Supply Chain Now
Episode 339

Episode Summary

“It’s so hard to be on the one side happy with where you are, but on the other side, never stop improving.”

– Joerg Walden, CEO of iPoint

 

How might your business or operation change if you were no longer able to operate on the assumption that you could buy as much as you want of every product and service that you need?

This is the key question that Joerg Walden, AIAG’s CR Summit speaker and CEO of iPoint, asks companies that are either overly dependent upon (or growing weary of) the traditional linear supply chain. As a multi-time entrepreneur with a background in process optimization and technology, he and his team work to help companies manufacture, use, and re-use truly sustainable products, with the support of digital data.

In this interview, Joerg points out to Supply Chain Now Co-hosts Greg White and Scott Luton the core mindsets that have to change in order for businesses to become more sustainable:

· Recognizing how important it is to consumers that their products come to them from responsibly managed, ethically sourced, and minimally wasteful supply chains

· How digital representations (or digital twins) can be used to analyze and reduce waste streams

· Reimagining the value chain, resource utilization, and sustainability with a mind to bracing for supply chain disruptions – even with our current levels of connectivity

Episode Transcript

[00:00:05] It’s time for Supply chain now broadcasting live from the Supply chain capital of the country. Atlanta, Georgia, heard around the world, Supply chain now spotlights the best in all things Supply chain. The people, the technologies, the best practices.

 

 

[00:00:22] And the critical issues of the day and now here are your hosts.

 

[00:00:28] Good morning, Scott Luton here with you on Supply chain. Now welcome back to the show.

 

[00:00:33] On today’s episode, we’re speaking with a leading provider of software and consulting for environmental and social product compliance and sustainability. This interview is part of our continuing collaboration with the Automotive Industry Action Group A.R. Agee. So stay tuned as we look to increase your Supply chain IQ. Quick programing note before we get started. If you enjoy today’s conversation, be sure to find this and subscribe wherever you get your podcast from. Welcome in My Partner in Crime, my fearless co-host here on today’s show. Greg White Serial Supply chain. Tech entreprenuer and trusted advisor Greg. How you doing?

 

[00:01:11] Doing great. Thank you. It’s you know, it’s good to have all these folks from the AIG group get together and share their thoughts. So looking forward to this one in particular, because we’re going to talk a little circular economy.

 

[00:01:26] Absolutely. It’s been a pretty robust group of thought leaders. And I think today’s conversation is going to continue that trend. And with no further ado, we’re going to welcome in our featured guests here today yawk Walton, CEO and founder of APOINT Systems. Your good morning.

 

[00:01:42] A good morning, everybody. Nice to be here. Thanks for the invitation.

 

[00:01:46] Absolutely.

 

[00:01:47] We have Greg in your report. Reputation precedes you. We’ve heard a lot about what you and your team have been up to. We’ve managed to also interview one of your colleagues and really looking forward to picking your brain here. Do that.

 

[00:02:01] Thanks. Thanks for the chance. Simply opportunity. So happy to share some of the ideas and some of the Wisconsin strategies we are building here.

 

[00:02:09] Outstanding. Outstanding. Well, you know, like we talked about, Greg and I are always curious up front. These interviews get to know you a little bit better, getting our guests a bit better. So if you could share with our audience, you know where you’re from. Give us the goods on your upbringing. And of course, we’re curious about your professional journey kind of in a Reader’s Digest style.

 

[00:02:31] Yes. Sure. Sure. Thanks. So I’m coming out of the city stood. But.

 

[00:02:39] It’s a little bit like I’m always comparing this. It’s a city like like like Detroit. So an automotive place, a lot of industrialization, a lot of I mean, that difference to a to what we see in the US, a midsize and small size companies. So I think that’s a city where we say, oh, look, we’ll build your home. It’s the major point here. So I think it’s a really hot looking area, really Industrial this area, engineering area. One of the half of Germany, I would say that’s quite an interesting area with industry digitalisation, though, it’s really driving the motivated people in this area to York.

 

[00:03:22] Did you grow up in Stuttgart?

