From April 8 to 10, the Global Supply Chain Institute and the Department of Supply Chain Management hosted another successful Supply Chain Forum, welcoming more than 660 business professionals, industry executives, top scholars and students to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Below is a summary of everything you need to know about the event.
Relive the best of the forum
In the GSCI app, attendees can access video recordings of all seven Main Sessions as well as slide decks and other resources from presenters. These are available in the Resources tile. While in the app, make sure to click the Event Survey to rate each session and provide feedback. Taking less than five minutes to respond goes a long way to ensuring we offer attendees the best experience in the spring.
To maximize the value partner organizations receive from being members of the forum, GSCI does not make written or recorded sessions publicly available. However, we have provided recaps of two popular sessions.
- “Onboarding Young Professionals,” where a panel of recent UT graduates now working for partner companies Clayton Homes, Kimberly-Clark, ExxonMobil, and Procter & Gamble discussed what the industry must do to attract and retain young talent in an increasingly competitive job market.
- “The Economy and Supply Chains,” a conversation between GSCI co-executive director Tom Goldsby and former White House chief domestic economist Marianne Wanamaker, in which she provided a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into economic policymaking at the highest levels of U.S. government.
This April episode of the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management podcast was recorded live at the forum with hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby and guest Colin Yankee, chief supply chain officer for Tractor Supply Company, discussing balancing trade-offs and leveraging networks to deliver innovation. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
We’ve also assembled a photo album with hundreds of shots from all three days. Look for yourself and share your favorites on social media. When you do, make sure to tag us on LinkedIn and Instagram and use the #Spring2025SCF hashtag.
Grow as a supply chain professional
If you want to access the expertise that has consistently placed UT among the world’s top supply chain education institutions, apply to participate in one of our upcoming SCM Academies. We currently offer short, virtual courses on Leadership (August 18–November 23), Finance (September 15–November 16) and Planning (returning Spring 2026), with customizable options for corporate partners.
In the fall, we will debut a fourth program, the Future-Ready Procurement Academy (September 15–November 16). More info to come soon. If you are interested in learning more, contact course architect Dan Pellathy.
Participating in the Academies not only earns you valuable industry credentials while expanding your network and driving value for your business. It also fast-tracks your way to earning our highly regarded Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Online with up to six course credits. Plus, partners get a 15% discount!
At the forum, attendees heard from Dan Pellathy and procurement experts Jadé Johnston of Leidos and Katherine Welker, formerly of P&G, about research conducted by the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, a think tank that partners UT faculty scholars with corporate leaders to address advanced concepts in supply chain management. If you didn’t pick up a physical copy of “Future-Ready Procurement,” download it for free below.
Good news: Your company doesn’t have to be a forum partner for you to keep up with the latest industry insights, trends, and research from UT. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Save the date
The Fall Supply Chain Forum will be held November 4–6, 2025, at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown. We have a strong feeling that it will only get bigger and better for attendees. If your company is not an SCF partner, contact us to speak with a team member about either of our two corporate partnership options.
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