2007 Pros to Know


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Honoring supply chain leaders driving strategic transformation


Supply Chain Greens

The term "green supply chain" has been around for more than a decade, but rising energy costs and growing concerns about the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment have conspired more recently to bring heightened attention to green supply management strategies and practices. As companies look to "do good" even as they "do well," Supply Chain will become an increasingly vital partner to C-level executives searching for synergies between operational efficiency and environmental responsibility. Supply & Demand Chain Executive recognizes the following 2007 "Green Supply Chain" Pros to Know for their contributions to the theory and practice of green supply chain management.

Dr. Jack Mason, president and co-founder of EnergyWindow (www.energywindow.com), a supplier of solutions for procuring and managing energy, has worked to raise awareness among C-level executives that supply chain issues relating to energy procurement have a profound impact on company financials and that the strategic decisions regarding these matters should be made at the C-level.

Dan Sanker, president and CEO of logistics outsourcing services provider CaseStack (www.casestack.com), introduced a greener supply chain through biodiesel usage, and he has promoted this initiative before industry audiences, including at CaseStack's own Future of Sustainable Logistics event, encouraging collaboration among carriers, clients and suppliers to increase biodiesel usage in the supply chain.

Mark Wysong, CEO of Dolphin Software (www.dolphinmsds.com) — a provider of solutions for companies that handle, store and use hazardous chemicals — has advanced senior executive understanding of the strategic role that Supply Chain must play not only reducing overall spend by eliminating needlessly expensive and overly toxic chemicals that enterprises unknowingly stockpile, but also in dictating less-toxic chemical purchases to positively affect the quality of life and safety of enterprise workers. He is the author of The Non-toxic CEO — A Road Map to 21st Century Corporate Responsibility.

QUOTABLE Provider Pros to Know

"A key to sitting at the executive table is having a role which has a strategic impact on the organization, and without a doubt Supply Chain fits that definition. In today's high-demand environment, time-to-market is critical and the supply chain team is intimately involved in driving a company's success in meeting market objectives. Working with the marketing and engineering leadership to ensure a seamless transition from concept to launch, while ensuring global availability of products, requires a clear overall strategic business perspective and a prominent seat at the table. Establishing an agile supply chain can make or break a product, or even a company. And in the end, for most enterprises, more than half the costs of the product, and the key driver of margins, is led by the supply chain — and as a CEO, I would want them right next to me at the table as we make critical business decisions."
— Michael Topolovac, CEO of Arena Solutions (www.arenasolutions.com)

Indirect Spend Gurus

Got indirects? Of course you do. Indirect goods and services comprise from 35 percent to 50 percent of a company's spend, according to CAPS Research. Yet, despite the size of this spend, CAPS has reported that "there is strong evidence that the percentage of indirect spend items that are strategically managed is quite low." The upshot: indirects represent a significant "quick hit" opportunity for Procurement and Supply Management to bring substantial cost savings to the bottom line. Supply & Demand Chain Executive recognizes the following 2007 Pros to Know — "Indirect Spend Gurus" for their contribution to highlighting this important class of spend and promoting new ways to reign in the indirect monster.

Mike Boult, president and CEO of StarCite (www.starcite.com), provider of an on-demand solution for corporate meetings procurement, has worked to raise the profile of this oft-overlooked opportunity for improved management and reduced spend, reinforcing the strategic importance of corporate meetings management policy.

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