Articles

Case Studies

Paul Nugent: Feed the Flow
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Paul Nugent: Feed the Flow

Paul Nugent is director of logistics for Kitchen and Bath Americas with Kohler Co. While Kohler is best known for plumbing products, the company also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and generators. Responsibilities: Create and execute distribution and fulfillment operational strategies for manufacturing plant warehouses, logistics centers, and customers. Also responsible for operations, network design, […]

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REO Logistics CEO Rebecca Polan: In Line to Succeed
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REO Logistics CEO Rebecca Polan: In Line to Succeed

Rebecca Polan was working toward a career in the not-for-profit world when she realized she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life. Her father, Lake Polan, the third-generation leader of a family logistics and real estate firm, urged her to work for him for one year. “He said, ‘No harm if you […]

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Port Everglades Gets Approval for Largest Expansion Project in Its History

Broward County’s Port Everglades received unanimous approval from the Broward County Board of County Commissioners to begin a $437.5 million expansion project to add new berths for larger cargo ships and install crane rail infrastructure for new Super Post-Panamax cranes. Currently, Port Everglades is berth constrained and additional dock space for cargo ships is needed, […]

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From the Front Lines to the Boardroom
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From the Front Lines to the Boardroom

David Congdon was 14 when he joined the family business: less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier Old Dominion Freight Line. “I started working on the dock in the summer,” he says. “Making $1.65 an hour beat the heck out of a $3 weekly allowance.” MORE TO THE STORY: Next Step: Advanced Algorithms At 16, Congdon started traveling to […]

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Valerie Young: 2020 Vision
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Valerie Young: 2020 Vision

Valerie Young is vice president of global supply chain services and operations with 3M. She has held this position since 2016. Responsibilities Driving global supply chain strategy, regionalizing supply chains, leveraging disruptive technology, and harmonizing global processes for improved service, inventory position, and productivity. Experience Director of manufacturing and supply chain, business services director, Lean […]

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No Shortcuts to Success
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No Shortcuts to Success

To hear Jeff Silver tell it, the secret to his success as a logistics leader sounds simple: He was the right person in the right place at the right time. “I came into the industry just after it had been deregulated, with a bit of IT knowledge and capability,” says Silver, CEO of Coyote Logistics, […]

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Clear Direction, Abundant Communication
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Clear Direction, Abundant Communication

Manny Calandrino got his first job in a trucking company in 1976, in the customer service and overage/shortage/damages department. Working his way from this entry-level position through every department, he discovered that what had started as just a job had grown into his career. MORE TO THE STORY: Wanted: Well-Rounded Entrepreneurs “I fell in love […]

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Tom Ciepichal: Centered On Supply Chain Strategy
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Tom Ciepichal: Centered On Supply Chain Strategy

Tom Ciepichal is vice president, operational excellence and supply chain, with Dover Energy, a segment of Dover Corporation, a global manufacturer of equipment, components, and specialty systems in energy, engineered systems, fluids, and refrigeration and food equipment. He has held this position since 2016. Responsibilities: Continuous improvement, transformation, and operational excellence in the supply chain. […]

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GOOD QUESTION | Who would be on your Mount Rushmore of transportation and logistics visionaries?
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GOOD QUESTION | Who would be on your Mount Rushmore of transportation and logistics visionaries?

R. Gene Richter, the logistics visionary. President Eisenhower, who made possible the U.S. Interstate Highway System. Henry Ford as a founder of the automobile industry and creator of the assembly line. And Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who developed one of the most dynamic global supply chain operations. Senior Vice President Institute for Supply Management® MORE […]

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Sound Strategy, Talented Team
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Sound Strategy, Talented Team

If there’s a secret to Cliff Otto’s leadership, it’s his focus on people. “One of the most important things I’ve learned is to hire the best people you can find, and challenge them with opportunities that make them grow,” he says. MORE TO THE STORY: Advice for the Next Generation Otto joined Saddle Creek Logistics […]

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Jonathan Parks: Planning is Key, to Say the Leased
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Jonathan Parks: Planning is Key, to Say the Leased

Jonathan Parks is vice president of global logistics and distribution with Rent-A-Center, which offers name-brand furniture, electronics, appliances, and computers through flexible rental purchase agreements. He started with the company in 2010 and has held this position since 2015. Responsibilities: The design, management, and continual optimization of distribution and logistics operations. Experience: Positions in logistics, […]

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Aaron Leach: A Bird’s Eye View of the Supply Chain
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Aaron Leach: A Bird’s Eye View of the Supply Chain

Aaron Leach is senior director of supply chain with Wayne Farms, LLC, in Oakwood, Ga. He has held this position since 2013. Wayne Farms is the sixth largest vertically integrated producer and processor of poultry in the United States. Responsibilities: Inbound and outbound logistics, warehousing and inventory control, and supply and demand planning. Experience: Director […]

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Russ Smyth: Geared Up for Growth
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Russ Smyth: Geared Up for Growth

One day in 2010, Russ Smyth got a phone call from Ted Perlman. Smyth assumed that the reason for the call was a social occasion. At the time, Smyth was CEO of tax services company H&R Block. MORE TO THE STORY: Leadership Insights Perlman is one of the founders of HAVI, a global supply chain […]

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