Speakers

Additional speakers to be added

Keynote Speakers

Alan Erera

Associate Chair for Research and Manhattan Associates/Dabbiere Chair Professor
Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Alan Erera is a Manhattan Associates/Dabbiere Chair and the Associate Chair for Research in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. He is also the faculty director for the M.S. in Supply Chain Engineering program, Co-Director for Global Transportation in the Supply Chain & Logistics Institute, and Co-Executive Director of the Georgia Tech Panama Logistics Innovation & Research Center.

Dr. Erera's research focuses on transportation and logistics systems planning and control, with an emphasis on planning under uncertainty and real-time operational control. His recent work has addressed dynamic vehicle routing systems for same-day distribution; resilient logistics network design for food supply chains; service network design, linehaul equipment management, and driver scheduling for consolidation freight carriers; robust container fleet management for global shipping companies; and robust and flexible vehicle routing system planning and control for distribution companies. He has written extensively in these subject areas, and has delivered over 100 technical presentations and invited lectures. His research program has been supported by federal agencies (DHS, USDOT, NSF) and major U.S. freight carriers and manufacturing firms.

George Q. Huang

Chair Professor and Director of PolyU Research Institute of Advanced Manufacturing

George joined Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in December 2022 as Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing. Prior to this appointment, he was Chair Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Head of Department in Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at The University of Hong Kong. He gained BEng and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Southeast University (China) and Cardiff University (UK) respectively.

He has conducted research projects in areas of Smart Manufacturing, Logistics, and Construction through IoT-enabled Cyber-Physical Internet and Systems Analytics. His research has been supported with substantial government and industrial grants exceeding HK$100M. He has directed a strong research team and collaborated closely with leading academic and industrial organizations through joint projects and start-up companies. He has published extensively and his works have been highly cited by research communities. He serves as associate editors and editorial members for several international journals. He is Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of ASME, CILT, HKIE, IET, and IISE.

Fernando Liesa

Secretary General

Dr. Fernando Liesa is Secretary General at ALICE, Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe, The European Technology Platform on Logistics since July 2013. ALICE is setting up a vision for logistics and supply management and the research agenda and roadmaps to progress towards the concept of the Physical Internet as an enabler to achieve zero emission logistics in an affordable way.

Fernando holds a PhD by University of Zaragoza (Spain) since 2004. Fernando has worked in the field of knowledge transfer and research management linked to chemical engineering, process industries, manufacturing and lately (last 15 years) to logistics and supply chain management. Fernando worked in Zaragoza Logistics Center (one of the MIT Global Scale Network centers) from 2006 to 2014 as Knowledge Transfer Director, from 2007 to 2014 as General Manager of the Spanish Center of Competence in Logistics, CNC-LOGISTICA. During 2014-2016, Fernando was Logistics Innovation Leader at ENIDE.

Dr. Liesa has coordinated and participated in several national and European Research and Innovation projects. Fernando Liesa led the creation of the European Technology Platform in Logistics, ALICE.  Fernando is appointed member of the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum launched in 2015 by the European Commission (DGMOVE) and the Connected and Cooperative and Autonomous group launched in 2019 by the European Commission (DGMOVE).

Takayuki Mori

Chairman, Japan Physical Internet Center (JPIC)
Professor Emeritus, University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences

With over three decades of extensive experience in the maritime and logistics industry, Takayuki Mori has established himself as a leading authority in the field. Beginning his career at Mitsui Osk Lines (MOL) in 1975, he honed his expertise through various roles within the company. Notably, he served as Managing Director at MOL's German subsidiary, AMT freight GmbH, for four years, showcasing his adeptness in international operations.

Transitioning to academia in 2006, Prof. Mori joined the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences as a professor. His dedication to education led him to serve as a visiting professor at Thammasat University in Thailand in 2010, fostering strong relationships with numerous universities in the region, including Chiang Mai University and Mae Falung University. In recent years, Takayuki has played a pivotal role in shaping transport policies and standards on both national and international levels.

