Penn State Supply Chain Podcast

In this episode, hosts Donna Palumbo and Tom Nightingale sit down with Kerry McCarthy, Fellow of Supply Chain Resilience at LMI and Corporate Advisory Board member for the Center for Supply Chain Research. Kerry reflects on more than two decades of supply chain transformation, charting the critical shift from lean, just-in-time cost optimization to building strategic, mission-ready resilience. Dra...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Lee Beard to unpack key lessons from an exceptional 35-year career spanning leadership roles at Dell, Nike, Nordstrom, and the Coca-Cola system. Lee details what it takes to build agile, customer-centric transportation networks, navigate major shifts toward direct-to-consumer and omni-channel retail, and balance speed with precision. He addresses cuttin...

In this episode, hosts Donna Palumbo and Tom Nightingale sit down with Mark Baxa, President & CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). Mark reflects on his career journey from crop scientist to global supply chain leader, exploring how strategic alignment and human judgment drive long-term business resilience. He shares critical perspectives on why the cheapest load...

In this episode, Cezar Mansour, President of Beach Lending, reveals how he applied "The Toyota Way" to revolutionize real estate financing. Drawing from his background at the Army Navy Academy and Toyota Technical Center, Cezar explains how principles like PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and 5S can eliminate operational waste and drive business success. He shares the inspiration behind his AI-driven tool...

In this episode hosts Donna Palumbo and Tom Nightingale welcome Joe Cubellis, Partner and Managing Director at AlixPartners. With over two decades of experience spanning both industry and consulting, Joe provides a masterclass in supply chain execution and strategic resilience. The conversation dives deep into the "perpetual disruption" state of modern logistics, where Joe argues that companies mu...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Erin Van Zeeland, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Dedicated Services at Schneider, to discuss the evolution of transportation and the power of strategic logistics. Erin shares insights from her 33-year journey at Schneider, exploring how the company leverages AI and "D4 science" to drive efficiency through platforms like Schne...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Amit Bansal, Senior Vice President of Procurement at Dell Technologies, to explore the evolution of strategic sourcing, the transformative impact of AI on procurement, and what it takes to build resilient supply chains in a global landscape. Amit shares insights from his 20+ year career at Dell, spanning roles across Texas, Singapore, and Taiwan, and di...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Steve Carrel, Partner and Investment Committee Chairman at TRP Capital Partners, to discuss private equity investment in the transportation sector, leadership lessons, and what makes companies resilient through economic cycles. Steve shares his unique perspective from evaluating and partnering with transportation businesses across seven verticals, from...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Jennifer Becka, Global Sourcing Leader at Intuit and a supply chain innovator with over 15 years of global sourcing experience across manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. Jennifer shares insights from her diverse career journey, from managing the world's largest powered industrial fleet at Amazon to leading procurement transformation at GE, Clevel...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Vineet Khanna, CEO of Advanter Advisory and former Global Head of Supply Chain at Nestlé, to explore the evolution of supply chain leadership in an era of rapid technological change. Vineet shares insights from nearly four decades of multi-cultural experience, discussing how AI and digital transformation are reshaping supply chain operations. He emphasi...

In this episode, Donna and Tom welcome Jay Strother, president & CEO of the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA), and J.C. Capron, director of strategic initiatives for IWLA, to discuss a groundbreaking research initiative that will quantify the economic and workforce impact of 3PL warehouses across North America. Jay and J.C. explain how IWLA serves its diverse membership, fro...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Kim Hadlum, Vice President of Inventory Planning at Armada Supply Chain Solutions, to explore her journey from fashion retail to leading inventory planning for the restaurant industry. Kim discusses the unique supply chain challenges in food service, the importance of adaptability and collaboration, and how technology and innovation drive efficient assu...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Brad Rogers, Supply Chain Planning Director at PepsiCo, to discuss his leadership of the Supply Chain Command Center, the transformative role of AI in supply chain operations, and his passion for mentoring the next generation of supply chain professionals. Brad shares insights from his 17+ years at PepsiCo, explaining how predictive risk assessment tool...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Ron Walters, Director of Digital Technology at Collins Aerospace (an RTX business), to explore the intersection of supply chain management and digital transformation. Ron shares insights from his 25+ years of Fortune 500 experience and military service, discussing how AI, automation, and advanced analytics are reshaping supply chain visibility and opera...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed and CEO of Pelgo, to explore his journey from shipping toilet paper out of his parents' garage to leading a publicly traded e-commerce company and now building an AI-powered workforce platform. Chieh shares the operational engineering behind making unit economics work on low-margin, high-volume items, his early adoption of...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), to explore how supply chain expertise saves lives during disasters. Kathy shares her journey from IT leadership at Saddle Creek Logistics Services to building ALAN's Supply Chain Intelligence Center, which predicts disaster impacts and coordinates relief efforts. She discusse...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Elena Polansky, Founder of Somerset Solutions Advisory Partners and former Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President of Global Sourcing & Procurement at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, to explore the evolution of procurement from a support function to a strategic value-engine. Elena shares insights from her 25-year career, including over 20 years at Pfi...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Alex Habbaz, Owner and Managing Director of Fleet Distribution Centers, to explore the evolving world of third-party logistics and warehousing. Alex shares insights from over two decades of building a customer-first 3PL operation in the competitive New Jersey port area, discussing how Fleet Distribution Centers maintains its position as a provider of ch...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Joe Morrissey, President of Groendyke Transport, Inc., to explore the evolving landscape of trucking and logistics. Joe shares insights from his 40+ years in the industry, discussing the critical challenges facing transportation today, from driver retention and operational costs to technological integration. Drawing from his extensive career across marq...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Marty Duff, SVP of Supply Chain & Operations at YETI, to explore the complexities of managing a global supply chain for one of the world's most iconic premium brands. Marty shares insights into YETI's product-driven approach, emphasizing innovation across their food and beverage, gear and equipment, and soft goods categories. He discusses strategies...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Andy Mowery to explore his distinguished 34-year career journey through Johnson & Johnson and The Clorox Company. Andy shares insights on leading global supply chain operations, driving operational excellence, and building resilient organizations in today's volatile market. He discusses the strategic role of technology in advancing supply chain capa...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Eric Peters, President and CEO of Procurant, to explore his journey from consulting to entrepreneurship and his vision for transforming agriculture supply chains through technology. Eric shares how his early career at Accenture prepared him for leadership, the evolution of technology as an enabler in supply chain management, and the unique challenges of...

Join Donna and Tom as they sit down with Jaime Butler, CEO for Control Solutions & Services at GE Vernova, to explore her dynamic career journey and the evolving landscape of power generation supply chains. Jaime shares insights on navigating GE's unprecedented transformation into three separate businesses, driving lean manufacturing practices, and managing inventory efficiencies at scale. She...

Chad Whyte, Executive Vice President, Supply Chain at Utz Brands, Inc. In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Chad Whyte, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain at Utz Brands, Inc. to discuss his career journey and the evolution of supply chain management in the consumables industry. Chad shares how his Penn State education prepared him for leadership, the challenges facing modern supply c...

In this episode, our hosts sit down with John Burke, Executive Chairman of ARMADA Sunset Holdings, to explore his over 30 year journey with one of the largest players in the food service supply chain. John shares insights into ARMADA's critical role in supporting the restaurants we frequent weekly, the biggest challenges facing the food service industry today, and the company's most successful str...