Distribution At The Crossroads

In this episode of Distribution at the Crossroads, I sit down with Konrad Konarski, chairperson of the AI Applied Consortium. Konrad is a software engineer by training who's spent his career working at the edge of emerging technology: RFID in Canadian logistics, wireless tech on Shell Prelude, running IBM's AI Center of Excellence, and now leading a nonprofit that bridges AI research, po...

Ben Albu spent 20+ years at Wesco Distribution, starting the day he showed up at a branch north of Pittsburgh to wash dock doors and fix racking, and ending with a career that spanned Lean operations, M&A leadership, technology strategy, and talent development across one of the largest distributors in North America. He's now the president of Rocky Rail Solutions, where he advises distribu...

In this episode of Distribution at the Crossroads, I sit down with Michael Knight, a veteran operator in distribution who’s led P&Ls, served as a CEO, and stayed hands-on at the front lines of electronic components and industrial distribution. We talk about what’s may erode distributor value today, and what it will take to reverse that trend. Michael lays out why gross margins keep shrinking,...

In this episode of Distribution at the Crossroads, I sit down with Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam of Texas A&M University. Dr. Bharani is an instructional associate professor and director of the Master of Industrial Distribution program — the oldest and largest distribution-focused education program in the country. Seventy years running, over a thousand students, graduating roughly 350 each year dire...

Welcome to Distribution at the Crossroads  In this premiere trailer episode, I share the inspiration behind launching this podcast and why now is a pivotal moment for the wholesale distribution industry. Over the past decade, I’ve journeyed through boardrooms and branches, learning firsthand that what seems like a straightforward business—buy, stock, break down, sell, deliver—is anything but. This...