Supply Chain Forum

Welcome to the Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum. Partners may check in with volunteers at the desk. Registration is required to attend the day’s two student networking events. Space is limited, so make sure to sign up early!

A structured opportunity for talent specialists with corporate partner organizations to meet students currently enrolled in Haslam’s highly ranked graduate supply chain management (SCM) programs: Full-Time MBA (SCM concentration), M.S. in Supply Chain Management Online and M.S. in Supply Chain Management (Global).

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A dynamic and interactive networking session with UT’s Scholars of Distinction, a select group of rising second-, third-, and fourth-year SCM students eager to meet industry leaders across supply chain functions and gain firsthand knowledge of job opportunities and career paths.

Join us at the Opening Reception for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and brief remarks from GSCI Co-Executive Director Ted Stank. This casual networking event is a great opportunity to connect with other supply chain professionals and UT faculty and staff.

Stop by the registration table and enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet before a day of Main and Breakout sessions.

Kenco Logistics President and CEO Denis Reilly, a longtime member of the GSCI Advisory Board, will be honored, followed by a brief welcome and update from GSCI Managing Director Scott DeGroot and Co-Executive Director Ted Stank.

Worlds collide on the forum mainstage. Stuart Sandlin, president and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd North America, leads one of the world’s premier ocean carriers, navigating global capacity, trade lanes, and network resilience. Jennifer McKeehan, COO at Fanatics, drives supply chain strategy for a digital-native commerce platform built on real-time demand and event-driven fulfillment. Together with UT moderator Andrea Prud’homme, they unpack what it takes to align vessel strategy with instant consumer expectation and what that alignment means for the future of global supply chains.

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This session will be a live recording of theTennessee on Supply Chain Management podcast, featuring Tom Johnson, VP of Procurement at HF Sinclair, moderated by GSCI Co‑Executive Director Ted Stank and Lance Saunders. The conversation will explore how oil and gas supply chains operate at the intersection of geopolitics, volatile markets, and operational complexity—covering refining economics, geographic footprint, and how global events translate into day‑to‑day supply chain decisions. The discussion will also examine resilience, procurement’s role in managing risk, and what leadership looks like in an environment defined by uncertainty and rapid change.

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The Tennessee Association of Supply Chain, a student organization in the Haslam College of Business, will honor Caterpillar’s Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel, SVP of product support and logistics, for her sustained impact on supply chain logistics innovation and leadership. The award will be presented with Yemisi Bolumole, department head for supply chain management.

Operational excellence at Caterpillar isn’t theoretical—it’s executed across one of the most complex industrial supply chains in the world. Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel, SVP of product support and logistics, joins department head Yemisi Bolumole to discuss how disciplined logistics strategy, global parts networks, and customer-centric service models drive performance at scale. From synchronizing aftermarket support across continents to aligning supply chain capability with enterprise strategy, Gentry-Stuenkel offers a candid perspective on what it takes to lead through volatility while sustaining reliability, cost discipline, and growth. This is leadership in motion—where logistics is not a back-office function, but a strategic lever shaping competitive advantage.

Lunch

Three teams of top undergraduate supply chain management students—coached by MBA mentors concentrating in supply chain—have advanced through a highly competitive process to earn their place in this case study championship round. Led by Professor Lance Saunders, these students have taken on one of the most complex and time-sensitive supply chains in global sport: Formula 1 racing. Along the way, teams have worked with Cole Burns, director of student development and career management, to sharpen their executive-level thinking and presentation skills. Presented with GSCI partner PwC, the challenge is real: design a logistics strategy for a 24-race global calendar—moving race-critical equipment across continents with tight turnarounds, ocean-versus-air tradeoffs, and zero tolerance for disruption. These finalists must think like operators, balancing cost, speed, and resilience at a championship level. GSCI partners will serve as judges, casting live votes to determine the winning strategy. The champion will be announced later that evening at our Neyland Stadium reception.

Enjoy a 30-minute networking break with snacks in the atrium, sponsored by the UT Supply Chain Management Graduate and Executive Education programs, where you can learn about our top-ranked virtual and global master’s degrees and custom programs, including SCM Academies in leadership, finance, procurement, planning, and technology.

