Tennessee on Supply Chain Management University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Global Supply Chain Institute

For our April episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby were live at the Spring 2024 Supply Chain Forum speaking with Peter Anderson, chief supply chain officer for WestRock, and Jeff DiLullo, chief region leader for Philips North America.

Both Anderson and DiLullo are senior industry leaders and members of the GSCI Advisory Board. Together with our hosts, they discuss all aspects of sustainability in the supply chain, including carbon footprint, scope emissions, regulatory practices and their influence, technological innovations, and more.

The episode was recorded live at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown on April 10, 2024. Watch the video of the episode.

Related links: 
U.S. economy adds 303,000 jobs in March, unemployment down to 3.8% Inventory expansion, more efficient us of warehousing and transportation drive economic activity in logistics sector Inflation remains a concern as March consumer prices come in above expectations Manufacturing activity contracts in February following 2.5 years of growth Sustainability at WestRock Sustainability at Philips Professor Alex Scott talks sustainable logistics and future-proofing supply chains on the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast Become a Supply Chain Forum member Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter Read the latest news and insights from GSCI 

For our March episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby spoke with father-and-son supply chain researchers Dale Rogers and Zac Rogers, the proprietors of the Logistics Managers’ Index, about diversifying supply chains, global redesign, friendshoring, and much more. 
Dale is the ON Semiconductor Professor of Business at Arizona State University, where he directs the Frontier Economies Logistics Lab and the Internet Edge Supply Chain Lab. Like Ted, he is a member of the Supply Chain Hall of Fame and the recipient of numerous awards and grants. He is a leading researcher in reverse logistics, sustainable supply chain management, supply chain finance, and secondary markets.

Zac is an associate professor of operations and supply chain management at Colorado State University. His primary research areas include the financial impact of supply chain sustainability, emerging logistics technologies, and supply chain cybersecurity.

To start the episode, Ted and Tom discussed the positive February jobs report, consumer sentiment, the impact of the election cycle, manufacturing activity, international trade, and more.

The episode was recorded remotely on March 8, 2024.

Related links: 
U.S. added 275,000 jobs in February but unemployment rate climbs Inflation rate ticks up to 3.2%, hotter than expected Consumer sentiment retreats slightly in FebruarySEC approves rule requiring companies to report greenhouse gas emissions No end in sight to Red Sea shipping diversions Manufacturing activity contracts in February following 2.5 years of growth Attend the 2024 Spring Supply Chain Forum in Knoxville (partners only)Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter Read the latest news and insights from GSCI 

For our February episode, co-host Ted Stank was joined by guest host Lance Saunders, associate professor of supply chain management. They spoke with Jen Kelly, vice president of planning for North America at Schneider Electric, about shortening supply chains, nearshoring and supplier capacity challenges, adding visibility into planning, generative AI for forecasting, and standardizing practice across a global organization. 
Kelly was in town for a meeting of the GSCI Advisory Board. Schneider Electric, ranked by Gartner as No. 1 for best supply chain in 2023, is a longtime partner of the Supply Chain Forum and a member of the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, which brings together industry professionals and UT faculty to tackle issues of critical importance to the discipline.

To start the episode, Ted and Lance discussed U.S. job growth, freight surges, disruption of global trade, regulatory constraints, tensions with China, and much more.

The episode was recorded on February 8, 2024.

CORRECTION: At 11:05 in the episode, our host says that Target acquired Whole Foods. It was Amazon that purchased Whole Foods in a $13.7 billion deal in June 2017.

Related links:
Job growth surges in the U.S., 353,00 jobs added in January US container import volumes surge amid global supply chain challenges Mortgage rates jump back over 7 percent Consumer sentiment races to two-and-a-half year high Why are the Houthis attacking Red Sea ships Walmart growing, adding 150 stores across US China’s 17-year run as top source of US imports ends Mexico rises Download our latest white paper on Advanced Supply Chain PlanningRegister for the SCM Finance Academy Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

In our January episode, Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby speak with maritime expert Don Maier about the state of international shipping, including shifts in trade lanes, the challenges of forecasting and capital planning, and the industry impact of issues from the Panama Canal to bubbling international conflicts.

