Penn State Supply Chain Podcast

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...

In today’s episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Rob Haddock, Transportation Advisor at Albedo Logistics Solutions, to reflect on his career journey from entry-level at Coca-Cola to leading logistics operations and now consulting. Rob discusses how the logistics landscape has evolved, the challenges clients face today, and the strategies that can help organizations align transportation with broader...

In today’s episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Bill Lyons, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, to discuss his career journey and the company’s role in the global trucking industry. Bill shares how his early commercial experience prepared him for leadership, the challenges and complexities of today’s supply chains, and the importance of building resilience through people, proces...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Eric Chambers, VP, LTL Services & Strategy at BlueGrace Logistics LLC, to reflect on his career, his role in the growth of BlueGrace Logistics, and his perspectives on the evolving transportation industry. Eric shares how BlueGrace has adapted over nearly two decades, highlighting the importance of leadership, technology, and customer strategy in dr...

In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Jeff Douville, Director of Logistics at General Dynamics Electric Boat to discuss supply chain leadership, logistics strategy, and lessons from a 40-year career spanning the military and industry. Jeff explains how focus, collaboration, and flow efficiency keep production lines moving, and he outlines strategies for managing disruption, from red-team ri...

The Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research is excited to announce the launch of its new podcast, debuting on November 5! Hosted by Donna Palumbo, Executive Director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at Penn State, and Tom Nightingale, Chief Executive Officer of MNC Transportation, Unpacked: Insights hosted by the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research™ brings you engagi...