Collected Wisdom from Supply Chain Execs
In 2024, we have been fortunate to gather the viewpoints of well-respected executives in the supply chain and logistics industry. From embracing the valuable insights of their employees to placing an emphasis on learning, here are some useful tips to elevate your supply chain and workplace culture.
Jason Minghini, Senior Vice President, Operations, Kenco Group
“We learned through COVID that if you don’t have the people, you don’t have the business. People have to be happy. The old saying that happy employees have happy customers is still true today.
The people who know the most about your business are the ones doing the work every day. We want that knowledge, and if you’re constantly turning that position over, you’re losing out on a lot. Why not just help that person feel like they’re part of something greater when they come to work?”
Read Minghini’s full Executive Viewpoint
Arch Thomason, CEO, Sunland Logistics Solutions
“We’re a learning organization. It’s been my experience as a leader that, boy, we can learn from failure. It can be tough. But it’s critical, especially in supply chain and logistics. So many things are changing so fast. We’ve had to learn, especially during and since COVID, to keep adapting. Our business has changed fundamentally, and we’ve had to pivot. The marketplace is very dynamic from a labor perspective, from a warehouse space perspective, from an equipment availability perspective and from an IT talent perspective. From our viewpoint, we’d better be out front on these things. As Jack Welch says, “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” We believe it’s very important to learn and to grow, especially from our mistakes.”
Read Thomason’s full Executive Viewpoint
Karen Norheim, CEO, American Crane & Equipment Corporation
“We have people in the field in service who see what’s going on firsthand, and they provide some of the most valuable insights. They go on repairs, talk to customers and hear things, so it’s really important to keep a connection between them and what we’re actively doing with our products. We’re also working on expanding the communication channels between engineering and what happens on the manufacturing floor. The way we’re set up, everyone is in the same building, so there’s a pathway for conversations. hat said, we’ve also realized that we need a more formalized way of capturing ideas and have an email channel for that called Bright Ideas. Those are all logged and tracked. Honestly, we’ve just scratched the surface.”
Read Norheim’s full Executive Viewpoint
Scott Summerville, President and CEO, Misubishi Electric Automation Inc.
“There was a time when I thought the business end of work was all that mattered, and personal relationships weren’t as important. It was immature and naïve, and I was young….
As you get older, you want to leave a legacy. I like the idea that our purpose in life is to help others get through it. I believe we are to maximize the time we’re here. Acquiring material things or climbing over people to get to a certain position because it’s all about you—that’s not what it’s about. I’ve come to the realization that I’m much more interested in helping others get through, whether that’s helping our team members, being an active and engaged member of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation board of directors, or even mentoring people through the MHI Industry Leadership Program.”
Read Summerville’s full Executive Viewpont
Stay tuned for more Executive Viewpoints in 2025 from MHI Solutions Magazine.
