Alan Erera is a Manhattan Associates/Dabbiere Chair and the Associate Chair for Research in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. He is also the faculty director for the M.S. in Supply Chain Engineering program, Co-Director for Global Transportation in the Supply Chain & Logistics Institute, and Co-Executive Director of the Georgia Tech Panama Logistics Innovation & Research Center. Dr. Erera's research focuses on transportation and logistics systems planning and control, with an emphasis on planning under uncertainty and real-time operational control. His recent work has addressed dynamic vehicle routing systems for same-day distribution; resilient logistics network design for food supply chains; service network design, linehaul equipment management, and driver scheduling for consolidation freight carriers; robust container fleet management for global shipping companies; and robust and flexible vehicle routing system planning and control for distribution companies. He has written extensively in these subject areas, and has delivered over 100 technical presentations and invited lectures. His research program has been supported by federal agencies (DHS, USDOT, NSF) and major U.S. freight carriers and manufacturing firms.
Speakers
Additional speakers to be added
Keynote Speakers
Alan Erera
George Q. Huang
George joined Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in December 2022 as Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing. Prior to this appointment, he was Chair Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Head of Department in Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at The University of Hong Kong. He gained BEng and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Southeast University (China) and Cardiff University (UK) respectively. He has conducted research projects in areas of Smart Manufacturing, Logistics, and Construction through IoT-enabled Cyber-Physical Internet and Systems Analytics. His research has been supported with substantial government and industrial grants exceeding HK$100M. He has directed a strong research team and collaborated closely with leading academic and industrial organizations through joint projects and start-up companies. He has published extensively and his works have been highly cited by research communities. He serves as associate editors and editorial members for several international journals. He is Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of ASME, CILT, HKIE, IET, and IISE.
Fernando Liesa
Dr. Fernando Liesa is Secretary General at ALICE, Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe, The European Technology Platform on Logistics since July 2013. ALICE is setting up a vision for logistics and supply management and the research agenda and roadmaps to progress towards the concept of the Physical Internet as an enabler to achieve zero emission logistics in an affordable way. Fernando holds a PhD by University of Zaragoza (Spain) since 2004. Fernando has worked in the field of knowledge transfer and research management linked to chemical engineering, process industries, manufacturing and lately (last 15 years) to logistics and supply chain management. Fernando worked in Zaragoza Logistics Center (one of the MIT Global Scale Network centers) from 2006 to 2014 as Knowledge Transfer Director, from 2007 to 2014 as General Manager of the Spanish Center of Competence in Logistics, CNC-LOGISTICA. During 2014-2016, Fernando was Logistics Innovation Leader at ENIDE. Dr. Liesa has coordinated and participated in several national and European Research and Innovation projects. Fernando Liesa led the creation of the European Technology Platform in Logistics, ALICE. Fernando is appointed member of the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum launched in 2015 by the European Commission (DGMOVE) and the Connected and Cooperative and Autonomous group launched in 2019 by the European Commission (DGMOVE).
Takayuki Mori
With over three decades of extensive experience in the maritime and logistics industry, Takayuki Mori has established himself as a leading authority in the field. Beginning his career at Mitsui Osk Lines (MOL) in 1975, he honed his expertise through various roles within the company. Notably, he served as Managing Director at MOL's German subsidiary, AMT freight GmbH, for four years, showcasing his adeptness in international operations. Transitioning to academia in 2006, Prof. Mori joined the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences as a professor. His dedication to education led him to serve as a visiting professor at Thammasat University in Thailand in 2010, fostering strong relationships with numerous universities in the region, including Chiang Mai University and Mae Falung University. In recent years, Takayuki has played a pivotal role in shaping transport policies and standards on both national and international levels. As an expert in the Japan-ASEAN Transport Policy Meeting since 2017, he spearheaded the development of "Cold Chain Guidelines," subsequently leading efforts to establish them as an ISO international standard. Furthermore, his involvement in domestic committees, such as Japan's technical committee TC344 on "Innovative Logistics," underscores his commitment to driving industry advancements. Beyond his academic and professional endeavors, Prof. Mori actively contributes to governmental committees, advocating for sustainable policies in areas such as ports and environmental conservation.
