Upcoming events:

In Collaboration with the ASCM Akron Chapter

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 – Virtual professional development meeting

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) — An Essential Skill

While it is common to complain about problems, it is less common to do a proper root cause analysis on the problems. This presentation will cover both the “why” and the “how” of RCA, and discuss how to move from fire-fighting to a more strategic approach to running a business. Example RCA tools will be included, as well insights into developing effective work plans.

Presented by: Gary Kerslake, CSCP

Customer focused, manufacturing savvy professional with over 40 years in line, staff, and consulting experience. As a consultant, Gary has worked with several of our nation’s leading corporations and government agencies. Prior to becoming a supply chain consultant, he was both a materials manager and plant manager. With his valuable hands-on manufacturing expertise, he can give his clients practical solutions to their lean or supply chain process improvement activities. He has been presented the prestigious “Award of Excellence” from the U.S. Army Materiel Command for his leadership with their Logistics Modernization Program. Gary was recently named “Instructor of the Year” and, granted a “Lifetime Achievement” award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Supply Chain Management.

Schedule: (Mountain Time Zone)
5:00pm MST – Feature presentation
6:20pm MST – Closing remarks

Location:
ONLINE meeting using Zoom software. A meeting link will be sent out the morning of the meeting.

Cost: Free for ASCM Akron and New Mexico Forum chapter members. $15 for all others.

Reservations: RSVP’s required by 10am on Tuesday, December 9th to programs@ascmAkron.org.

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Past Events

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 – Virtual professional development meeting

Autonomous Mobile Robotics in the Warehouse

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Time: 7:00 pm (MST)

Location: Virtual

Cost: $0

*Registrants will receive a link the day before the Meeting on 11/11/2025

** Register by 11/9 at:

Topic: Autonomous Mobile Robotics in the Warehouse

Speaker: Brian Harris

In a modern supply chain world of escalating customer expectations, ongoing labor shortages, and increasing demands to lower operational costs while maximizing throughput, Autonomous Mobile Robotics (AMR) is the fastest growing technology in warehousing operations and highlights the accelerating adoption of advanced technologies by organizations looking to increase efficiency, reduce cost, improve warehouse user experience, and future-proof supply chain strategies.

This is no more evident than the 2025 Gartner Warehouse Management System Critical Capabilities Report that projects by 2028, “80% of warehouses and distribution centers will implement some form of robotics or warehouse automation.

The robotics revolution is here. Will you be ready?

Utilizing industry insights and personal experiences collaborating on Small Business to Enterprise-level robotics projects, I will dive into a holistic overview of the Autonomous Mobile Robotics landscape, explore key considerations when evaluating robotics strategies, and provide lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful real world project examples.

Brian Harris is currently an Account Executive with Made4Net and former Enterprise Account Manager with Infios (Korber/Highjump) focused on Supply Chain Execution technologies including Warehouse Management (WMS), Robotics, Labor Management (LMS), and Transportation Management (TMS) within the Retail, eCommerce, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, 3PL, and Consumer Goods industries.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2025 – Virtual professional development meeting

Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Time: 6:00 pm (MST)

Location: Virtual

Cost: $0

*Registrants will receive a link the day before the Meeting

** Register by 10/13 at 5:00 pm (MST)

Topic: Tariffs, Technology, Transformation and Talent

Speaker: Scott DeGroot

Tariffs, Technology, Transformation, and Talent – Leading through Supply Chain Disruption

In today’s business world we are experiencing a lot of change and disruption, we will discuss what is happening and some ideas to navigate the changing world of the supply chain.

Scott is currently the Managing Director, Adjunct Lecturer, and researcher at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business Global Supply Chain Institute. Prior to that, he was the Global Vice President of Planning and Distribution at Kimberly-Clark Corporation. In this role, Scott and his team were accountable for the results delivery of Planning, S&OP, Customer-facing Logistics, Physical Logistics Operating Excellence, On-Time In-Full and North American Transport. His team delivered our products to KC’s consumers efficiently and effectively, every day, every time, and everywhere. His team optimized overall logistic spend of $1.8B, $1.7B of inventory and delivered industry leading OTIF results.

Scott was also the General Manager of Kimberly-Clark’s Eastern Grocery team in North America. Scott’s accountabilities included driving over $650MM in revenue through a highly engaged team that included Ahold, Wakefern, HEB, Publix, Delhaize and BiLo Holdings. During his 35+ years at Kimberly-Clark, Scott has held ever increasing areas of accountability and leadership including: Director of Supply Chain Strategy; Director of Consumer Planning; Director of Distribution Operations; Director of Transportation Procurement and Analysis; Director of Transportation Operations; and Regional Logistics Leader in Chester, PA, where he led all logistics operations at the largest site in the Kimberly-Clark network.

Schedule:

6:00 pm – Networking

6:30 pm – Chapter Announcements

6:45 pm – Speaker

Tickets

$0 Member Virtual

$0 Guest Virtual