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Supply Chain Now
Episode 994

Never underestimate the power of the user - in good ways and bad. Your people are your first line of defense, but your people are also your weakest link. You can make an immediate impact through training, and there are plenty of resources out there for that.

-Allison Krache Giddens president of Win-Tech, Inc.

Episode Summary

According to Checkpoint Research, the second quarter of 2022 was an all-time high for the number of global cyber-attacks reported. They were up by 32 percent over the same time frame just a year earlier. Since we are all subject to cyber risk, whether as supply chain professionals, suppliers, or consumers, we need to be well-informed on the potential sources of risk and steps we can take to protect ourselves.

To get some actionable insight, Scott Luton and Allison Krache Giddens, President of Win-Tech, Inc. Win-Tech is an award-winning manufacturer that partners with a variety of industries, including aerospace, medical, and construction.

In this conversation, Allison shares her cyber know-how with Scott Luton, including:

• What supply chain professionals need to know about cyber security

• How to find someone you can trust, preferably an expert outside of your organization, to help monitor cyber risks

• Steps you can take today to start mitigating your company’s exposure to cyber risk

Episode Transcript

Intro/Outro (00:03):

Welcome to supply chain. Now the voice of global supply chain supply chain now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues. The challenges and opportunities stay tuned to hear from those making global business happen right here on supply chain now.

Scott Luton (00:32):

Hey, good morning, everybody. Scott Luton with you here on supply chain. Now welcome to today’s show today. We’re speaking with the business leader on a critical topic, cyber security, and we’ve all seen cyber threats continue to grow across global supply chain. Stay tuned for a few things that you should know. You must know. You gotta know. So no further ado on walking in our guests here today. Allison Krache Giddens president of win tech Inc. And award-winning manufacturing company that works in a variety of industries, including aerospace, medical construction, and a lot more Allison, how you doing?

Allison Krache Giddens (01:05):

Hey, I’m good. How are you

Scott Luton (01:07):

Doing wonderful. Uh, doing wonderful. And it’s been really cool to see you and, and the win tech Inc team continue to grow, tackle big projects. And I really appreciate you coming in here today and sharing some of your expertise.

Allison Krache Giddens (01:18):

Definitely. Thanks for having me.

Scott Luton (01:20):

You bet. Now, before we get into cyber security, you, you know me, I like to kind of start with a factoid and kind of a fun warm up question. So today we got a good one. Uh, Alison, as I was sharing, pre-show this little, um, uh, anniversary, I’ll call it tech tech anniversary created a firestorm of debate on a team call this morning. Uh, so I’m gonna share it first and then, then we’ll get you a way in. So we’re recording this episode today on September 23rd right now on September 23rd, 2008, the world’s first Android based smartphone was released by Google and T-Mobile, it was called the G one or the HTC dream, depending on where you lived in the world. So Alison, are you a devout apple or Android user?

Allison Krache Giddens (02:08):

I am Android all day long. I oh yeah. What are you

Scott Luton (02:14):

So well, so I learned, as I mentioned earlier in that team call, I heard I learned things. I felt like I was just being born because how much I learned in that 20 minute discussion? Um, I am apple on my phone, but I am Android or, uh, P uh, PC everywhere else. That make sense.

Allison Krache Giddens (02:32):

Okay. See, but that’s confusing because I tried having an iPhone at one point and I hung up on every caller on accident. <laugh> because it’s the opposite, right? It’s the, the green and the red buttons for answering calls or declining calls are opposite. So I had started with an Android style phone, I think. Yep. And then just for the heck of it, I thought, all right, well, everybody keeps talking about iPhone, so I’ll go get an iPhone. I got an iPhone. Hated it, hated it really. Oh my God. I, I kept the leading apps on accident. I kept hanging up on people. <laugh> um, yeah,

Scott Luton (03:06):

So it just didn’t work

Allison Krache Giddens (03:07):

Android every day, all day.

