Supply Chain Now
Episode 499

Episode Summary

“I think we can really play a leading role in the evolution of, of not only the auto industry, but society in general, you think about some of the next gen technologies around autonomous and connected vehicles that are at play.”

– Brandon Mason, lead analyst for Eaton’s Global Market Intelligence group

 

Brandon Mason, the lead analyst for Eaton’s Global Market Intelligence group, is one of the speakers scheduled for the upcoming 2020 AIAG Supply Chain Summit, taking place virtually this November. Born and raised in Michigan, Brandon has a lifelong passion for the automotive industry and is excited to be part of the transformation currently underway that promises to offer smarter, cleaner, safer and more affordable transportation to the world.

In this episode, Brandon shares his insights into automotive industry trends with Supply Chain Now Host Scott Luton:

· The changes in trends he has seen in 2020, including a move away from emerging technologies and towards new consumer preferences

· The economic conditions he expects to see in the coming months

· How we can learn to embrace complexity – even to the point of boosting confidence

Episode Transcript

Intro/Outro (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 and the critical issues of the day. And now here are your hosts.

Brandon Mason (00:28):

Hey, good morning, Scott Lou, uh, with you here on supply chain now, welcome to today’s show. So on this episode, we’re continuing our programming in partnership with the AIAG organization, the automotive industry action group, uh, and in particular with AIG’s 2020 supply chain summit. So, uh, stay tuned as we’re going to be working really hard to raise and increase your supply chain leadership, uh, acute, uh, more to come on that in just a moment, but quick programming before we get started. If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to check us out and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from search for supply chain now, and make sure you subscribe still miss conversations, just like this one here. All right. So further ado let’s bring in our featured guests here. Uh, we’re going to be talking with Brandon Mason lead analyst, global market intelligence with Eaton Brandon.

Brandon Mason (01:22):

Good morning. Hey, good morning to you, Scott. Thanks for having me. You bet. Uh, enjoyed our little, uh, pre-show conversation, a little bit of baseball sprinkled in. I know you’re a big, uh, Detroit tigers fan, but tell us where are you from? And, and, and, you know, give us, um, give us a Eureka moment that you may have experienced as you were working up through your formative years. Sure, well, uh, born and raised in Michigan, um, I was actually born in Flint and grew up around the, the Flint area, uh, during my adolescent years. And, uh, you know, I’ve been around the auto industry, my whole life, obviously, you know, Flint, the birthplace of, of general motors. Uh, my dad worked at GM for 40 years. His dad worked at GM. So, you know, the industry was sort of all around me growing up. So there was really, no, I won’t say it as much discussion, you know, I haven’t struggled too much with trying to figure out what I wanted to do, uh, in my professional career.

Brandon Mason (02:17):

Um, it just, it just felt right. So, you know, very passionate about the, about the auto industry. And so, you know, you know, growing up around the Flint area, um, you know, there were a lot of pros and cons, right? You got to see the most of the auto industry. You got to see the impact that it had on the communities, in which it’s, uh, it’s involved. But honestly there were some dark times too. I mean, I remember, you know, my dad was laid off several times for, for long periods of time and, you know, the city really struggled and continues to struggle, um, when they’re over reliant on one industry. And so I wouldn’t say that was necessarily a Eureka moment, but just kind of solidified that, uh, I’m passionate about it. I want to be part of the solution in the industry. And, uh, and as we move forward, sort of start to transform around who we are.

Brandon Mason (03:01):

I think we can really play a leading role in the evolution of, of not only the auto industry, but society in general, you think about some of the next gen technologies around autonomous and connected vehicles that are at play. Um, you know, in terms of a Eureka moment, I guess maybe in my professional career for those that have been in the industry more than 10 years, you know, the dark days of the last global recession, the great recession of 2009. And, uh, I remember sitting, you know, a few nights on my couch, just wondering, you know, is there going to be in auto industry? And, uh, and, uh, the industry has come a long way since then obviously, uh, the innovation aspect has, has grown in multiples. And so, uh, to me, the Eureka moment is, you know, if, if we’re gonna survive, we need to continue to adapt and change and lead the way. Uh, so, so to me, that’s kind of, what’s driving me for, as we think about the trends that are going to shape our industry for the years and decades to come.

