Supply Chain Forum Speakers - Global Supply Chain Institute

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Supply Chain Forum

Speakers

Bukky Abdul

Assistant Director of SCM Career Management,
Haslam College of Business

Presenter: Graduate Student Networking

Bukky Abdul joined the Haslam College of Business in 2025 to support career development for supply chain management students. She previously worked as a career coach for students in art, media, communications, design, retail, and hospitality, and began her career in radio in Nigeria. Abdul has presented at numerous conferences and received the Develop Award from the Young Professionals of Knoxville. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Covenant University and a master’s degree in human resources administration from Central Michigan University.

Russell Allgor

Chief Supply Chain Scientist,
Auger

Speaker: Breakout #2—White Paper 40: Breaking the Data Barrier to AI and Automation

Panelist: Main Session #5—From AI Experiments to Autonomous Supply Chains

The former chief scientist for Amazon Worldwide Operations, Russell Allgor oversaw the analytical and optimization frameworks that guided the company’s global inventory, transportation, and fulfillment strategies. Before joining Auger in 2024, he helped develop the algorithms and systems that power Amazon’s worldwide fulfillment network and delivery operations. A recognized expert in supply chain optimization, logistics modeling, and decision science, Allgor is a frequent speaker on operations research, simulation, and the future of supply chain design. He holds a Ph.D. in Operations Research from MIT and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Alan Amling

Assistant Professor of Practice,
Haslam College of Business

Presenter: Breakout #2—White Paper 40: Breaking the Data Barrier to AI and Automation

Moderator: Main Session #5—From AI Experiments to Autonomous Supply Chains

A TED speaker and recognized thought leader on digital disruption, Alan Amling helps organizations navigate innovation in manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management. Outside of UT, he is CEO of Thrive and Advance LLC and serves on the executive advisory board of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute. Before academia, Amling spent 27 years at UPS, where he held leadership roles in corporate strategy, innovation, and global logistics, helping shape the company’s approach to the digital economy.

Kyle Arnold

Regional Operations Manager,
Shaw Industries

Panelist: Breakout #5—From Military Service to Supply Chain Leadership

Kyle Arnold leads distribution operations for Shaw Industries in Orlando, overseeing warehouse, transportation and distribution activities across Florida and the Southeast. Since joining Shaw through the company’s Supply Chain Development Program in 2022, he has gained leadership experience in strategic sourcing, fleet management and distribution operations. Prior to Shaw, Arnold served in the United States Marine Corps, where he led logistics and operations teams during two overseas deployments. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management and International Business from the University of Tennessee and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA at Rollins College.

Cody Austell

Vice President of Supply Chain & Customer Experience,
LP Building Solutions

Speaker: Main Session #3—Making Customer Focus an Operating Model

Cody Austell leads logistics, supply chain planning, customer experience, and sales enablement. Since joining LP in 2017, Austell has held a series of leadership roles across supply chain, customer experience, and commercial operations, helping drive the company’s growth and customer-focused strategy. Prior to LP, he held finance and operations positions with Optum/UnitedHealthcare and USG. Austell earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Lipscomb University.

Andrew Balthrop

Assistant Professor,
Haslam College of Business

Moderator: Main Session #6—The Freight Economy: An Economist’s View of What’s Next

Andrew Balthrop’s research focuses on transportation economics, supply chain management, and policy evaluation, examining how transportation and regulatory policies affect supply chain performance. Balthrop’s work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Business Logistics, Empirical Economics, and Resource and Energy Economics. He is a frequent source of insight on freight transportation, trucking, and supply chain policy issues.

Shawn Bhimani

Project Leader,
Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative

Speaker: Breakout #2—White Paper 40: Breaking the Data Barrier to AI and Automation

Michael Burnette

Project Leader,
Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative

Presenter: Breakout #2—White Paper 40: Breaking the Data Barrier to AI and Automation

Michael Burnette joined the UT Global Supply Chain Institute as a fellow following a 33-year career with Procter & Gamble. At P&G, Burnette led global supply chain operations for major brands, including Olay, Pantene, and Herbal Essences, overseeing strategy, manufacturing, logistics, and innovation. He now teaches supply chain courses, leads applied research projects with industry partners, and co-authored the book Supply Chain Game Changers.

Cole Burns

Director of SCM Student Development & Career Management,
Haslam College of Business

Presenter: Undergraduate Student Networking

Cole Burns leads career programming, employer relations, and student engagement for supply chain management students. He has held multiple student support roles in higher education, including career coaching, academic advising, financial aid, and housing, and also teaches courses in supply chain management, professional development, and public speaking. Burns holds a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a bachelor’s degree from Maryville College.

