After nearly 40 years in supply chain leadership at Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Scott DeGroot wasn’t looking for the next big title after retiring as the company’s vice president of global distribution and planning. He was looking for purpose—a way to give back all that he learned and help to prepare the supply chain managers of the future.
“I can’t think of a better place or mission to be part of,” DeGroot says.
Last summer, the seasoned executive joined the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, faculty after serving for years as a member of the institute’s executive Advisory Board. During the academic year, he taught supply chain operations to undergraduates and lectured in the SCM Academies, virtual talent development courses currently offered in the areas of leadership, finance, planning, and procurement.
Now, as the newly appointed managing director of the University of Tennessee’s Global Supply Chain Institute (GSCI), DeGroot brings a wealth of experience to advancing its mission of serving as a global hub for supply chain thought leadership and talent development.
Learn what excites him about the work ahead, what sets UT’s program apart from others in North America, and the valuable role GSCI plays in connecting industry and academia to support and develop the next generation of leaders.
What are you most looking forward to about stepping into the managing director role at GSCI?
Honestly, I didn’t expect to land here, but I’m grateful I did. After so many years in the industry, I have a ton of energy and passion for supply chain. This role allows me to give back—what I often call the “return” phase of my career.
We have a unique combination of talent and purpose at UT. Our faculty is world-class. Our partner companies are deeply engaged. We’re ranked in the top tier for academic research, but we’re also highly practical. That convergence of theory and practice, students and professionals, is something I haven’t seen anywhere else.
To be in a position to help shape what comes next is incredibly energizing.
What are the biggest challenges facing supply chain leaders today?
Time. That’s the real shortage. Supply chain leaders are under constant pressure to deliver perfection—smoother flow, better service, stronger margins, reduced costs, higher quality—and don’t have enough time to do it all.
I like to frame the current occupations of the supply chain practitioner’s mind as the Four Ts: tariffs, talent, technology, and transformation.
Tariffs go beyond the present political situation to consider how resilient and agile a supply chain is when facing global disruptions. Can your supply chain adjust to new policies and changing sourcing plans? Talent is about having the right people, with the right skills, in the right roles. Technology is about investing not just in automation, AI, and digital tools but doing so wisely. And transformation is important because you are responsible for implementing change that delivers measurable results.
There are so many ‘shiny objects’ to get distracted by. The leaders who succeed are the ones who can focus on what truly matters, and that’s where GSCI plays a crucial role: helping companies prioritize, think strategically, and spend their time—and budget—on the right things.
What skills and qualities are most in demand for today’s supply chain professionals?
Companies want people who can handle data, and not just in the sense of crunching numbers. They want professionals who can derive insights from data and turn those insights into action. It’s not enough to build a dashboard. You need to be able to change the loading schedule, reduce energy waste, or reconfigure a SKU portfolio based on that data.
Beyond that, what really sets people apart is the ability to see the whole system—to understand the connectedness between sourcing, planning, manufacturing, and logistics. Most inefficiencies happen between those functions. Margin leaks out in the handoffs. So we need leaders who can optimize the entire supply chain, not just its parts.
That’s what we teach at UT. It’s not just about being great at procurement or logistics. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and driving results from end to end.
What sets UT’s supply chain program apart from others you’ve encountered?
Three things: integration, integrity, and global perspective.
First, we teach supply chain management as an integrated activity that is a strategic enabler for business. A lot of schools focus on data analytics, logistics, or procurement in isolation. We do all that, but we emphasize how it all connects.
Second, our students operate with a high level of integrity. I know that sounds basic, but in my experience, it’s not. UT grads show up on the first day of work with the mindset to do the right thing, the right way. I know because I’ve hired many of them in my previous role at Kimberly-Clark!
And third, our students are better prepared to work across functions, departments, and geographies. They understand from their exposure to our faculty and industry partners that supply chain is global, and that’s built into how we teach and what we prioritize.
What’s one lesson from industry that academia should embrace more?
We need to be more outcome-focused. In industry, everything is measured—cost savings, on-time delivery, defect reduction. Academia is vital for research and theory, but it can sometimes lack that urgency.
At GSCI, we try to bridge that gap. Look at our work with the Advanced Supply Chain and Transportation and Logistics collaboratives. Our research should matter to practitioners. Our programs should deliver measurable value. We can’t just talk about ideas; we have to put them into practice.
What do corporate partners expect from a university partnership like ours?
They expect access to talent. That’s number one. But they also want insights—practical, proven thinking. And they want a safe place to benchmark, to share ideas, and to learn from peers.
The members of our Supply Chain Forum are looking for top-tier information and analysis without the million-dollar price tag of a consulting firm. They want to learn what’s working in other companies and industries. And they want a community that feels collaborative, not competitive.
How do you see GSCI adding value to industry partners?
It’s the whole experience. Yes, they get first dibs on student talent through career fairs, expos, and networking at the forum. Yes, they access top faculty and cutting-edge research. But they also get to enrich their team’s development, build peer networks, and broaden their thinking.
When I was on the advisory board during my time at Kimberly-Clark, I saw firsthand how valuable it was to step out of the daily grind, connect with other leaders, and get perspective on big-picture trends. To work on the business, not just in the business. That’s part of the value GSCI delivers: space to think, learn, and collaborate.
Looking back on your time at Kimberly-Clark, what are you most proud of?
The people. I could give you a long spiel about delivering savings, digital transformations, and service improvements. But the real impact, for me, was the leaders whom I helped develop. At the last Supply Chain Forum, we heard from Purvi Naik (senior director of global logistics for KCC) and Manuel Scavarda (VP of North America supply chain planning for KCC), whom I had the opportunity to mentor.
At the end of the day, being a senior leader is about multiplying impact. Projects come and go. Warehouses burn down. Dashboards break. But people? People carry it forward. That’s what I’m most proud of.
Want to learn more about Scott and the opportunities available to companies and practitioners that partner with GSCI? Say hello via email or follow him on LinkedIn. Join us at the next Supply Chain Forum, Nov. 4–6, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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