“If you can actually get intentional with people and let them know who you who you really are, they’re going to be able to challenge and push you to do things that you probably couldn’t have done on your own.”
– Zach Ramirez, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ally Logistics
It may seem like a customer service mindset would come naturally to someone in sales and marketing, but everyone has to learn from somewhere. According to Zach Ramirez, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ally Logistics, the best way to learn to build a customer service-oriented corporate culture is from the top down.
While he wasn’t always a fan of marketing skills versus the ‘boots on the ground’ approach espoused by most salespeople, over the years he has learned how to combine the two into a powerful methodology that combines the strengths of each discipline.
In this conversation, Zach tells Supply Chain Now Co-hosts Greg White and Scott Luton:
· Why relationships suffer when a sales team doesn’t have enough marketing skills at their disposal
· The best practices to keep sales and marketing working together to attract and win new customers just as well as they retain existing customers
· What he’s expecting to see in terms of a ‘tech boom’ in logistics over the next few years
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, Greg white, with you.
Scott Luton (00:30):
You have your own supply chain now. Welcome to today’s show Greg, how are you doing? You’re doing very well. It’s been a busy day. Hasn’t it? It has a show to have three, but Hey, that’s, that’s what fuels the mission, right? And we’re yeah, we’re talking to the community a lot today as well. So exciting stuff. Plus our guest whose name I won’t give up. Cause I’m not supposed to, even though people can read it, read it, um, is a friend of Jaman. So that’s good enough for us. All right. So, but today on this show, it’s all about simplifying logistics, especially in an ever more complex world. So we’re gonna be working hard to raise your supply chain act you today on this episode, quick, programming it for you. Get started. Hey, if you enjoyed this conversation, find us and subscribe for free wherever you get your podcasts from search for supply chain now and subscribe.
Scott Luton (01:22):
So you don’t miss conversations, just like this one. All right. So Greg, thank you for not giving up our guests. I can introduce him now. We’re bringing our featured guests, Zach Ramirez sales and marketing director with ally logistics, Zach, how you doing? I am wonderful guys. Thanks for having me. This should be fun. You bet. I love the whiteboard behind you. Greg used to utilize one of those and, and from time to time, Greg would break out a concept cause I’m always a little bit slower and, and again, it gives you the chance to, you know, visually double down on the point you’re making. So maybe you’ll, you’ll do some of that today. Oh man. I’m I’m always wanting to pull out a whiteboard. I come from a video and marketing strategy backgrounds, so there’s always a whiteboard near nearby. So love it, love it.
Scott Luton (02:06):
And as Greg pointed out, we love that. Nice looking camera back behind you and you’re ready for anything. You can be filming us. There you go. We’ll have to pull it out next time. Good. Greg, where are we starting here today? It was Zach. Tell us a little bit about where you are, where you’re from. Maybe a little bit about your upbringing. Yeah, for sure. So I am based in grand Rapids, Michigan. Um, it’s kind of the West side of Michigan, you know, about hour and a half from Detroit area and yeah. Work for ally logistics. Uh, I grew up around the grand Rapids area. I actually have five sisters and her brother. So, you know, if there was any sales and negotiation tactics, I was learning, growing up, it was, uh, you know, trying to negotiate for your dinner from your siblings. Yes. A hundred percent. So yeah, just kinda grew up with a big family around the area and yeah,
Zach Ramirez (03:00):
I mean, I think that’s, that’s kind of like the main hitting points.
Greg White (03:03):
Okay. What, what just really stands out about your, let’s say your family life or your early life before you got into your career, anything jump out at you that kind of typifies what, what your upbringing was about.
Zach Ramirez (03:17):
Parents were ones that, you know, our house was always full, like not just with my siblings, but uh, you know, very giving hearts. So we had a lot of people that we were just serving in the community that, you know, might have stayed in our house. And, you know, my parents were also really big on adoption. So all my younger siblings are adopted and that whole journey was really what, you know, I would say that shaped the compassion side of me. Like the human side of me was really shaped growing up by seeing just all of these different stories and stories that are now my sisters and brothers stories that I would see in. It just gives you a different level of compassion to see, you know, what, what some people go through in their life. And, uh, I think it amplifies the blessings, you know, around you,
Greg White (04:04):
You said service early on and significant number of adoptions that’s heck of a service to the community and, and to mankind, frankly. So, uh, that’s what a great foundation that is. So other than your parents and your innumerable siblings, let’s do a, getting to know Zach question. Tell us a little bit about where you’re getting your Intel, your information, your knowledge right now, any go-to books or blogs or podcasts or anything like that.
Zach Ramirez (04:33):
I’m big on networking is still like the best tool in anyone’s toolbox. So the more that I connect with people and have like a real in, into a community is when I feel pretty stable about like the information that I’m getting. So, you know, I joined ally about a year and a half ago and really my first three months or so getting back into logistics game was okay, who do I need to be connected with in this network? So, you know, guys like Ryan Schrieber or nicotine angles or Jayman, those are the guys in my mind that, you know, they have a pulse in the community they’re seeing from varying perspectives, what’s going on in freight and transportation. And you know, those are guys that I really lean to right now just, you know, say, Hey, I got this problem. Like, what are your thoughts on this? Or give me your perspective. And you know, some of the best conversations in my mind, like with a network are the ones where they’re blunt with you about saying I came in, like, I think you’re thinking about this the wrong way. Like you should be thinking about it this way. And to me, that’s the power of it.
Greg White (05:37):
Great. I mean, it’s funny we interact with the community quite a bit. I think I mentioned, or I will, again, I talked to, uh, an MBA cohort yesterday and that was one of their questions is how do you make your way in industry? These days, networking is hard. And you know, I think one of the things that everybody is, it’s not what, you know, it’s who, you know, knows what’s coming next. That’s 180 degrees wrong. In my opinion, it’s not who, you know, it’s who knows you, what you can do and who values you and who values, what you bring to the table. And now, you know, that’s what I was, I told them networking is the key. Don’t earn your job net your own work your way to it.
Zach Ramirez (06:20):
Yeah. I love, I love that thought process. Like one thing that I actually have used, like probably for five or six years now is the Enneagram. And this is actually something that I had talked with Kara Smith Brown about when I was chatting with her a few months ago. And, you know, that’s something where like, if you can actually get intentional with people and have them know your true self is when they’re going to be able to challenge and push you to do things that you probably on your own couldn’t have done. So yeah, it definitely, I definitely resonate with what you’re saying there, Greg. Very cool.