Scott Luton (03:09):

Well, you know, so I’ve never stopped to think about, so one of the 17 pages of notes this morning is all those, some of those folks that are like really, uh, completely dedicated on the apple side, you know, they’ve got iPhones and then they use, um, you know, apple laptops and whatnot, and they were just singing the praises of how everything’s synced and they don’t have to, you know, use different apps and stuff that just, maybe I’m slow, that’s Google,

Allison Krache Giddens (03:35):

But that’s Google like Google do that’s that’s my life is my Google calendar. My Google email, my Google photos. Everything’s integrated there.

Scott Luton (03:44):

All right, well, mate, I’m just behind the time. So we’ll have to, uh, we’ll exchange, uh, some and compare notes more about all Google or all apple and the benefits there. But, uh, but moving right along to the greater challenge of the day and by the way, thank you for, uh, weighing in on, on that debate, but the big topic at hand cyber security, right? And as you and I both know is not going away anytime soon. In fact, the challenges are only getting more complex. And I would argue that global supply chains have never witnessed the level of cyber attacks that they’ve been experiencing in recent months. So before we get you away in with your expertise, I’m, unless you’re just a couple of fact toys on the front end. So speaking of that level of activity of bad actors out there, trying to do bad things, according to checkpoint research, second quarter 2022 saw an all time peak where global sub global cyber attacks increased by 32% compared to the same timeframe in 2021.

Scott Luton (04:41):

Now, what does it look like? Well, the European union agency for cyber security says that malware is used in 62% of supply chain, cyber attacks, 58% of supply chain incidents, target customer data. And we’ve seen some big names get compromised there, right? Uh, and then finally in 66% of the tax on global supply chain suppliers either didn’t know, or they failed to report how they were compromised and that doesn’t help us, uh, in many ways and help, you know, end to end supply chain. So Allison with that as a backdrop and, and so much more, what are from your view, three things that business leaders, especially those in global supply chain must know about cyber security.

Allison Krache Giddens (05:24):

Well, yeah, those are some pretty staggering statistics numbers there. Um, I believe that the three that really stick out to me, uh, one you touched on right away and that is business leaders need to understand that it’s not a matter of if you’ll ever get compromised, it’s the matter of when and will you be resilient? How will you bounce back? It’s all in, you know, risk management and, and planning for the worst case scenario. That is the absolute number, one thing, business leaders, especially those that cybersecurity is not a subject that they’re an expert in something that they’ve got to understand.

Scott Luton (06:02):

And, and so wishful thinking a, a failure to, uh, be rooted in reality, you know, all the, the hope is not a strategy, all that stuff. And, and to, I like your last point there, um, you know, if business leaders aren’t a cyber security or, or maybe not even a technologist, that’s okay. Find an expert who can help them, um, get out in front as much as they can. Right.

Allison Krache Giddens (06:24):

That’s bingo. And that’s number two. That

Scott Luton (06:27):

Would be, oh, okay. Is perfect.

Allison Krache Giddens (06:28):

Sorry. <laugh> so, no, that’s good. Nice segue. It’s it’s not that business leaders, especially people in small business. There’s, there’s the notion that, well, we have to know everything, right. We have to be the good HR person. We have to know accounting and finance. And, um, oh, by the way, if you’re in manufacturing, you also have to know the shop floor that there’s all these things that we all have to know and become really, really good at. You don’t have to be quote good at cybersecurity. You need to find somebody you trust in that space and whether that’s inside or outside of your company, that’s a whole nother topic for another podcast for another day. Um, but that is definitely number two is you, you need to know what you don’t know, and you need to find someone you trust to help you do it.

Scott Luton (07:12):

Yeah. You know, trust has been such a, an ongoing theme in a bunch of recent conversations that we’ve been having. And you’re absolutely right. In fact, one of the stats I didn’t grab from some of the pre-show reading I was doing was how many of these attacks eat at and ode at the trust between customers and suppliers and, you know, amongst the supply chain. Um, and you know, if, if you believe, you know, because, um, you know, once you’re, let’s say, I’ll tell you what, let make this make sense. So, you know, we were the victim of a cyber attack years ago, right. And, and had a big loss. Um, and what took place at a high level is folks had penetrated, uh, a team member’s email, and then they were able to pose as, uh, as customers and as, as us collecting on payments. Right. So talk about if you’re, if you’re trusting the conversations and you’re, you, you don’t know who you’re, you’re dealing with and then payments were diverted Allison. So Allison, a trust factor, you know, folks, bad actors are preying on the trust factor with many of these cyber attacks. I mean, we’re living proof. And going back to your first point, you’re gonna be a victim. You’re gonna be a target rather, you know, and it’s up to you to mitigate that risk, right?

