John Bell, head of the Department of Supply Chain Management in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Haslam College of Business, recently announced that two faculty had been appointed to endowed professorships and another would be the first to hold a newly endowed chair.
Chris Craighead is the inaugural FedEx Chair of Supply Chain Management, Wendy Tate is now the McCormick Endowed Professor of Supply Chain Management and Chad Autry is the John H. “Red” Dove Professor in Supply Chain Management.
Stephen Mangum, Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair and dean of the college, noted that these endowed positions help the department in its aim to be the top-ranked supply chain program in the country. Gartner currently ranks Haslam’s graduate supply chain management programs No. 1 in North America, while the undergraduate program holds the No. 2 spot.
“FedEx, McCormick and the Dove family have supported the Haslam College of Business in many ways over the years; we value their contributions to the college and look forward to continuing our relationships with them,” Mangum said. “Their endowments significantly contribute to our highly ranked supply chain management program’s ability to maintain the quality of its educational offerings and its leadership in the field.”
Bell, the Daniel & Karen Myers Faculty Scholar, Nancy and David McKinney Faculty Research Fellow and Gerald T. Niedert Professor in Supply Chain Management, said the trio merited this recognition for their dedication to the university and for acting as mentors in the department, training and leading other professors.
“I am proud to announce these new appointments for Chris, Wendy and Chad,” Bell said. “They are leaders in our department who have provided years of service to the University of Tennessee. They are also research leaders in the academy, as three of the most productive supply chain researchers in the world over the last 10 to 15 years. They are a big part of the reason we have reached the No. 1 graduate ranking and the No. 2 undergraduate ranking. In recognition of their leadership and years of service, they are richly deserving of these honors.”
Craighead expressed his gratitude for the honor of being the initial FedEx Chair of Supply Chain Management.
“Earning an endowed chair at the University of Tennessee – a place I love – is a dream come true,” Craighead, a Cheryl Massingale Faculty Research Fellow, said. “I am extremely grateful to FedEx for creating this chair and to the Department of Supply Chain Management, Haslam College of Business and the university for allowing me to be the inaugural holder of this prestigious position.”
Tate, a Ray and Joan Myatt Faculty Research Fellow, felt honored to be named to the McCormick Endowed Professor of Supply Chain Management.
“I look forward to building a strong relationship with McCormick in the coming years,” she said. “My research and teaching in sustainability and global supply chain/procurement aligns well with the mission of McCormick.”
Autry, associate dean for research and faculty and R. Stanley Bowden II Research Fellow, was excited to be appointed to the professorship that carries the Dove family name.
“The Dove family has been instrumental in supporting our supply chain management program for decades, going back to when we were developing our roots in transportation,” he said. “As the field of supply chain has since broadened to include other areas such as manufacturing, logistics, planning and procurement, the Dove Professor has served as a leader in our department who has guided these transformations. Much in the same way that the Doves have been seen as innovators, so has the Dove professor inspired innovation within our department and college.”
About the Donors
FedEx Corporation: The new FedEx Chair in Supply Chain Management joins together a world-class supply chain operation headquartered in Tennessee with world-class faculty experts in supply chain education and research. A natural partnership, it recognizes an industry expert, Chris Craighead, with a top honor in higher education, an academic chair. Such faculty awards allow UT to recruit and retain the best faculty, known internationally for their expertise.
McCormick & Company: A leader in sustainability initiatives in the global supply chain, McCormick’s relationship with UT was strengthened by UT alumnus and retired McCormick chairman and CEO, Alan Wilson. This professorship was established over a decade ago to recognize faculty who excel in supply chain education and research.
AAA Cooper Transportation: The Dove family are long-standing supporters of UT, the Haslam College of Business and the Department of Supply Chain Management. The family business, AAA Cooper Transportation, built a legacy of excellence in transportation spanning the U.S. beginning in 1951. Mack Dove (HCB, ’58) and his brother, Earl (HCB, ’56) earned degrees from the university before joining the family business. They have invested in logistics education and research at UT, fueling the success of the department from its early stages.
CONTACT:
Scott McNutt, business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu