Speakers
Deadline to apply to speak: Monday, June 24, 2024
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Call for Speakers
NextGen Supply Chain Conference 2024
Is your organization utilizing NextGen technologies, such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, blockchain or AI or Machine Learning as part of your digital transformation?
Are you a consultant working with clients on the digital transformation of their supply chain processes — from procurement through final mile delivery?
Or are you an academic researching how technology and digitalization is changing supply chain management?
If so, we’d like to invite you to be part of NextGen 2024. This is an in-person event focused on digital transformation and the emerging supply chain technologies. Preference is given to supply chain leaders, rather than solution providers, and to examples of these technologies in action, where they can deliver the most value, and finally, the challenges or pitfalls associated with implementation.
Abstract Guidelines
Attendees are responsible for the design and management of the end-to-end supply chain. For that reason, we welcome and encourage case study presentations by supply chain executives.
- Please get all necessary approvals from your organization prior to submitting an abstract.
- Abstract topics should be relevant to senior level supply chain managers responsible for setting the direction of their supply chains.
- Commercial abstracts will not be considered.
- Solution providers should also note that a preference is given to supply chain practitioners.
- The Advisory Board will consider abstracts touching on the application of emerging technologies to core supply chain processes, including:
- Talent and workforce management
- Procurement
- Supply chain planning
- Transportation, logistics, last mile and last yard delivery
- Warehousing fulfillment and manufacturing processes
- Supply chain planning, including S&OP
- Cold chain
- Control towers – especially tied into digital transformation and transportation and logistics
- Smart manufacturing
- How small-to-mid-size enterprises, including manufacturers, can identify the technologies that can deliver value given their limited budgets and resources
- Closing the gap between technical team members, like data scientists, and supply chain team managers
- Creating a digital center of excellence
Notification of Acceptance
- You will be notified of your acceptance into the technical program by July 22, 2024.
- You will have three (3) business days from when the acceptance e-mail is sent to confirm your participation.
- If we do not receive your confirmation after a follow-up e-mail, we will assume you are no longer interested in participating in the program.
Cancellation Policy
While we understand circumstances arise that may prohibit you from presenting after confirmation, please let us know as soon as possible.
Thank you for your interest in being part of our high-value technical programs. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact bstraight@peerlessmedia.com.
We look forward to seeing you in Chicago October 21 – 23, 2024!
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2023 SPEAKERS
Alan Amling is a TED speaker and supply chain thought leader. Alan helped drive innovation over a 27-year career with UPS and is currently a Distinguished Fellow at The University of Tennessee, CEO of advisory firm Thrive and Advance LLC, and on the Executive Advisory Board for the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute. He researches, invests, advises, and speaks on innovation in logistics and how all firms can recognize and thrive in disruption. His first book, Organizational Velocity, was released in March 2022.
Alan holds a Ph.D. in Management from Kennesaw State University, an MBA from Indiana University, and a BA in Business and Psychology from Lewis & Clark College. 
Amy Augustine's team is responsible for building the business cases for the corporate strategic projects for U.S. Cellular. She has interest in how 5G technology can transform the future of supply chain. From 2013 until mid-2018, she led the Reverse Logistics team that is responsible for the strategy and execution of the reverse supply chain, including planning, repair of handsets and tablets, and re-commerce of handsets and accessories. Amy has held various roles within supply chain and has worked at U.S. Cellular more than nine years. Earlier in her career, she spent 10 years in the consulting industry working for KPMG, BearingPoint and the Revere Group. Amy earned her MBA in Operations Management and International Business from Loyola University in Chicago and holds a CSCP certification from APICS. 
Previously Sean worked for Walgreens Boots Alliance for 16 years where most recently he led US supply chain development. In his role as US development lead Sean focused on disruptive supply chain technologies and partnerships capable of delivering superior customer and patient outcomes. Prior to heading up development Sean was responsible for global transportation and logistics after numerous leadership roles in supply chain and store operations. Sean currently serves as an advisory board member for the Transportation Center on Telemobility at Northwestern University and the Global Supply Chain Management Advisory Board at Rider University. 
