Frank Crespo, vice president and chief procurement officer for Caterpillar, joined the Haslam College of Business Supply Chain Forum as the keynote speaker on Wednesday, April 13.

“Frank Crespo is one of the most respected executives in the field and brings not only experience but a vision of true end-to-end supply chain integration to the forum,” said Paul Dittmann, executive director of the UT’s Global Supply Chain Institute.

Crespo has more than 25 years of experience in high-tech industry and military procurement as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has helped secure Caterpillar’s place on Gartner’s Top 25 supply chains multiple times since joining the company in 2010.

“Operating a world class supply network requires a culture that is mindful of the here and now but also focused on taking a proactive approach to preventing disruptions rather than reacting when they occur,” Crespo said. “That can only be achieved with good visibility to the physical flow of materials and digital flow of information, as well as true supplier collaboration.”

Crespo gave an executive’s view of how supply networks can drive sustainable progress, a key focus at Caterpillar. In 2014 the company accelerated profits despite the falling price of oil’s affect on its market by emphasizing cost management and cash flow.

With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.01 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.

The Supply Chain Forum at the Haslam has hosted corporate leaders, faculty and students to discuss the latest in supply chain issues for more than two decades. Managers from 60 top corporations participate, and past keynote speakers have included the CEO and founder of FedEx and senior executives from Goodyear, Walmart and Amazon, among others.

For more information about the Supply Chain Forum, and to see presentations from previous years, visit https://supplychainmanagement.utk.edu/.

To learn more about the Haslam College of Business and its marketing and supply chain department, visit haslam.utk.edu.

Contact: Katie Bahr, writer/publicist, Haslam College of Business, 865-974-3589,katiebahr@utk.edu.