• Breakout #1—Geopolitical Risk & the Global Supply Chain, Wiley 
  Geopolitical risk is no longer abstract. Active conflicts and regional instability, such as current tensions with Iran, influence trade flows, energy markets, and cross-border operations. Inside companies, conversations about exposure are often quiet by necessity. In this candid breakout, Steve Klemencic and Robert Chamberlain of Berkeley Research Group (BRG) bring a perspective shaped by their extensive work with boards and executive teams assessing trade compliance risk, sanctions exposure, third-party relationships, and geopolitical dependencies. He is joined by esteemed scholar Christopher Craighead, FedEx Chair in Supply Chain Management, who will connect these real-world challenges to academic research and offer his perspective on how firms identify, govern, and manage geopolitical supply chain risk. For GSCI partners operating global networks, this session asks: how should companies structure geopolitical supply chain risk? Where should it live? And how do leaders build disciplined visibility into vulnerabilities before they become disruptions?
• Breakout #2—Why Supply Chain Strategies Break Under Pressure: The Leadership Challenge, Milani 
  Supply chains have never been more technologically advanced, yet many organizations still struggle to execute strategy amid disruption. The issue is rarely analytics or systems; it is leadership alignment. Under pressure, executive teams interpret strategy differently, creating conflicting priorities that break execution. Drawing on research from the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative and experience working with senior leaders, Michael Grojean, director of the Executive MBA–Strategic Leadership, presents a practical framework for strengthening strategic agility in supply chain organizations. Participants will examine why strategies fail, how leading companies create clear strategic intent, and how leadership disposition, decision patterns, and team alignment determine outcomes.
• Breakout #3—Thirty Years of 3PL Evolution: Building the Next Study, Hope 
  Three decades ago, third-party logistics was predominantly a cost play. Today, it is a strategic approach to achieving competitive advantage and creating supply chain value. John Langley, professor emeritus and founder of the Annual 3PL Study, and Alex Scott, a member of GSCI’s Transportation and Logistics Collaborative, will reflect on three decades of change, from transactional outsourcing to strategic partnerships, from limited visibility to digital ecosystems, from stability to structural volatility. As research begins on the 31st edition, help shape the next study by identifying emerging risks, redefining value, and challenging the assumptions that will guide the next chapter of 3PL leadership. Note: This will be followed by an optional workshop during the 4:15–5 p.m. window in Hope.
• Breakout #4—Love to Hate the Forecast, Fulton 
  In this two-part session, former P&G executive Mike Burnette and professors Dan Pellathy and Lance Saunders will introduce research conducted with the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative on segmenting planning demand triggers to drive total value. The session coincides with the release of the newest GSCI white paper. Note: If you choose this session, please plan to stay for both Round 1 (2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.) and Round 2 (3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.).
• Breakout #5—From Forecast to Foresight: AI-Enabled Demand Planning at Scale, Clark 
  Clorox has redesigned its demand forecasting process as part of a broader AI transformation, delivering measurable gains in accuracy and responsiveness. In this session, Jon Nichols, associate director of Clorox’s Business Planning Center of Excellence, will outline the process, governance, and change mechanisms behind the improvement. Moderated by former UPS executive and UT professor Alan Amling, the discussion will connect tactical execution with insights on scaling AI across supply chain operations.

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This facilitated working session with John Langley, founder of the Annual 3PL Study, and GSCI Co-Executive Director Tom Goldsby, will bring participants into direct collaboration with the study’s designers as development begins on its 31st edition. Attendees are invited to actively contribute by surfacing emerging risks, pressure-testing assumptions, and identifying the questions and frameworks that matter most to today’s 3PL leaders. Please join the discussion to offer your practical input and candid dialogue, helping shape the study’s scope, priorities, and real-world relevance.

Join us for a vibrant evening of networking at the Transcard Premier Club in Neyland Stadium. Enjoy drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and great conversation with fellow industry leaders. Don’t miss this chance to connect, unwind, and explore the home of Tennessee Volunteers Football.

Stop by the registration table and enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet.

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College athletics has entered a period of structural transformation shaped by NIL, revenue sharing, and rising financial complexity. In this candid conversation with GSCI Co-Executive Director Ted Stank, Tennessee Athletics CFO Brad Briggs will examine how these forces are redefining strategy, capital allocation and organizational risk. From navigating stakeholder expectations to building disciplined financial operations in a high-visibility environment, Briggs will share lessons from leading a modern athletics enterprise. He will also reflect on his leadership journey and offer practical guidance for professionals preparing to take on greater responsibility in dynamic, performance-driven organizations. 

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Sarah Haffer, VP of North America supply chain digital transformation for Kimberly-Clark, breaks down how digital enablement, automation, and analytics are reshaping supply chain operations and building future capabilities. Moderated by GSCI Managing Director and former Kimberly-Clark executive Scott DeGroot.

Enjoy lunch as we wrap up the Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum with important announcements, key takeaways, and a look ahead to future events.