Supply Chain Forum Agenda

forum members attending a mega session

April 25-27, 2023

The next Supply Chain Forum will be April 25-27, 2023 at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown. Below you’ll find an overview of the spring agenda. Detailed session descriptions, full speaker bios, exclusive resources and more are accessible to attendees in the GSCI app.

Tuesday, April 25

  • 2–3 p.m. Check-in and Registration

    Registration is required and space is limited for both student networking events. Make sure you sign up for both events when you register online.

  • 3–4 p.m. Networking with Graduate Students

    A structured networking opportunity for corporate partners and SCM graduate students to discuss relevant career and supply chain topics. Meet students from Haslam’s No. 1 ranked graduate SCM programs: the full-time MBA, EMBA-GSC, MS SCM Online, and MS SCM Tri-Continent programs

  • 4–4:30 p.m. Break
  • 4–4:30 p.m. Tennessee on Supply Chain Management Podcast Recording with Schneider Electric

    Join Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby as they discuss talent recruitment and development with Kelly Britt, GSC NAM Talent Manager, Samia Kaci, VP Logistics GSC NAM, and Lisa Waters, VP HR GSC NAM,

  • 4:30–5:45 p.m. Speed Networking with Undergraduate Students

    A lively and interactive networking session with supply chain management Scholars of Distinction, a select group of rising 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year SCM students eager to meet industry professionals and gain firsthand knowledge about job opportunities and career paths.

  • 6–8 p.m. Welcome Reception

    Before we dive into mega sessions and breakouts, join us at the opening reception for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and brief remarks from Ted Stank, GSCI’s co-faculty director. Connect with other SCM professionals and UT faculty and staff at this casual networking event.

Wednesday, April 26

  • 7:45–8:15 a.m. Breakfast and Check-in

    Stop by the registration table and enjoy a breakfast buffet before a day of mega sessions and breakouts.

  • 8:30–9:30 a.m. Mega Session: CSCO Panel

    The world has faced several severe shocks in recent years as supply chains were shaken to the core. This session features a panel of supply chain leaders navigating these disruptions while in the C-suite of prominent global businesses. They will highlight key trends and issues that must be addressed over the next five-to-eight years, while also addressing new skill sets required by supply chain leaders to guide their organizations into the future. Speakers: Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP, Luciano Sieber, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Colgate-Palmolive, and Ted Stank, Professor, Harry J. & Vivienne R. Bruce Chair of Excellence, Co-Faculty Director, and Global Supply Chain Institute

  • 9:30–9:45 a.m. Break
  • 9:45–10:45 a.m. Mega Session: Discussion and Q&A with CSCO Panelists

    Following their earlier session, chief supply chain officers will lead a group discussion for attendees—including supply chain practitioners, UT faculty, and students. Prepare by considering the key supply chain issues organizations must address in the current business environment as well as what potential trends or challenges they may face in the future. This session will include a Q&A with the panelists. Speakers: Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP, Luciano Sieber, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Colgate-Palmolive, and Ted Stank, Professor, Harry J. & Vivienne R. Bruce Chair of Excellence, Co-Faculty Director, and Global Supply Chain Institute

  • 10:45–11:00 a.m. Break
  • 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Mega Session: A New Era in Supply Chain Planning

    The past three years characterized by wild demand swings and capacity constraints underscore a growing suspicion that conventional supply chain planning methods are woefully deficient toward meeting the needs of today’s supply chain decision makers. This panel session will examine the ways in which conventional planning comes up short and discuss how supply chain planning needs to evolve to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. We will also introduce ways in which businesses need to “change the problem” in order to alter the role and function of planning. Speakers: Craig Elonen, SVP Manufacturing Logistics, Bush Brothers & Company, Clay Jackson, VP Merchandise Planning and Inventory, Tractor Supply, and Thomas Goldsby, Professor and Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair in Logistics

  • 1–2 p.m. Mega Session: Leading Collaborative Research from UT Faculty and Graduate Students

    In this session, faculty advisors and their doctoral and MBA students team up to discuss the latest findings from collaborative applied research in supply chain management.
    Speakers: Yemisi Bolumole, Ryder Professor in Supply Chain Management, Anne Dohmen, PhD Student in Supply Chain Management, Stephanie Eckerd, Associate Professor and Jerry and Suzanne Ratledge Professor in Supply Chain Management, DeNea Hombs, VP Supply Chain, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, Ryan Luedke, Kimberly-Clark, Associate Director Supply Chain Analytics and Business Intelligence, Ted Stank, Professor, Harry J. & Vivienne R. Bruce Chair of Excellence, Co-Faculty Director, and Global Supply Chain Institute, and Wendy Tate, William J. Taylor Professor in Supply Chain Management.