Dave Clark

Founder & CEO,
Auger

Guest: Main Session #2—From Tennessee to the Future of Supply Chain

During a 23-year career at Amazon, including serving as CEO of Worldwide Consumer and chief supply chain officer, Dave Clark helped build one of the world’s most advanced supply chains through the large-scale deployment of robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Drawing on that experience, he founded Auger to help organizations accelerate decision-making and supply chain performance through autonomous operations and next-generation technology.

Scott DeGroot

Executive Director,
UT Global Supply Chain Institute

Moderator: Main Session #7—Supply Chain Law

Scott DeGroot draws on more than 30 years of supply chain leadership experience at Kimberly-Clark Corporation. As vice president of global distribution and planning, he directed sales and operations planning, logistics performance, and transportation across North America. Earlier, he led Kimberly-Clark’s Eastern Grocery business, generating more than $650 million in revenue with major retailers including Publix, HEB and Ahold. Over the course of his career, DeGroot advanced strategy, distribution operations and procurement initiatives that strengthened supply chain resilience across one of the world’s largest consumer products companies.

Darrell Edwards

Assistant Professor of Practice,
Haslam College of Business

Moderator: Main Session #4—Leading through Crisis

Before joining the UT faculty, Darrell Edwards served as senior vice president and chief operating officer of La-Z-Boy Incorporated, leading global operations and supply chain functions for the company’s branded business and more than 9,000 employees worldwide. A supply chain and operations leader with more than 30 years of industry experience, Edwards specializes in business coaching, team development, process innovation and strategy. He serves on the board of directors for Dovetail Brands and has been recognized nationally for leadership, safety and operational excellence.

Tami Gentry

Manager of Global Business Process Excellence,
Eastman

Panelist: Main Session #7—Supply Chain Law

Tami Gentry is a supply chain and business transformation executive with more than 25 years of experience in global trade compliance, integrated planning and enterprise process improvement. She has led initiatives that improve working capital, customer service and operational performance while advancing large-scale business transformation efforts. Gentry specializes in bringing together people, processes, technology and analytics to solve complex business challenges. She holds graduate degrees in Legal Studies and Global Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Thomas Goldsby

Co-Executive Director,
UT Global Supply Chain Institute

Moderator: Main Session #2—From Tennessee to the Future of Supply Chain (Live Podcast Recording)

Presenter: Breakout #1—The Annual 3PL Study Comes Home to Tennessee

Thomas J. Goldsby has authored more than 100 journal articles and six books on logistics and supply chain management, with contributions ranging from lean and agile strategies to B2C operations and integration. Goldsby is past co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Business Logistics and editor emeritus of Transportation Journal. He co-hosts the “Tennessee on Supply Chain Management” podcast and has earned recognition for both research and teaching, including best paper awards, lifetime achievement honors and selection as a DC Velocity Rainmaker.

Ken Kellaway

President & CEO,
RoadOne IntermodaLogistics

Panelist: Main Session #1—Global Trade in Motion

Ken Kellaway is co-founder, chairman, president and CEO of RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, one of North America’s leading providers of intermodal transportation and logistics services. With more than 35 years of experience in the logistics industry, Kellaway has been a driving force in the evolution of drayage, intermodal trucking and port logistics. Before co-founding RoadOne, he founded Kellaway Intermodal & Distribution Systems and later helped establish RoadLink, a national intermodal trucking and workforce solutions provider. An entrepreneur and industry innovator, he has also founded businesses focused on warehousing, fulfillment and digital port logistics solutions.

Justin Kistler

Assistant Professor,
Haslam College of Business

Panelist: Breakout #4—Faculty Research Lightning Round

Justin Kistler’s research focuses on process redesign and the intersection of regulatory policy and service operations, with a particular emphasis on improving performance and decision-making in healthcare systems. His work examines how organizations can design more effective operational processes while navigating complex regulatory environments. Before entering academia, Kistler held project development and process engineering roles with HCA Healthcare and gained project management experience at a General Electric gas turbine laboratory. Drawing on both industry and academic perspectives, he brings expertise in healthcare operations, process improvement and operational strategy. Kistler earned a Ph.D. in Management Science from the University of South Carolina and an MBA in Healthcare and Operations from Wake Forest University.

Seongkyoon Jeong

Assistant Professor,
Haslam College of Business

Panelist: Breakout #4—Faculty Research Lightning Round

Seongkyoon (SK) Jeong is an assistant professor of supply chain management whose research focuses on digital supply chains, cybersecurity, and sustainable operations, with an emphasis on helping organizations navigate emerging technologies and supply chain risks. Before earning his doctorate from Arizona State University, Jeong worked at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, where he studied interorganizational relationships and R&D strategy. His research has earned multiple honors, including Haslam’s Rising Star Research Award and the F. Perry and Elaine Ozburn Award for Innovative Research.