Peter Bolstorff oversees ASCM corporate impact programs that include transformation, talent development, sustainability, and community driven public health. Peter, the author of Supply Chain Excellence: A Handbook for Dramatic Improvement Using the SCOR Model, brings over 25 years of experience in supply chain and operations management to the position. He joined ASCM as the Executive Director to lead the APICS, Supply Chain Council merger. Prior to joining ASCM, Bolstorff was the founding principal of SCE Limited, a consulting firm focused on providing supply chain program management and SCOR-based education to supply chain executives and their global teams. Bolstorff also held supply chain and operations management leadership roles at 3M and Imation and has been a lifelong volunteer within the SCOR community. He received his master’s degree in industrial education from the University of Minnesota and Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, education, and psychology from St. Olaf College. 
Andrew Byer has 37 years experience in Supply Network Operations at P&G. He has worked in multiple business units and regions, including 12 years based in Asia (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore.)
He currently is P&G’s Global Supply Network Operations capability leader, with responsibility to develop mastery, drive adoption, ensure governance and lead innovation in work process and tools/systems across COE’s spanning planning, logistics, innovation, and customer / supplier collaboration. He is also the P&G Know How leader for the Supply Network Operations in P&G’s Alliance with helping provide EY’s clients with access to P&G’s supply chain expertise, practices and experience.
Previous assignments included shelf-to-cash, transportation and warehousing for P&G’s northeast US businesses. He led major acquisition integrations into P&G’s Beauty and Health supply chains. He led large-scale business process transformation and IT projects, including launching Vendor Managed Inventory with major US retailers and implementing MRPII/SAP ERP across Asia. He led supply chain business and supply planning across P&G’s Global Beauty and Health businesses, including overseeing contract manufacturers and supply chain design studies. He was also supply chain leader for P&G’s North America Hair Care business.
Andrew is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is married, and has four children. 
Previously, she consulted for West Monroe Partners, serving as an SME in operations and engineering strategies and creating operational assessments to provide unique solutions to customers. Stephanie also started her career at UPS, rotating through various roles during her tenure in hub, package, and transportation. 
Ms. Coates has been a management consultant for 25+ years, helping over 80 global supply chain clients worldwide. She is an Amazon.com best-selling author with five Supply Chain Management books, including Reshoring Guidebook, and 42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China, and Legal Blacksmith – How to Avoid and Defend Supply Chain Disputes. She also works as an Expert Witness on legal cases involving global supply chain disputes.
Rosemary serves on the Board of Directors at the University of San Diego Supply Chain Management Institute and teaches Global Supply Chain Strategy at UC Berkeley. She earned an MBA from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics from Arizona State University. 
Tom has authored over 20 books on global trade and is finalizing a nine-book series titled “The Global Warrior … Advancing on the Necessary Skill Sets to Compete Effectively in Global Trade.” 
Prior to this role, Scott was the General Manager of Kimberly-Clark’s Eastern Grocery team in North America. Scott’s accountabilities included driving over $650MM in revenue through a highly engaged team that included Ahold, Wakefern, HEB, Publix, Delhaize and BiLo Holdings. During his 30+ years at Kimberly-Clark, Scott has held ever increasing areas of accountability and leadership including: Director of Supply Chain Strategy; Director of Consumer Planning; Director of Distribution Operations; Director of Transportation Procurement and Analysis; Director of Transportation Operations; and Regional Logistics Leader in Chester, PA, where he led all logistics operations at the largest tissue site in the Kimberly-Clark network.
Scott and his wife Pam live in Knoxville, TN and have 2 children – Henry and George. They enjoy soccer, running, spending time outdoors and traveling to new cities. 
He most recently served as vice president, Operations, Specialty Pharmaceutical Distribution for Cardinal Health. In his 12 years with Cardinal Health, he’s held roles in increased responsibilities across corporate operations and OpEx, including leading Kinray’s operations in New York City. Prior to Cardinal Health, he worked in various functions for The SYGMA Network a division of Sysco Foods and was an engineer for Praxair, Inc.
