“The question became one of who owned the streets. Today we think of streets as a place for cars. Back then, however, ownership was in transition at best – if anything – the streets belonged to pedestrians.”
– Kelly Barner, Dial P for Procurement
In this edition of This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner remembers key innovations, inventions, and firsts that took place between August 2nd and the 6th. In our main story, we learn about the installation of the first electric traffic light and how the road went from being the domain of pedestrians to a throughway for cars. We’ll also learn about the release of the TRS-80 personal computer by Radio Shack and the establishment of the first Federal income tax.
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The Buzz for June 14th: Digital Transformers Edition
The Buzz is Supply Chain Now’s regular Monday livestream, held at 12 noon ET each week. This show focuses on some of the leading stories from global supply chain and global business, always with special guests – the most important of which is the live audience! In this week’s Digital Transformers edition of The Buzz, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson discussed a variety of news and developments across global supply chain, with a heavy focus on technology. Listen in as they discuss: What “Intralogics” means What procurement executives are prioritizing in 2024 Accelerating digital transformation in logistics How D-Day would have played out with modern technology And much more!
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How AI and Innovation are Reshaping Procurement featuring Todd Heimes with Amazon Business
In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton sits down with Todd Heimes, Vice President of Amazon Business, live from Amazon Reshape 2025 in Seattle. Todd—an Amazon veteran of 26 years and a Seattle resident for over 30 years—shares rare, behind-the-scenes insights on scaling Amazon Business across Europe, Japan, and India, and leading multiple global teams including small business, global marketing, Business Prime, and international expansion. Todd explains how AI and innovation are reshaping procurement, with Amazon working to eliminate inefficiencies, reduce manual drudgery, and empower organizations to make smarter, faster purchasing decisions. He underscores the enduring influence of Jeff Bezos’ principle: start with the customer and work backwards. Todd shares a fascinating look at how Amazon Business streamlines procurement for large-scale, high-stakes operations, and also breaks down Amazon’s newest AI-driven capabilities—like the Amazon Business Assistant and Spend Anomaly detection—designed to elevate customer experience and bring intelligence to purchasing workflows. Todd closes with advice for today’s supply chain leaders: master your data to navigate uncertainty and drive smarter decisions. Tune into this episode to hear how Amazon Business is using AI, innovation, and customer-obsessed strategies to transform procurement and empower organizations to work smarter and faster. This…