John Langley

Professor Emeritus,
Haslam College of Business

Presenter: Breakout #1—The Annual 3PL Study Comes Home to Tennessee

John Langley is a longtime supply chain educator and industry thought leader who has held faculty roles at the University of Tennessee, Georgia Tech, and Penn State. He helped establish the Supply Chain Forum and Center for Logistics Research at Tennessee and later founded the Supply Chain Executive Forum at Georgia Tech. Langley is a past president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and a longtime leader of the Annual Third-Party Logistics Study. His honors include CSCMP’s Distinguished Service Award and induction as a CSCMP Distinguished Fellow. He holds bachelor’s, MBA, and doctoral degrees from Penn State.

Ryan Leahy

Site Manager for Savannah Hub,
Shaw Industries

Panelist: Breakout #5—From Military Service to Supply Chain Leadership

Ryan Leahy brings a unique blend of military leadership and supply chain operations experience to his role at Shaw Industries. After commissioning as an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army in 2013, he served in a variety of command and staff positions, including platoon leader, company executive officer, battalion logistics officer and battalion operations officer. His military service included a deployment to Afghanistan and leadership assignments supporting armor, infantry and military intelligence organizations. Since joining Shaw in 2019, Leahy has held leadership roles across the company’s distribution, manufacturing and logistics operations.

Micah Mallace

President & CEO,
South Carolina Ports

Panelist: Main Session #1—Global Trade in Motion

Micah Mallace is president and CEO of South Carolina Ports, where he leads the organization’s strategic direction, commercial performance, and stakeholder engagement. With more than 15 years of experience in logistics, port operations and commercial strategy, Mallace has built a career driving growth across the maritime, transportation and supply chain sectors. Before becoming CEO, he served as president of Harbor Logistics LLC and held a series of leadership roles at South Carolina Ports, including chief commercial officer. Throughout his career, he has helped attract port-dependent manufacturing and distribution operations while shaping commercial strategies across industries including automotive, retail, e-commerce and petrochemicals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in logistics and supply chain management and an MBA in finance from the College of Charleston.

Jim Newsome

Distinguished Fellow,
UT Global Supply Chain Institute

Moderator: Main Session #1—Global Trade in Motion

Jim Newsome has more than 40 years of experience in global supply chain management, container shipping, ports, and international transportation. He served as president and CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority from 2009 to 2022, leading one of the nation’s busiest port systems and working extensively across both public and private sectors. Earlier in his career, Newsome held senior executive leadership roles with Nedlloyd Lines and Hoegh Lines, including president of Nedlloyd Lines USA Corp. and executive vice president of the Americas. He is widely recognized for his leadership in maritime transportation, economic development, and global supply chain initiatives. Newsome earned both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA in transportation and logistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Kevin O’Meara

EVP of Business Transformation,
Shaw Industries

Panelist: Breakout #5—From Military Service to Supply Chain Leadership

Kevin O’Meara is a Global Supply Chain Institute Fellow and supply chain executive with leadership experience spanning manufacturing, logistics, distribution and enterprise strategy. He currently leads supply chain transformation and strategic growth initiatives for Shaw Industries Group. Previously, O’Meara held senior operations and supply chain leadership roles with Interline Brands, Whirlpool Corp. and Schneider Logistics. He also served nearly 10 years as an officer in the U.S. Army, including logistics assignments supporting Desert Storm. O’Meara earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

John-Patrick Paraskevas

Associate Professor,
Haslam College of Business

Panelist: Breakout #4—Faculty Research Lightning Round

An award-winning scholar in strategic supply chain management, John-Patrick Paraskevas researches supply chain resilience, buyer-supplier relationships, risk management, and executive decision-making. Drawing on both academic expertise and early experience in supplier network management with the Naval Air Systems Command, Paraskevas helps organizations navigate disruption and build more resilient supply chains. His research has appeared in leading academic journals and informed work with organizations ranging from the Department of Defense and NIST to Fortune 500 companies and supply chain startups.

Stephanie Pierce

Global IBP Senior Director,
PepsiCo

Speaker: Main Session #3—Making Customer Focus an Operating Model

Stephanie Pierce is PepsiCo’s Global Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Supply Lead, where she leads global deployments of the o9 planning platform and drives consistent IBP standards and governance across markets worldwide. Since joining PepsiCo in 2011, Pierce has held leadership roles spanning systems integration, planning, and customer supply chain. Most recently, she served as chief of staff to the supply chain senior vice president and customer supply chain lead supporting Walmart and Sam’s Club; previously, she led supply chain planning for PepsiCo’s Quaker business. Pierce earned a degree in supply chain management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Cameron Roberts

Partner,
Roberts & Kehagiaras

Panelist: Main Session #7—Supply Chain Law

Cameron Roberts is an international trade attorney and licensed customs broker with more than three decades of experience in customs, export compliance, transportation and maritime law. Drawing on experience as both a transportation executive and legal advisor, he helps organizations address complex trade and supply chain challenges. Roberts is a partner at Roberts & Kehagiaras LLP, a past president of the Foreign Trade Association and the Harbor Transportation Club, and an adjunct professor at California State University, Long Beach. He earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, and his J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law..

