Peer Practitioner Forum

Agentic AI is moving from theory to real operational use, with some supply chains beginning to deploy autonomous agents that can sense disruptions, make decisions, and trigger actions across planning, inventory, routing, and procurement. Join Phyllis Dyson, VP Global Supply & Strategic Planning, to explore where organizations are experimenting today, what decisions leaders are comfortable automating, and how teams are putting guardrails, governance, and KPIs in place. As AI begins to move from insight to action, where does automation create advantage and where does human oversight still matter most?

Tariffs, geopolitical risk, and capacity constraints are challenging long-standing supplier strategies. This discussion will focus on how companies are rebalancing supplier networks across three priorities: cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and strategic partnership. Join Randall Pappell, VP Purchasing & Supply Chain, Gentex Corporation to compare practical approaches to supplier diversification, reshoring or nearshoring, dual sourcing, capacity planning, and collaboration with strategic suppliers—while testing the trade-offs required to maintain performance and competitiveness in a more volatile world.

The pendulum keeps swinging between efficiency and resilience. As supply chains stabilize, how are leaders recalibrating cost-to-serve models, safety stocks, and fulfillment priorities? Join Bhaskar Tatke, VP of Supply Chain Planning, Niagara Bottling, we’ll discuss how teams are revisiting tradeoffs between cost, service, and risk—and what new pressures (like sustainability and labor availability) are shaping those choices. Come ready to discuss how you’re optimizing your network while keeping flexibility in the system.

As supply chains become increasingly complex through acquisitions, regional market differences, geopolitical disruption, and evolving customer expectations, leaders are rethinking the role of distribution networks. Join Tamer Gunes, VP Americas Logistics & Global Distribution Standards at 3M, for an interactive discussion on how organizations are balancing global standardization with local flexibility, leveraging AI and digital capabilities to improve decision-making, and designing networks that deliver resilience, service, and cost competitiveness simultaneously. How much should be standardized? Where does local autonomy create value? And what capabilities will define the distribution network of the future?

As supply chains become more digital, data-driven, and complex, organizations are rethinking how they train and develop top talent. In this discussion, we’ll explore how companies are identifying high-potential employees, building structured development paths, and investing in training that blends operational expertise with digital and analytical skills. What approaches are working to prepare the next generation of supply chain leaders, and how are organizations ensuring their top talent is ready to lead in an increasingly automated and rapidly changing environment?

Tariffs affect far more than sourcing strategy. Join Elena Palmer, Sr. Director, Logistics & Trade Compliance, Hershey’s, to discuss how organizations are managing the downstream impact on customs processes, landed cost calculations, country-of-origin decisions, duty mitigation, and cross-border operations. What’s changing, what’s working, and where are companies still facing the greatest challenges?

Freight markets, customer delivery demands, and sustainability targets are all shifting—fast. How are logistics teams adapting their carrier strategies, warehouse footprints, and technology stacks to stay ahead? In this discussion, we’ll dive into how leaders are approaching nearshoring, capacity planning, and the increasing role of automation and visibility tools. Bring your perspective on what’s working in your logistics operations today, and where you’re still facing friction.

Many organizations have mature S&OP processes, but the speed of disruption is challenging traditional monthly planning cycles. Join Andrew McAllister, VP, Enterprise Planning, Mars, to explore how companies are evolving toward more dynamic, cross-functional decision models. How are teams improving visibility, shortening decision cycles, and aligning planning with real-time operational signals? Join peers to share how your organization is evolving planning processes to support faster and more confident decision-making.tion create advantage and where does human oversight still matter most?

Supply chain leaders are navigating a constant stream of change, from shifting trade policies and evolving customer expectations to new technologies, organizational transformation, and ongoing market uncertainty. At the same time, they’re expected to deliver day-to-day results while leading teams through continuous change. How are organizations setting priorities, maintaining momentum, and keeping teams aligned amid competing demands? Join peers to share leadership strategies, lessons learned, and practical approaches for successfully leading through constant change.