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Case Studies

The Son Also Rises

The Son Also Rises

Chuck Wall never pressured his son Ryan to enter the family business, FHI (Freight Handlers, Inc.). But in 1998, as the young man’s college graduation drew near, he asked his father for advice about the future. Chuck Wall painted a tempting picture: “If you apply yourself, within a year or two you could be a […]

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Tim Miller: Serving It Up Fresh, Fast, and Casual

Tim Miller: Serving It Up Fresh, Fast, and Casual

Tim Miller is vice president of supply chain with Smashburger, a fast-casual burger restaurant. Based in Denver, Smashburger has more than 350 locations in 38 states and nine countries. Responsibilities: Commodity management, relationships with suppliers and third-party distributors, contract negotiations, program management; item changes, price validations, and distributor service to the restaurants, including on-time delivery […]

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From Top Waffle to Top Rhino

From Top Waffle to Top Rhino

MORE TO THE STORY: Racing to Make A Difference Kevin Nolan fell in love with the excitement of the freight brokerage floor the day he walked into a C.H. Robinson office, as a college senior, to interview for a job. “I loved the energy, the camaraderie among teammates,” he says. Having played lots of team […]

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Billy Duty: Formulating a World-Class Supply Chain

Billy Duty: Formulating a World-Class Supply Chain

Billy Duty is is head of North American supply chain with BYK USA Inc., a division of Altana, a specialty chemicals company. He has held this position since January 2016. Responsibilities: Production and replenishment planning, forecasting, customer service, warehousing, and logistics. Experience: Director, supply chain center of excellence, director, SIOP, Momentive; global supply chain manager, […]

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Leadership: Fashion Leader

Leadership: Fashion Leader

How does a retail supply chain resemble the infrastructure of a nuclear submarine? We don’t know, but Brent Beabout sure does. He spent 13 years as an active-duty U.S. naval officer, a career that culminated in the role of engineering officer on one of those powerful undersea vessels. Then he moved on to some major […]

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Marianne McDonald: Stand and Deliver

Marianne McDonald: Stand and Deliver

Marianne McDonald is vice president, global transportation for Avnet, a $17.4-billion global technology distributor headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Responsibilities: Global transportation services, carrier selection, contracts supporting 40 warehouse locations (owned and 3PL), day-to-day global trade compliance operations, and import/export execution. Experience: Global transportation leader, Avnet; director of global logistics for Coca Cola, Toys “R” Us, […]

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Finding the Right Strategy for Each Situation

Finding the Right Strategy for Each Situation

Denis Reilly’s father worked in distribution for 38 years. So when Reilly started college at the University of Tennessee, it was no surprise that he was drawn toward that school’s renowned logistics program. “It was a natural fit,” he says. “Even some of my summer jobs were in logistics, with Union Carbide.” MORE TO THE […]

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