 

[00:03:24] Yeah, I’m originally born a little bit a little bit outside Stuttgart. So it’s 20 months, 20 months away. It’s right-leaning. It’s cold. So it’s a wedding to being it’s a little known U.S. city, I think, to being a little artificial intelligence and siplon. This is one of the hop in the world even. And I think I’m grown here. So I’m born here. I’m sitting here. I’m not leaving here even if I’m traveling around the world all the time. So just tried to come back to my fundamental area. And if you would see what I would see, no. Outside of my window here with the mountains and everything, you would love this area.

 

[00:04:03] Mm hmm. Greg, a quick departure here. I know you have spent a good bit of time in Germany. Ever been a store guard?

 

[00:04:11] Oh, yeah. I’m a huge fan. Of course, it’s the home of Porsche and Mercedes.

 

[00:04:14] So it is it is the Detroit of Germany on I don’t want to say steroids, but it is it’s an up first of all, it’s in a beautiful part of the country, as you said, your. And it is just such a home of fine automotive crass craftsmanship. And, you know, when you’re heading down in that part of the country, you’re heading down towards the Black Forest as well. And the border with Austria. And one of my favorite places, Boden’s.

 

[00:04:48] And yes, I don’t know. It’s just a great town.

 

[00:04:51] So you almost painted a picture in my mind there. Drag you, you and your guy. I love that. All right. So we’re going to talk a lot more about your organization, your. But before we do that, prior to founding our point, give us give us a roll or two that really shaped your world view.

 

[00:05:13] So I was born with two brothers. I’m in the middle. So so-called sandwich. Oh, it’s always the hardest thing. The youngest are the nice one. The oldest have to fight. And you’re in the middle have to fight against the youngest and the oldest. So I think it’s quite a I think an interesting way to grow up.

 

[00:05:32] So my father and was born in this family and my father was also a company owner. So it was really from the beginning of my life trying and understanding. What does it mean to be responsible to take your own responsibility? What are you doing to live? Was all the hard to say connected world at the end? Employees, government and all the other things, what you need to look into. So I think I was really quickly understanding. What does it mean to work on the one side, on the other side and try to identify the differences? And this was really a fundamental stone. Or how about you call this milestone in my life that I never looked as an employee? So it really started even when I was studying my father’s business. So I think this was maybe a fundamental learning in the young, young, young years of my life, how to build up organizations, how to manage this, how to be responsible by yourself to make these decisions, how to love what you do, not just 8 5. So really 24/7. I think that was a fundamental grow and find a millstone in my growing up. Mm hmm. Yeah. And I think maybe it just it sorry, just another I think a loved technology. I’m reading mathematical technology driven from the beginning. I had a horrible career at the school. Yeah. So because I did everything learning. I was always practical. I try to improve. I tried to understand and what was more on the practical side. So read it. Trying to do things and not just to sit somewhere and doing some whatever things in the school. I think this was another point. A lot of trouble in the school to reach at the end. My exam and did my study and I.T. and technology and automation. But this was quite a hop, hop and painful pop for many, many years.

 

[00:07:32] We’re kindred spirits and being practical. I’m a very practical minded leader myself. And in fact, my wife still on one of our earliest Valentine’s Days, you know, fifteen, twenty years ago identified that she did not have an umbrella. So I gave her an umbrella for her Valentine’s Day gift. So maybe two pratical. But I can appreciate where you’re coming from.

 

[00:07:58] It was no, no vacuum cleaner.

 

[00:08:00] At least that’s an interesting perspective because I would say that the most studied.

 

[00:08:09] And I don’t know if I want to say most ambitious but most focused ambitious is my middle one as well.

 

[00:08:17] So you can see that sort of trying to figure out how to fit in or get any kind of attention, I imagine, as a middle child. Right. And how that plays into your ability to see both sides of a discussion, argument, point of view, whatever. I hadn’t really, ever really thought about it that way.

 

[00:08:40] Interesting. I think it’s you know, it also builds a little bit the fire inside. It’s so hard to be on the one side happy with where you are. But on the other side, never stop improving. I think that’s also, I think, a culture, what you typically learn if you are sitting somewhere between. I mean, that’s a culture that you have to be on the one side happy and where you are. What are you reaching and thinks why you should never, ever stop learning. So I’m reading so much. I’m looking I’m always interested in trying to get full mindset behind. That’s still the culture. What I’m doing today and even at a C.O.D. Deeply inside understanding technology and other criteria is quite an important point for me.

 

[00:09:21] So on that note, Greg, let’s let’s dove into our point systems. Yeah.