Allison Krache Giddens (08:37):

Yep. Bingo. It’s, it’s up to you to mitigate that risk. It’s up to you to plan accordingly. And if that means making sure you’ve got, you know, a solid backup that is also not compromised it’s, um, finding somebody you try it’s it’s fi having that plan is, is ultimately, um, something that has those top two things would fall under, right. A risk management plan or an incident response plan. It’s okay. If this happens, then what do we do next? Um, and you have to have somebody you trust to help you come, come up with that. But fact of the matter is, yes, you’ve gotta have it

Scott Luton (09:11):

And kind of no different those contingency plans. You’re talking about no different than if you were to have a chemical leak at your facility, or if you were to have, you know, the pandemic of course got many organizations and leaders rethinking scenario and contingency planning, so no different here. Right?

Allison Krache Giddens (09:28):

Exactly. Yep. Yep. And that third thing I think I would tell business leaders, um, anyone dealing in supply chain, really any, any business owner leader, you, you name it. Uh, there are two things that you can do to immediately make a significant impact in your cybersecurity posture right now. And that is use MFA that’s multifactor authentication that is having a, one of those, uh, whether it’s Google authenticator, whether it’s duo a lot of these different apps that will prompt you for a code, um, in order to access an application or an email, all of these things is just another layer of security. I believe Microsoft estimated that, uh, well over 95% of incidents could have been prevented by MFA. Really that’s mind blowing, that’s mind blowing. Like why would you not do MFA? So that third piece, uh, so I guess three a is use MFA. And three B is never underestimate the power of the user. And that’s in good ways and bad. Your people are your first line of defense. Your people are also your weakest link. So if you can make immediate impacts in training, and there are plenty of resources out there to make that happen. Um, if you can do that then between that and MFA, you are gonna be light years ahead of your peers.

Scott Luton (10:57):

Well said, well said, uh, what’s the old Benjamin Franklin, uh, Franklin Franklin, Franklin, um, saying about an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Allison Krache Giddens (11:08):

Something like that. You

Scott Luton (11:10):

<laugh> yep. That applies here, right?

Allison Krache Giddens (11:12):

Oh, absolutely. There’s it’s pennies on the dollar for a lot of these, um, these websites that’ll, uh, I’m off top of my head. I’m thinking no before, and Proofpoint okay. And these different they’re different training websites and things you can put together to help employees understand and recognize fishing attempts and safe internet browsing and things like that. If anything’s gonna happen, it’s gonna be because someone clicked on something or someone basically invited the bad guys in, right. Knowing it or not, you have your insider threats, but generally it’s your people clicking a link. Yeah. And, and by doing that, then, uh, like I said, MFA and, and helping the user to understand and recognize and identify the bad guys that’s key

Scott Luton (11:58):

Well said. All right. So I know you’re gonna share a few resources. You just kind of did a moment ago, but, uh, before you, you share any, any others, I just wanna bring up email, right? Because, uh, the few times I mentioned, uh, a minute ago, our worst, uh, attack where it did, um, you know, there was loss and then there’s been a couple close calls to your point exactly where, you know, these days email ghosting it, it can look unless you’re really got the magnifying glass out. It can look just like it’s coming from the person that they are saying they are. And, and sometimes it’ll be a quick request. And then, you know, you’re in the middle of your day. So you work on what they need and send it to ’em and you, then you blank. And then you’re, you’re not sending it to no John or Jane or whomever. You’re sending it to a bad actor that then to your point, now that we’ve invited him in and giving them, giving them little, little opening, they take it and they do bad things.

