Alan Amling

In schools and childcare centers, every dollar counts. But there’s another resource that may be just as precious: time. In a recent conversation with Scott Luton, Ashley Hubka, SVP & GM of Walmart Business, explored the often-overlooked role procurement plays in education. From preparing for the back-to-school rush to managing staff shortages and embracing AI, Hubka’s message was consistent: Simplifying routine purchasing can give educators and administrators more time to focus on the people they serve. And that opportunity may be substantial: according to a recent survey of more than 500 decision-makers at businesses with 10–500 employees, 37% of business leaders spend 4–7 hours each week on routine purchasing. Different Organizations, Similar Challenges A school district serving 30,000 students and a childcare center supporting 500 children may operate at vastly different scales, but Hubka says their procurement challenges often look surprisingly similar. Both organizations must stretch budgets, stay stocked, support multiple users and locations, and respond quickly when needs change. When purchasing is fragmented across suppliers and systems, they face increased complexity and reduced visibility. The back-to-school season magnifies those challenges. “Back-to-school condenses months of planning and purchasing into a very short window,” Hubka explained. At the same time organizations…

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now. We started our week off with a Dial P for Procurement episode hosted by Kelly and Scott. They welcomed Member Services Manager at Una, Crystal Villareal and Philip Ideson, Founder and Managing Director, Art of Procurement. During the show, they discussed how to convert your vision for customer experiences into a set of tasks and priorities that guide your daily work and more. On This Week in Business History, Kelly has a very exciting lineup of stories! The topics in this episode ranged from the founder of the first African-American magazine to the introduction of the ATM. On Tuesday, Scott had the great opportunity of interviewing Dan Gingiss, Chief Experience Officer at The Experience Maker, LLC. In this episode, Scott talks with Dan about the secrets behind crafting remarkable customer interactions. On Wednesday, we published another episode of Logistics With Purpose with hosts Enrique Alverez, Matilda Ahrin, and Books for Africa’s Pat Plonski. The special guest for this episode was Madame Ambassador Hilda Suka Mafudze with the African Union. As you listen to this episode, look forward to learning…