As an expert in the Japan-ASEAN Transport Policy Meeting since 2017, he spearheaded the development of "Cold Chain Guidelines," subsequently leading efforts to establish them as an ISO international standard. Furthermore, his involvement in domestic committees, such as Japan's technical committee TC344 on "Innovative Logistics," underscores his commitment to driving industry advancements. Beyond his academic and professional endeavors, Prof. Mori actively contributes to governmental committees, advocating for sustainable policies in areas such as ports and environmental conservation.

Todd Ullom

Vice-President of Distributed Construction

Todd Ullom has over 30 years' experience as an entrepreneur, developer, general contractor, technologist, and market strategist holding senior executive positions with both private and public companies. He is currently vice president for MiTek, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, leading the development of the company’s distributed construction platform which is initially focused on offsite volumetric assembly of hotels.

Mr. Ullom joined MiTek as part of the acquisition of Innovation Builder, a technology company founded by Todd with a focus on solving the construction industry's toughest problems. Throughout his career, Todd has managed both growth and turnaround companies, developed new business opportunities, designed industry leading business processes and developed innovative marketing strategies. His experience includes founder and president of a bespoke building company; senior leadership positions in large private and public construction companies including COO, region president, VP of strategy and operations; and VP of strategy and business development for a technology firm.

Plenary Speakers/Panelists

Eric Ballot

Professor of Supply Chain and Logistics and Scientific Director of the Physical Internet Chair
Director Centre de Gestion Scientifique

Eric Ballot is full professor of supply chain management and industrial engineering at Mines ParisTech – PSL Research University. He is the head professor of the industrial management and supply chain program. He is the past Director of the Centre de Gestion Scientifique and the Physical Internet Chair at Mines ParisTech. He was a visiting scholar at the MIT Sloan School of management in 2007 and a visiting Professor at Hong Kong University since 2015. He graduated from Ecole Nomale Supérieure de Cachan (PhD in 1995). He chairs “Progarmme National Marchandises en Ville” (French transportation ministry), is a committee member of several institutions and is an accredited expert by Appeal Court of Paris since 2002. Eric Ballot has been leading many research projects both with the industry Airbus, Renault, Danone, P&G… and with international academic partners such as EPFL, Université Laval… He is also the author of many research papers and books chapters. His research has been recognized at several occasions in conferences and with research prizes (IESM, ILS, PREDIT, EMERALD). He is also a scientific leader of the Physical Internet Initiative in Europe with several projects funded in France and at the European level.

Frederick Benaben

SIReN Lab Co-Director, Professor IMT Albi, Adjunct Professor

Frederick Benaben is Professor at the Industrial Engineering Center of IMT Mines Albi. Since 2019, he is the head of the Safety and Crisis Management research team (around 20 researchers including professors, assistant/associate-professors, engineers, PhD and Post-Doc students) of the Industrial Engineering Center of IMT Mines Albi. He is also since 2019 the co-director (with Prof. Benoit Montreuil) of the Associated International Lab SIReN (Sentient Immersive Response Networks Lab) between IMT Mines Albi and Georgia Tech ISyE. Prior to that, he has been, between 2012 and 2019, the head of the Interoperability of Organizations research team (15 researchers).

His research works focus on data management, through model-driven engineering for decision support. He basically defined an Artificial Intelligence Framework dedicated to combine Data Sciences and Industrial Engineering. The main application domains concerns information systems for complex situation management in crisis management and supply-chain contexts.

His main scientific abilities mainly relate to Information System design (service-oriented architecture, event-driven architecture), System Engineering (model-driven engineering), Enterprise Modeling (business process management, knowledge base management, decision support systems), Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis (machine learning, principal component analysis, rule based systems). He stands at the crossroads of industrial engineering, information systems, and artificial intelligence applied to crisis management, supply chain management, and risk management.

Shelton Chan

Managing Director, International Development, Asia

Shelton Chan has 25 years of extensive experience in international operations, management, and consulting, with a focus on global logistics, distribution, and supply chain management. He has worked across both industry and service provider sectors. Previously, he served as the General Manager for China at Manhattan Associates, where he delivered innovative supply chain solutions to over 60 clients spanning retail, pharmaceutical distribution, apparel, and FMCG industries. Prior to this role, Shelton led the Supply Chain Management (SCM) practice for Resources Global Professionals, spearheading its development across all Asia Pacific offices. Additionally, he held the position of Finance & Operations Project Manager at L’Oreal, where he played a pivotal role in designing and implementing an automated distribution center.