Allison Krache Giddens (12:50):

You got it. And so it’s, it is, they play off of the bad guys play off of, of psychology and, and just human factors. And yes, we, this, the, the Uber attack that we’ve all heard about of recent, um, in the news cycles. Yep. They were compromised. And, um, I, I have not been keeping up with it as much as I should, but in the early days of the announcement, from what I understand it happened because there was, um, basically somebody kept hitting that MFA request button and the person on the other end, who might have been a better gatekeeper mm-hmm <affirmative>, um, ended up just getting a little frustrated with the requests and just said, okay, fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Add device <laugh> and hit the button. So, you know, we, whether or not, and gosh, God bless the people at Uber for having to deal with all of the fallout, but <laugh>, but that’s, you know, again, your people are your first line of defense and don’t, don’t let you know, don’t let your policies, or don’t, don’t let urgency get in the way of, of the well meaning policies

Scott Luton (13:53):

Well said. Uh, one last thing, one last thing, uh, cuz it, what somewhat you’ve been sharing here has triggered one more experience. Um, one of the, one of the incidents I’ll call it, uh, one of the times that we were, we had a bad actor trying to penetrate us. They had posed as one, one of the team, one of our team members a few years back, and this was the sweetest team member, low key. Uh, you could never make him angry about anything. Oh, no. Right. Well, get this in the email, whoever was, was portraying. This individual was demanding and like it was getting stern and, and demanding, you know, I need this now, you know, and it really, it caused me and a few others to stop and say, Hey man. And this was like, during the middle of the day, it’s not like <laugh>, it was over beers, you know? Right. The, the individual was right. You know, typing us late at night or something. But I think you gotta look for that as leaders, if something doesn’t sound right. Yes. Look right. Even the smallest little thing, call time out and do little homework and just make sure.

Allison Krache Giddens (14:55):

So, and you gotta communicate that to your people too. So we have, we have a thing here at win tech where we tell people you will never, ever, ever quote, get in trouble for deleting an email that looks weird. I have regularly, I have people call me into their office. Do you have a minute look over my shoulder? Is this you? Or is this so and so, or does this look legit? Right. And it’s like, when in doubt, delete it. Because if somebody legit is going to send one of my employees, something that looks sketchy yeah. Then shame on them. <laugh> try again.

Scott Luton (15:26):

And, and to your point, you know, if something that’s, that’s actual, real urgent and, and business related, they don’t not get an answer. They’re probably gonna call you. And they’re definitely gonna email you again. Uh, so anyway, love your practical. Been there, done net tips, uh, appreciate what you’re doing in industry, uh, to elevate the conversations for cyber security and beyond, um, you know, here in the states, of course, uh, the national defense supply chain, uh, organization, we’re trying to get a lot smarter about that and love the leadership you’re doing there. Um, okay. Resources, what other resources would you throw out there for any of our listeners?

Allison Krache Giddens (16:03):

I really say the first place to start issa.gov. And that is CIS a.gov. It’s a, it’s a website, it’s a very comprehensive website. It’s the government doing the hard work it’s there doing? And, uh, I know kind of the joke from a business owner’s perspective would be, oh, that’s a first. Um, but the government is doing the legwork on the information sharing. When you look at what they call, um, the security advisories. And I, I just kind of got this summary not too long ago from a friend of mine, uh, Ryan Bonner,

Scott Luton (16:35):

Did it really come from Ryan that really come from

Allison Krache Giddens (16:37):

Ryan? It did this, this really came from yes. This particular, uh, really came from Ryan. Uh he’s with Def cert and his, um, his focus is helping small businesses in the defense industry base kind of, you know, protect themselves, get up to speed, get prepared for industry frameworks and standard certifications. And, um, he pointed out, he said, when you look at the, the security advisories from us cert, which is on csa.gov, these are all the advisories, all that. This is the government monitoring stuff in the country, out of the country everywhere. And you can notice they’re the same patterns. It’s things reminding it. It’s basically the bad guys that the, the fix in what they’re trying to, to do or attack the fix is having offline data backups. It’s making sure that, you know, who has access into your network, it’s using MFA, it’s monitoring your systems, knowing having someone you trust, be able to watch the traffic within your network. Yep. It’s making sure that you’re patching, you know, when Microsoft sends out an urgent security pack package, you’re not or patch, you’re not sitting around for three weeks before you install it. It’s all of, of these different things. But there’s so many patterns in those security advisors that if this gets overwhelming, which I guarantee you, it can, it it’s AP to do. That’s where to start, is look to see where those patterns are and how they are applicable to your systems.