 

[00:09:28] So first of all, maybe just give us a little bit of a progression how you landed at I point and then and then tell us a little bit about the company and what you all do, because particularly I mean, even before all all of this pandemic came down, what you’re doing is very much in the forefront from my perspective, very much in the forefront of supply chain and commerce generally. So, yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe Grego.

 

[00:10:00] Let me just step a little bit before I pencil the first. Like I said, the first company I founded was really looking about process optimization. And with nearly the first pieces coming out at this point of time. So you can stop thinking how old I am at this point of time. We really started optimizing internal productions with automation of I.T. technology and things like this out of this. I founded another company then who was really looking about a quality manufactured execution. So how do you connect the internal systems in an organization? This wasn’t the 90s yet. How do you really build all the manufacturing execution, quality management product to planning systems to many systems silos in place? And I didn’t like that. I said we have to think about processes. This drives me my whole life. Think about process or something. Look in the vertical area. So it’s really important for me. And then in the 90s, what I saw was the Internet. And then it was really blowing away everything. And this was quite clear for me that the way organizations would look in the future would totally change. This will not like we have today. What we did inside the organization is that this is we have to go one level higher. We have to go through this enterprise to this world wide connected organization, an organization. It’s not limited to the boundaries. One organization. It’s limited to the products, to the processes, to the plant. And this would be a lot of different parties, a lot of different people who will be involved. Organizations, companies and whatever. So there will be a totally different way how we will see the future connected businesses. At this point of time, I said, okay, I’m getting out of the first company.

 

[00:11:49] I was jumping into the new one. And this is also think about the main point I play comes from integration point. So for me, it was clear.

 

[00:11:59] We come into a new dimension of how do we integrate organizations and companies in the future. And this is really the founding idea of ideas of 5.10 and it’s connecting, connecting the silos not only inside the organization, also Obote, totally new ACO system, a totally new operating system for sustainable products. If you want to call this in the future.

 

[00:12:22] Well, your point. I mean, you you enunciate your point of view pretty clearly on your home page.

 

[00:12:27] And I think it’s a it’s a very simple description that I think would be really helpful to companies that are.

 

[00:12:37] Trying to understand what’s going on in in circular economy and how and where you start and end, if you can even say that if it’s go ahead. You’re yeah.

 

[00:12:49] So I think for us for us, it’s a circular economy. It’s broaden your mindset about what do you do at beginning.

 

[00:12:59] So it means really and typically you see a lot of companies who are specifically nowhas then pedantic issues. What we have at the moment, I’m not interesting with the materials coming. I can buy everything I’m interested in with the components. I can buy everything.

 

[00:13:13] So the boundaries of the thinking is starting in the entry point of your plant and stopping if your product leaves, maybe your plant. So I think that’s quite strange. And this will not stay in the future. Specifically, after what we see at the moment, the people with more and more start thinking about, oh, maybe we can buy everything what we think we can buy in the future. So how can we secure our response or resources into supply chain? How can we build a better model where we understanding what which fields are we using, how often we are using, where are they coming from, how they are sourced and all the different categories? We have to get a lot more information on the one site at the beginning of the design of our product, but also on the other side.

 

[00:14:00] If a product leaves our plant, if we sell this as a customer, I’ll give this away to the next business customer. What is done with the product? How is it used? Is it over engineered? Under engineered? Can we maybe just give it away and take it back? So ID like a sharing economy model. So we have our resource container for the future. And this is exactly what we are trying to connect all the different dots of information silos where we’re trying to get all the different points and angles together to understand the beginning and the end of the lifetime of potential and maybe extending lifetime. Some other things for the future.

 

[00:14:40] Well, I think, you know, one of the aspects of what you do is you include you mentioned sourcing, but I think particularly because of this conference. Right. You not only identify what is sourced and where it came from and what it is where it goes to next. But also and this is a particular point for me, whether it’s sourced ethically and today a company’s supply chain is no longer in the background, as I’m sure you’ve experienced. It’s in the forefront and it becomes a part of your brand. And more and more consumers are holding companies responsible for not only the quality of their goods, but the ethicality of their goods and the sustainer ability of their goods. And then and then, as you said, the the re-use and recycling of their goods as well. So are you seeing more companies start to take.

 

[00:15:40] A more visionary perspective yet or again, doesn’t it? Definitely, definitely, yes.