Mr. Chan is an active member in the supply chain & logistics industry of the Greater China region. He currently serves as the Chapter Director of Greater China for Supply Chain Council that pioneers the SCOR model. He is also the Vice President of Asia Pacific for the Society of International Logistics (SOLE), and Chair of Transport & Logistics Committee of American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Mr. Chan graduated from State University of New York at Geneseo, holding a management and a Master of Science degree in International Logistics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Russell Clark

Senior Research Scientist, Institute of People and Technology

Dr. Russell Clark is a Senior Research Scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is based out of the GT Savannah campus where he leads the environmental monitoring activities of the Coastal Equity and Resilience (CEAR) Hub. He holds a joint appointment with Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology and the School of Computer Science.  He received a bachelors degree from Vanderbilt University and masters and doctorate degrees from Georgia Tech. As a long time coastal resident, he has a lifetime of experiencing with the realities of climate change for our communities.

Michael Darden

Digital Information in the Supply Chain: ASTM F49.01 Subcommittee Chair
CEO / Founder

Michael Darden is the CEO and Founder of DFM Data Corp., a Georgia-based company established in 2019, dedicated to delivering Technology, Standards, and Best Practices Governance for the North American Logistics Industry. DFMDC's innovative ecosystem harnesses virtual and cloud-based technologies, amalgamating authenticated data from Members with cutting-edge processing and analytics to drive the future of digital freight market commerce.

Louis Faugère

Senior Applied Scientist

Louis Faugère is a Senior Applied Scientist at Amazon. He received a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering at the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also received a "Diplôme d'Ingénieur" in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Arts et Métiers ParisTech (France) and a Master of Science in Supply Chain Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

Louis' research interests are at the intersection of the Physical Internet, Supply Chain Engineering and Logistics. In particular, his research contributions focus on designing and managing complex systems with Industrial Engineering, Operations Research and Artificial Intelligence techniques. 

Bill Ferrell

Fluor International Supply Chain Professor & Associate Dean of the Graduate School

William Ferrell started his collegiate studies at Wake Forest University where he received a B.A. in Physics. Later, he earned his M.S. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech. Ferrell then earned his Ph.D. in Operational Research at North Carolina State University. His main research areas are supply chain logistics systems design and analysis and warehouse operations modeling. In May of 2015, Dr. Ferrell was named the Flour-Clemson International Capital Supply Chain Partnership Professor in Industrial Engineering. The professorship recognizes a sustained record of excellence in research, teaching, service and scholarship. Additionally, he serves as the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Ferrell teaches four different upper-level course at Clemson University. He has been published in a various academic outlets and is recognized as an expert in his field.

Rod Franklin

Full Professor of Logistics and Academic Director of Executive Education

Prof. Rod Franklin, PhD is Full Professor of Logistics and Academic Director of Executive Education at Kühne Logistics University. Professor Franklin, an engineer and operations manager by training and experience, received his Doctorate in Management from the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Professor Franklin has held management positions at Kühne + Nagel, USCO Logistics, ENTEX Information Services, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Cameron Iron Works.  In addition, he has been a consultant for Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Theodore Barry & Associates and Arthur Young & Co. Professor Franklin was also a development engineer for the Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors Corporation.

Franklin’s research focuses on the application of modern management techniques to the efficient and effective operation of supply chains, sustainable business models, green logistics, corporate social responsibility and cloud based supply chain management. 

In his role as Academic Director of Kühne Logistics University’s Executive Education program, Franklin’s focus is on ensuring that executives educated at the University receive both the rigor and relevance in their academic training that they expect from a world class research institute like Kühne Logistics University.

Chris Gaffney

Managing Director

Chris Gaffney is an Edenfield Executive-in-Residence and a Professor of the Practice in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He also serves a dual role as Managing Director of the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL) and Academic Program Director for Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) .