Scott Luton (06:54):
Outstanding. I’m I sure. I’m glad you agree with that because, uh, with Greg, because he’ll tell you if you’re wrong on a best, my true self. So let’s talk, you mentioned just a moment ago, you joined ally sounds like about a year, year and a half ago. Let’s go back in time a bit. So talk to us about the professional journey prior to your current time, including a role or two that really helped shape your role view. I really appreciate what you’ve shared already in terms of how you view the world, but talk to us about a professional position that, uh, or, or, you know, a couple of them that really helped you arrive at how you view the world professionally.
Zach Ramirez (07:32):
Yeah, I mean, early on in my sales career, I, I held a few different sales jobs. I like to say that one of my first sales jobs was actually, I had a band and we like, we toured and, you know, I did that for a number of years and you get a lot of rejections like on the road, whether that’s for venues or trying to sell merge or whatever. So that was, uh, a really shaping experience being in that band. But then, you know, getting into like, when I was like, okay, I can’t do music forever. What am I going to do? Now? One of my first positions was actually working at guitar center. So kind of that music through line, you know, first heavy commission job where you’re like, okay, commission is, you know, 70% of my income, I gotta, I gotta start networking and figuring out how to make this thing work.
Zach Ramirez (08:17):
So I spent four ish years at Gordon food service that they’re a local food distribution, uh, distributor. And I held both sales positions there as well as analyst positions there and really Gordon food service being on such a large level. I mean, just the amount that you’re able to touch and learn at a company like that it’s pretty astounding. But if I had to pull both one position and also like, I guess like one lesson that I still carry with me to today, I worked in chain accounts at Gordon food service. So working with, you know, people like Culver’s or a wings owner or whatever, right. I think Gordon food service had this understanding of, of service and customer service that still to this day, like in the teams that I manage is something that I want to replicate. And they had this idea of there’s external customer service, where I’m actually serving my customers and doing my best to fulfill their needs, but then there’s internal customer service.
Zach Ramirez (09:18):
And that’s where the rubber really meets the road where it’s just like, how am I serving the person that sits next to me and how am I serving the department that I have to work on with this? And that trickle down effect was just very cool to see within a company that size and how they instilled those values. So, yeah. And then I guess just to kind of complete the journey from, from Gordon food service, I, I started to kind of feel this drive to say, okay, what else is out there in terms of, you know, this creative side of me that I want to explore. And from there, I actually started to work at a video agency in the grand Rapids area, doing video and marketing strategy for a lot of mid-tier and small businesses. And, you know, that really just opened my eyes to a whole world where I think in my head, I was thinking about sales as kind of this separate thing from marketing.
Zach Ramirez (10:11):
And, you know, as a salesperson, I was like, well, those marketing guys, or, you know, or guys or girls that they’re just, they’re just doing this fluff. Like, you know, they’re not really the boots on the ground. And, you know, that’s just something that like, you know, I have a passion to, to bridge that gap even now, today, but yeah, working in the world of marketing, you know, I was learning that a lot. And then from there I actually launched my own marketing and consulting agency and kind of through that is actually how I met the guys at ally and, and fell into logistics again. So pretty fun journey.
Scott Luton (10:44):
Love it. So before we talk ally logistics, and before I ask you about a key Eureka moment here, and we had an interesting conversation earlier this week, Greg, where we were talking about kind of atypical skillsets coming into global supply chain and you, and I both believe as do many people that that’s a great boon for the industry, because it adds different points of view, different skill sets, different insights, different way of thinking to what can be despite how it’s transforming. It’s still can be at times very, a very traditional business environment. So Zach, at, out of your, I mean, from entrepreneurial to the service skill sets and experiences and focuses, you had to of course, sales and marketing, what do you think the global supply chain industry can benefit from from those skill sets? Or maybe there’s one we hadn’t talked about? What do we need more of in this industry thing? Yeah.
Zach Ramirez (11:36):
I mean, that’s, that’s a great question. And I think it’s probably a question that should be asked continually, right. You know, if we’re going to continue to refine, I think we need to really look for different perspectives and different viewpoints for the things that we’re missing. So, you know, if, if I had to, you know, relate that to my skillset, like one of the things that I’m truly passionate about is how do we link intake these, you know, marketing ideals, these marketing methods, and actually start to weave those into the world of logistics and also all of these various sales teams and entering back into this space about a year and a half ago, that was something that was actually quite surprising to me where I was just like, it’s not necessarily like happening how I thought it would be happening. You know, you know, I’ve, I’ve seen a power, like even in my own teams of taking these very simple tactics and saying like these marketing skills, like they’re actually going to help you sell better and leave more time to do the relational work that I think all of us actually want to get to, like, we don’t truly want to be selling.
Zach Ramirez (12:42):
We want to be building relationships. And to me, you know, some of these marketing tactics are what allow us to leave more time to be relational. So, you know, again, like that’s really the bridge that I’m very passionate about just kind of bridging that gap in my own teams. But I also think like bridging that across the industry would, would be amazing to see. And I think there’s still a lot left to do on that side. Love it,
Greg White (13:05):
Love it. So let’s talk about, you kind of shared maybe a couple of Eureka moments there as the last answer, but beyond that, what’s one other Eureka moment you’ve had in any of your roles, way back when or recently, or you name it,
Zach Ramirez (13:20):
You know, I’ll give you another one that I kind of take with me kind of day to day. And again, I would say, I probably learn this, you know, when I was at Gordon food service again, but you know, so my team right now, we’re probably about like 30, 35, right? So there’s 30 to 35 individuals that, you know, on any given day, they’re bringing their outside world into work. And to me, this idea that like I’m here to support them because they have something bigger outside of these walls in the more that I understand what’s going on outside of these walls that they care about is the moment that I’m going to be able to tap into their full potential as you know, a part of this team and this team building aspect to me, like just understanding that like, yeah, like I want to get to know people as best as I can so that we can truly tap into their potential, like on a team. I think that idea is something that like I hope, and if I ever get out of line, I hope somebody calls me out on it, but I want to carry that through my whole journey as a leader.
Greg White (14:29):
I love that Greg, you know, I think that what you’re hoping for is on the horizon for this industry. I really do. And I like the introspective nature of how you think about things, helping people to help you improve yourself, right. Or, or to guide you to improve yourself. That’s really introspective point of view. So tell us a little bit about ally logistics and what, what the company does and what your role and what they in the life of Zack. Right.
Zach Ramirez (14:59):
For sure. So yeah, Ella logistics, we’re a third-party logistics, we’re broker based out of grand Rapids, Michigan. So we specialize in full truckload shipments. And, uh, our freight mix right now, I would say is probably about like 80% drive van and reefer loads. And we’re we’re as of recently tapping a lot more into some flatbed shipments. So that’s kind of our freight mix. Yeah. Ally, the company, uh, started about eight years ago now. So we just recently had our eight year anniversary. It was started by Dan man, Sean and Jeff Chidester back in 2012. And, uh, it’s been a really cool growth journey. You know, even in the past, you know, two years we’ve seen some pretty, I would say rapid growth. So going into the year 2021, you know, we’re planning to probably do 30, 35 more hires, uh, just to continue to grow in this area and serve more customers.
