Education Tracks

EDGE presents a highly rated educational program spanning the end-to-end supply chain with the latest innovations, insights and perspectives shaping the industry. 

EDGE content is developed and curated by member volunteers, known as Track Chairs. Track Chairs are responsible for delivering up to four sessions via EDGE Sessions 1-2 on Monday, October 2nd and EDGE Sessions 3-4 on Tuesday, October 3rd. 

Session format varies from panels, dynamic workshops and lectures offering actionable takeaways and best practices. Below, you will find the list of EDGE 2023 Tracks. Note that the Track descriptions may be updated to reflect the current state of the supply chain. 

Submit a session idea for the EDGE 2023 Call for Sessions here.

Current Research and Surveys

Soak up the latest supply chain research and insights delivered by experienced thought leaders providing robust metrics and data to help you achieve your most critical priorities. Make sure to attend CSCMP's Annual State of Logistics Report®, presented by Penske Logistics. 

Emerging Trends

Due to the ever-changing dynamics of today’s global marketplace, it is vital that we examine upcoming future trends that may impact businesses. Explore topics that are emerging or are set to make an impact in the near future.  

Global Supply Chain

Track Chair: Marisa Martin, Sales Director, Blume Global 

Global Supply Chain refers to the process in which a business operates on an international scale. Today’s global markets are volatile, unpredictable and complex with increasing ambiguity. Supply Chain leaders are challenged to lower costs, shorten lead times, provide more variety with on time delivery and reliable quality – despite the pandemic, tightening capacity, unheard of rates, labor shortages, supply constraints and structural challenges. How will you continue to bring a competitive advantage and keep leadership informed of risks and mitigation? What should your Board know? Never has there been a better time to be a leader in the supply chain – learn how your peers and industry leaders are navigating these challenges.

Leadership & Talent Development presented by CSCMP’s Young Professionals Committee

Track Chair: Meagan Kidder, Project & Implementation Manager, FreightPlus

This track explores how and why companies seem to understand the saying of “You get what you plan for” when it comes to the goods they produce, but not when it applies to the people they hire and train. Session topics will focus on the strategy to building and retaining a workforce that meets the demands of a modern economy.

Network Planning and Optimization

Track Chair: Chris Tuttle, Director, Customer Solutions, ORTEC

Defined as a methodical process to establish a complete view of the organization's supply chain, a robust supply chain network can position companies for growth. Organizations that thrive and succeed in today's business environment, have unlocked the power of making better and faster decisions through systemic network planning and optimization processes. Every decision around facilities, sources, partners, demand being served, and logistics methods is a chance to stay ahead of your competitors and build a more efficient supply chain network. This track will focus on these processes and best practices that companies utilize to design their networks and continuously evolve them for better cost, service, resilience, and sustainability.

Order Fulfillment & Customer Service

Track Chair: Sean Mueller, VP Business Development and Solutions, Symbia Logistics

Order fulfillment is the process of receiving goods, as well as processing, delivering, and returning the product. Order Fulfillment is more dynamic than ever, and the continued disruption is set to continue. Fulfillment operations are dealing with higher wages, worker shortages, increased shipping charges, more stock-outs, smaller customer orders and greater competition. These effects are substantial and have driven leading companies to embrace technology for improving throughput and performance, while keeping the customer always in focus. Find out how some of the leading E-commerce and distribution operations have used innovative equipment, robotics and system strategies to handle their current financial and operational pressures. Learn how they intend to position themselves in the future to thrive, always seeking to improve the customer ‘touch’.

Risk Mitigation

Track Chair: Suzanne Richer, Director, Global Trade Academy, e2open

How do we strengthen today's brittle supply chains that seem to lack resilience? We will explore risk mitigation strategies that reduce either the likelihood of a risk occurring or minimize the extent of its impact. Understanding your organization’s appetite and tolerance levels and the benefits from changing them will influence the value of your mitigation efforts. Potential mitigation strategies and tactics will be explored through the lens of design and policy development, risk monitoring and impact assessment, and an effective operational response approach.