Chris Gaffney was most recently VP of Global Strategic Supply Chain at The Coca-Cola Company. During his 25-year tenure with Coca-Cola, Chris held multiple leadership roles including President of Coca-Cola Supply, SVP Product Supply System Strategy, VP of System Transformation, and VP of Logistics for North America. Chris also served as President of the National Product Supply Group; a governing body responsible for 95% of volume produced in North America. Following his retirement from Coca-Cola in 2020, he assumed the role of Principal at ECG and partner at EDGE Supply Chain, providing advice and consulting in the Supply Chain space. Gaffney has extensive experience in Consumer Products Supply Chain, Supply Chain Strategy & Transformation, Footprint Design & Network Optimization, Supply Chain Operating Model and Capability Building and Logistics and Supply Chain Planning.

Brian Greene

Brian Greene oversees supply chain planning and strategy as well as IT infrastructure and development across the HMTX family of companies.

Running an efficient worldwide supply chain operation demands coordination of vast information and business systems. Brian’s “sales first” leadership style ensures that the company’s robust and dynamic global supply chain enables each division’s business objectives.

Brian joined Halstead in May 2002 as Vice President of the Southern division. Once the lone Georgia associate, he helped create initiatives that would eventually lead to three major offices in Georgia and an expanded supply chain footprint around the world. During that time, Brian moved from a merchandising role to the supply chain and IT-centric role he has today.

Brian’s 25-year career in the industry includes prior experience with major retailers, including The Home Depot, where he served as Import Merchant for flooring.

Brian earned a B.B.A. in International Business and Economics from Georgia Southern University and an Executive Masters in International Logistics and Supply Chain Strategy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is an avid percussionist and can be seen sitting in with bands from time to time. He resides in Marietta, Georgia with is his wife and two children.

Eric Howell

CEO

Eric Howell, PortCity’s CEO, shapes the company’s vision, culture, and effectiveness. Under his leadership, PortCity has seen remarkable growth, reflecting his commitment to excellence. Eric values relationships, personal growth, and a dynamic work environment. Beyond work, he enjoys family time, sports, travel, and an active lifestyle.

Allen Hyde

Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology

Allen is an Associate Professor in the School of History and Sociology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a quantitative scholar whose main research areas are stratification and inequality, urban sociology, work and occupations, climate and disaster resilience, and immigration. He is currently conducting research on the effects of race/ethnicity and immigration status on homeownership, social and demographic change in Clarkston, GA (known as the most diverse square mile in America), and Principal Investigator for the Youth Advocacy for Resilience to Disasters Program research project funded by the National Science Foundation's Civic Innovation Challenge. He has also been Principal Investigator for a National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) grant. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Sociology at the University of Connecticut and has published research articles in journals like Social Science Research, Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Social Currents, Environmental Sociology, Social Indicators Research, City & Community, and Sociological Perspectives.

Olivier Labarthe

Associate Professor in the Management of Operations and Information Systems (MOSI) Department

Olivier Labarthe is Associate Professor in the Management of Operations and Information Systems (MOSI) Department at Kedge Business School. He holds a PhD in Administration Sciences from Laval University and a Doctorate in computer science from the University of Aix-Marseille III as part of a joint Canada-France thesis. His research interests focus on modeling and simulation for the management of supply chains. He teaches in the PGE and in the ISLI Masters.

Matthieu Lauras

Full-Professor and Deputy-Head of the Industrial Engineering Center

Matthieu LAURAS is Full-Professor and Deputy-Head of the Industrial Engineering Center at IMT Mines Albi (France). He is Adjunct Professor at the Physical Internet Center, School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (USA) and member of the International Associated Laboratory SIReN (Sentient Immersive Response Networks Lab) between Georgia Institute of Technology (USA) and Institut Mines Telecom (France). He is the Pierre Fabre “Agile Supply Chain” Chair and the Scientific Director of various public-private joint research labs and research projects. He is the Founder and Director of the international MSc SCALE (Supply Chain And LEan management). He is Affiliate Professor at the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University (China) and Toulouse Business School (France). He is also the scientific director of the Supply Chain Management consulting and training company AGILEA (France) which he cofounded in 2009.