 

[00:15:48] But I think if you see, like you explained, we have multiple dimensions. What you need to understand and attach and bring to the point where you can make a decision, this is typically in the product design. So how can you how can you get from your supply chain all the sourcing information, but also a chemical composition and maybe the ability of materials and data and substances. What do you use in your product? And what is the impact on the toxic so that there’s a lot of discussion specifically in Europe now with this toxic stuff? Yeah, garbage, waste and things like this. If you want to recycle, you don’t want to have toxic waste. So how do we identify this? And so bringing these points of material datasets together into a some people call this now a digital twin into a digital representation.

 

[00:16:37] What has a lot more information available for different parties to the right time? This is, I think, the future where we can see a lot of advantages for everybody in this chain.

 

[00:16:52] Well, you know, I think we’re going to hear. I mean, everyone who attends the conference is going to hear a lot about that. And I appreciate what you guys are doing to help that. So here’s the question I love to ask your. And and this kind of allows people to understand in a nutshell in very short order what what your company, what kind of problems your company helps them solve. So if I am, I would say walking down the hall in my office. But if I am sitting at home in my office or at my work or bar. And and I’ve got a problem. And I just can’t annunciated I can’t figure out how to solve it. What are the key words going through my head or the pain that I’m feeling that would have me contact you guys at I point to help me solve this problem?

 

[00:17:44] So I think it depends on what role you are setting. I mean, this is quite interesting challenge opportunity.

 

[00:17:52] We call this fall a product. We ve UPS preparing different roles for different people in the organization. If your for example, if you are responsible for the design, you have to think about, OK, if I’m designing something now and I want to shift this in different regions of the world. Connectiveness Is this allowed? Is the packaging the tool I’m using? Right? Do I have the right information? Or of the increase sense of the product of the toxic substances in this product? How do I get if I’m buying a lot of components and parts and assemblies and attaching this, how do I get all these information and can make the test of the specification? So all these kinds of information, you should know if you are sitting more in the pictures area you are responsible for, OK. Like you said, oh my, Brant, I have to be careful. Where do I buy my maybe Liegghio for my electric car because I want to build the real sustainable, wonderful sustainable car. And it would shut my brain down to this if if something would be in to try and work building the Liegghio. Oh no, that’s definitely something you don’t want. So you need to cry over multiple steps in the TSC. We know we have multiple steps before the mine comes.

 

[00:19:07] How do we ensure that this lead to what you’re putting in? This battery is in line with your company, whatever you would define here, regulations you want to have. Yeah. So I think that’s that’s the biggest question. And so really depends on where are you sitting or another tragedy for sustainability. Everybody writing specifically in Germany, carbon neutrality. We have to have this plan. 2050, the carbon neutral city should be here in Europe. And so everybody announced, no, we are carbon neutral. But what does it mean if you have an electric vehicle? Where is most of the carbon generated generation of the product? Nothing. The lifetime of the product. We thinking we have electricity. So you have to look exactly what are you supply us doing building this car if you want to go carbon neutral. You have to find out how can you do this in supply chain. So that’s a total different responsibility, I think.

 

[00:20:05] I think it might be as simple as that.

 

[00:20:07] Based on what you’ve described is if I have any of those concerns, if if circular economy or sustainability or ethical sourcing or any of those things are my goals and I don’t know where to start.

 

[00:20:20] When I look at your kind of circular model on your side, it tells me that if if the biggest question I have is where do I start? That’s when I think you all sort of come in and give people a starting point based on, as you said there, which is your first and primary priority.

 

[00:20:43] I don’t think your pain point, whatever. Yeah. Each of those goals you just laid out there, Greg. More and more are certainly consumer goals. Right. Yeah. And and more more leaders like Juergen and his firm are answering the call. And it sounds like helping companies make those massive almost that adjustment. But that doesn’t do it. Justice transformations. To answer that call. So let’s let’s do this year. I want to broaden the discussion. A bit of that. Well, we’re already at a good altitude. But but apart from our point systems, as you survey this challenging, uniquely challenging landscape that we’re in right now. You know what? What? Globe, what one topic or development or innovation in across global supply chain really sticks out in your mind.