Fabio Santucci

CEO,
Mediterranean Shipping Company US

Panelist: Main Session #1—Global Trade in Motion

Fabio Santucci is president and CEO of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) USA, where he leads an organization of more than 2,000 employees across 14 offices serving one of the world’s most important trade markets. A veteran maritime leader, Santucci’s career spans ocean transportation, logistics and international trade, as well as service in the Italian Navy. A graduate of the Italian Naval Academy, he completed U.S. Navy flight training and later commanded the Italian Navy minehunter ITS Viareggio, retiring with the rank of lieutenant commander. Today, he combines his maritime and leadership experience to help advance global trade, strengthen supply chain connectivity and support customer-focused logistics solutions.

David Shillingford

President,
Pegasus Analytic Innovations

Panelist: Main Session #5—From AI Experiments to Autonomous Supply Chains

David Shillingford advises high-growth technology companies on data center and supply chain strategy, drawing on a career that spans entrepreneurship, supply chain analytics and risk management. Most recently, he served as a venture partner at Columbia Capital and co-founded Everstream Analytics, a leading supply chain risk analytics company and the seventh startup venture of his career. Throughout his career, Shillingford has led the development of industry-scale data and analytics platforms that help organizations improve supply chain visibility, resilience and decision-making. Before entering the private sector, Shillingford served as a special operations officer in the British Army. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in chemistry from the University of Exeter in England.

Andrew Sibold

Director of Economics,
Intermodal Association of North America

Speaker: Main Session #6—The Freight Economy: An Economist’s View of What’s Next

Andrew Sibold specializes in freight economics, trade policy and transportation infrastructure. He develops data-driven insights on intermodal freight markets, supply chain trends and transportation policy, helping industry leaders and policymakers understand the forces shaping North American freight networks. His experience includes economic and transportation policy roles with the Intermodal Association of North America and the Federal Highway Administration, where he has conducted research on freight transportation, infrastructure investment and economic impact analysis. Sibold’s work combines applied econometrics, policy analysis and industry data to support decision-making across the transportation sector.

Todd Steffen

Partner,
KBC Advisors

Panelist: Main Session #1—Global Trade in Motion

Todd Steffen is a partner and market leader at KBC Advisors, where he advises clients on industrial real estate strategy, supply chain network optimization, tenant representation, and workforce-focused development. With nearly 30 years of experience spanning supply chain management, logistics, and industrial real estate, Steffen has helped organizations navigate complex distribution, transportation, and facility location decisions. Before joining KBC, he led North American Industrial Real Estate and Supply Chain Advisory Services at Colliers International and held senior supply chain leadership roles at Newell Brands and Walgreens.

Ted Stank

Co-Executive Director,
UT Global Supply Chain Institute

Founder & Director,
UT Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative

Moderator: Main Session #2—From Tennessee to the Future of Supply Chain (Live Podcast Recording)

Theodore P. Stank is a supply chain scholar and industry advisor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he leads the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, a partnership with Fortune 500 companies focused on innovative supply chain practices. His background includes leadership roles in executive education and academic administration, as well as prior experience in sales and marketing at Abbott Laboratories and service as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Stank has consulted with numerous global organizations, including Walmart, Dell, IBM, and Pepsi, and is a past chairman of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. He has authored more than 100 articles and several books on supply chain strategy and was inducted into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame after receiving CSCMP’s Distinguished Service Award.

Pinky Thakkar

Director of Customer Experience for Global Supply Chain/North America ETO Cluster,
Schneider Electric

Speaker: Main Session #3—Making Customer Focus an Operating Model

During 18 years with Schneider Electric, Pinky Thakkar has worked across three countries, nine roles, and multiple business units, building experience in engineering, project and program management, business leadership, and customer-facing work. She began her career in India and later moved to Canada, helping the company navigate complex challenges in developing its North American microgrid business. Her approach centers on asking thoughtful questions, bringing people together, and learning quickly in unfamiliar settings.

Jeff Trombly

Associate Professor of Practice,
Haslam College of Business

Moderator: Breakout #3—Building the Supply Chain Classroom of the Future

Prior to joining the faculty in 2021, Jeff Trombly built a distinguished career as a transportation analyst, planner, and researcher, working across both the public and private sectors. Trombly’s expertise spans logistics planning and operations, supply chain network design, transportation management, and advanced transportation technologies. His teaching and research focus on logistics operations, transportation systems, network modeling, and applying connected and autonomous vehicle technologies to supply chain and freight transportation challenges.