For the April 2025 episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby were live at the Spring 2025 Supply Chain Forum with Colin Yankee chief supply chain officer for Tractor Supply Company, to discuss the supply chain strategies and operational efficiencies that help companies thrive in uncertain times.

Their in-depth conversation explored Tractor Supply’s transportation and distribution center operations, how to leverage extensive store networks for final-mile delivery strategies, and featured insights into leading large teams of supply chain professionals to deliver customer value from top to bottom.

Prior to joining Tractor Supply in 2015, Yankee served in senior roles in supply chain operations for Neiman Marcus and Target. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as an Army officer before beginning his corporate career.

The episode was recorded live at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown on April 9, 2025. Watch a video of the episode.

Related links:

• Save the date for the fall Supply Chain Forum, November 4–6 in Knoxville
• Downloaded our latest (free) white paper, “Future-Ready Procurement”
• Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top industry experts and scholars
• Learn about our SCM Academy programs, including virtual courses on Leadership (Aug. 18–Nov. 23), Finance (Sept. 15-Nov. 16), and Procurement (Sept. 15–Nov. 16).
• Become a Supply Chain Forum partner
• Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
• Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!

For the March 2025 episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby are joined by guest host Thomas Deakins, managing director of the Global Supply Chain Institute, and Jason Murray, CEO and co-founder at Shipium to explore how data-driven decision-making fuels modern supply chain success.

Their in-depth conversation touches on the power of predictive technology and Agentic AI, the complexities of integrating products and software, and the critical role of data in solving today’s most pressing supply chain challenges.

With 19 years at Amazon in VP roles over retail systems and services and forecasting and supply chain, Murray brings deep expertise to the discussion. At Shipium, which he founded after leaving Amazon in 2019, he’s focused on bridging the gap between pre-purchase delivery promises and post-purchase fulfillment—ensuring better outcomes for both retailers and consumers.

Listen in as our hosts also break down the strategic use of tariffs in trade negotiations, shifting consumer sentiment amid recession fears, and how the stock market reacts to supply chain uncertainty and policy shifts.

The episode was recorded virtually on March 6, 2025.

Related links:

• Tom Goldsby shares insights on the effects of a trade war on supply chains
• Consumer outlook sinks as recession fears take hold
• Stock market continues its slide after Trump ups the ante in trade war
• Trump doubles planned tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum
• U.S. employers add 151,000 jobs in February, unemploment up to 4.1%
• Jack Daniel’s producer claims Canada’s empty shelves ‘worse than tariffs’
• Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
• Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with experts
• Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
• Become a Supply Chain Forum member
• Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
• Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!

For the February 2025 episode, host Ted Stank and guest host Josh King speak with Barbara Melvin, CEO and president of the South Carolina Ports about everything from U.S. trade and tariffs to the impact of labor and economic development on port operations.

A member of the GSCI Advisory Board Melvin runs one of the fastest-growing ports in the country, and the fourth-busiest gateway on the East Coast in Charleston, South Carolina. Previously serving as the organization’s COO, she was named to her position in July 2022, becoming the first woman to lead a top 10 U.S. operating container port. In 2023, she was recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Supply Chain by student leaders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Listen in as our hosts also delve into the state of the U.S. economy, talent development in the industry, applied research opportunities with UT, and the challenges leaders like Melvin are tasked with overcoming to benefit American businesses and consumers.

The interview with Barbara Melvin starts at 8:23.

The episode was recorded on February 13, 2025, during the Winter GSCI Advisory Board meeting at the Haslam College of Business.

Related links:

• Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs shake up supply chains
• U.S. consumer inflation increases at fastest pace in nearly 1.5 years.
• Register for SCM Academies in Finance, and Planning
• Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
• Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top experts in the discipline.
• Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
• Become a Supply Chain Forum member
• Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
• Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!