Todd Ullom
Todd Ullom has over 30 years' experience as an entrepreneur, developer, general contractor, technologist, and market strategist holding senior executive positions with both private and public companies. He is currently vice president for MiTek, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, leading the development of the company’s distributed construction platform which is initially focused on offsite volumetric assembly of hotels. He joined MiTek as part of the acquisition of Innovation Builder, a technology company founded by Todd with a focus on solving the construction industry's toughest problems. Throughout his career, Todd has managed both growth and turnaround companies, developed new business opportunities, designed industry leading business processes and developed innovative marketing strategies. His experience includes founder and president of a bespoke building company; senior leadership positions in large private and public construction companies including COO, region president, VP of strategy and operations; and VP of strategy and business development for a technology firm.
Plenary Panelists
Michael O. Miller
Michael Miller is CEO for G&W’s North American operations, ensuring safe and efficient service for customers in 43 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. He previously served as G&W’s Chief Commercial Officer for eight years and President of G&W’s North American operations for five years. Prior to joining G&W in 2010, Michael was General Manager of Norfolk Southern’s Modalgistics Supply Chain Solutions, where he improved customers’ supply chain efficiencies through rail, transload and intermodal service as well as Vice President of Strategic Development for Derivion. He also held logistics-related positions at Georgia-Pacific and Roadway Express. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in business management from North Carolina State University.
Michelle Livingstone
Michelle Livingston has more than thirty years of transportation and supply chain experience in retail, direct-to-customer, and the consumer products industry. As former Vice President – Transportation for The Home Depot, she led a highly talented team that oversaw the movement of all domestic and international shipments into Home Depot's distribution centers and outbound to stores. Prior to joining The Home Depot in 2007, Michelle served as the Senior Vice President of Transportation for C & S Wholesale Grocers, Vice President of Transportation for JCPenney, and the Senior Director of Transportation for Kraft Foods North America. Michelle is actively engaged in the industry and continues to devote time to the Transportation Institute of the University of Denver, the Coalition for Responsible Transportation, the Network of Executive Women, and AWESOME, an industry group focused on advancing women leaders in supply chain. Michelle earned her M.B.A. with high honors from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She holds a B. S. degree in Business, with a concentration in transportation, from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Bill Loftis
Bill is an experienced logistics and supply chain management consultant, with over 30 years designing and implementing solutions that span many industries and all supply chain functions. He aspires to advance supply chain solutions that can make a sustainable difference by eliminating waste and unnecessary resources, with a specific goal of helping clients reduce their carbon footprint as their business grows. Bill retired from private industry in 2020 and created Supply Chain Ecology as a platform to research, develop and promote more sustainable supply chain strategies. His specialties include new solutions for intermodal rail, supply chain visibility and e-commerce supply chain solutions.
Tim Marss
Josh Raglin
Josh Raglin is Chief Sustainability Officer for Norfolk Southern Corporation, one of the premier transportation companies in North America. In his role, Josh leads efforts to transform the company’s sustainability strategy. He champions initiatives that integrate sustainability practices into daily operations to achieve efficiencies, control costs, generate revenue, and reduce environmental impacts. These efforts include close collaboration with department leaders company-wide, along with external stakeholders such as customers, investors, government, and communities. Josh was awarded a Regional Director’s Conservation Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for outstanding contributions to conservation for his work on land conservation and endangered species recovery. He has twice been Norfolk Southern’s nominee for the North American Railroad Environmental Excellence Award.
Marty Schlenker
Marty Schlenker serves as the Head of Strategy at Parallel Systems, a pioneering company revolutionizing the rail industry through innovative software and hardware solutions aimed at decarbonizing freight transportation. With a robust background in transportation and technology leadership, Marty brings extensive expertise in various facets of rail operations, planning, and industrial development. With a career spanning over 25 years, including leadership roles at BNSF and CSX, as well as consulting engagements across four continents, Marty has accumulated invaluable experience in operational control systems, IoT integration, analytics, and strategic planning. His professional affiliations include prominent organizations such as the American Railroad Engineering & Maintenance Association (AREMA), the Canadian Blockchain Supply Chain Association, INFORMS, and the National Defense Transportation Association. Marty holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and a Master's degree in Transportation from the MIT Center for Transportation Studies.
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