Everything You Need to Know from the Fall 2024 Supply Chain Forum

November 21, 2024

From November 12–14, the Global Supply Chain Institute and the Department of Supply Chain Management hosted another successful Supply Chain Forum, welcoming more than 400 business professionals, industry leaders, and top students to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Below is a summary of everything you need to know about the event.

Relive the best of the forum

In the GSCI app, attendees can access video recordings of all seven Main Sessions as well as slide decks and other resources from presenters. These are available in the Resources tile. While in the app, make sure to click the Event Survey to rate each session and provide feedback. Taking less than five minutes to respond goes a long way to ensuring we offer attendees the best experience in the spring.

To maximize the value partner organizations receive from being members of the forum, GSCI does not make written or recorded sessions publicly available. However, we have provided recaps of two popular sessions.

  • Planning for Global Success,” where Schneider Electric VP Jen Kelly, who leads the company’s planning function for North America, shared innovative strategies Gartner’s No. 1-ranked supply chain organization is taking to drive excellence and customer satisfaction.
  • Beyond Supply Chain,” a conversation between department head John Bell and theme park industry veteran Eugene Naughton, just the third president in Dollywood Company history, about the vision, mindset, and approach required to succeed as a leader across different sectors.

This November episode of the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management podcast episode was recorded live at the forum between hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby and guests Robert Martichenko, board chair of Trailpath Workplace Solutions, and Sunland Logistics’ CEO Arch Thomason and Human Resources VP Diane Lowman. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We’ve also assembled a photo album with hundreds of shots from all three days. Look for yourself and share your favorites on social media. When you do, make sure to tag us on LinkedIn and Instagram and use the #Fall2024SCF hashtag.

Grow as a supply chain professional

If you want to access the expertise that has consistently placed UT among the top supply chain education institutions in the world, apply to participate in one of our upcoming SCM Academies. We currently offer short, virtual courses on Leadership (January 29–May 6), Finance (March 3–April 27) and Planning (March 17–May 11), with customizable options for corporate partners. In 2025, we will debut a fourth program focused on procurement.

Participating in the Academies can fast-track your way to earning our highly regarded Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Online. These programs also help participants to expand their networks, grow within their organizations, and drive incredible value for their businesses. Plus, partners get a 15% discount!

At the forum, attendees heard from former P&G executive and current GSCI Fellow Mike Burnette about research conducted by the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, a think tank partnering UT faculty scholars with corporate leaders, to address advanced concepts in supply chain management. If you didn’t pick up a physical copy of “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force,” you can now download it for free below.

Good news: Your company doesn’t have to be a forum partner for you to keep up with the latest industry insights, trends, and research from UT. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Save the date

The Fall Supply Chain Forum will be held April 8-10, 2025, at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown. And we have a feeling it’s only going to get bigger and better for attendees. If your company is not an SCF partner, contact us to speak with a team member about either of our two corporate partnership options.