continue to expand as we get more insight. Mm-hmm <affirmative> I think the thing that that’s driving the discipline right now, more than any other thing is the realization that, uh, that integrative management, uh, across the process, as opposed to within a function, uh, does truly have, uh, synergist results and that we waste so many resources worrying about performing a function. And we don’t understand the trade offs while some of these are very old thoughts. I believe that the information capability of today is beginning to put a new, a new flavor on them in that, uh, uh, that that’s a powerful concept. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and, and particularly collaboration between, uh, organizations, independent organizations and the supply chain, uh, the, okay.
Dr. Jim Stock (30:01):
And then our final question, what do you think will be the two or perhaps three most significant future developments impacting logistics and supply chain management in the future
Donald Bowersox (30:13):
At internet, which is fundamentally for business and research and not a social networking environ, uh, one that is able to, uh, to, uh, provide much more security, allow us to safely move, um, data and convert it into information while it’s being moved. Two. I do think that we would L make advancements in nanotechnology, nano being very small, the technology of composition. And, uh, so, uh, I’ve coined the word nanoo. We didn’t think we could chart the human DNA. And, uh, within months later we can, is one author puts it, download a how to build a human body from the internet. Well, I think we will learn how to decompose components of products similar to the way we’ve taken films to and pictures and, and videos and everything to a media that we can transmit. I don’t think we will eliminate physical substance, but I think we will learn miniaturization and the extent that we’re gonna be able to increase the density and reduce the size of products. So what we could put on a trailer today, we could put five times as much on in the future with less will weight and, uh, more value. So I think that’s gonna be a, a major, major trend. I think that, uh, we’re gonna have, uh, a significant reforming of antitrust laws that we’re gonna learn that collaboration is not bad and that people can do certain things extremely well and other things, not very well at all. And there’s no reason why we can’t link together, uh, organizations of people to transcend different ownerships, uh,
Dr. Jim Stock (32:16):
Well that I appreciate your insights and comments. And we’ve only touched upon, uh, your breadth of, and depth of experience, but hopefully through our conversations, uh, as we mentioned in introducing this video, uh, people will see, uh, a bit more of Don Bower socks and who he is and was, and why he did some of the things he did. And throughout, uh, all of these interviews that we’ll do folks hopefully will get, uh, a vision for what has been, what is now and what will be in the future. So thank you for your time. Well, thank you for the efforts you’re making. Jim
Chris Barnes (32:53):
Supply chain is boring as part of the supply chain. Now network the voice of supply chain, interested, sponsoring this show or others to help you get your message out. Send a note to Chris supply chain now.com. We can also help with world class supply chain, education and certification workshops for you or your team. Thanks for listening. And remember, supply chain is boring.
Donald Bowersox, one of the most well-known and influential supply chain management academics in the world. Bowersox was professor emeritus of marketing and supply chain management and served as dean of the Broad College of Business and the Broad Graduate School of Management from 2001-02 He dedicated more than 40 years to Michigan State University and is largely responsible for the stature that the Broad College has in the field of supply chain management. U.S. News and World Report currently ranks MSU’s supply chain management program No. 2 behind only the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s program. Bowersox received three degrees from MSU – a bachelor’s in 1954, an M.B.A. in 1958 and a doctorate in 1960. Prior to his 1966 appointment on the faculty at MSU, Bowersox was an Air Force pilot and in executive management for the E.F. MacDonald (Plaid) Stamp Co. He was appointed as the John H. McConnell Chair in Business Administration in 1985 in recognition of his contributions to academia, industry, and the community. In 2002, he was honored with the Broad College’s first Lifetime Alumni Achievement Award. Throughout his career, Bowersox wrote 10 textbooks that have been translated into 15 languages. He co-authored such works as the fourth edition of the textbook “Supply Chain Logistics Management” and “Physical Distribution Management: Logistics Problems of the Firm,” which is said to be the industry’s first logistics textbook. He also authored more than 250 articles on marketing, transportation and logistics. He was a member of the editorial review board of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Quarterly, Journal of Business Logistics, International Journal of Logistics Management, the Journal of Supply Chain Management and Supply Chain Management Review.
Dr. James Stock has been honored internationally three separate times for his achievements in supply chain and logistics management by the industry’s leading professional organizations. This year, he will receive the Supply Chain Management Professionals’ Distinguished Service Award – the highest honor that an individual can receive for their achievements in supply chain and logistics management. In addition, he will also be honored with the Special Lifetime Logistics Service Award by Yasar University in Izmir, Turkey and the 9th International Logistics and Supply Chain Congress for his outstanding achievement and continuous contributions to the field.
During the course of his 35-year career, Stock has also been honored with, DC Velocity magazine’s “Rainmaker for 2006” and has been awarded the Eccles Medal and the Armitage Medal by SOLE – The International Society of Logistics.
Stock has more than 150 publications in the field. He has authored six books and his publications have been translated into five different languages – Chinese, Czech, Portuguese, Russian, and Thai. He has also traveled to 46 countries on six continents to conduct research, lecture, or do consulting work for various organizations and universities.
Before coming to USF in 1989, Stock, the Frank Harvey Endowed Professor of Marketing at the College of Business, taught at Michigan State University, the Air Force Institute of Technology, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Notre Dame. He holds a BS and MBA from the University of Miami (Florida) and a PhD from The Ohio State University. Stock is an active member of numerous professional organizations, former editor of the Journal of Business Logistics and International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, serves on many international editorial review boards, and is on the USF Honors and Awards committee.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Host
Tevon Taylor is a dynamic leader at Pegasus Logistics, where he has made significant contributions to the company’s growth and innovation in the logistics industry. With a background in supply chain management and operations, Tevon combines strategic thinking with hands-on experience to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. Since joining Pegasus Logistics, Tevon has been instrumental in implementing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices, driving the company toward a more eco-friendly approach. His leadership style fosters collaboration and empowers teams to excel, making him a respected figure among colleagues and industry peers. Outside of work, Tevon is passionate about mentorship and actively engages in community initiatives, sharing his expertise to inspire the next generation of logistics professionals. His commitment to excellence and continuous improvement has positioned him as a key player in shaping the future of logistics at Pegasus.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 Cisco, Microsoft, 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 University, O’Reilly Media, LinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight. Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems Engineering, Carrier 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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
Vice President, Production
Amanda is a seasoned production and marketing professional with over 20 years of experience across diverse industries, including retail, healthcare, and digital marketing. Throughout her career, she has worked with notable organizations such as Von Maur, Anthropologie, AmericasMart Atlanta, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Currently, Amanda manages, produces, and develops digital content for Supply Chain Now and its clients, delivering modern, engaging solutions for a wide range of audiences.
A former Vice President of Information Systems and Webmaster on the Board of Directors for APICS Savannah, Amanda also founded and led Magnolia Marketing Group, a successful digital marketing firm. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, reading, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her family.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.