Q What drives you to be as engaged as you are in both the profession and in your private volunteer
efforts?
A I grew up in a house with parents who encour- aged a spirit of service. My dad owned an industrial catering company and was deeply involved with
the Red Cross. I remember that when there were some
disasters in the Chicago area, such as the McCormick
Place fire in 1967 and the tornado that struck Oak
Lawn that same year, my dad took his food trucks
to the sites so that he could feed the disaster-relief
personnel. My mom also was a very active volunteer
in numerous organizations. Growing up with parents
who place a high value on engagement and serving
others leaves an indelible impact on your life.
With respect to my engagement in professional and
not-for-profit organizations, one cornerstone for me
has been my belief that the world
is a better place when people [take
the initiative and try to make as
big a difference as they can].
One of the ministries that my
family has been involved with
since 1997 is the Youth With a
Mission ministry, which builds
homes for families in Tijuana and
Ensenada, Mexico. The first family we built a house for had nine
kids, and they were literally living
under a tarp. Two weeks prior to
the build, they lost their youngest
baby due to exposure. Seeing that
family get a house—as well as
many of the other families that we
have built for since then—gives us
a sense of satisfaction and joy. At the end of the day,
our family realizes that we may not change the world,
but we can make a positive difference in the lives of
those individuals who cross our paths.
Q Do you see participation in industry and profes- sional organizations as an obligation for yourself
and for other successful logistics and supply chain
professionals?
A First, while I would like to think that my moti- vation has been altruistic, practically speaking,
I have gotten more than I have given. While I
Second, I don’t know whether participating in these
organizations is an obligation, but I really do believe
that as successful logistics and supply chain pro-
fessionals, we have a responsibility to work toward
improving the supply chain and logistics world, and
leaving our profession in better shape than when we
began our careers. Engagement
in worthwhile associations facili-
tates this.
Finally, one of the things that
upset me is seeing people who
complain but never get engaged
to try and ameliorate the things
they are complaining about. One
of the reasons I am honored to
be a DSA winner is because as a
group, these individuals understand the need to be engaged and
to make a difference personally
and professionally.
Q You serve in leadership roles for many organizations and
are a frequent motivational speaker. What message do you try to convey through those
efforts?
A There are a couple of things I work to convey through my talks. First, I want to encourage
people to believe they can be “difference makers.”
Candidly, I meet a lot of hard-working, dedicated
logistics and supply chain professionals who are discouraged for several different reasons. Truth be told,
they work in environments where their accomplishments and capabilities are taken for granted, they
are continually challenged to do more with less, and
they live with the reality that their position could be