Scott Luton (18:04):

Excellent. And you know, those patches that you mentioned, uh, I know here in, in recent months, um, that those patches have been urgently created and distributed because of specific attacks, uh, were prevalent and were growing, cuz they were taking advantage of, of newly exposed weaknesses in the technology. So Hey, take those patches and those updates very seriously to your point, Alison and in a timely manner. Right?

Allison Krache Giddens (18:30):

You got it. Yep. Those vulnerabilities once they’re, once they’re acknowledged and discovered can be a scary place for anybody working in cyber. So again, just comes back to find somebody you trust who can help you when these kind of things come up.

Scott Luton (18:43):

That’s right. Okay. Uh, other resources I would include you on there. Right. And some of the groups you’re a part of, um,

Allison Krache Giddens (18:51):

Well, I don’t know about that know just enough to be dangerous here. I know I just, I speak to kind of my experience in the small business world and kind of where we have started. Um, you know, you only have so many, you only have so many resources to devote to these kind of things, especially when cyber is not your either subject matter expertise or what you’re selling. Right, right, right. But you still have to implement this in your, in your business. But yeah, another resource I’d say is tap into your industry association, whether that’s E even if the industry association is not a cyber related one, right. Chances are, they probably have recommendations or they can connect you to somebody who does. So, um, that’s, that’s another really good, good option.

Scott Luton (19:31):

Excellent point, excellent point. Um, well, you know, one other thing that I know we have in common in terms of what we get a kick out of perhaps, uh, and it’s not necessarily hacking and, and related to cybersecurity, but it’s along those lines of bad actors doing, doing bad things, you know, there’s, there’s a whole racket out there. In fact, I would call it a, a burgeoning global cottage industry of folks that are making calls, uh, imitating different folks and getting their victims that go to stores and buy gift cards. Right. You and I both have seen this. Yep. Well,

Allison Krache Giddens (20:05):

Social

Scott Luton (20:05):

Engineering, social engineering. Thank you. Um, you always bring a lot more intelligence, uh, to the table than I do. Thank you for Alison, for making you feel

Allison Krache Giddens (20:13):

Smart. It’s different. We’re different. And that’s good.

Scott Luton (20:15):

So, um, but there’s, there’s a, there’s also at the same time that all these folks have been taking advantage of which isn’t funny, but what is funny is across YouTube, there are folks that I’ve really specialized in, in, um, becoming folks are, are messing with these bad actors. Right. And trying to use their time so that they, um, so they’re not out there harming others. And I gotta tell you, Alison, I wish I brought a list of some of my favorite YouTube channels along these lines. You know, if you Google, Google, probably hacker prank or something like that, and you’ll see these people, they’re great. Oh, there you

Allison Krache Giddens (20:54):

Go. Those are, those are so good. Yes. Because for every minute that you’re distracting them on that, then they’re not, they’re not taking advantage of somebody who is, uh, not paying attention.

Scott Luton (21:04):

That’s right. And unfortunately, there’s lots of folks that get outta there. They get, they get this, this bad, uh, fake call. They get outta their, their recliner go to, you know, Walmart and buy all these gift cards and transfer ’em over. And then they blink their out a couple grand and all of it was just, you know, um, was just a, um, a, um, a crime, you know, so anyway. Yep. Um, alright. So Allison, we love, you know, you, you, uh, cohost shows around here make appearances, uh, love your passion for manufacturing and lifting industry up. Um, love your work with women in manufacturing, right. Um, so how can folks, if they want to, you know, compare notes, cyber wise, if they wanna compare notes, manufacturing wise, if they wanna connect with you on social, how can folks connect with you?