His research works develop contributions to support collaborative networks’ stakeholders to better make their decisions in uncertain and/or disruptive environment. His research activities concern both industrial management systems and crisis management systems such as humanitarian supply chains. His main scientific abilities mainly relate to Operations Research (linear optimization, heuristics and metaheuristics), Discrete Event Simulation, Enterprise Modelling (business process and ontology management, performance measurement systems) and Data Analysis. He stands at the crossroads of industrial engineering; operations research; computer sciences; supply chain management; artificial intelligence; and risk management. His research works are systematically field-oriented and currently focus on the application of Physical Internet and Demand-Driven Adaptive Enterprise paradigms. He also has strong entrepreneurial and collaborative research experience with industry. He worked with dozens of industrial partners in various sectors such as cosmetic, pharmacy, automotive, aeronautic, healthcare, humanitarian, transportation, consulting, etc.

Kevin Liu

General Secretary
Shanghai Hongqiao Physical Internet Alliance, China

Kevin Liu boasts over 25 years of distinguished expertise as a consultant in China's AGV, forklift, and new energy sectors. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with prominent companies such as Libiao Robotics, I-cow Robotics, BYD Forklift, and Tusk Pallet Robots. Notably, he spent over a decade at Kion Linde China, honing his skills and knowledge in management and consulting.

Recognized as a preeminent authority in logistics innovative technology and new energy batteries, Mr. Liu specializes in strategic consulting and marketing within these industries. He serves as the editor of the WeChat China Forklift Blog and contributes to the China Forklift and AGV annual report. His extensive portfolio encompasses marketing, enterprise business strategy, global market research, and sales channel development for logistics robots and forklifts. Additionally, he actively engages in sales initiatives for lithium-ion batteries, further solidifying his multifaceted expertise in the field.

Michelle Livingstone

Former Vice President – Transportation for The Home Depot
Livingstone Consulting

Michelle Livingstone has been actively engaged in the supply chain for 30 years and her passion is the transportation industry. She gained experience and honed her leadership skills at Kraft Foods, J.C. Penney, and C & S Wholesale Grocers, before joining The Home Depot where she served as Vice President of Transportation and was an officer for over thirteen years. She led a fantastic team of associates to ensure all domestic and international shipments arrived on-time and within budget to distribution centers and stores. She also has experience in direct-to-consumer final mile deliveries.

While at Home Depot, Michelle served as the founder and champion for Women in Supply Chain and was the Vice President advisor for Women’s Link, an associate resource group open to all women at the Store Support Center (corporate headquarters), and the Velvet Hammers, supporting female directors and above.

She retired from The Home Depot in March 2021 to focus on public and non-profit board activity. Michelle serves on the board of directors for Werner Enterprises and Mastery Logistics Systems. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Transportation & Supply Chain Institute of the University of Denver, as well as the Chair of the Transportation Executive Board of Indiana University. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Rainbow Village board, a non-profit focused on ending homelessness and poverty, primarily for women with children.

In 2022, Michelle launched a consulting business, M. D. Livingstone Consulting, LLC, where she provides actionable solutions to supply chain challenges and leadership insights. In September 2023, Michelle became an adjunct professor at the University of Denver.

Michelle earned her M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management with high honors. She holds a B. S. degree in Business, with a concentration in Transportation, from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Bill Loftis

Founder and Principal

Bill serves as Principal of Supply Chain Ecology, a boutique consultancy he created in 2020 as a platform to research, develop and promote more environmentally sustainable supply chain strategies through research and advisory services. A career supply chain management consultant, Bill has managed complex supply chain initiatives for some of the world’s largest companies as a Director at Deloitte Consulting, a Director at Kurt Salmon (now Accenture Strategy) and as Principal at Chainalytics.

Bill comes to the conference with previous case work with both the Physical Internet and the intermodal freight ecosystem. In 2012 he was a contributing author to the Final Research Report of the CELDi Physical Internet Project, Phase I. In 2016 he presented a case study on collaborative logistics for the Physical Internet conference in Atlanta, GA. Last year he led a research study sponsored by The Environmental Defense Fund exploring how to expand intermodal freight as a sustainability strategy. Many of the recommendations from the intermodal study are aligned with physical internet concepts.