Jamie has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Ohio Dominican University. He lives in Pickerington, Ohio, with his wife of 19 years, Kristy. In his free time, he enjoys grilling, attending live music concerts and cruising on his motorcycle across the country, weather permitting. 
Passionate by Strategic Sourcing, he is also the co-creator and teacher of the Strategic Sourcing program at UIC (University of Illinois in Chicago).
Previously he was part of the global SAP project as a Business Process Owner for procurement and lead processes and organization changes in 12 countries.
With a diverse background on Mechanics, Packaging, Marketing and B2B, Jean-Michel transformed organizations to bring added value in the full scope of spend.
Born in Lyon (FR) with a Portuguese background, 3 nationalities (FR, PT, USA), he is married with 2 kids, a boy and a girl, he also has passion for tennis, music, cooking and traveling. 
Karoline Dygas is Nordstrom’s Vice President and CPO leading Strategic Sourcing and Procurement for all non-merchandise spend. She joined Nordstrom in April 2019 and is responsible for leading a holistic strategic sourcing transformation to provide a new procurement service delivery model that will positively impact the customer experience and company financial performance.
Prior to joining Nordstrom, she was Starbucks Corp Vice President leading Global Sourcing, Store Development and Siren Retail Supply Chains. She was part of Starbucks Global Supply Chain leadership team and was accountable for sourcing of all capital and commercial equipment, FFE, R&M and QA services, as well as leading the global end-to-end supply chains for Store Development and Siren Retail (Starbucks Roastery & Reserve and Princi brands).
Before joining Starbucks, Karoline was the Senior Director Strategic Sourcing at Walgreens based in Deerfield, Illinois where she was responsible for $1.5B annual spend across multiple categories supporting Store Development, Energy & Environmental Sustainability, and Marketing.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University and later completed her dual MBA from both Purdue University and ESCP-EAP European School of Management in Paris, France.
She lives in Issaquah, WA with her husband Josh, two children Morgan (14) and Max (12), and their Samoyed-Husky rescue dog named Yeti. 
Adjunct Professor – Supply Chain Management, Elmhurst University
Co-Author: H.O.P.E. Handbook – A Guide for Disability Hiring
Tim Engstrom is SVP, Supply Chain for Essendant based in Deerfield, Illinois.
From 2019, Engstrom is part of the executive leadership team responsible for supply chain management across 25+ distribution centers, inventory management, engineering, transportation, continuous improvement, and analytics, environmental, health, safety and security.
Additionally, Engstrom is an Adjunct Professor at Elmhurst University where he extends the classroom with businesses and teaches courses in the Supply Chain master's program.
Each year, in addition to teaching classes, Engstrom mentors a group of graduate students in implementing a capstone project that analyzes and implements solutions to supply chain challenges for local businesses. It is here that the idea of creating a handbook for disability hiring was born looking to solve staffing challenges and support a business’s social responsibility program. The result was the creation of the H.O.P.E. Handbook - A Guide for Disability Hiring.
Before joining Essendant in 2019, Engstrom was Head of Supply Chain at LA-CO Industries from 2016 to 2019, where he transformed the operation using LEAN methodologies and won an award for implementing a disability hiring program. Before then, he was Group Vice President of US distribution for Walgreens from 2012 to 2016, Senior Director of operations for Lawson Products in Chicago, Ill. from 2010 to 2012 and Director of operations for OfficeMax in Itasca, Ill., where he also held other positions.
Engstrom received his master’s in supply chain management from Elmhurst University in 2003 and his bachelor’s in transportation & physical distribution from Western Illinois University in 1993. He was also selected as Distinguished Graduate Alumnus from Elmhurst University in 2019. 
When Ashley isn't immersed in pioneering ideas, she enjoys testing recipes, networking with fellow founders, and spending time outdoors hiking, skiing, and biking with friends and family. 