Scott Luton (03:57):

We’ll put a, in two things stick out, kind of, as you were sharing that first off, when your last point, there is a ton of reinvention going on in the automotive industry and a ton of innovation. You know, I think one of the, one of the many good news stories in this challenging year 2020 is how you’re seeing automotive manufacturers make huge shifts to be able to produce ventilators, right, and, and, and fight, uh, you know, serve the mission. Those are great stories. Um, and secondly, going back to your, your, your father, your experience, your father’s experience, his father’s experience, just Salta there, their people in that, our own, these plant floors that have some of the toughest jobs, toughest problems to solve, uh, in a production framework, I mean, salt of there, of people that make up the automotive industry.

Brandon Mason (04:43):

Yeah, absolutely. And I spent a few summers in college work on the assembly lines as well. So I’ve got a really good appreciation of what those jobs entail and work ethic that has to go into it. And you’re right. There’s a lot of prideful people in this industry that, uh, you know, want to make good, good quality products. And, uh, you know, w we need to make sure that we, uh, we focus on that and continue to take care of those folks as well. Cause they’re the backbone of this industry.

Scott Luton (05:06):

I’m with you. All right. Well said, let’s move right along. Let’s talk. I know Eaton’s a very large organization. We’ve got some, some sites down here we’re in our neck of the woods in Georgia, but if you could tell us what the company does at a high level, and let’s talk about where you spend your time.

Brandon Mason (05:23):

Sure. And, you know, I think it’s, it’s sort of, uh, interesting my, my career, you know, I’ve been in the industry again my whole life. Um, I’ve only been at Eaton for about seven months. And so if you do the math there, I started, uh, early March, right. When all of the pandemic stuff was really starting to hit. So certainly, um, interesting time to start a new, a new position. Um, and in my role as our market intelligence leader, um, you know, trying to figure out what’s going on in the industry, what are the main drivers, what’s our path recovery look like? Um, certainly an interesting, uh, time in one’s career, but, um, I’ll get to that in minute, uh, to start off. So Eaton, as you said, yes, that big company I’ve been around for a very long time, you know, in essence, Eaton is a power management company.

Brandon Mason (06:07):

So we’re an aerospace, we’re an electrical, we’re an industrial. And then obviously within the vehicle group, we manufacturer a number of different components and systems. Uh, we produce, uh, vehicle clutches, transmissions about spelled actuators, torque control products, boosting products, um, and whole host of other things. And then I would say, you know, the last few years we’ve really started to build up our mobility practice. So power management, power, conversion, um, electronics tools to, to really fit that growing industry. Again, we talked a little bit earlier about how our industry is changing. Uh, we’re trying to adapt, uh, and help lead the way in that change as well, because, you know, electric vehicles and, and that type of thing, both in the light vehicle and commercial space, they’re going to continue to grow. And so we want to make sure that we’re adjusting our portfolio accordingly.

Brandon Mason (06:55):

Um, in terms of my role, as I said, I lead our market intelligence team. So it’s a, my job is to, and, and, and the job of my team is to monitor the industry, understand what are the big trends that are shaping our industry and our specific businesses, um, and try and advise leadership, you know, and, and that’ll help, uh, drive our strategy in terms of what we want to do in terms of the products that we offer, the companies that we want to partner with, um, potential acquisitions, uh, it all plays into that. And so, uh, as you can imagine, uh, my team and I have been quite busy over the last several months as we’ve worked our way through this, uh, this global pandemic and, and downturn,

Scott Luton (07:33):

You know, I, I love as you describe your role, uh, and, and the role you play within an organization gathering the critical signals, not all the noise, but the critical signals that provides your leadership, the ability to, to take advantage of opportunities, to move faster and make better decisions, which is, is really become table stakes here in the information age. So really neat. There we’ll have to have you back because I’m sure that we could talk for hours about some of the fascinating aspects of, of what your team seeing, but for the sake of this interview here, let’s pick one thing, you know, when you look at global supply chain global business in a historically challenging year, like 2020 is, and we’re all fighting through it, what’s one thing that really sticks out. You’ve been tracking more than others.

Brandon Mason (08:16):

Yeah. And, and to be fair you’re right. I mean, we could talk for plenty of time about all of those things. So maybe I’ll just list a couple of quick nominations or, you know, uh, honorable mentions. And then we can kind of get to one of the, one of the things that, uh, we’re focused on most. So I like Brandon, I like your style. Thanks, Scott. Um, you know, the things that we’re kind of broadly tracking, you know, it’s funny before the pandemic hit, you know, we were talking a lot about, um, emerging technologies and we often use the case acronym, right. Connected, autonomous shared, and electric vehicles. Um, those have kind of taken a back seat to some degree. And so, um, I think that the question going will be, what is the focus on those now? I think some will accelerate some, I think we’ll have pause, um, just because of some of the investment requirements and then, um, you know, customer preferences to share vehicles and things like that have changed now.