 

[00:21:40] I think I think the biggest innovation, what we will see is moving into this digital twin now. So I think that the. If we are enabling a product edification, I think the digital twin has a huge, huge value in the future because you have so much data and this is why we always call this a little bit digital. So the economy. I think the circular economy is only possible because we have this connected world. Think about Kobe, 19 million. What does it connected with? I mean, it’s a huge crisis. But at the end of all these connectivity, how are groups building, what organizations doing, how they’re publishing this forward is building ventilate this recipe, a timeless starting general. So the digitalization helps at the moment so much in making the problems and issues visible and generating. You have a huge brain because you can connect a lot of people in the world over the digitalization and it’s really, really small, too. So I think that’s quite the approach. And if you put this knowledge into a product twin, you can think about what can we do with this? And even points you don’t know today, how can maybe the resources mature used think about the future.

 

[00:22:56] If we getting more and more problems with us, Mitchelson. So if you would know not today. If you would know. And I think that’s a big value in Europe because we don’t have a lot of resources. But thinking about how can we decouple the growth of the climate system from the use of natural resources? What are the options and if you would. No, no. We have these kinds of products. We’ll be using a lot of those issues, maybe because of the 20 components and we could identify which products we could maybe find alternative materials, substitution and things like this, which we should focus on. That’s a governmental, even a strategic governmental need in the future. If you have twins, you can start thinking about something like this. So you’re not only selling product in the future. That’s my proposal. You’re selling even your data usage information and all this stuff to whoever the data needs and build a new business model out of this.

 

[00:23:54] Ok, so you shared a lot of their I’m trying to figure out which of those points I want to follow up on what we’re gonna have to have you back Europe for a follow up conversation. One of the big point you made there, one of the big learnings seems like you’re that that you’re suggesting is taking place is prior to this global pandemic that we’re all fighting. And I’m really proud of how global supply chains are are throwing their weight behind the fight and pivoting and doing things that they don’t that they don’t do. Breweries are making hand sanitizer and automotive companies, as you suggested, are making ventilators. It is very uplifting. So we knew going before, you know, before the world changed, companies and leaders were putting a lot of emphasis on on digital digitization. Right. Of the companies creating that digital twin. You’re thinking that is going to companies are going to double down as a result of the visibility that some global supply chains didn’t have during these challenging times.

 

[00:24:57] That one of the big takeaways are, you know, if you know this, there’s that there’s a wonderful joke going around in the social media. That is, who’s driving the digital transformation in your organization?

 

[00:25:12] Is this the CIO? Is this the CTO? Is this Corbitt 19? I think that’s exactly that’s exactly the point happening. So I think it will be it will be driven. It will be driven that I think we will see that all over this impact, over this fiscal impact to products, people will really start.

 

[00:25:37] And this is my my, my really I think the future. Listen, I’m seeing here it’s really start thinking about the value chain, thinking about resources, thinking about sustainability on the long term, because we learning now that even with all the power we have, even with all the connectivity, we have our systems quite stable, it’s quite easy to really quickly impact it if something like a physical hit comes. So I think that that could change some mindsets here. Yes.

 

[00:26:10] So one quick one of the thing you shared in your earlier points, I really liked because I think it’s up. It’s not just an outstanding thinking exercise right now, but it’s one for action. That’s where you mentioned we got to figure out how to decouple economic growth from the usage of resources, the physical usage and physical resources. Excellent point. And so many companies have already well down that journey and other companies are are just getting started. Ness. OK, but that is such an important thing for leaders to be thinking about and acting on right now. So much, yeah, I want to get more, too, but for the second time, Greg, let’s talk about AIG.

 

[00:26:56] Yeah.

 

[00:26:56] So you probably know your. We’re big fans of Jim and Tonya and everyone at AIG and really glad that they’re putting together, particularly at this time. You know, this this summit and what we’ve been asking a lot of the participants is give us some insight into the value that you see in your participation in AIG.