Zach Ramirez (15:52):
And in terms of my role at the company. So again, I’m the director of sales and marketing. And when I joined the company, either the ownership team was really looking to, you know, again, try to bridge some of these gaps between like, okay, we know that there’s a little bit more to do in the marketing aspect, but we don’t exactly know what to step into and how to do that. So kind of my past year and a half has been a lot of foundation building, whether that’s like, you know, internal processes or, you know, big one actually the past year that has, I would say like, we’ve seen some like immediate ROI from is, you know, how does marketing weave into your customer onboarding process? Like how are you marketing to your customer? Not only from the prospecting side, but then when they’re actually a customer, like there’s a huge customer retention aspect that ties directly into marketing. And then, you know, outside of those marketing, those larger marketing initiatives, I’m also working with our sales teams on, uh, you know, the actual prospecting side lead generation, um, whether that’s marketing lead generation or specific sales lead generation, and then, you know, helping with KPIs and just kind of the day-to-day management tests,
Greg White (17:06):
The sales people report up through you. Is that, that is correct. Yep. You mentioned something early on in describing what ally does. And I’m curious about this because as long as I’ve been in supply chain, which is more than two decades, transportation is not something that I delve deep into. Right. I was in the part of the organization, we handled it right up to cutting the PO and then we sent it to a dark room with two people. We called expediters who basically arranged all of the, all of the transportation. So I immediately got curious, when you said you focus on truckload, reefer and drive in, is that what you said predominantly? How does a broker or whatever, you know about a broker or a three PL or a trucking organization carrier, how do they determine what their niche is?
Zach Ramirez (17:57):
I’ll answer that question specific to how ally does it, because I, you know, I know brokers out there that they literally will hand out to their sales team and say like, Hey, we’re going to either focus on this specific region. And this is what we want you to call out too. Or we’re going to focus on this specific product. The approach that we take at ally is we try to find in play to our sales reps strengths. So, you know, let’s say we get a new sales rep off the street, you know, tomorrow within that first, like three to six months, they’re really in this training mode, right. They’re learning the language, they’re learning the job, they’re learning the speak. But then in that first three to six months, let’s say they onboard 10 customers or something within those customers. If they start to say like, Oh man, like I’m really good at like power only shipments, I might say, okay, let’s dive into some power only stuff.
Zach Ramirez (18:53):
I’m going to make that a niche. But then one of the duties and the tests that I take on as their sales director is saying, okay, you’re, you’re not going to build a resilient book of business if you just focus on power only dimensional. Right. Right. So, you know, that’s something that I take on and I partner with the sales rep to actually say, okay, what strategies can we implement? Both from the sales side and a marketing side to start to diversify your book of business so that, you know, in, especially like a year, like 2020, if you a sales rep and your book of business was maybe only automotive, well, having the big three shutdown at the beginning of the year, I can’t imagine the gut punch that that probably was. So that’s kind of the approach that we take is like, let them get their feet wet. Let’s figure out what they kind of Excel in and what they have an interest in and be creative with it. Like if you tap into a niche that we haven’t thought of awesome, but then we’re going to help you build around it.
Greg White (19:50):
I like that approach. Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. Cause that’s really helpful for me to know is I kind of liked that though. It’s, it’s a Pittsburgh Steelers thing. So apologies. You’re probably Alliance ban Chuck Noll, one of their coaches who coached him through five Superbowls, by the way, I believe. But his philosophy was build your offense around your athletes, right? I mean, he had a dumb athletic and brave quarterback and he managed to go to the super bowl a number of times by building his offense around that player, Terry Bradshaw, right. Barry Bradshaw or the smartest dumb guy you will ever meet. Alright, love that. Uh, yeah. Leveraging the strengths of the organization, the strengths of the team. I really love that. So now I want to move more broadly. There’s no shortage of topics to talk about when it comes to global supply chain or global business.
Scott Luton (20:48):
And we like to ask our guests, this is really a wide open question. Right? Of course the pandemic we’re still in the pandemic environment. As we all know, the vaccine is right around, right around the corner. I mean, it’s already been distributed, which is a great thing. As we also know, it’s not a magic wand where the pandemic disappears overnight. You know, we’re going to be dealing with this for quite some time to come, but beyond that, what else are you tracking right now across the global supply chain world? You know, issues, topics, trends.
Zach Ramirez (21:18):
Yeah. I would say that the two through lines that I, I guess, keep a pulse on right now, one sort of selfishly would be just tech in general. I mean, we’ve, we’ve all experienced just kind of the tech boom probably in the past, you know, two to five years or whatever in freight. And I think it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens with tech, especially as it relates to what’s driver automation, going to look like and all this kind of stuff. Right. So I keep a pretty hefty pulse on freight tech. But the other one that has been really interesting lately that I have, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s like a subject, like I’m a subject matter expert or anything, but it’s something that I’ve been researching heavily is, uh, just kind of the driver health crisis in general. So my father has actually been a, uh, over the road truck driver for 28 years.
Zach Ramirez (22:07):
And, uh, so, you know, I mean even growing up like, you know, being able to just ride with him, you know, in a sleeper truck or whatever, like it’s, it’s been amazing, but I think it’s really interesting to see maybe the lack of what has been entered into the transportation and freight space in terms of driver health. So that’s something like, you know, both and I’m like, okay, if there’s something that I can be involved in, I definitely want to do that. But yeah, those would be the two, I guess, topical things that I’m trying to keep a pulse on.
Scott Luton (22:38):
So not to put you on the spot, but put you on spot. And, and if you’d like to decline, that’s perfectly fine. But, um, you know, driver experiences have been something we’ve been tracking a lot, you know, here in recent years and you know, they’d never had enough recognition and they’re very taken for granted there. You know, we’ve seen, uh, across social media from, and, and, and beyond, and, and, and secondhand conversation, some of the abuses and, and the, uh, what they got to put up with day in and day out. Yeah. If you could, given your dad’s 28 years of experience, what’s a recent anecdote he shared with you or a recent experience you share with him when you’re riding in the cab. What, what’s one thing you find special there? This,
Zach Ramirez (23:20):
So a little bit of a context. My father is first generation, so he, uh, he’s Cuban. So he came over when he was three years old to the States. So I think just his experience alone, like being a Cuban in some of the racism that he has probably faced in his 28 years, like, you know, that’s, that’s really interesting to kind of dive into, and I guess peel back the layers, I would say there’s definitely room for improvement. Like just in general, like maybe nation wide to, to improve like how we fight against some of that racism in our industry. But then I would say outside of that, something that he brings up quite often is, as it relates to driver health is just kind of the lack of healthy options. So if you’re an over the road truck driver, right? Like it’s not all the question to be driving, sitting for 14 hours, right.