His areas of expertise include: operations improvement, facility and process design, network development and strategy, labor efficiency, software functional design and system selection, material handling integration, partnership/program management, executive strategy, and support.
Drew lives near Athens, Georgia, has been married to his wife Lindsay for fifteen years, and is father to a son, Caleb (12) and a daughter, Adilynn (9). An avid Georgia "Bulldawg," Drew holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. 
He graduated from The Georgia Tech Institute of Technology with a degree in Industrial Management and was a member of the 1991 Division 1 National Football Champions. In his spare time Tony enjoys woodworking, fishing, and hunting. 
His experience spans the entire supply chain— plant and warehouse networks, transportation optimization, procurement, warehouse operations, inventory deployment, and optimal packaging. Jeff has written in leading supply chain magazines and has been featured on podcasts, radio, and TV.
Jeff has a degree in Economics and Computer Science from Northwestern University and a MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management from MITx. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. 
Prior to joining AlixPartners, he was vice president of strategy at Realogy Holdings Corp., where he led business transformation, advanced analytics and strategic growth programs for industry-leading residential real estate brands.
Dan also provided merger-and-acquisition advisory services for large corporate, middle-market, and private-equity companies as a senior associate at Deloitte Corporate Finance LLC.
Dan has an MBA in finance from Wayne State University and a Master of Science in applied analytics from Columbia University.
Relevant Experience:
• Advised U.S. publicly held CPG company on supply chain strategy and customer & product profitability; identified $40M of EBITDA improvement within $1.5B business segment
• Advised U.S. based publicly held retailer on supply chain and category profitability in connection with large scale value creation program; achieved $100M+ margin improvement in merchandising
• In connection with a carveout of leading beauty brands, advised PE firm on
• Stand-up of commercial operating model (supply chain, distribution, sales, marketing, digital)
• Design and execution of large-scale operating model redesign resulting in $20M+ in savings
• Development and implementation of Advertising & Promotion budget (digital media, creative, VM, POSM, freelance) resulting in $30M in reduction
• Advised a publicly held residential real estate company on a large-scale value creation program; developed tailored analytics and achieved $50M in EBITDA improvement across three business units
• Advised a publicly held equipment manufacturer on the divestiture of its global mining distribution business; closed more than 60 transactions, totaling $2.7B in transaction value 
Arun’s advisory work focuses on maximizing enterprise value of global businesses through step changes in organic and M&A-led P&L performance. He is known for expertise in Large-scale Transformations, M&A, Operating Model Design, Route-to-market Strategy, End-to-End Supply Chain Improvement, Zero-based Budgeting, Design for Value & Sustainability, and Digital Business Enablement. He routinely publishes and speaks on bleeding-edge operations-related topics on Ivey Business Journal, SCMR, Food & Beverage Magazine, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Wine & Spirits Daily, APICS, CSCMP, IndustryWeek, and other media outlets.
Arun holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MEM in Operations and MS in Transportation Engineering from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, and a BTech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). 
Jay has a unique vision of improving Operational efficiencies of Global Supply Chains by building next-generation sustainability and social equity practices at its core. Jay is a Thought leader and Keynote speaker for numerous Global Supply Chain leadership gatherings and a leading voice of advocacy for Digital Transformation and Process Innovation in the Global Supply Chain community. Jay has a BS in Metallurgical Engineering and graduated from Harvard Business School in General Management (GMP), APICS & SAP SCM Certifications, and completed Value Chain Transformation Program at Wharton. 
During his 35 years with Gap Inc., Kevin has executed end-to-end start-up operations to launch, expand and transform distribution centers internationally, including consulting on location and architectural design, onboarding and implementing automation capabilities, artificial intelligence and machine learning software, and driving efficiencies for materials handling and inventory management.
Kevin began his career at Gap Inc. at 17 years old as a seasonal merchandise handler at one of the company’s distribution centers. Since then, Kevin has held multiple roles of steadily increasing responsibility and scope within Gap Inc.’s logistics and transportation divisions.
Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Thomas More University, and he resides in Gallatin, TN, home of one of Gap Inc.’s largest Customer Experience Centers in North America. 
