CSCMP EDGE keynote speakers to focus on supply chain's role in creating a sustainable business

Although the keynote speakers scheduled for this year's Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' (CSCMP) EDGE supply chain conference come from diverse walks of life, they all agree on one thing: Supply chain management is about so much more than just helping a company turn a profit.

In each of the keynote sessions at the conference, which runs from September 15-18 in Anaheim, California, speakers will focus on how successful supply chains can create meaningful and sustainable businesses.

Ashley Tyrner, chief executive officer of Farmbox Direct, will kick off EDGE's new pre-conference Women's Leaders Forum with her opening speech, "Create a Business that Solves a Problem, Not an Added Accessory in a World of Mass Consumption." Tyrner will share her company's supply chain challenges and journey as it created a door-to-door fresh fruit and vegetable delivery service to consumers. For Tyrner, the challenge was less about shipping fresh produce and more about getting those products to people in "food deserts," or urban areas where it is difficult to buy affordable, high quality food.

The conference officially opens on September 16 with a keynote address from Jeremy Gutsche, chief executive officer of Trend Hunter, an online community leveraging big data, human researchers, and artificial intelligence to identify consumer insights and opportunities for companies. He will unpack how individuals and organizations can become idea generators and world-class changemakers.

This theme of the importance that people play in any supply chain will continue with Tuesday's keynote session featuring a panel of innovative millennial entrepreneurs. The panel will include Seema Bansal, co-founder of floral company Venus ET Fleur; Chieh Huang, chief executive officer of wholesale retailer Boxed; and Eric Termuende, co-founder of consultancy NoW Innovations. The panel will be moderated by Felisa Higgins, clinical associate professor and associate dean at The Pennsylvania State University's Smeal College of Business and winner of CSCMP's guest moderator video contest. The panelists will address the many facets of the entrepreneurial journey in the 21st century and how that entrepreneurial spirit could benefit the supply chain.

On the final day of the conference, three mega sessions will be available for attendees. The topics will cover leveraging talent, frequently asked questions about 5G (fifth generation cellular network technology), and complying with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulations to reduce ships' sulfur oxide emissions. While all of the mega sessions will run concurrently, this year CSCMP will also livestream each session.

In the closing keynote session on Wednesday, Sarah Thomas, an official with the National Football League, will share essential leadership lessons from her journey to the top of a male-dominated industry. She will provide vital insights on shattering the glass ceiling in the world of professional sports that can be applied to any field or industry.

More than 3,000 supply chain professionals are expected to attend the annual event, which will feature more than 100 education sessions and over 25 hours of networking opportunities. For more information about the conference program or to register, go to cscmpedge.org.