Bill graduated from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering. Industry honors include being named "Pro to Know" by Supply and Demand Chain Executive Magazine in 2010 and 2018, and Champions Award "Rock Stars of the Supply Chain" by Food Logistics Magazine in 2018.

Bill lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Susan.

Ofun Maja Egunjobi

C.E.A.R Hub Community Liaison and Community Micro-farm Director

Ofun Maja Egunjobi is a native of Savannah, Georgia, where he was born and raised. He pursued his education at Savannah State University and Georgia State University before earning a degree in Music Management from the Atlanta Art Institute. Spending two decades in Atlanta, Ofun became engaged in sustainable urban gardening through the Habesha Works program.

Returning to Savannah in 2012, Ofun worked in both the hotel/service industry and with the United States Postal Service. In 2015, he completed the Harambee House workers education and job training program, seeking avenues to contribute to community and environmental justice causes. Joining the Harambee House staff in January 2023, he assumed the roles of C.E.A.R Hub community liaison and Community micro-farm director.

Tim Marrs

General Manager of Intermodal Operations

TJ joined GPA as General Manager of Intermodal Operations in October of 2021, responsible for a team that provides best-in-class intermodal service via Mason Mega Rail and strong partnerships with our Class I railroad service providers in CSX and Norfolk Southern.

Prior to joining GPA, he enjoyed a 10 year career at Norfolk Southern, beginning as a Management Trainee in Transportation Operations before progressing into various other roles of increased responsibilities and territory assignments, all primarily in the Northeast. From that point, I moved into a Marketing role for Premium and LTL Intermodal Services before ultimately moving back into operations as the Southern Region Director of Intermodal and Automotive Operations – which included, of course, the GPA.

TJ lives near Savannah with his beautiful wife Jocelyn, while raising a 2 year old daughter and 5 year old golden retriever.

Leon McGinnis

Professor Emeritus, Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Leon McGinnis is a Professor Emeritus in the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. 

Dr. McGinnis's research focuses on fundamental representation issues in discrete event logistics systems, on performance assessment models, and on the development of integrated computational tools. He has been a leader in developing and administering industry-focused and interdisciplinary education and research programs at Georgia Tech. He helped establish the Material Handling Research Center in 1982 and managed one of five research programs over the next decade. He also helped establish the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems Program in 1983, which received a LEAD Award from ASME for excellence in graduate-level interdisciplinary manufacturing education, and served as Director from 1988 to 1998. As CIMS Director, he lead a team that competed for and won a $1 million TRP grant, resulting in the establishment of the Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Institute within the Manufacturing Research Center. In 1994, he led a team of Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering faculty to win over $2 million in grants from the W. M. Keck Foundation to create the Keck Virtual Factory Lab as a focal point for IE systems design and control research.

The Institute of Industrial Engineers has recognized Dr. McGinnis with the Outstanding Publication Award, the David F. Baker Distinguished Research Award, and the Fellow Award. He has given the Inyong Ham Lecture at Penn State, the Jones Lecture at Dartmouth, and the Schantz Lectures at Lehigh.

Dr. McGinnis enjoys teaching students how to think like industrial engineers, particularly in developing and using mathematical and computational models to support design of facilities and control systems. 

He received his BS in IE from Auburn University, and MS in IE and PhD from North Carolina State University.

Michael O. Miller

CEO – North America

Michael currently serves as CEO of Genesee & Wyoming's North American operations, responsible for strategy, capital deployment, operations support and corporate culture. Prior to his current role, Michael also served as President of G&W North America, overseeing both commercial and operating functions, and Chief Commercial Officer of North America, responsible for all commercial functions. Before G&W, he managed Norfolk Southern's Modalgistics supply chain organization, was Vice President of Strategic Development for Derivion Corp, and held numerous logistics-related positions with Georgia-Pacific and Roadway Express.

Michael graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a master’s degree in Business Management. His professional training includes supply chain certifications from Georgia Tech and the University of Tennessee as well as executive development programs from The Darden Business School at the University of Virginia.