Brandon Mason (09:09):

Um, all right. So I’m not going to talk too much about that. Um, other things that, uh, that we’ve talked about, you know, fourth industrial revolution, I think that’s something that will be accelerated, uh, as we go forward, we’ve often talked about it, but I think things about like augmented reality, free ranging robots. And again, some of the things that the pandemic has brought up in terms of safety concerns and remote working and things like that, uh, those types of things I think will certainly be accelerated, but if I had to focus on, um, one thing, um, you know, I think it’s just around the uncertainty and how we plan for uncertainty. And we’ve always had uncertainty in an industry. That’s, that’s not the question, but just, if you layer on top of the, the monumental change that our industry is going through right now, um, you know, we were ready to just make this fundamental shift towards new technology, new business models, et cetera.

Brandon Mason (09:59):

We have a once in a hundred year pandemic and then a pretty significant recession on top of it. And so, you know, the uncertainty, I think is what’s grasping folks, uh, most notable. And I think a lot of us want to be cautiously optimistic about some of the news that we’ve, we’ve seen, um, certainly here in the U S you know, sales and in production continue to trend upwards. So I think to a lot of people’s pleasant surprise, but we still have a long way to go. And so trying to understand the different models that are gonna play out over the next three, six, nine months, whatever it might be is really difficult. And so that creates a lot of uncertainty in the supply chain and the industry as a whole around, you know, what’s that gonna look like? It’s hard to plan for something that’s never happened before, let alone layering on all sorts of other things. Right. Um, we were talking this morning with our European team around the impacts of Brexit, for example, right? Number Brexit, like, you know, maybe six, seven months ago, that was a huge deal. That’s all, everybody was, anybody was talking about it, right.

Scott Luton (10:57):

It feels like six or seven years ago at this point. Exactly.

Brandon Mason (11:00):

And, and now, you know, it took a back seat, I think for most folks. And now it’s kind of come up again about, wow, like, what’s the impact of that. Wouldn’t be on top of everything else that’s going on. So I think embracing the uncertainty to some extent is, is probably the best advice, understanding that nobody’s got a high level of confidence right now about, you know, what the next six to 12 months are going to look at, look like w we hopefully have a good, a better idea on the, let’s got the medium term, uh, picture. But, uh, I think the advice there is that folks have to build out scenarios and just have a hyper focus on those different indicators and then make your plans. According to that, it’s hard to kind of put anything in an ink right now, unlike before, because before it dries, you know, something has changed. So to me, the uncertainty, I think, is the biggest thing that, uh, we’ve been focusing on

Scott Luton (11:50):

The good news there. It seems like there’s been, there’s never been a greater thrust to identify these, these leadership blind spots and get them out, get them above surface level so that we can, you know, um, put contingency plans just in scenario planning and, you know, mitigate the risk that is, is alive and well, unfortunately in so many different forms. So appreciate what the good work you and your team do there at Eaton. Um, let’s talk, let’s shift gears. As we starting to wind this, this brief video podcast down, let’s talk about AIG. We’re, you know, look, we’re pretty blatant about it. We’re big fans here at supply chain now of the great work that AIG does. And we talked about your role, Brandon, and what you and your team do, you know, tracking down information and best practices and those critical signals. And you’ve got great associations and groups like AIG that helped make that easier for everybody that may not have internal expert analyst team. So speak a little bit to your involvement with AIAG and where you see value.

Brandon Mason (12:51):

You know, we were talking before we started the show here that, uh, you know, I’ve been working with AIG and I lost track. I guess when you, when you get to a certain age, you start to lose track. Number started to get a little fuzzy about how long you’ve been involved in something. But I would say close to 10 years, um, have been working with the AIG team and, uh, presented at a number of their, their conferences. And, and, you know, we’ll be speaking at the, uh, event virtually next month. And, uh, my hope is that, uh, sooner, rather than later, we can get back to some, some in-person, uh, communication. Uh, but I will tell you, you know, as I said, I’m, I’m very passionate about where I’m from. I’m very passionate about the industry. And so with the sort of the, this is the team at AIG, and, uh, every time I go to an event, you know, I’ll sit around and I’ll, I’ll listen to the speakers before me and after me.