Allison Krache Giddens (21:54):

Definitely find me on LinkedIn. I’m Allison GIS on LinkedIn would love to connect with people. I kind of occupy that funny, goofy space of defense manufacturing and, uh, cyber standards and contractual flow down and all that kind of really, really fun and riveting topics. Uh <laugh> but yeah, definitely would happy, happy to connect with, with folks on LinkedIn.

Scott Luton (22:16):

And I’d add in, uh, the book reviews. I love your book reviews and no one do does not too many folks do book reviews anymore. I love, um, you make, you make reading a lot easier and I, I love how you share your Le your key lessons learned, uh, uh, from your different reads. So keep on sharing, keep on leading. So big, thanks. Uh, to Allison crche gin’s president at win tech, Inc for joining us here today. Allison, thanks again.

Allison Krache Giddens (22:44):

Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Scott Luton (22:46):

You bet. Okay. Folks, uh, heard, uh, you know, take action, deeds, not words, and you gotta take care of your organization and your team you’re intellectual property, your resources. So you gotta be proactive at all of that. So with all that said, uh, Scott Luton here wishing our listeners nothing but the best. Hey, be like Allison, do good. Give forward. Be the change that’s needed on that note was see next time, right back here on Saatchi. Now. Thanks for buddy.

Intro/Outro (23:12):

Thanks

Intro/Outro (23:13):

For being a part of our supply chain. Now, community check out all of our programming@supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to supply chain. Now anywhere you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on supply chain. Now.

Featured Guests

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

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

Hosts

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

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Kim Winter

Host, Supply Chain Now

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

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

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

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Adrian Purtill

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Kevin Brown

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Jose Miguel Irarrazaval

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Nick Roemer

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Allison Giddens

Host

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

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

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Billy Taylor

Host

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

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

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

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

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Tandreia Bellamy

Host

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

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

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

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

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Marty Parker

Host

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

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

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Laura Lopez

Marketing Coordinator

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

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Jake Barr

Host

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

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Marcia Williams

Host

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

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Luisa Garcia

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Astrid Aubert

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Sofia Rivas

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

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

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

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

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Karin Bursa

Host

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

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Vin Vashishta

Host

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

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Amanda Luton

Vice President, Production

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

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Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

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

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

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Greg White

Principal & Host

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

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

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Chris Barnes

Principal, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain is Boring

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

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

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Tyler Ward

Director of Sales

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

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

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

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Kevin L. Jackson

Host of Digital Transformers

Kevin L. Jackson is a globally recognized Thought Leader, Industry Influencer and Founder/Author of the award winning “Cloud Musings” blog.  He has also been recognized as a “Top 5G Influencer” (Onalytica 2019, Radar 2020), a “Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader” (Thinkers 360 2019) and provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, Ericsson and other leading companies. Mr. Jackson’s commercial experience includes Vice President J.P. Morgan Chase, Worldwide Sales Executive for IBM and SAIC (Engility) Director Cloud Solutions. He has served on teams that have supported digital transformation projects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US Intelligence Community.  Kevin’s formal education includes a MS Computer Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School; MA National Security & Strategic Studies from Naval War College; and a BS Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Internationally recognizable firms that have sponsored articles authored by him include 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.

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Enrique Alvarez

Host of Logistics with Purpose and Supply Chain Now en Español

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

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

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Kelly Barner

Host of Dial P for Procurement

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

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Mary Kate Soliva

Host, Veteran Voices

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

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Constantine Limberakis

Host

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

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Clay Phillips

Business Development Manager

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

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Trisha Cordes

Administrative Assistant

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

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Chantel King

Social Media Manager

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

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

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

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Lori Sofian

Marketing Coordinator

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

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Katherine Hintz

Director, Customer Experience

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

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Mary Kate Love

Chief of Staff & Host

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

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

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Joshua Miranda

Marketing Specialist

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

Donna Krache

Director of Communications and Executive Producer

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

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Vicki White

Controller

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

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Katherine Hintz

Creative Director, Producer, Host

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

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