Before joining Gopuff, Charan spent six years leading Amazon's last mile supply chain, where he oversaw complex logistics operations and optimized delivery networks to enhance customer experience. He is widely recognized for his expertise in supply chain management, logistics, and transportation, and has led several strategic initiatives to drive operational efficiency and cost savings.
Charan holds a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain from Cal State University, Northridge and a Masters in Global Supply Chain from USC. He is passionate about technology and innovation and is always on the lookout for new ways to drive efficiency and improve business outcomes. Charan is also a mentor and advisor to several startups in the logistics and supply chain industry. 
Andy brings significant senior executive-level experience to his role with a track record of success providing solutions that optimize distribution and fulfillment operations, including everything from decanting operations to workstation design, automated storage and retrieval, goods-to-person picking and “last mile” deliveries. Prior to joining Vanderlande, he served as a vice president at TGW, where he led business development operations and focused on systems integration, e-commerce and materials handling systems for the retail industry. Lockhart has a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Kings College at the University of London. 
Keba has a master’s degree in computer science from ESIEE Engineering Paris and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In his free time, Keba likes to ride his motorcycle, spend time with his wife and two daughters, and travel. Keba has been based in Chicago since 2020 after leaving in Senegal his home country; France, and Luxembourg. 
As the Director of Global Data Strategy and Products at Dematic, he is entrusted with leading the design and execution of Dematic’s global data strategy and core products. Rasool also leads initiatives in enterprise data transformation, data monetization, GenAI applications, and integrated data functions, harnessing the power of Google Cloud, VertexAI, and Azure to enhance integrated supply chain systems and applications. 
In addition to his academic pursuits, Steven is the founder of the Platt Retail Institute, an international analytics consulting firm that caters to renowned clients such as Kroger and McDonald's. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities by founding the AI Business Consortium at Loyola University and the Retail Analytics Council at Northwestern University. These initiatives secured funding for groundbreaking research and organized influential industry/academic conferences.
Steven's current activities reflect his dedication to advancing the field of AI and data science. His recent publication, "Adopting a dynamic AI price optimization model to impact customer engagement," in the Journal of AI, Robotics & Workplace Automation, highlights his expertise. He is actively involved in various research projects, including exploring the intersection of law and AI, optimizing shipping containers for cost reduction for an online retailer, and assisting financial institutions with AI deployment through a dedicated task force.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Steven holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Marketing, JD and LLM from Boston University. During his time at Boston University, Steven served as Articles Editor for the University's Journal of Tax Law.
Steven's expertise has garnered recognition from various publications and media outlets such as Bloomberg, Business Week, CNN Business, and the Wall Street Journal. He has been quoted extensively on topics related to AI, analytics, and retail, and has appeared as a guest analyst on notable news programs including the CBS Evening News and Early Show, as well as ABC World News.
Reinhart’s operational solutions have addressed and solved problems including, but not limited to, labor cost reduction, space utilization, ergonomics, and efficiencies for autonomous case-handing and mobile robots, automatically guided vehicle robots, conveyance and sortation, high-volume item sortation, automated storage and retrieval systems, warehouse management systems, and more. Recognized as an industry expert in warehousing operations, software, and automation applications, he has partnered with and managed accounts across the full spectrum of customers, from start-up organizations to Fortune 50 companies.
Reinhart’s leadership and cross-collaboration have resulted in the design and implementation of 300+ automation projects, including 50+ good-to-person systems. As a creative problem solver that puts his customers and team members first, his prioritization of transparency and ethics ensures sustained commitments to all encounters within the organization and industry. 
Schwartz was integral in building and continues to drive Medline’s high-performing operations engineering function. He leads a growing team of 50 engineers in the U.S. and India responsible for designing, optimizing and implementing cutting-edge processes and technology for distribution operations and transportation functions across Medline’s global network.