 

[00:27:29] So I think I read. I love the AIG, we are supporting the H.E., we have a wonderful relationship over that. I would say maybe 15 years long, really. So we are really early start getting into this connection into this network, because I think they are extremely powerful the place. They have a leading industry association with a wonderful network, wonderful looking groups. And we step ahead on a lot of things, whether trying to solve problems, not on the company level. They are trying to build this co-called petition networks. I think I love this. Specifically in the U.S., you see this often that a lot of companies are looking together, even if that competition, if they’re finding it common sense. So you can change things a lot fast because you have a lot more power behind it. I think this is something what AIG wonderful did and this is why we are supporting them. Oh, yes, no. And then even in the crisis, we supported them, even in all the other things. I think you said, no, no, we have to stay together. I think that’s something we can change together. We have more from the I.T. Forget technology from the process side. AIG with that wonderful members and looking groups from the business side. And I think bringing this together, it’s a huge value for everybody. And I think that’s quite interesting. And the biggest one just I think we build it together with the AIG, the social impact platform for conflict Minot’s. This is 2012, not really far ahead from everybody who stopped thinking about something like this. So I think this was born out of the idea that no legend that trust each other. And this is what I really love and be agile organization.

 

[00:29:09] I think that, you know, that’s a really good point. They create a really this is so so 2020. They create a really safe space for the co-optation that you’ve described. Right. They make sure that all the parties are are protected and comfortable sharing. What what benefits them as well as the rest of the organization.

 

[00:29:34] And I think this corporate responsibility summit is a particular value. You know, as I said now. But your theme is very similar to what we’ve we’ve heard from others. You know, you get out of it far more than what you put in. Yeah, I think that the mindset. Oh, yeah. A quick shout out to them making this summit free was a big move. Right. And I think it shows in difficult times that, as you said before, even in the you know, in the last sort of downturn in difficult times, they are there for the industry. And that speaks volumes.

 

[00:30:13] Yeah. 100 percent agree. I think it’s quite, quite important that that be trying to find a noncompetitive areas, trying to find common ways. I mean, there’s a lot of discussion, for example, with blockchain at the moment. Technology, blockchain, end to end, transparency and all this stuff. And if you see no physical, what’s really ongoing in the different, it will never, ever hope and change something. If the companies don’t understand the mindset and if you don’t build something together, what had a huge inter-operability connectivity? We just have a blockchain silos like we have data silos at the moment, so it will not change. So we need strong support from organizations and partnerships and relationships where we make the cake big and then we start putting it. But not really. Everybody build his own small piece and it will start something. It will not work even in the I.T. infrastructure. This blocks everything. We have to work better together. We have to build solutions for helping organizations and not just looking in a small island and thinking another island, another island, another, not another island. So it will not go away. If you think of the suppliers he has 20 solutions to solve, then it doesn’t help him. It will not go away. And this is where we need these kind of organization. This power who builds and try to help to build standards and try to improve faster.

 

[00:31:45] Celeste’s I’m sure you’re going to strike a nerve with so many of our audience members on law. The outstanding perspective you shared here. And again, for some of the topics that we’ve uncovered during this session, we could we could. It would take weeks, I think, to have the proper conversation around these these big, meaty topics. But but for today, how can folks want to make sure that our audience can follow up with you and compare notes and certainly connect with apoint? Tell, tell tell us how we can do that.

 

[00:32:21] Yeah, I mean, we have a multiple office in the world. That’s the one point and the easiest way for Qwest’s to to go onto our Web site. So I quintet’s systems dot com that’s I think a quite a good place to find the first information. We are for sure. At the link then we are my Pilson even as presented Linked-In or Twitter. So just ping me on request information, ping the other people on. We are sharing a lot of contacts also. So we’re really happy and tried to help where we can and the different industries starting automotive, electronic medical device and manufacturing industries, all these. I think it’s quite important to link these together and specifically electronic as we know, quite important in the automotive area too. So try to connect me to a social media or my colleagues everywhere in the world. So we are really happy to help you where we can.

 

[00:33:15] Outstanding. And I also enjoyed your comments earlier about just how important connectivity is and how connectivity is is fueling innovation. That’s a that’s a really important point, especially in these shelter at home times where, you know, maintaining connections is a bit more challenging, but we’re finding new ways to do it.

 

[00:33:38] Hundred percent agree, I think these days are definitely showing us what we have reached with this possibility to connect, to make Web sessions, video sessions all over the world. And I think this if you look now two years back. And so I think we will see. OK, what did we learned? Corbin, 19. And what did we change our processes? I think one of these points will be really how do we looking together? How do we building communities? How do we use digitalisation? This will be on the percentage point we have to establish this. And so we can develop faster. The changes are easier and the movements are a lot, a lot quicker.