S&OP and Inventory Planning

Track Chair: Hank Canitz, Vice President, Industry Solutions, Nulogy

This track will shine a spotlight on key changes and innovations that are shifting the definition of S&OP and Inventory Planning and what it means to organizations. Living in the environment of scarce resources, incorporating risk more fully into demand/supply decision making, and leveraging advanced solving algorithms for use with non-technical analysts and small businesses will be areas we explore during our track sessions. Sessions will feature industry and technology experts to discuss new levers that are being used to manage demand, supply, and inventory and what this means to the future of S&OP as we head into the mid 2020's. We'll be looking at all these topics through the lens of technology, people, and processes and with a focus on real-world examples to share with the CSCMP audience.

Sourcing Strategies

Track Chair: Rafael Vasquez, Regional Vice President, Coupa

Supply Chain Sourcing has been focused on the bottom line and short-term productivity. As we move forward as an industry, our practices will be completely re-defined. How can we influence supply and create supply chain resilience through leveraging dynamic supplier collaboration, supplier diversification, and value proposition? Attend these sessions to set yourself up for success in the ever-shifting world of supply chain sourcing.

Specialty Supply Chain

Track Chair: Lisa Snyder, Corporate Transportation Manager, Armstrong World Industries

This track will give attendees a peek into some of the more unique supply chains operating today. Attendees can expect to understand the unique challenges each has faced and learn how leaders within those supply chains have overcome these challenges such as: aftermarket supply chain, reverse logistics, ecommerce and more. Each session will provide an interactive forum to explore innovative ideas and help attendees understand how they can adopt and tailor these ideas within their own supply chains.

Sponsor Presentation Series I, II, III, IV

CSCMP's EDGE sponsors offer sessions that focuses on the world-class products and services they offer. Although the series does not follow CSCMP’s traditional non-commercial educational guidelines, these sessions will provide you with the opportunity to explore the many solutions that will be offered.

Supply Chain Exchange Exhibitor Series I, II, III 

These educational sessions provide you with a 360-degree view of modern and future supply chain innovation offered by leading companies and solution providers.

Sustainability

Co-Track Chair: Bill King Director, Solutions Management SCE, SAP
Co-Track Chair: Simone Ross, Chief Operating Officer, Setlog Cor

Most of today’s supply chains are changing in one way or another for different reasons including climate impact as well as changing attitudes about sustainability. With this growing interest in sustainability across the globe, there are plans under way to expand environmental initiatives, increase social compliance and improve transparency across the supply chain. Sustainability can look like an additional burden for supply chains. If managed correctly, it will separate your company from the competition and will create additional value both from a top and bottom-line perspective. This track will provide insights into how businesses are taking the next step in managing their sustainability efforts and provide a glimpse into future trends.

Technology & Innovations

Track Chair: Greg Tucker, Vice President of Growth Marketing, FreightWaves

COVID-19 amplified the need for technology tools to manage supply chain challenges and it is predicted that organizations will continue to invest in supply chain technology to address all areas of supply chain. This track will focus on the impact of supply chain disruptors and how organizations have utilized technology and innovative solutions to address these challenges. We will explore best practices and lessons learned in root cause analysis, implementation approach, change management, and KPI’s to understand effectiveness of solutions. 

Transportation & Logistics presented by CSCMP’s Transportation Center of Excellence

Co-Track Chair: Geoff Muessig, Chief Marketing Officer/Executive VP, PITT OHIO
Co-Track Chair: Heather Dohrn, Chief Commercial Officer, Dohrn Transfer Company

Driver shortages, port congestion, soaring freight rates, failing infrastructure, lack of dock workers and truck drivers have directly affected the freight market. All of these issues see to have no end in sight. In times of disruption the transportation function must absorb and resolve upstream and downstream pressures. Supply chain professionals continue to work through these problems today. Shipper, carrier, and 3PL executives will discuss the strategies that they have used to solve recent transportation disruptions while also sharing their insight concerning the management of the challenges that lie ahead.

Warehousing & Distribution

Co-Track Chair: Rob Doyle, President, The Shippers Group
Co-Track Chair: Leah Clement, Market Development Manager, igility

Warehousing and Distribution proved challenging in recent years largely due to consumer purchasing behavior and the widespread transition to online shopping. Whether through government-imposed retail restrictions, rapidly changing consumer buying habits, and persistent labor shortages, even the most efficient and agile distribution operations were challenged with throughput bottlenecks and rising costs, among other things. This disruption was so substantial and long-lasting that its ripple effects are still being felt today and will continue to guide warehousing and distribution into the future. This track will offer inspiring success stories, provide actionable operational best-practices and insights from thought-leaders and discuss important warehousing and distribution trends.