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APICS CEO
Abe Eshkenazi
CSCP, CPA, CAE

Last week, news sites and social media locales alike were buzzing with news of the departure of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who will become chair of the company’s board. Tim Cook will take over as the company’s chief executive officer.

Who? You might be asking yourself. Cook was Apple’s chief operating officer, and he has run the company in the past: In 2004, when Jobs was recovering from pancreatic cancer surgery; in 2009, when Jobs required a liver transplant; and, most recently, earlier in 2011 when Jobs took another medical leave.

According to a August 25, 2011, Wall Street Journal article, “Cook isn’t the showman that Mr. Jobs is, but people who know him call him an ‘operational genius’ who is responsible for crafting Apple’s current supply chain system and helping transform the company into one of the most efficient electronics manufacturers today.”

While many industry experts have voiced concern that Jobs is a tough act to follow, Cook brings his own brand of smarts to his new position. In a Bloomberg article, Adam Satariano and Peter Burrows write: “Cook’s operational skills have served as the backbone of Apple’s expansion since he joined the company from Compaq Computer Corp. in 1998. His inventory management skills allowed Apple to sell iMac computers in a broad palette of colors instead of just beige. The company keeps up with demand for its iPods, iPhones, and iPads, with new products delivered to the customer’s doorstep often in less than 48 hours.”

Moving to the C-suite

Now more than ever, companies are relying on supply chain and operations management experts to guide them through the labyrinth of this post-recession market. Tim Cook is a prominent example of this reliance__and, in his case, he earned elevation to Apple’s top executive spot.

How does your industry knowledge assist your company’s top decision makers? Are you ready to become one of those decision makers yourself? Earning your APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation is the preeminent way to demonstrate significant commitment to your profession and your career, distinguish yourself as an industry expert, and excel with your newly acquired specialized knowledge.

APICS is working to launch enhanced CSCP courseware for 2012, which includes more detailed information on risk, strategy, sustainability, and global supply chain. If you have been contemplating earning your CSCP designation, 2012 is a great time to start your studies. The new courseware, like the CSCP courseware of the past, will position you to most effectively lead your company into a new era of business.

It sounds trite to say that time is flying by. But even if it is a cliché, it doesn’t mean it isn’t true!!

The Brandywine Valley APICS Chapter is wrapping up a very successful 2010-2011 program year that has gone by VERY quickly. Our combined membership of professional and student members is 385 strong. Our education programs for CPIM and CSCP certifications are healthy. We have the financial resources to maintain student scholarships at Widener University and begin a new scholarship at University of Delaware. In addition, we provide substantial support for the APICS Scholars program and Congress for Progress. Several members went to the International Conference in 2010. And, our Board has enjoyed the participation and leadership of 13 dedicated individuals.

A few highlights from the year past:
- The start of a new student Chapter at the University of Delaware. With the leadership of Lori Eagle (CSCP) and Dr. Chris Kydd at UD, we had a very successful lunch and learn series that brought about 20 students together for each of the 4 programs to learn more about supply chain and operations management roles in practice. My thanks to everyone involved. Let’s do it again!!
- Steve Boyd was named Member of the Year. Steve is stepping down from our Board after many (20+) years of involvement as Chapter President, Instructor, Education Leader, and most recently, VP of Marketing. Essentially, this is a lifetime achievement award for Steve. But this is not a eulogy……we will be seeing Steve in the coming years at our events!!
- DuPont was named Company of the Year in recognition of their active and on-going support of APICS and our Chapter. DuPonter’s represent 40 % of our membership and are very active in CSCP and CPIM certification programs. DuPont is also well represented on our Board of Directors.
- We have 128 members who have earned their CSCP Certification, 111 with have CPIM, 4 CFPIM (Fellow) and 6 CIRM certifications. Many members hold dual certifications. Overall, a whopping 60% of our professional members hold one or more APICS certifications.

Looking ahead, I am pleased to say that David Julius will taking over as Chapter President. He is a long time APICS member and a well known and respected Instructor for our Chapter. Please welcome David in this new role. As for me, I will be staying on the Board in the role Executive Vice President.

Enjoy your summer, and I will see you at our Professional Development Meetings and other activities in September.

Cheers,
Alan R. Leigh, CSCP, CPIM
President, APICS Brandywine Valley Chapter

Venu, the owner of Veritas Wine, has promised a wide variety of wines for tasting; sure to please even the most discriminating palette. By the time of the tasting, we might even convince him to offer up a few of his premium craftsman beers as well. To accompany this will be a selection of great finger foods, including a couple of hot selections. Catering will be by Lebano’s Catering a local woman business enterprise.

There will be a cost for this event. It is a mere $5, payable in cash or check at the door. This will be used to help defray the costs of the food and to cull out the bottom feeders among us. Please make an effort to contact Pam Lewis (Pamela.S.Lewis@USA.dupont.com) or Charlie Gillean (Charles.Gillean@AstraZeneca.com) with a short note that you will be attending. This will help us to better plan the appropriate level of food, etc.

Chicago, Ill. (March 8, 2011)—APICS The Association for Operations Management and the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina—Wilmington announced today the fourth quarter 2010 installment of the Operations Management Employment Outlook report. Fourth quarter results show 64 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility anticipate engaging new employees within the next 12 months. In 2009, only 48 percent indicated anticipated hiring.

This high level of expected hiring, when combined with a 50 percent decrease in expected layoffs (from 14 percent in 2009 to 7 percent in the fourth quarter report), indicates the highest level of net job growth in the operations and supply chain management professions since the global recession began.

“Throughout 2010, we saw incremental improvements in expected hiring in the operations and supply chain management professions,” said APICS chief executive officer Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. “This significant increase in expected hiring and decrease in expected layoffs in the fourth quarter of 2010, which have manifested themselves in the most recent US Labor Department jobs report, are cause for optimism that 2011 may see increased job creation—at the highest level since the global recession began.”