 

[00:34:21] Great point. Greg, what a what a great conversation here we’ve been having with Europe. Walden, CEO and founder of our Systems Europe. We wish you and your all of your colleagues all the best. We look forward to reconnecting with you, maybe even in person or one of your next visits to the country as we as we broke through and get into more of the, you know, the new normal here, hopefully in the in the weeks ahead.

 

[00:34:49] Also for my side break. Linda, thanks for the tons and the opportunity I got here to talk with you a little bit and for sure. Please, please all stay healthy. That’s the most important thing at the moment, I think. But I think if we do this together, if we are connected and learn fast enough, I think we can change and we hopefully learn for the future. So stay healthy and learn about the future. Thanks for the time.

 

[00:35:14] Outstanding New Year. Thank you. OK. Greg, before we sign off, you’re one big key takeaway from this conversation with your Walden.

 

[00:35:25] I think the one big key takeaway here is that this is a community effort, right. What your and his company facilitates requires co-optation cooperation, information sharing and that sort of thing. And and we’ve seen in industries aside from automotive that be very, very beneficial if you think about technology and how they openly share certain things. And that has accrued to the benefit of all companies out there.

 

[00:35:58] And I think as more and more and more automotive companies see that possibility and think of it from a if you want to call it Silicon Valley perspective, that that kind of sharing can can bring benefit to every company. You know, I mean, if you go way back. Volvo shared their patent for the three point three point seatbelt.

 

[00:36:24] Right. And things like that happen in industry. I just think we need to explore other areas where that can happen as well to the benefit of everyone.

 

[00:36:33] Great point. All right. Well, big thanks to our featured guests here today. Looking forward to reconnecting with your URG and the Apoint Systems team at the virtual AIG event. Coming up real soon here, you’re CEO and founder of APOINT Systems and you can connect with his team at apoint hyphen systems dot com. Of course, we’ll include that in the show notes of today’s episode as well. So lastly to our audience, be sure to check out a wide variety of industry thought leadership at Supply Chain Now Radio dot com Findus and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. On behalf of the entire team, Scott Luton here wishing you a successful week ahead. Stay safe. Don’t panic. Please follow the expert advice and precautions that have been distributed about your local health care experts and know this.

 

[00:37:27] Brighter days lie ahead. We’ll see you next time. Supply chain now.  Thanks everybody.

Would you rather watch the show in action?

Watch as Scott and Greg welcome AIAG CR Summit speaker Joerg Walden with iPoint to Supply Chain Now.

Featured Guests

Joerg Walden is Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of iPoint-systems, a leading provider of software and consulting for sustainable products, value chains, and brands. He draws on 30 years of technology industry leadership, software development expertise, and executive management experience. At iPoint, Joerg is responsible for the business strategy, product strategy, and innovation management. Since its founding in 2001 as a small automotive-focused company, he has transformed iPoint into a multinational, globally operating market leader with a clientele of tens of thousands of companies from various industry sectors. Joerg places great value upon an open, continuous culture of innovation, a high degree of customer focus, a global partner network, and the monitoring of relevant standards and trends in order to provide solutions that are always one step ahead. He is driven by the vision of how today’s solutions can contribute to securing a sustainable world for future generations. Joerg’s commitment is frequently recognized and honoured, including the designation as Gartner Cool Vendor in Green IT and Sustainability (2012), the Verdantix Smart Innovators Badge for Product Stewardship Solutions (2015), the TOP Innovator of the Year award (2016), the recognition as one of Germany’s 100 top innovators and visionaries by the leading German business newspaper Handelsblatt (2017), the Verdantix EH&S Innovation Award (2017), the The Silicon Review Magazine’s ‘50 Most Trustworthy Companies of the Year‘ Award (2018), and the APAC CIO Outlook ‘Top 10 Compliance Solutions Providers’ Award (2019).

Hosts

Greg White

Principal & Host

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

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Demo Perez

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

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

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Mary Kate Love

VP, Marketing

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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Kim Reuter

Host, The Freight Insider

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.

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Kristi Porter

Host, Logistics with Purpose

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

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Sofia Rivas Herrera

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

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

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Katherine Hintz

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

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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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, Logistics with Purpose

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 of Dial P for Procurement

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Kevin L. Jackson

Host of Digital Transformers

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

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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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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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Greg White

Principal & CMO, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain Now and TECHquila Sunrise

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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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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