Before joining UT’s faculty as an associate professor of practice, Maier served as dean for the Maine Maritime and Cal Maritime Academies. As the founding dean of the School of Maritime Transportation, Logistics, & Management at California State University-Maritime Academy, he oversaw programs in marine transportation, international logistics, and naval science. He serves on advisory boards for the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives and the Containerization & Intermodal Institute.

In their opening recap, Ted and Tom also discuss holiday season spending, reports on U.S. jobs and manufacturing, and more.

This episode was recorded on January 5, 2024.
Related links:
Americans spent a record $222 billion shopping online this holiday seasonMajor retailers offering returnless refunds this holiday seasonU.S. employers add 216,000 jobs in a sign of continued economic growthManufacturing increased in December while warehouse availability surges to highest levels since pandemic Congressional leaders reach a deal to avert shutdownRed Sea attacks pose another threat to global economyPanama Canal enmeshed in a crisis disrupting global tradeDon Maier writes in The Conversation about global shipping climate strategyProgress on U.S.-Mexico rail-ferry serviceChina names a new naval chief as maritime tensions climbSubscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletterRead the latest news and insights from GSCIRegister for the 2024 SCM Leadership Academy or SCM Finance Academy

In this month’s episode, Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby speak with three business leaders who recently graduated from the Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain (EMBA-GSC) in UT’s Haslam College of Business. They discuss their paths into the industry and the fine details of the program, including how it has brought value to their current roles at their companies and developed both their supply chain knowledge and leadership skills in just 11 months.
Guests featured in this episode:
Hans von Steiger, Director and Team Leader of Clinical Supply Strategy and ManagementPatricia Covington, Executive Director of Global Integrated AftermarketRebecca Ann Perreault, Director of Global Capabilities and ComplianceTed and Tom also discuss holiday inventory and spending, consumer confidence, the state of the labor market, inflation and housing, backlogs at the Panama Canal, and more.
The episode was recorded at the Haslam College of Business on December 11, 2023.
Related links:
By the numbers: Black Friday and Cyber Monday achieved record salesHoliday inventory is balanced, no concern over stockouts or overstocks, per NRFConsumer confidence ticks up in November after months of declineQ3 growth rate for GDP was fastest since fourth quarter of 2021Solid US job growth, drop in unemployment underscore labor market resilienceConsumer return fraud a growing concern for retailersLogistics Manager’s Index Report for November 2023Panama Canal drought to delay shipments into 2024Watch: Why the EMBA-GSC makes sense for senior supply chain leadersLearn about the Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain (EMBA-GSC)Register for the 2024 SCM Leadership Academy or SCM Finance Academy Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletterRead the latest news and insights from GSCI

In this month’s episode, Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby speak with Jim Newsome, former president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority, at the 27th Supply Chain Forum.

The episode was recorded in front of a live audience on November 7, 2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Newsome (‘76, ‘77) earned both a bachelor’s and MBA in transportation and logistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, before embarking on a more than 40-year career in container ships, ports, and international transportation. He was recently named the 2023 Distinguished Alum by the Haslam College of Business. At the forum, the Global Supply Chain Institute also recognized him as a Distinguished Fellow.

Listen as our co-hosts speak with Newsome about his work as an executive at South Carolina Ports, cast a vision for the future of supply chain management, and discuss visibility, sourcing, the labor market, and the evolution of UT’s business education from transportation to today’s highly regarded end-to-end supply chain management model.

Watch a video version of this podcast on YouTube.
Related links:
U.S. economic growth accelerated to 4.9% last quarterDomestic manufacturing output rose in September.Container imports continue rising, outpacing pre-pandemic levelsLabor market added 150,000 jobs in October, shows signs of coolingHoliday spending outlook is sluggish across retailersUnited Auto Workers secure historic contractsAlan Amling in FreightWaves on the unintended consequences of the UPS-Teamsters agreementWhat is hydrogen energy, and can it help fight climate change?Jim Newsome honored with the 2023 Distinguished Alum Award from the Haslam College of BusinessSC Ports’ record numbers in 2020 and 2021Drought saps the Panama Canal, disrupting global tradeChina exports decline, takeaways from September dataSC Ports handle