Zach Ramirez (24:14):
If you’re getting your meals, you’re getting that, uh, loves or pilot or whatever. And I mean, we’ve probably all been to Love’s or pilots like burger King KFC, like w like, what are your options here? Right. So, you know, that’s something that like he’s shown a desire for is like, I just don’t know where to get this. Like, you know, they might have programs, you know, where he works, but outside of that, there’s, there’s not really many options. So, you know, and I even think about, about that, like in how it relates to, you know, they, they say that like physical health is directly tied to mental health as well. And, you know, to me, drivers are our most important asset in all the transportation. If our drivers go away, you know, especially in your like 20, 20, capacity’s already tight think of how many drivers might have gotten grounded during like, uh, you know, deity week or something just based on health alone. So again, it’s something that I’m really interested to see how we can solve and make that better for, for our drivers stone,
Scott Luton (25:17):
Uh, given all the technology explosion that you referenced earlier, you know, despite the fact that that is even though our drivers are basically technology professionals, Greg, that came up in earlier drivers appreciation week, but still the nature of that may be a bit more traditional. We’ve got to disrupt that in a way to, to make a better driver experience from a wellness, health, and wellness and, and beyond. So I appreciate you sharing and, and indulging us a bit. I find it as a intriguing profession. And to your point, it keeps, it keeps the business world moving ahead, especially man, especially in a time like this. So, um, all right. So gosh, this interview has just flown past. Greg used a great word, very introspective and reflective. I like his disposition, but he also has, he gives great succinct to the point answers. He doesn’t meander much. Does he, Greg,
Zach Ramirez (26:09):
I think you become really introspective when, if you’re lucky you get 16.6, 7% of your parents’ time because they have seven kids, right. One seven is the best you can hope for. And I’m guessing Zach, you are probably not the one who got the most attention just based on how self-motivated you are. Right. So, yeah, I imagine that gives you a lot of time to reflect and, and develop yourself and figure out ways to develop yourself. No doubt.
Scott Luton (26:39):
So the train dollar question now, Zach, how
Zach Ramirez (26:41):
Can it salient? Whoo. All
Greg White (26:44):
Right. Hey, we’re in the Amazon age, man. You got it. Okay. All right. So, uh, how can our listeners connect with you and ally logistics? Do you can visit www.lllogistics.com. If you want to reach out to me talk anything from Gyra health to marketing, uh, I’m always willing to have a great conversation or a virtual coffee, um, as it were, and you can just reach me on LinkedIn. I’m on there pretty much every single day, just trying to, you know, keep up with what’s going on and we know Zach, we’re gonna have to have you and your dad back and get some stories from over the road. I think that’d be a great conversation. So, but nevertheless, I’d love that. Yeah, I think it’d be really cool to follow up with you. All right. That sounds great. But I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your family.
Greg White (27:31):
And of course the LL logistics team, it’s been a pleasure to connect with you. Do it again soon. Zach Ramirez sales and marketing director with ally logistics. Thanks so much for your time. Thank you, Scott and Greg really enjoyed it too big man, straightforward to the point, but very reflective with some profound answers, right? And enlightened is kind of what I’m taking away from this conversation. Albert Einstein said, if you can’t describe what you do in 30 seconds or less, you don’t understand it well on that. And I think that that is the essence of who’s. Zach is he very much understands who he is and what he’s doing and what his company. So it doesn’t take a lot of words if you can communicate it concisely. So it doesn’t make me blush.
Greg White (28:15):
I think I share it. I think I would let Albert Einstein down 30 seconds is, is not long for me. I can really get my name out and 27 seconds. So he should say the number of words, right? Really? Because he wasn’t, he was from Germany where they speak very fast. And in the South, we, we speak a little bit slower. It might depend on who you ask too, because if you ask my wife, she’s like, you’re not succinct. What are they talking about? Right. Awesome. Well, Hey, she has evidence Zack. Yes. Look at this. I’m going to make her watch this episode a hundred percent a pleasure to our audience. If we enjoyed this conversation with Zach, as much as Greg and I have, if you enjoy conversations like this, check us out@supplychainnow.com or of course, wherever you get your podcasts from, make sure you subscribe. So you don’t miss anything on that note to challenge your audience. Like we challenge ourselves every day. Zach brought up some outstanding issues in this regard, but do good give forward, but be the change that’s needed and all that.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
We’ll see next time.
Zach Ramirez is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Ally Logistics. After working with a major food distributor in the Grand Rapids area, fulfilling roles both in sales and logistics, Zach was driven to pursue the world of marketing. After working in a video strategy agency, Zach left to launch his own web and marketing agency. With a background in video advertising and a successful corporate consulting track record, Zach is passionate about educating the logistics industry on the power of marketing and clean sales processes. Zach is a believer in playing to people’s strengths and bringing out the best in the teams he has the privilege of working alongside.
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Host, Logistics with Purpose
Kristi Porter is VP of Sales and Marketing at Vector Global Logistics, a company that is changing the world through supply chain. In her role, she oversees all marketing efforts and supports the sales team in doing what they do best. In addition to this role, she is the Chief Do-Gooder at Signify, which assists nonprofits and social impact companies through copywriting and marketing strategy consulting. She has almost 20 years of professional experience, and loves every opportunity to help people do more good.