Brandon Mason (13:37):

And, uh, it’s, it’s really impressive to see the passion that that team has and the advocacy and the education to try and show folks. I think those of us in the industry, we understand right, the unique challenges of our industry, but we also appreciate, um, the contributions that our industry makes, uh, across the spectrum. And I think, uh, a lot of folks don’t realize that, and AIG has done a good job along with other advocacy groups of, of showcasing the value and the expertise and the technology, uh, that the auto industry brings to, to the world. And so to me, I always find it very insightful to listen to folks from a broad spectrum of, of, uh, backgrounds and expertise at these events. And then of course, you know, the networking, always a good turnout at the events that I’ve attended. So it was good to kind of talk shop with, with some folks. So to me, those are the big value adds to it. And of course they let me get up and talk about whatever I want for, you know, um, I don’t, I don’t always have a time limit, which is nice. So, uh, they let me get up and passionately speak about a lot of different topics related to auto. So I’m certainly grateful for that.

Scott Luton (14:40):

Wow, love it. Love the community that AIG has been building for years service, you know, serving a critical industry, uh, for not just the American economy, but global economy. So, so much great thought leadership right here and great relationships. It’s part of the AIG community. So, all right. So Brandon, uh, we’ll make sure our listeners know how to connect with you, uh, and your organization after this interview. So what, what, what’s the best way to do that?

Brandon Mason (15:07):

Sure. So, I mean, if you want to know more about Eaton, it’s easy, you can just go to our website, it’s eaton.com. Um, for specific topics. If you’ve got a, you know, a question I want to discuss something, I’m again, always happy to have that conversation with folks. So feel free to connect with me directly on LinkedIn,

Scott Luton (15:24):

Enjoyed our, our brief time here with you here on supply chain. Now, Brandon, uh, best of luck as the Detroit tigers gets new leadership and get things turned around. I’m sure their next world series appearance is just around the corner, but we need to really appreciate what you do. Thanks for joining us. And thanks for being part of the AIG community and to our listeners. We’ve been chatting with Brandon Mason, lead analyst, global market intelligence with Eaton. Hopefully you enjoyed this conversation as much as we have. Hey, if you enjoy it, check out a splotch net, wherever you podcast from subscribe. So you don’t miss rate conversations like this here today. Hey, one challenge. You’d like to challenge our team each and every day. Do good. Give forward, be the change that’s needed. And on that note, we’ll see you next time.

Would you rather watch the show in action?

Watch as Scott welcomes Brandon Mason to Supply Chain Now through our YouTube channel.

Featured Guests

Brandon Mason serves as the lead analyst for Eaton’s Global Market Intelligence group, where he oversees a team of industry experts that closely monitor automotive developments and technology-driven trends. Brandon is also responsible for helping to develop and implement Eaton’s market outlook and business strategy. As an active industry analyst and spokesperson, Brandon has spoken at numerous high-profile events and has been interviewed by publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Automotive News, Automotive Logistics, Car and Driver, ABC News and The Los Angeles Times. He has also authored several thought leadership pieces focused on smart cities, congestion and the changing automotive value chain. Prior to joining Eaton, Brandon spent nearly 15 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where he held a variety of roles and most recently served as the firm’s US Mobility leader. He was Chief of staff and Chief Strategist for PwC’s US and Global automotive practice, where he had oversight of the sector’s day-to-day business and strategic priorities. He also previously led PwC’s Autofacts industry analyst team. Born and raised in Michigan, Brandon has a lifelong passion for the automotive industry and is excited to be part of the transformation currently underway that promises to offer smarter, cleaner, safer and more affordable transportation to the world.

Hosts

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

You May Also Like

Click to view other episodes in this program

Additional Links & Resources

Subscribe to Supply Chain Now and ALL Supply Chain Now Programming Here

Leave a review for Supply Chain Now

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn

Connect with Greg on LinkedIn

Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn

Supply Chain Now Ranked #1 Supply Chain Podcast via FeedSpot

Supply Chain Now Ranked #3 Supply Chain YouTube Channel

AIAG Virtual 2020 Supply Chain Conference

Download the Q3 2020 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index

AME Toronto 2020 Virtual Conference

WEBINAR The Connected IoT Supply Chain

Check Out Our Sponsors

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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).

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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’.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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!

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :

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.

Connect on :