A shy kid from the Arkansas Delta walks onto the UCA campus and, years later, is steering freight to Hawaii and Alaska during port strikes, building partnerships that keep shelves stocked, and advising small businesses through global turbulence. That’s the arc of Kevin Parkerson—UCA alum, J.B. Hunt and Walmart veteran, and founder of KP Global Logistics Consulting—and it’s packed with lessons for anyone working in a fast-changing supply chain world.

We talk about the scrappy early days of intermodal at J.B. Hunt and the practical skills that matter more than jargon: running clean meetings, communicating under pressure, and treating carriers as true partners. Kevin shares how a leap to Walmart plunged him into maritime logistics under the Jones Act, what it was like managing ocean freight during labor disruptions, and why contingency planning isn’t a slide deck—it’s a mindset. He names the mentors who shaped his approach to strategy and people leadership, and reveals the everyday habits that separate resilient operations from those constantly in crisis.

Today, Kevin helps small and midsize brands navigate customs and tariffs, select the right 3PLs, and pilot AI where it saves time now—forecast tuning, appointment scheduling, and exception triage—without getting lost in hype. We also look at Northwest Arkansas’s rapid growth, where UCA can add value through events and talent pipelines, and what employers actually want from new grads: sharp communication, self-motivation, and comfort with ambiguity. If you’re a student aiming at supply chain, a leader building resilience, or a founder who needs a “phone-a-friend” for logistics, this conversation gives you a clear, workable playbook.

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