Host
From humble beginnings working the import docks, representing Fortune 500 giants, Ford, Michelin Tire, and Black & Decker; to Amazon technology patent holder and Nordstrom Change Leader, Kimberly Reuter has designed, implemented, and optimized best-in-class, highly scalable global logistics and retail operations all over the world. Kimberly’s ability to set strategic vision supported by bomb-proof processes, built on decades of hands-on experience, has elevated her to legendary status. Sought after by her peers and executives for her intellectual capital and keen insights, Kimberly is a thought leader in the retail logistics industry.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Sofia Rivas Herrera is a Mexican Industrial Engineer from Tecnologico de Monterrey class 2019. Upon graduation, she earned a scholarship to study MIT’s Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and graduated as one of the Top 3 performers of her class in 2020. She also has a multicultural background due to her international academic experiences at Singapore Management University and Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg. Sofia self-identifies as a Supply Chain enthusiast & ambassador sharing her passion for the field in her daily life.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Demo Perez started his career in 1997 in the industry by chance when a relative asked him for help for two just weeks putting together an operation for FedEx Express at the Colon Free Zone, an area where he was never been but accepted the challenge. Worked in all roles possible from a truck driver to currier to a sales representative, helped the brand introduction, market share growth and recognition in the Colon Free Zone, at the end of 1999 had the chance to meet and have a chat with Fred Smith ( FedEx CEO), joined another company in 2018 who took over the FedEx operations as Operations and sales manager, in 2004 accepted the challenge from his company to leave the FedEx operations and business to take over the operation and business of DHL Express, his major competitor and rival so couldn’t say no, by changing completely its operation model in the Free Zone. In 2005 started his first entrepreneurial journey by quitting his job and joining two friends to start a Freight Forwarding company. After 8 months was recruited back by his company LSP with the General Manager role with the challenge of growing the company and make it fully capable warehousing 3PL. By 2009 joined CSCMP and WERC and started his journey of learning and growing his international network and high-level learning. In 2012 for the first time joined a local association ( the Panama Maritime Chamber) and worked in the country’s first Logistics Strategy plan, joined and lead other associations ending as president of the Panama Logistics Council in 2017. By finishing his professional mission at LSP with a company that was 8 times the size it was when accepted the role as GM with so many jobs generated and several young professionals coached, having great financial results, took the decision to move forward and start his own business from scratch by the end of 2019. with a friend and colleague co-founded IPL Group a company that started as a boutique 3PL and now is gearing up for the post-Covid era by moving to the big leagues.
Host, Supply Chain Now
The founder of Logistics Executive Group, Kim Winter delivers 40 years of executive leadership experience spanning Executive Search & Recruitment, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Corporate Advisory, Motivational Speaking, Trade Facilitation and across the Supply Chain, Logistics, 3PL, E-commerce, Life Science, Cold Chain, FMCG, Retail, Maritime, Defence, Aviation, Resources, and Industrial sectors. Operating from the company’s global offices, he is a regular contributor of thought leadership to industry and media, is a professional Master of Ceremonies, and is frequently invited to chair international events.
He is a Board member of over a dozen companies throughout APAC, India, and the Middle East, a New Zealand citizen, he holds formal resident status in Australia and the UAE, and is the Australia & New Zealand representative for the UAE Government-owned Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the Middle East’s largest Economic Free Zone.
A triathlete and ex-professional rugby player, Kim is a qualified (IECL Sydney) executive coach and the Founder / Chairman of the successful not for profit humanitarian organization, Oasis Africa (www. oasisafrica.org.au), which has provided freedom from poverty through education to over 8000 mainly orphaned children in East Africa’s slums. Kim holds an MBA and BA from Massey & Victoria Universities (NZ).
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Adrian Purtill serves as Business Development Manager at Vector Global Logistics, where he consults with importers and exporters in various industries to match their specific shipping requirements with the most effective supply chain solutions. Vector Global Logistics is an asset-free, multi-modal logistics company that provides exceptional sea freight, air freight, truck, rail, general logistic services and consulting for our clients. Our highly trained and professional team is committed to providing creative and effective solutions, always exceeding our customer’s expectations and fostering long-term relationships. With more than 20+ years of experience in both strategy consulting and logistics, Vector Global Logistics is your best choice to proactively minimize costs while having an exceptional service level.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Kevin Brown is the Director of Business Development for Vector Global Logistics. He has a dedicated interest in Major Account Management, Enterprise Sales, and Corporate Leadership. He offers 25 years of exceptional experience and superior performance in the sales of Logistics, Supply Chain, and Transportation Management. Kevin is a dynamic, high-impact, sales executive and corporate leader who has consistently exceeded corporate goals. He effectively coordinates multiple resources to solution sell large complex opportunities while focusing on corporate level contacts across the enterprise. His specialties include targeting and securing key accounts by analyzing customer’s current business processes and developing solutions to meet their corporate goals. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Jose Manuel Irarrazaval es parte del equipo de Vector Global Logistics Chile. José Manuel es un gerente experimentado con experiencia en finanzas corporativas, fusiones y adquisiciones, financiamiento y reestructuración, inversión directa y financiera, tanto en Chile como en el exterior. José Manuel tiene su MBA de la Universidad de Pennsylvania- The Wharton School. Conéctese con Jose Manuel en LinkedIn.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Nick Roemer has had a very diverse and extensive career within design and sales over the last 15 years stretching from China, Dubai, Germany, Holland, UK, and the USA. In the last 5 years, Nick has developed a hawk's eye for sustainable tech and the human-centric marketing and sales procedures that come with it. With his far-reaching and strong network within the logistics industry, Nick has been able to open new avenues and routes to market within major industries in the USA and the UAE. Nick lives by the ethos, “Give more than you take." His professional mission is to make the logistics industry leaner, cleaner and greener.
Host
Allison Krache Giddens has been with Win-Tech, a veteran-owned small business and aerospace precision machine shop, for 15 years, recently buying the company from her mentor and Win-Tech’s Founder, Dennis Winslow. She and her business partner, John Hudson now serve as Co-Presidents, leading the 33-year old company through the pandemic.
She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia, a Masters in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, a Masters in Manufacturing from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Finance from the University of Georgia. She also holds certificates in Google Analytics, event planning, and Cybersecurity Risk Management from Harvard online. Allison founded the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and currently serves as Treasurer. She serves on the Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation Board as its Secretary, the liveSAFE Resources Board of Directors as Resource Development Co-Chair, and on the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association Board as Membership Chair and is also a member of Cobb Executive Women. She is on the Board for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Northwest Area Councils. Allison runs The Dave Krache Foundation, a non-profit that helps pay sports fees for local kids in need.
Host
Billy Taylor is a Proven Business Excellence Practitioner and Leadership Guru with over 25 years leading operations for a Fortune 500 company, Goodyear. He is also the CEO of LinkedXL (Excellence), a Business Operating Systems Architecting Firm dedicated to implementing sustainable operating systems that drive sustainable results. Taylor’s achievements in the industry have made him a Next Generational Lean pacesetter with significant contributions.
An American business executive, Taylor has made a name for himself as an innovative and energetic industry professional with an indispensable passion for his craft of operational excellence. His journey started many years ago and has worked with renowned corporations such as The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) leading multi-site operations. With over 3 decades of service leading North America operations, he is experienced in a deeply rooted process driven approach in customer service, process integrity for sustainability.
A disciple of continuous improvement, Taylor’s love for people inspires commitment to helping others achieve their full potential. He is a dynamic speaker and hosts "The Winning Link," a popular podcast centered on business and leadership excellence with the #1 rated Supply Chain Now Network. As a leadership guru, Taylor has earned several invitations to universities, international conferences, global publications, and the U.S. Army to demonstrate how to achieve and sustain effective results through cultural acceptance and employee ownership. Leveraging the wisdom of his business acumen, strong influence as a speaker and podcaster Taylor is set to release "The Winning Link" book under McGraw Hill publishing in 2022. The book is a how-to manual to help readers understand the management of business interactions while teaching them how to Deine, Align, and Execute Winning in Business.
A servant leader, Taylor, was named by The National Diversity Council as one of the Top 100 Diversity Officers in the country in 2021. He features among Oklahoma's Most Admired CEOs and maintains key leadership roles with the Executive Advisory Board for The Shingo Institute "The Nobel Prize of Operations" and The Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME); two world-leading organizations for operational excellence, business development, and cultural learning. He is also an Independent Director for the M-D Building Products Board, a proud American manufacturer of quality products since 1920.
Host
Tandreia Bellamy retired as the Vice President of Industrial Engineering for UPS Supply Chain Solutions which included the Global Logistics, Global Freight Forwarding and UPS Freight business units. She was responsible for operations strategy and planning, asset management, forecasting, and technology tool development to optimize sustainable efficiency while driving world class service.
Tandreia held similar positions at the business unit level for Global Logistics and Global Freight forwarding. As the leader of the Global Logistics engineering function, she directed all industrial engineering activies related to distribution, service parts logistics (post-sales support), and mail innovations (low cost, light weight shipping partnership with the USPS). Between these roles Tandreia helped to establish the Advanced Technology Group which was formed to research and develop cutting edge solutions focused on reducing reliance on manual labor.
Tandreia began her career in 1986 as a part-time hourly manual package handling employee. She spent the great majority of her career in the small package business unit which is responsible for the pick-up, sort, transport and delivery of packages domestically. She held various positions in Industrial Engineering, Marketing, Inside and On-road operations in Central Florida before transferring to Atlanta for a position in Corporate Product Development and Corporate Industrial Engineering. Tandreia later held IE leadership roles in Nebraska, Minnesota and Chicago. In her final role in small package she was an IE VP responsible for all aspects of IE, technology support and quality for the 25 states on the western half of the country.
Tandreia is currently a Director for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Foundation Board and also serves on their Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Previously Tandreia served on the Executive Advisory Board for Virginia Tech’s IE Department and the Association for Supply Chain Management. She served on the Board of Trustees for ChildServ (a Chicago child and family services non-profit) and also served on the Texas A&M and Tuskegee Engineering Advisory Boards. In 2006 she was named Business Advisor of the Year by INROADS, in 2009 she was recognized as a Technology All-Star at the Women of Color in STEM conference and in 2019 she honored as a UCF Distinguished Aluma by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems.
Tandreia holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Systems from UCF. Her greatest accomplishment, however, is being the proud mother of two college students, Ruby (24) and Anthony (22).
Host
Marty Parker serves as both the CEO & Founder of Adæpt Advising and an award-winning Senior Lecturer (Teaching Professor) in Supply Chain and Operations Management at the University of Georgia. He has 30 years of experience as a COO, CMO, CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), VP of Operations, VP of Marketing and Process Engineer. He founded and leads UGA’s Supply Chain Advisory Board, serves as the Academic Director of UGA’s Leaders Academy, and serves on multiple company advisory boards including the Trucking Profitability Strategies Conference, Zion Solutions Group and Carlton Creative Company.
Marty enjoys helping people and companies be successful. Through UGA, Marty is passionate about his students, helping them network and find internships and jobs. He does this through several hundred one-on-one zoom meetings each year with his students and former students. Through Adæpt Advising, Marty has organized an excellent team of affiliates that he works with to help companies grow and succeed. He does this by helping c-suite executives improve their skills, develop better leaders, engage their workforce, improve processes, and develop strategic plans with detailed action steps and financial targets. Marty believes that excellence in supply chain management comes from the understanding the intersection of leadership, culture, and technology, working across all parts of the organization to meet customer needs, maximize profit and minimize costs.
Marketing Coordinator
Laura Lopez serves as our Supply Chain Now Marketing Coordinator. She graduated from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente in Mexico with a degree in marketing. Laura loves everything digital because she sees the potential it holds for companies in the marketing industry. Her passion for creativity and thinking outside the box led her to pursue a career in marketing. With experience in fields like accounting, digital marketing, and restaurants, she clearly enjoys taking on challenges. Laura lives the best of both worlds - you'll either catch her hanging out with her friends soaking up the sun in Mexico or flying out to visit her family in California!
Host
An acknowledged industry leader, Jake Barr now serves as CEO for BlueWorld Supply Chain Consulting, providing support to a cross section of Fortune 500 companies such as Cargill, Caterpillar, Colgate, Dow/Dupont, Firmenich, 3M, Merck, Bayer/Monsanto, Newell Brands, Kimberly Clark, Nestle, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Sanofi, Estee Lauder and Coty among others. He's also devoted time to engagements in public health sector work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At P&G, he managed the breakthrough delivery of an E2E (End to End) Planning Transformation effort, creating control towers which now manage the daily business globally. He is recognized as the architect for P&G’s demand driven supply chain strategy – referenced as a “Consumer Driven Supply Chain” transformation. Jake began his career with P&G in Finance in Risk Analysis and then moved into Operations. He has experience in building supply network capability globally through leadership assignments in Asia, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. He currently serves as a Research Associate for MIT; a member of Supply Chain Industry Advisory Council; Member of Gartner’s Supply Chain Think Tank; Consumer Goods “League of Leaders“; and a recipient of the 2015 - 2021 Supply Chain “Pro’s to Know” Award. He has been recognized as a University of Kentucky Fellow.
Host
Marcia Williams, Managing Partner of USM Supply Chain, has 18 years of experience in Supply Chain, with expertise in optimizing Supply Chain-Finance Planning (S&OP/ IBP) at Large Fast-Growing CPGs for greater profitability and improved cash flows. Marcia has helped mid-sized and large companies including Lindt Chocolates, Hershey, and Coty. She holds an MBA from Michigan State University and a degree in Accounting from Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay (South America). Marcia is also a Forbes Council Contributor based out of New York, and author of the book series Supply Chains with Maria in storytelling style. A recent speaker’s engagement is Marcia TEDx Talk: TEDxMSU - How Supply Chain Impacts You: A Transformational Journey.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Luisa Garcia is a passionate Marketer from Lagos de Moreno based in Aguascalientes. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes, Mexico. She specializes in brand development at any stage, believing that a brand is more than just a name or image—it’s an unforgettable experience. Her expertise helps brands achieve their dreams and aspirations, making a lasting impact. Currently working at Vector Global Logistics in the Marketing team and as podcast coordinator of Logistics With Purpose®. Luisa believes that purpose-driven decisions will impact results that make a difference in the world.
