Student CSCMP Chapter Hosts Eight Events in Spring 2018

The Haslam College of Business’ student chapter of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals hosted eight networking and professional development events in the 2018 spring semester. Much of the funding for these events, as well as the speakers for them, came from Supply Chain Forum sponsors.

Sullivan McInturff, president of the 200-member organization, says these events are often students’ first exposure to supply chain management.

“It was through joining this organization and meeting and networking with real supply chain professionals at these CSCMP events that I truly found a home within this major,” McInturff said. “To cultivate supply chain knowledge throughout these students’ college careers, it is essential that we keep exposing them to best-in-practice supply chain professionals like our forum sponsors.”

The chapter’s line up for the semester included:

• Kimberly Clark Transportation Panel: a discussion of emerging trends intransportation with Charles Fortner, Tony Poole, Mary Poole and Taylor Rotella.
• How to Hit the Ground Running Panel: advice from professors of the supply chain management faculty with industry experience on what to expect and what is expected of you.
• Jason Eaton, vice president and procurement director of Leidos, spoke about his experiences n government contracting and how the field of federal acquisitions offers procurement specialists insight into many different and interesting supply chains.
• Representatives from Tractor Supply Co. led an interactive discussion on how to apply concept to reality in an operations career.
• Representatives from Bridgestone spoke about the challenges of managing logistics and transportation in the international supply chain.
• Site Tours at DENSO Manufacturing, Local Motors and Brown-Forman Jack Daniels conveyed first-hand knowledge about company operations, sourcing and planning strategies.

The organization also led weekly study sessions for the SCPro Certification exam, which resulted in 21 students passing at Level 1. The cost for the exam was underwritten by 3M for many of the students.

Anthony Clayton, another member of Haslam’s CSCMP chapter, emphasizes the group’s relationship with the Supply Chain Forum as what makes it one of the nation’s premier chapters.

“Forum sponsors gave me the opportunity to attend presentations, site tours and case studies that allowed me to take what I have learned in the classroom and see it in action in the real world of business,” he said. “That is something not many of my peers get to do outside of internships. The chance to meet with companies and learn practical ways to achieve a strong supply chain is what makes CSCMP members stand out.”

Companies that would like to learn more about the organization or support CSCMP by presenting in a meeting, hosting a site tour or sponsoring the SCPro training program should contact the chapter’s president, Sullivan McInturff, or the faculty advisor, Lance Saunders.