  • 2–2:30 p.m. Break
  • 2:30–3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions
    1. Meeting the Challenge of Supply Chain Agility – In our discussions with dozens of supply chain leaders, we found that managers face a range of challenges as they work to create more agile supply chains. These challenges fall into three broad areas: how to think about supply chain agility, how to make the business case for agility to internal stakeholders, and how to develop the right relationships with external stakeholders. In this presentation, we identify specific barriers that managers face in each area and provide detailed advice on how to meet the challenge of supply chain agility. Speaker: Dan Pellathy.
    2. So, You’ve Moved Your Manufacturing to Vietnam. Are You Safe? The Unclear Path to Ally-Shoring – The drumbeat for more resilient global supply chains among “like-minded” nations has grown louder. But is it all pomp and no circumstance? Learn about the current state of ally-shoring, execution challenges and opportunities, and the potential risks and rewards. Speakers: Tom Goldsby and Alan Amling.
    3. Organizational Aspects of Agility – Speaker: Mike Grojean
    4. Revamp Planning to Build Agility – Multiple projects in UT’s Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative have focused on understanding how firms can increase their agility. These projects have used simulation to determine the most effective means for providing this agility, with almost all recommendations focused on some aspects of the supply chain planning process. This session will discuss these results as well as some cultural issues related to planning that have arisen from these projects. Speaker: Lance Saunders.
    5. Gen Z’s. They’re Here. Now What? – Just when we were starting to understand the Millennial population the Gen-Z’s come along!! Do you understand this population and the impact they will have on the future of your organization? Have you thought about the different recruiting and retention efforts that this vastly different generation will need to grow and thrive in your organization? How do we educate our hiring managers and senior level leaders in ways that allow us to successfully recruit and retain young professionals? This presentation will focus on how to keep up with the changing dynamics of the workplace and will provide specific examples of how to prepare for the next generation. Speakers: Cole Burns and Alison Keefe, Director, Global Emerging Talent, Smith+Nephew
    6. Advance Your Career at a Top-Ranked Supply Chain University – Learn how our No. 1 graduate supply chain programs can transform your career. Our staff and faculty will share an overview of our top-ranked graduate and non-degree programs, focusing on opportunities for working professionals, like our Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain, MS SCM Online, Supply Chain Leadership Academy and more. You’ll learn about our world-class curriculum and customized student experience. No matter where you are in your career, Haslam’s top-ranked programs will provide you with insights into the latest supply chain trends, empowering you to successfully drive value for your organization. Speakers: Hannah Ballew, Izabela Vandeest, Jon Holztrager, and Joe Buckley.
  • 3:15–3:30 p.m. Break
  • 3:30–4:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions (Repeat)
  • 5–7 p.m. Evening Reception at The Foundry.
    The reception will feature poster presentations from seniors who recently completed honors theses as part of the Smith Global Leadership Scholars program. This event will provide partners with a fantastic opportunity to learn about undergraduate student research and connect with a handful of UT’s best and brightest upcoming graduates.  

Thursday, April 27

  • 7:45–8:30 a.m. Breakfast
  • 8:45–9:45 a.m. Mega Session: Economic Inclusion: An Avenue for Social and Economic Growth

    Supplier diversity is not a new concept. But with increasing social unrest and a push toward increased growth and resilience, it has become more relevant than ever before. Diverse organizations are creative and resilient, driving 20% more growth and risk mitigation. Economic inclusion is no longer a procurement effort to comply with responsible sourcing but a broader organizational asset for driving competitive advantage. In this session, panelists will discuss enablers and challenges large organizations, such as Cummins, face when providing opportunities for minority suppliers to launch a new entrepreneurial business. They will also discuss the role played by academic institutions, and the new capabilities supply chain organizations need to successfully launch similar initiatives. Speakers: Andrea Sordi, Clinical Assistant Professor, Academic Director, Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain, Managing Director, Global Supply Chain Institute, Chris Barney, Principal CEO, Team Cruiser Supply & Logistics LLC, and Ian Russell, Global Supply Chain Risk Manager, Cummins 

  • 10–10:30 a.m. Mega Session: Beyond Supply Chain with Kellie Harper

    Leadership principles transcend professional disciplines. In this session, SCM department head John Bell speaks with current Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kellie Harper, a former Lady Vol and three-time national championship winner under Pat Summitt, about leadership, motivation, conflict management, and asks for her advice to young people early in their careers.

  • 10:30–10:45 a.m. Break
  • 10:45–11:30 a.m. Mega Session: Panel Discussion on Supply Chain as an Engine for Future Competitive Advantage
    GSCI co-faculty director Ted Stank and a trio of faculty experts look into the crystal ball and discuss the future of supply chains, including how its role in driving competitive advantage may evolve, risk mitigation in the face of major disruptions, and the role of technology. Speakers: Andrea Sordi, Managing Director of GSCI and Academic Director for the Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain; Darrell Edwards, Assistant Professor of Practice in Supply Chain Management, and Chris Craighead, FedEx Chair in Supply Chain Management and Sarah Alice & Tommy Bronson Faculty Research Fellow
  • 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lunch

Access Exclusive Content

The GSCI app is the only way to access exclusive Supply Chain Forum content like student resumes, event maps, important announcements, additional resources and more. Content from the fall 2022 forum is available in the app now.

Previous Agendas

If you’re curious about what topics were covered and who spoke at previous Supply Chain Forum events, explore the content below.