Host, Logistics with Purpose
Astrid Aubert was born in Guadalajara, she is 39 years old and has had the opportunity to live in many places. She studied communication and her professional career has been in Trade Marketing for global companies such as Pepsico and Mars. She currently works as Marketing Director Mexico for Vector Global Logistics. She is responsible for internal communications and marketing strategy development for the logistics industry. She is a mother of two girls, married and lives in Monterrey. She defines herself as a creative and innovative person, and enjoys traveling and cooking a lot.
Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol
Sofia self-identifies as Supply Chain Ambassador, her mission is to advocate for the field and inspire young generations from diverse backgrounds and cultures to join the industry so that thought diversity is increased and change accelerated. Recognized as Linkedin Top Voice and Linkedin Community Top Voice in Supply Chain Management, as well as Emerging Leader in Supply Chain by CSCMP 2024, Top Women in Supply Chain by Supply & Demand Executive 2023, and Coup de Coeur Global Women Leaders in Supply Chain by B2G Consulting in 2021.
Public speaker at multiple international events from keynotes and panels, to webinars and guest lectures for bachelor's and master's degrees, discussing topics such as sustainability, women in the industry, technology and innovation. Writer at different online magazines on logistics, supply chain and technology. Podcast host and guest on different recognized programs in the industry. Sofia has more than 5 years of experience from academic research and field studies to warehouse operations, demand planning and network design. She has worked in manufacturing, airport operations, e-commerce retail, and technology hardware across Latin America, North America and Europe.
Currently working as Supply Chain Network Design and Optimization Manager at HP within their Global Supply Chain and Logistics team.
Host
Karin Bursa is the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year and the Host of the TEKTOK Digital Supply Chain Podcast powered by Supply Chain Now. With more than 25 years of supply chain and technology expertise (and the scars to prove it), Karin has the heart of a teacher and has helped nearly 1,000 customers transform their businesses and share their success stories. Today, she helps B2B technology companies introduce new products, capture customer success and grow global revenue, market share and profitability. In addition to her recognition as the 2020 Supply Chain Pro to Know of the Year, Karin has also been recognized as a 2019 and 2018 Supply Chain Pro to Know, 2009 Technology Marketing Executive of the Year and a 2008 Women in Technology Finalist.
Host
Vin Vashishta is the author of ‘From Data To Profit’ (Wiley 2023). It’s the playbook for monetizing data and AI. Vin is the Founder of V-Squared and built the business from client 1 to one of the world’s oldest data and AI consulting firms. His background combines nearly 30 years in strategy, leadership, software engineering, and applied machine learning.
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.
Founder, CEO, & Host
As the founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, you might say Scott is the voice of supply chain – but he’s too much of a team player to ever claim such a title. One thing’s for sure: he’s a tried and true supply chain expert. With over 15 years of experience in the end-to-end supply chain, Scott’s insights have appeared in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and CNN. He has also been named a top industry influencer by Thinkers360, ISCEA and more.
From 2009-2011, Scott was president of APICS Atlanta, and he continues to lead initiatives that support both the local business community and global industry. A United States Air Force Veteran, Scott has also regularly led efforts to give back to his fellow veteran community since his departure from active duty in 2002.
Principal & Host
When rapid-growth technology companies, venture capital and private equity firms are looking for advisory, they call Greg – a founder, board director, advisor and catalyst of disruptive B2B technology and supply chain. An insightful visionary, Greg guides founders, investors and leadership teams in creating breakthroughs to gain market exposure and momentum – increasing overall company esteem and valuation.
Greg is a founder himself, creating Blue Ridge Solutions, a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader in cloud-native supply chain applications, and bringing to market Curo, a field service management solution. He has also held leadership roles with Servigistics (PTC) and E3 Corporation (JDA/Blue Yonder). As a principal and host at Supply Chain Now, Greg helps guide the company’s strategic direction, hosts industry leader discussions, community livestreams, and all in addition to executive producing and hosting his original YouTube channel and podcast, TEChquila Sunrise.
Principal, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain is Boring
Talk about world-class: Chris is one of the few professionals in the world to hold CPIM-F, CLTD-F and CSCP-F designations from ASCM/APICS. He’s also the APICS coach – and our resident Supply Chain Doctor. When he’s not hosting programs with Supply Chain Now, he’s sharing supply chain knowledge on the APICS Coach Youtube channel or serving as a professional education instructor for the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistic Institute’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) program and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Center for Professional Education courses.
Chris earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University, an MBA with emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of West Florida, and is a Doctoral in Supply Chain Management candidate.
Director of Sales
Tyler Ward serves as Supply Chain Now's Director of Sales. Born and raised in Mid-Atlantic, Tyler is a proud graduate of Shippensburg University where he earned his degree in Communications. After college, he made his way to the beautiful state of Oregon, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.
With over a decade of experience in sales, Tyler has a proven track record of exceeding targets and leading high-performing teams. He credits his success to his ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members alike, as well as his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
When he's not closing deals, you can find Tyler on the links or cheering on his favorite football and basketball teams. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing pick-up basketball, and traveling back to Ocean City, Maryland, his favorite place!
Host of Digital Transformers
Kevin L. Jackson is a globally recognized Thought Leader, Industry Influencer and Founder/Author of the award winning “Cloud Musings” blog. He has also been recognized as a “Top 5G Influencer” (Onalytica 2019, Radar 2020), a “Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader” (Thinkers 360 2019) and provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, Ericsson and other leading companies. Mr. Jackson’s commercial experience includes Vice President J.P. Morgan Chase, Worldwide Sales Executive for IBM and SAIC (Engility) Director Cloud Solutions. He has served on teams that have supported digital transformation projects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US Intelligence Community. Kevin’s formal education includes a MS Computer Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School; MA National Security & Strategic Studies from Naval War College; and a BS Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Internationally recognizable firms that have sponsored articles authored by him include Cisco, Microsoft, Citrix and IBM. Books include “Click to Transform” (Leaders Press, 2020), “Architecting Cloud Computing Solutions” (Packt, 2018), and “Practical Cloud Security: A Cross Industry View” (Taylor & Francis, 2016). He also delivers online training through Tulane University, O’Reilly Media, LinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight. Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems Engineering, Carrier Onboard Delivery Logistics and carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Control. While active, he also served with the National Reconnaissance Office, Operational Support Office, providing tactical support to Navy and Marine Corps forces worldwide.