Michael has served as a member of the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals, an advisory board member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s Supply Chain Leadership Council, and a steering committee member of the Freight Advisory Task Force. In 2007, Michael was awarded the Atlanta Logistics Professional of Year by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Michael and his wife, Shannon, have been married for 29 years. They have two daughters and reside in Jacksonville, FL.

Josh Raglin

Chief Sustainability Officer

Josh Raglin is Chief Sustainability Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation, one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Norfolk Southern connects customers to markets and communities to economic opportunity, with safe, reliable, and sustainable shipping solutions. The company’s network spans 22 states, every major container port in the eastern United States, and a majority of the U.S. population and manufacturing base.

Appointed Chief Sustainability Officer in 2020, Raglin leads Norfolk Southern's sustainability strategy by championing sustainable practices in the company’s daily operations to achieve efficiencies, control costs, generate revenue, and reduce environmental impacts. These efforts include close collaboration with department leaders company-wide, along with external stakeholders such as customers, investors, suppliers, and communities.

Raglin, a wildlife biologist, joined Norfolk Southern in 1996 as a Forest Ranger at Brosnan Forest, the company’s 14,400-acre conference and research facility in South Carolina. He would continue rising through the ranks at Brosnan Forest before being named General Manager Facilities in 2006. 

For two decades, Josh led the railroad’s efforts to create a nature-based solutions platform. This innovative approach optimizes multiple ecological assets such as forest carbon sequestration, wetland and stream restoration, and land conservation while generating revenues from both forestry and traditional land-management practices.

He shares his experience with the next generation of environmentalists by serving on college advisory boards for Auburn University, Clemson University, and Georgia Tech. He also serves the greater community as an active board member for the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities and The Longleaf Alliance. He is also a founding member and active advisor to Drawdown Georgia and Sustain SC.

Raglin earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology from Oklahoma State University.

David Ruth

Founder and CEO

David Ruth is the founder and CEO of Motogo where he is guiding the team in creating new logistics systems with significant value for shippers, couriers and especially customers. Motogo systems is applying innovative software, robotics and smart packaging technologies towards resolving many of the challenges of last mile delivery of goods.

Previously, during his 30 years at IBM, David Ruth help lead in the creation of impactful solutions and systems which have been used by governments, academia, corporations all over the world. This included advancing the state of art in the areas of VLSI chip and system design & validation and spearheading key technology initiatives within IBM and with IBM partners.

David has received numerous technical and leadership awards including over 20 US and international patents in the areas of logistics and computer architecture.

Marty Schlenker

Head of Strategy

Marty Schlenker joined Parallel Systems as Head of Strategy in September 2023 after serving as a consultant to the company since 2021. Marty’s responsibilities include guiding the company’s offerings to best serve the needs of the global rail industry and supply chain, market selection, and financial and operational modeling.

Prior to joining Parallel, Marty conducted an independent transportation consulting practice, Schlenker LLC, offering services to the supply chain technology industry and to railroads, rail shippers, rail equipment suppliers, and rail oversight and development bodies worldwide. His clients have included major bulk material shippers, several US west coast ports, analytics and software development companies, and startups on multiple continents developing autonomous transportation technologies.

Marty brought 25 years of Class I railroad experience to his recent roles, the majority with BNSF. Marty held AVP roles there from 2012 to 2021 in service planning and information technology.

Marty led BNSF Railway's Merchandise Service Design team from 2010 to 2019, during which BNSF pioneered optimization tools for service planning and rewrote its systems and metrics for pickup and delivery service to industries, driving significant performance improvement. During the fracking boom, the team facilitated $2+ Billion in revenue growth by adapting service plans to rapidly expanding volumes of crude oil, gas, frac sand, and other materials supporting domestic energy production, and overseeing the design and connection of dozens of new customer sites into BNSF's rail network. As this market matured, Marty led multiple service plan rationalizations that decreased BNSF's operational costs by more than $50 Million per year. Marty was also the principal service planning liaison to connecting railroads and spoke at numerous industry meetings.