In 2014, Schwartz co-developed the layout and custom functionality – and led implementation — of the first AutoStore in the U.S. at Medline’s flagship distribution center. This goods-to-person install revolutionized less-than-case fulfillment by improving the speed, accuracy and delivery of essential medical supplies to the continuum of healthcare.
Medline’s enterprise-wide adoption of automation and other digital technology under Schwartz’ leadership has transformed its business – inspiring a surge in automation applications throughout the healthcare distribution industry.
Schwartz leads the field engineering and process engineering teams, supports large customer startups, partners with inbound and outbound transportation teams, and procures and deploys warehouse capital equipment like MHE, conveyors, and racking. His team also supports Medline’s agile information services function by serving as subject matter experts of Medline’s warehouse management systems.
Partnering with other critical functions like real estate, Schwartz oversees complex project management efforts, ensuring optimal and efficient startups and installations of technologies in the many new, converted or upgraded Medline facilities.
Schwartz holds a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison; and, an M.S. in Engineering Management from Northwestern University. He started his career in healthcare distribution with Cardinal Health prior to joining Medline. 
Alison Seward has business-wide responsibility for all aspects of quality costs, both internally and externally for all GE Appliances manufacturing sites and Mabe affiliates. By owning the strategy and execution for quality, she leads the team to ensure that GE Appliances meets and exceeds owners’ expectations for quality, delivering a world class ownership experience.
Previous roles from her 20-year career with GE Appliances include leadership positions in Product Cost & Design Quality, Cost-Out Execution, New Products Execution and Design Manager as well as Program Senior Director for an $80M investment in Dishwasher that launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alison began her career in 2001 as a co-op in Supply Chain and is an Operations Management Leadership Program graduate with experience in Material Control, Plant Operations, Supplier Quality and Manufacturing Quality.
Alison lives in Louisville, KY with her husband and two young daughters, where they are active in their local church. She is focused on wellness with frequent yoga and ballet classes and has an affinity for plant-based meals. Alison holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville. 
Slattery is responsible for Medline’s more than 40 million square-foot global real estate portfolio, for which she manages the planning, transactions and strategic solutions related to the healthcare company’s asset footprint. In addition, she drives LEED Certification across the Medline real estate network in support of Medline’s ESG focus.
Slattery oversees Medline’s building design and construction projects. She introduced and spearheaded the development of the model Medline distribution center -- an industry-recognized, Class A, distribution design dedicated to serving the healthcare industry’s continuum of care and enhancing the workplace across Medline’s network. The working environment, throughput, operational efficiency and scale of Medline distribution centers now differentiate the organization and are significant value-adds to Medline’s healthcare partners and employees alike.
In collaboration with Medline leaders of supply chain, operations and engineering, Slattery also advises the company’s strategic partners looking to build resilient, future-ready distribution networks, including consolidated service centers. Additionally, Slattery plays a leadership role in the workplace and amenities structure for Medline’s Northfield, Ill. headquarters and surrounding campuses that house more than 5,000 of its 35,000+ employees.
Slattery began her career after college with a technical foundation, managing construction projects in commercial general contracting prior to joining Medline. 
Currently her role is the Head of Product Innovation at Maersk Global Innovation Center, leading a series of initiatives including integrated solution (ocean + landside), end to end visibility and traceability, predictive data & analytics to optimize distributions &supply chains and climate-neutral solutions.
Yujie Su has lived and worked in three countries, is highly adaptable to cross-cultural environments. She holds a Bachelor's in Industrial Design and a Master's in Innovation and Business. 
Prior to EY, Sudeep was a principal at Manhattan Associates and worked in supply chain optimization, planning, inventory, logistics, distribution, and fulfillment. Sudeep is a firm expert in global trade, has published several white papers, has delivered keynotes at conferences, and developed a big data digital platform GTO.
Sudeep holds an executive certification from Harvard Business School, an MBA from Emory University, and a bachelor’s in engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India).
Sudeep has published number of articles, white papers and thought leaderships in supply chain planning, procurement and sourcing, manufacturing/value chain, inventory optimization, logistics & distribution, and fulfillment. 