Further, 49 percent of survey respondents with hiring responsibility are planning to hire within one or more of the following operational areas: execution and control of operations, purchasing/customer relationship management, quality, resources planning, and supply chain management.

“Often, supply chain and operations management are a bellwether for the global economy as a whole. Increased expected hiring at this level across job functions has positive implications for a variety of sectors, including manufacturing,” said Drew Rosen, professor of operations management at the University of North Carolina—Wilmington and a member of the research team. “This quarter’s results are very promising for professionals seeking employment.” Employment Outlook data show demand for employees with “soft skills”—in addition to technical skills. Supply chain and operations management professionals who possess well-developed oral and written communication skills and customer service skills, in addition to, the following operations knowledge, will fair best in the hiring process, according to the fourth quarter report.

The entire report is available to APICS members at apics.org/research. Members of the media may request a full report from Rebecca Balliet, senior marketing manager, at rballiet@apics.org. Statistics are available based on gender, age, bonus, certification status, and geographic location. A condensed public version also is available.

APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in supply chain and operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, and materials management, as well as purchasing and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals. Visit www.apics.org for information.

W. L. Gore Lecture Series in Management Science

Inaugural Event — Buffet Lunch and Lecture
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 from Noon – 2:00pm

The W. L. Gore Lecture Series in Management Science will host its inaugural lecture on March 16, 2011. The lecture will be given by one of the foremost quality improvement and experimental design experts in the world today, Doug Montgomery. Biographical highlights for Doug Montgomery can be found on the W.L. Gore Lecture Series website.

This event will begin with a buffet lunch at noon on March 16. Seating for the event is by registration only. The registration period is from February 18 until March 7 or until seating is filled. There is a $10 registration fee for this event. Additional event details and a link to the registration site can be found here.

We hope you will be able to join us for the buffet lunch and lecture.

Sponsored by an endowment from the Gore family, this series features experts in the application of probability, statistics, and experimental design to decision making, including applications in academia, business, government, engineering, and medicine. The lecture series recognizes the key role that the fields of probability, statistics, and experimental design have played in the success of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

APICS members can participate and receive re-cert points by attending these functions.

When:
Thursday, February 24, 2011
We are to meet in the VWR parking lot at 9:30 Am with a plan to start at 10 or earlier if we get everyone there prior to 10.

Where:
The VWR Bridgeport, NJ location is just off of Exit 10 from Rt 295 N from the DE Memorial Bridge and South from the Commodore Barry Bridge.

Lunch:
The meeting and tour will take us up to lunch time with a cold lunch to be provided by VWR.

Dress:
Business casual attire including walk through of a warehouse which means leather shoes but no open toe shoes.

Cost:
No Cost, but you will need to provide your own transportation.

RSVP
By Friday, Feb 18 to
Thomas F. Martinelli, C.P.M.
Email: tfmartinelli@ashland.com
Phone: 302-995-3429

As I write this, there is turmoil in Egypt. People are demonstrating on the streets and the end-game for the government is in doubt.

It reminds me of the risks that our long supply chains face. Do any of your products or incoming materials go through the Suez Canal? It is likely that some of them do with an estimated 8% of the world’s seagoing trade passing through the canal that provides a key link between Europe and Asia.

We can’t prevent world events, but we can anticipate and manage the risks by applying sound risk management techniques. First of all, we need to stay alert and aware. If we know of a potential situation that is a risk, we can make plans to manage it. That means we have to communicate quickly and effectively throughout the organization any events that can interrupt our supply chains. Second, once we are alerted to a potential risk, we need to act quickly to put our plan into action. This is the plan that we developed earlier, remember? When we had time to think it through and assess the plus’s and minus’s of the different scenarios we envisioned. There are at least 2 reasons to act fast. The first is obvious…we want to protect ourselves and our customers. The 2nd may be less obvious….. when we are putting our contingency plan into action, our competitors are likely doing the same thing. It is also likely that we have similar thoughts of going after the same resources, which all of a sudden have become valuable and potentially scarce. Getting these resources working for us quickly could mean the difference between a manageable interruption, and a fiasco.

I hope and pray for the best for the people of Egypt. For the rest of us, let’s check the condition of our risk management plans.

Cheers,
Alan R. Leigh
President, APICS Brandywine Valley Chapter
CSCP, CPIM, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Topic: “Managing Change that Lasts”

Our professional development meetings are off to a great start! We held our first meeting of the season at the West Chester Holiday Inn on Tuesday, September 14th. We had a terrific turnout, welcoming back some familiar faces and also greeting some newcomers.

We were treated to a fantastic presentation by Dr. Annette Girondi on the topic of managing change. Annette shared some simple tools and techniques for managing change properly and also shared how we can all use everyday experiences to help us in our approach to managing change. Just a few of the highlights from Annette’s presentation are as follows: To make people comfortable with change, people need to under the 5 “W”s: what is changing?, who is involved?, when it happening?, why is it happening? and where is it happening? Communication and learning are essential to change management! We need to identify people impacted by change, or our stakeholders. We then need to plan activities for our stakeholders (communication and training). We also need to recognize that change is not transition. Transition is about letting go of old ways of working and adopting new. Real culture change happens after the change is implemented. The change journey starts with awareness and understanding and ends with ownership and reinforcement. Ultimately, we need to picture success and plan for it. Prior to implementing change, we really need to understand what a successful change will look like. Post implementation, we need to evaluate what actually happened and capture learning’s!

I’m certain that everyone at the meeting will think about change a little differently and be able to use some of the really simple techniques Annette shared to help manage change effectively.