Gartner Top 25: Expanding North American Supply Chains & Regenerative Agriculture

In this new episode of the NOW Generation series on Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and guest host Deborah Dull welcome Dr. Peter Haug, Sam Nocera, and Joshua Young from Western Washington University to explore how the NOW generation is shaping the future of supply chain management. They discuss a first-of-its-kind case competition hosted by the university, where student teams tackled the challenge of creating a circular supply chain model for industrial pumps—an ambitious problem grounded in real-world complexity. Sam and Joshua, both first-year students, share how their team designed an innovative and decentralized repair hub strategy that leveraged predictive maintenance, digital passports, and augmented reality tools. Deborah and Dr. Haug offer context about the program’s industry-partnered education model and share how mentorship, internships, and case-based learning are preparing students to solve tomorrow’s challenges today.   This episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Deborah Dull, and produced by Amanda Luton, Trisha Cordes, and Joshua Miranda.   Additional Links & Resources Check out all the great resources and information mentioned during the show: Watch NOW on YouTube Connect with Deborah Dull Connect with Dr. Peter Haug Connect with Sam Nocera Connect with Joshua Young Learn more about Western Washington University…

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Kim Humphrey, President & CEO of AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence), welcome retired Air Force Lieutenant General Andy Busch, Strategic Advisor at Goldratt Consulting, for a high-impact conversation on the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and its ability to transform complex operations. Drawing from a 38-year military career, Andy shares how TOC’s five focusing steps helped him cut C-5 aircraft maintenance timelines from 340 days to 110, save hundreds of millions through inventory discipline, and reduce a 15-month procurement backlog to just three months. He also highlights the leadership skills required to drive these changes, including clear communication, organizational alignment, and active workforce engagement. They also discuss the universal applicability of TOC across industries and geographies, with Andy recounting implementations at the Defense Logistics Agency, large-scale MRO depots, and in international settings such as Japan and India. From managing high-variability environments to avoiding the trap of local optimization, the conversation delivers actionable insights for supply chain and manufacturing leaders seeking breakthrough results, stronger team alignment, and sustained performance improvement in today’s volatile business climate.   This episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Kim Humphrey, and produced by…