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People: Glenn Eisen, Retired Logistics Professional

After a long and distinguished logistics career, Glenn Eisen could have embraced a guilt-free retirement filled with golf, travel, and early-bird specials. Instead, he spends his days lending his logistics and emergency medical skills to disaster relief efforts, and mentoring young entrepreneurs about the ins and outs of business management. “I have a lot of […]

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People: Vicki O’Meara, Ryder

What’s a high-powered environmental attorney doing at the head of a logistics services business? Having the time of her life. “I can’t think of a better opportunity for someone who likes to lead and grow organizations,” says Vicki O’Meara, president since 2005 of U.S. Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) for Miami-based Ryder. For a woman who […]

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People: Bob Willett, Best Buy

In June 2006, Bob Willett, CEO of Best Buy International, was a speaker at AMR Research’s Supply Chain Executive Conference, where he followed a keynote speech by former President Bill Clinton. In his introduction, Willett warned the audience not to expect much from him. “After all, I’m just a simple shopkeeper,” he explained. “Simple shopkeeper” […]

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People: Junki Yoshida, Yoshida Group

Having a joke, an antic, or a light-hearted observation for every occasion is trademark for Junki Yoshida, chairman and CEO of the Oregon-based Yoshida Group, parent company of OIA Global Logistics. On his conglomerate’s web page, he pops up as a smiling Uncle Sam, an improbable Elvis, even a lasso-swinging cowboy. At Yoshida’s Wine Bar […]

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People: Fred Towns, New Age Electronics

Ask Fred Towns what he likes about his job and the words spill out of his mouth, tumbling over each other at a dizzying pace that leaves you somewhere between hanging on each one and hoping you can process it all fast enough to keep up. Thanks to his varied career, Towns has a lot […]

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People: Jim Kellso, Intel Corp.

When a tree falls in the Bolivian rain forest, someone might not be around to hear it, but there’s a good chance it is being tracked with RFID, thanks in part to Jim Kellso. Kellso, whose day job is planning Intel’s supply chain future, helped the Nature Conservancy implement an RFID program that lets it […]

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5 Burning Questions

Complicated questions abound in the supply chain industry and some weigh more heavily on logistics professionals than others. To find answers to some recurring quandaries, Inbound Logistics put some of the industry’s top experts on the hot seat and fired away.

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Demand-Driven Logistics: Adjusting Focus

Picture this: 80 percent of your traditional business disappears within five years. For Eastman Kodak, positioning a demand-driven supply chain model to fit this redefined market required vision, an eye for detail, and precise timing. Here’s what developed.

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How Do They Ship That?

Moving cargo in today’s transportation environment is tough enough as is. Throw in a few tricky variables—living, oversized goods; super-tight time constraints; and far-flung destinations—and you have a recipe for trouble. But for some shippers and transportation providers, it is all in a day’s work. Here’s how they do it.

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Washington Report 2007: Looking Back, Moving Forward

MORE TO THE STORY: Legislative Lingo: What’s In A Name? The coming year promises to be a major watershed for U.S. government and industry alike as political power shifts on Capitol Hill and long-anticipated transportation legislation finally comes to pass. The new direction of a Democrat-led Congress will have a major impact on the transportation […]

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Supply Chain MythBusters

It’s a tough job separating supply chain truth from hype, but Inbound Logistics is here to serve. With a tip of our beret to the Discovery Channel show MythBusters, we set out to prove or bust three supply chain “myths’ currently circulating through the logistics industry.

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Global Sourcing Strategies: Pacific Rim Playbook

Sourcing components and raw materials from the Pacific Rim is no longer a cutting-edge logistics strategy; it has become commonplace. But that doesn’t make it any less complicated. “The cost efficiencies gained by sourcing in Asia and India lured many companies into overseas trade,” explains Jon Routledge, vice president international sales-express, DHL. “And they face […]

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Demand Calls, Mexico Responds

For decades, Mexico’s coastal ports primarily served as a destination for cruise ships. But in recent years, the country’s Pacific and Gulf Coast ports have become known more for their inflow of cargo than tourists. While U.S. West Coast ports continue to battle terminal, freeway, and rail congestion, Mexico’s ports have become increasingly attractive to […]

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Supply Chain Roundup: The Hottest Trends of 2006

MORE TO THE STORY: Still a Gap When it comes to the supply chain, 2006 was a year of mixed outcomes. The cost of fuel skyrocketed, causing considerable pain in the transport sectors and in industries heavily dependent on petroleum-based materials. Companies hedged their bets by embracing strategies such as shifting to alternate modes and […]

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