Cathy Morrow-Roberson

At Manifest 2026, Scott Luton spent time with his friend, Jorge Morales, Global Chief Operating Officer of the International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA), for a conversation that centered not on hype, but on growth. ISCEA is a global certification body serving supply chain professionals around the world. But as Morales put it, “We’re in the knowledge business; but most of all, we’re in the personal growth business.” Through certifications, membership programs, advisory boards, and global events, ISCEA empowers professionals to stay current, expand their networks, and advance their careers. In a volatile era, that mission has never been more relevant.   Beyond the AI Hype Cycle When asked about dominant themes from 2025 to 2026, Morales pointed to a shift in how the industry views technology. “Last year we were still in the bubble of the hype of AI,” he said. Many professionals feared being replaced or assumed AI would solve everything overnight. That perspective has matured. “Technology by itself is not what determines your level of success,” Morales explained. “Understanding the basics, knowing how things work; THAT is key.” AI and data tools remain critical across procurement, logistics, manufacturing, planning and more. But success depends on how organizations…

Special Guest Blog Post written by Bernadine Henderson Ms. Henderson, senior director of procurement at Protolabs, lifts the lid on buying in manufacturing and why relationships are central to it.   Simply put, the job of a buyer is really about buying the right thing at the right time for the right price. It sounds simple, but it really is very complicated because everything that’s going on in the world impacts the timing, the availability, and the price of the product. This means that buying has recently got a lot more complicated. World events have very real consequences on global supply chains. Just one example is the way in which buyers have responded to tariffs in the U.S. by re-routing sourcing locations. It takes a certain amount of agility to be a buyer in 2025, and this quick responsiveness is helped along by one key ingredient, and that is strong relationships with suppliers. Relationships Built on Trust A widely held misconception is that buyers are only interested in getting to the lowest price possible. In fact, the most important thing to a buyer is for suppliers to bring solutions that deliver overall value. In my experience, a really strong supplier…