Demands on supply chain managers are constantly changing. To stay on top, practitioners always have to be aware of what's new while remaining firmly grounded in the fundamentals of effective supply chain management. Continuing education can help, and toward that end, longtime logistics and supply chain gurus and DC VELOCITY columnists Ken Ackerman and Art van Bodegraven have launched the Discovery Executive Service Supply Chain Series.

The inaugural workshop, "Essentials of Supply Chain Management—The Basics," is scheduled for Nov. 12-13 in Columbus, Ohio.

Ackerman and van Bodegraven have a reputation for telling it straight. So attendees can rest assured that their program will be light on buzzwords and theoretical models and heavy on practical advice rooted in real-world experiences—all peppered with their trademark dry sense of humor. The first workshop covers the 13 links in the supply chain—what they are and how they connect. To accomplish this, the course will investigate the core elements of warehousing, transportation, sourcing and procurement, customer service, manufacturing integration, inventory management, network design and facility location, materials handling, reverse logistics, and information systems.

Later workshops will include: Enterprise Success and Supply Chain Strategies (Jan. 23-24); Distribution Center Location, Planning, and Operations (May 14-15); and Strategic Sourcing and Procurement (July 24-25). Essentials of Supply Chain Management will also run again on March 10-11 and Sept. 22-23.

For details, call or e-mail Cathy Avenido at (614) 488-3165 or cathy@warehousing-forum.com.