Host of Logistics with Purpose and Supply Chain Now en Español
Enrique serves as Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics and believes we all have a personal responsibility to change the world. He is hard working, relationship minded and pro-active. Enrique trusts that the key to logistics is having a good and responsible team that truly partners with the clients and does whatever is necessary to see them succeed. He is a proud sponsor of Vector’s unique results-based work environment and before venturing into logistics he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During his time at BCG, he worked in different industries such as Telecommunications, Energy, Industrial Goods, Building Materials, and Private Banking. His main focus was always on the operations, sales, and supply chain processes, with case focus on, logistics, growth strategy, and cost reduction. Prior to joining BCG, Enrique worked for Grupo Vitro, a Mexican glass manufacturer, for five years holding different positions from sales and logistics manager to supply chain project leader in charge of five warehouses in Colombia.
He has an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a BS, in Mechanical Engineer from the Technologico de Monterrey in Mexico. Enrique’s passions are soccer and the ocean, and he also enjoys traveling, getting to know new people, and spending time with his wife and two kids, Emma and Enrique.
Host of Dial P for Procurement
Kelly is the Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point and MyPurchasingCenter. She has been in procurement since 2003, starting as a practitioner and then as the Associate Director of Consulting at Emptoris. She has covered procurement news, events, publications, solutions, trends, and relevant economics at Buyers Meeting Point since 2009. Kelly is also the General Manager at Art of Procurement and Business Survey Chair for the ISM-New York Report on Business. Kelly has her MBA from Babson College as well as an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College and she has co-authored three books: ‘Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals’, ‘Procurement at a Crossroads’, and ‘Finance Unleashed’.
Host, Veteran Voices
Mary Kate Soliva is a veteran of the US Army and cofounder of the Guam Human Rights Initiative. She is currently in the Doctor of Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. She is passionate about combating human trafficking and has spent the last decade conducting training for military personnel and the local community.
Host
Constantine Limberakis is a thought leader in the area of procurement and supply management. He has over 20 years of international experience, playing strategic roles in a wide spectrum of organizations related to analyst advisory, consulting, product marketing, product development, and market research.
Throughout his career, he's been passionate about engaging global business leaders and the broader analyst and technology community with strategic content, speaking engagements, podcasts, research, webinars, and industry articles.
Constantine holds a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA in Finance & Marketing / Masters in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Business Development Manager
Clay is passionate about two things: supply chain and the marketing that goes into it. Recently graduated with a degree in marketing at the University of Georgia, Clay got his start as a journalism major and inaugural member of the Owl’s football team at Kennesaw State University – but quickly saw tremendous opportunity in the Terry College of Business. He’s already putting his education to great use at Supply Chain Now, assisting with everything from sales and brand strategy to media production. Clay has contributed to initiatives such as our leap into video production, the guest blog series, and boosting social media presence, and after nearly two years in Supply Chain Now’s Marketing Department, Clay now heads up partnership and sales initiatives with the help of the rest of the Supply Chain Now sales team.
Administrative Assistant
Trisha is new to the supply chain industry – but not to podcasting. She’s an experienced podcast manager and virtual assistant who also happens to have 20 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. It’s safe to say, she’s passionate about helping people, and she lives out that passion every day with the Supply Chain Now team, contributing to scheduling and podcast production.
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.
Marketing Coordinator
Lori is currently completing a degree in marketing with an emphasis in digital marketing at the University of Georgia. When she’s not supporting the marketing efforts at Supply Chain Now, you can find her at music festivals – or working toward her dream goal of a fashion career. Lori is involved in many extracurricular activities and appreciates all the learning experiences UGA has brought her.
Director, Customer Experience
Katherine is a marketing professional and MBA candidate who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.
Chief of Staff & Host
Mary Kate Love is currently the VP of marketing at Supply Chain Now focused on brand strategy and audience + revenue growth. Mary Kate’s career is a testament to her versatility and innovative spirit: she has experience in start-ups, venture capital, and building innovation initiatives from the ground up: she previously helped lead the build-out of the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific and before that, MxD (Manufacturing times Digital): the Department of Defense’s digital manufacturing innovation center. Mary Kate has a passion for taking complicated ideas and turning them into reality: she was one of the first team members at MxD and the first team member at the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific.
Mary Kate dedicates her extra time to education and mentorship: she was one of the founding Board Members for Women Influence Chicago and led an initiative for a city-wide job shadow day for young women across Chicago tech companies and was previously on the Board of Directors at St. Laurence High School in Chicago, Young Irish Fellowship Board and the UN Committee for Women. Mary Kate is the founder of National Supply Chain Day and enjoys co-hosting podcasts at Supply Chain Now. Mary Kate is from the south side of Chicago, a mom of two baby boys, and an avid 16-inch softball player. She holds a BS in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Marketing Specialist
Joshua is a student from Institute of Technology and Higher Education of Monterrey Campus Guadalajara in Communication and Digital Media. His experience ranges from Plug and Play México, DearDoc, and Nissan México creating unique social media marketing campaigns and graphics design. Joshua helps to amplify the voice of supply chain here at Supply Chain Now by assisting in graphic design, content creation, asset logistics, and more. In his free time he likes to read and write short stories as well as watch movies and television series.
Director of Communications and Executive Producer
Donna Krache is a former CNN executive producer who has won several awards in journalism and communication, including three Peabodys. She has 30 years’ experience in broadcast and digital journalism. She led the first production team at CNN to convert its show to a digital platform. She has authored many articles for CNN and other media outlets. She taught digital journalism at Georgia State University and Arizona State University. Krache holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans. She is a serious sports fan who loves the Braves. She is president of the Dave Krache Foundation. Named in honor of her late husband, this non-profit pays fees for kids who want to play sports but whose parents are facing economic challenges.
Controller
Vicki has a long history of rising to challenges and keeping things up and running. First, she supported her family’s multi-million dollar business as controller for 12 years, beginning at the age of 17. Then, she worked as an office manager and controller for a wholesale food broker. But her biggest feat? Serving as the chief executive officer of her household, while her entrepreneur husband travelled the world extensively. She fed, nurtured, chaperoned, and chauffeured three daughters all while running a newsletter publishing business and remaining active in her community as a Stephen’s Minister, Sunday school teacher, school volunteer, licensed realtor and POA Board president (a title she holds to this day). A force to be reckoned with in the office, you might think twice before you meet Vicki on the tennis court! When she’s not keeping the books balanced at Supply Chain Now or playing tennis matches, you can find Vicki spending time with her husband Greg, her 4 fur babies, gardening, cleaning (yes, she loves to clean!) and learning new things.
Creative Director, Producer, Host
Katherine Hintz, MBA is a marketing professional who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.