CSCMP recognizes supply chain pioneers

During its annual EDGE conference this week, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) recognized two long-time leaders in supply chain management as well as honoring a rising star and an innovative transportation company. 

Consultant and academic Masao Nishi was presented with the association's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award and Land O' Lakes CEO Beth Ford was inducted into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame.

Nishi has had a long and varied career that has touched on almost all aspects of the supply chain from practitioner to consultant to his current academic position at University of Missouri–St. Louis. As the concept of third-party logistics providers began to form in the 1980s, Nishi played a key role at Leaseway Transportation (now Penske). Then as technology and software began to radically transform logistics and supply chain management, Nishi held leadership roles at Sabre Group and Manugistics (now Blue Yonder).

"I am not reluctant to say that I was in the right place at the right time," quipped Nishi as he accepted the award on Monday.

Ford was recognized for her pioneering role as one of the few CEOs of a Fortune 500 company who came out of supply chain management. Before landing in the corner office at Land O' Lakes, Ford was the farmer-owned cooperative's chief supply chain officer.

In accepting the award, Ford thanked attendees for their commitment to the field of supply chain management. "Always remember the impact that you have on people's lives," she said. "And that includes not just the people on your own teams but around the world in the communities and value chains you support. You support the stability and lives of people you will never meet."

On Tuesday, CSCMP honored Andrii Aleksyeyev, supply chain director of Milkalliance, with its Emerging Leader Award, which is presented each year to a supply chain professional under the age of 32 who has already made meaningful contributions to supply chain and logistics management. Aleksyeyev, who helped establish the industry association's roundtable in Ukraine, was unable to attend the conference but thanked attendees in a video message for contributions to the Ukraine Logistics Operations Relief Fund.

Finally, the Gail Rutkowski Transportation Excellence Award was presented to trucking company Mexpress, which provides transportation services between the United States and Mexico that bypass border clearance at the Mexican border.