As a technology leader, Marty led efforts to apply machine vision systems and other advanced defect detection technologies to railway track and rolling stock, contributing to all-time best derailment performance. Marty established the vision to overhaul BNSF's operational metrics; began the transition of BNSF's data warehouse and other critical applications to the cloud; and led optimization, AI, and BI development and custom software development.

Marty has also served as an operations supervisor and financial analyst, and has provided analytic support to collective bargaining.

Marty began his career with Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman) and consulted to railroads on three continents, international shipping companies, and large freight shippers.

Marty holds a BA in Economics from the University of Chicago and a MS in Transportation from MIT, where his graduate research in advanced railroad service planning techniques was funded by the Association of American Railroads.

Marty is a member of the American Railway Engineering & Maintenance Association (AREMA) and serves on three AREMA technical committees. He is a member of the Institute for Operations Research & Management Sciences (INFORMS) and the Transportation Club of DFW.

Marty is an amateur French hornist, and is a former marching member of the World Champion Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps of Rosemont, IL. He serves on the board of directors of their parent organization, The Cavaliers Arts, Performance & Education.

Sahrish Shaikh

PhD Candidate

Sahrish Shaikh is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Supply Chain Engineering at the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Her research explores the intersection of the Physical Internet, Supply Chain Engineering, and Logistics. Sahrish has engaged in impactful projects with the Georgia Port Authority, SF-Express, UPS, Steelcase, and GLCC, as well as with the Center for Economic Development Research at Georgia Tech. Before returning to academia, she worked at Procter & Gamble Pakistan Pvt Ltd as an Associate Manager in Supply Network Operations. There, she led the Physical Distribution team, overseeing strategic imports and warehousing projects that improved operational efficiencies and streamlined supply chain processes. Sahrish’s blend of practical leadership and research expertise drives her continuous efforts to innovate and enhance supply chain systems globally.

Richard Sharpe

CEO

Richard Sharpe is CEO of Competitive Insights, LLC, a professional Software as a Service (SaaS) company focused on driving business value through the adoption of process and technology innovation. Mr. Sharpe has extensive experience helping organizations gain a sustainable competitive advantage through Integrated Business Planning (IBP) solutions that transform large volumes of disparate data into fact based operational insights.

Richard is a frequent speaker at national gatherings of The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and other industry related forums. He actively promotes awareness of supply chain management, challenging executives to consider its role in gaining competitive advantage.

Richard has also authored articles in national publications including co-authoring an article in DC Velocity on Supply Chain Risk Management. He has also been designated as a "Rainmaker" by the same publication.

Richard is a founding member of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), a non-profit consortium of 15 supply chain professional organizations serving Disaster Relief Agencies in times of crisis. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Warehouse Research and Education Council (WERC) as well as on the Advisory Board for Georgia Tech's Executive Masters in International Logistics (EMIL) Program.

He received his MS in Industrial Engineering in 1980 from Georgia Institute of Technology while doing graduate work for the U.S. Navy - Atlantic Fleet. He earned his BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Florida in 1977.

Richard was inducted into the Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni as part of the Engineering Hall of Fame and The Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni of Georgia Institute of Technology.

Phil Trifiletti

Vice President, Consumer Product Solutions

Phil joined Hub Group in 2011 in Atlanta, GA.  In his current role as Vice President of Consumer Product Solutions, Phil collaborates with shippers by keeping business needs in focus while creating end-to-end supply chain solutions for better service, greater efficiency, and total visibility.  Phil graduated from University of North Florida with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and from University of Denver with a master’s degree in transportation and supply chain management. Phil lives in Ponte Vedra, FL with his wife and two daughters.

Uday Venkatadri

Department Head and Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering

Uday Venkatadri, Ph.D., P.Eng., is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has taught at Dalhousie University since July 2001. Before joining Dalhousie, he was a Lead Architect for supply chain planning products at Baan. He has also worked as a Research Associate at Université Laval in Québec City.

Uday's research interests are in facilities planning and supply chain management. He teaches courses in these areas as well as in operations research, modeling of industrial systems, information systems, algorithms, and quality control.

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