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LQ’s mandate to provide “Ideas for Leadership in Logistics” is clearly evidenced this issue, with articles written by professionals and logisticians from America and Canada who are leading and transforming business by creating new roadmaps and definitions for leadership in this exciting field.

David J. Closs, Ph.D., LQ Executive Editor. Dr. Closs is the John H. McConnell Chaired Professor of the Eli Broad College of Business, Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Michigan State University. He has consulted with more than 100 of the world’s Fortune 500 corporations regarding logistics strategies and systems. He is an active member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).

Jim Davidson, CEO, Wheels Group, began his career in logistics at the Ford Motor Company in 1963 working in all aspects of logistics for 17 years. Mr. Davidson joined TNT in 1983 and held various management roles, including roles in operations, staff, administration and general management for a number of different divisions. He also served as the TNT board member representing North America at their European-based board meetings. He has served on the executive of the Canadian General Motors Supplier Council as well as Executive Vice President of the ATA Council of Logistics located in Alexandria, Virginia.

Richard L. Dawe, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Operations Management, The Ageno School of Business, Golden Gate University, San Francisco. Prior to becoming a full time faculty member at Golden Gate University of San Francisco in 1998, Mr. Dawe had extensive management experience in all areas of global supply chain operations, working with Intel, HP, Samsung, Packard-Bell, Del Monte, Colgate, Southern Pacific, National semiconductor, Lucent Technologies, Veba Electronics, U.S. Borax, and Cisco Systems. He has written numerous articles on supply chain management for professional publications and his book on information technology in operations management was published by Penton in 1994. Professor Dawe is an active participant with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), where he is the Co-Education chairman of the Global Virtual Roundtable. He is the education advisor to the Golden Gate Chapter of APICS and regularly attends meetings of the Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC), Women in Logistics, and the Institute of Supply Management (ISM). With the distribution Business Management (DBM) organization, he has served as a track chair and has also been a presenter at many of their annual conferences.

David Faoro is Director of Supply Chain for The International Group, Inc., a $400-million manufacturer of waxes and wax-based industrial products. In this role, he is responsible for customer service, purchasing, logistics and inventory management. For over 20 years, David has worked in the chemical, food and beverage, office products and wholesale distribution sectors in all aspects of supply chain management. He holds an M.B.A. from the Ivey School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce (Logistics) from the University of British Columbia. A Past-President of the Toronto chapter of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and a member of the Advisory Board of Logistics Quarterly, David is married with two children and lives in Aurora, Ontario.

Terri Ferraro is Director, Supply Chain and Transportation, Famous Footwear and Brown Shoe Retail Logistic. Famous Footwear is the U.S.A.’s number one retailer of name brand shoes for less for the entire family. One in every 10 American families shops at Famous Footwear for back-to-school shoes each year. Famous Footwear is one of the top five retailers for great brands such as Skechers, Nike and Timberland.

Thomas J. Goldsby, Ph.D., University of Kentucky. Professor Goldsby’s areas of research include logistics strategy and supply chain integration. He has served as a logistics analyst and researcher in the corporate and public sectors and has received awards for his teaching and research. He has published articles in several academic and professional journals including the Journal of Business logistics, the International Journal of Logistics Management, the International Journal of Physical distribution and Logistics management, Management Science, Supply Chain Management Review and the Journal of Operations Management. He currently serves as a member of the Council of Logistics Management (now CSCMP), the American Society of transportation and Logistics and the warehousing Education and Research Council.

Bill Graves, a former governor of Kansas, is the President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

Cameron Joyce is President of McKesson Logistics Solutions, a company that evolved from the merger of the 3PL healthcare businesses of McKesson Canada and Associated Logistics solutions. McKesson Logistics Solutions is responsible for the supply chain of over $2 billion in prescription drugs, over the counter medications, health and beauty aids and medical devices on behalf of their clients. His current focus is on ensuring the organization is at the forefront of providing clients with innovative, customized solutions to suit their business needs. Cameron is currently on the Board of Directors of the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA) and is Co-Chair of the Canadian Council of the IWLA.

Ed Kearns is the President of Kearns Transportation Services. His areas of expertise encompass operational planning, marketing and sales of intermodal trucking, railway and marine freight services. In addition, his areas of specialization include promotion, market development and sales for Canadian ports, as well as warehousing, distribution and processing. Prior to his consulting practice, Mr. Kearns was the Senior Vice President of Fraser Wharves Ltd. He has also held senior-level positions at “K” Line Canada Ltd. and Kerr Steamships (Canada) Ltd. His tenure includes management positions at Crossland containers Limited and the Saint John Port Development commission. Mr. Kearns is a member of The Toronto Transportation Club.

John Langley Jr., Ph.D., M.B.A. Dr. Langley is Professor of Supply Chain Management and Director of Supply Chain Executive Programs at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Langley is a former President of the Council of Logistics Management (now CSCMP), and a recipient of the Council’s distinguished Service Award. In 2004 he was honored as one of the profession’s top five logistics executives at the Richmond Events Logistics and Supply Chain Forum. He received his Ph.D. degree in Business Logistics from Penn State University. Dr. Langley has co-authored several books, including The management of Business Logistics, a 7th edition textbook published in 2003. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of UTi Worldwide, Inc., Averitt Express, Inc., and Forward Air Corporation. He is also lead author of the annual study on the 3PL industry, the most recent of which is titled 2004 Ninth Annual Study of 3PL Service Providers: Views from the Customers.

John Motley is the founder, President and CEO of LOG-NET. Since he wrote the initial computer program that serves as the cornerstone of the company’s supply chain execution application, he has led LOG-NET’s global growth as a leading provider of logistics technology to third-party logistics providers, importers and exporters. Today LOG-NET systems manage the detailed movement of 600,000 intermodal containers per year — almost 10% of the U.S. import trade. LOG-NET is also the world’s largest processor of ocean-carrier electronic messages. Motley began his career in international trade at 17, entering the prestigious United States Merchant Marine Academy. While at the Academy he studied engineering and sailed aboard international merchant vessels. Prior to founding LOG-NET in 1991, he worked for American President Lines (APL) in container freight operations, equipment management, intermodal operations, logistics and sales.

Drawing on his years at APL he used his engineering and computer programming skills to design the LOG-NET system that features “best practices” for international multi-modal logistics. In addition to his degree from USMMA, Motley studied at New York University and graduated with an M.B.A. in Information Systems.

He served nine years as a Naval Reserve officer with the Maritime Reserve and Military Sealift Command and facilitates the development of global standards for logistics e-commerce and business practices as a member of several industry and technical associations including the Data interchange Standards Association of ANSI X12, the Council of Logistics management (now CSCMP), the international Mass Retailers association, the National Retail Federation, the american Trucking Associations, ebXML, the American purchasing and Inventory Control Society and the National industrial transportation League.

LOG-NET is also the founding sponsor of the Shippers for international Electronic Logistics Data (SHIELD), a group that specializes in facilitating electronic compliance information requirements of Department of homeland security regulations.

Diane Mollenkopf, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing and Logistics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She was on faculty at Michigan State University from 2002 to 2005 and a faculty member at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand, for eight years prior to moving to the United States. Before pursuing an academic career, Dr. Mollenkopf worked as a logistics and product manager for several international organizations, primarily in the cosmetics industry. Her responsibilities included managing U.S. inventories and coordinating production/shipping from European factories, as well as managing transportation and delivery activities, both internationally and domestically.

As an academic, Dr. Mollenkopf’s research coalesces under the broad umbrella of corporate value creation. Her research can be categorized into two main research streams, one relating to logistics/supply chain integration and the other relating to environmentally responsible logistics/supply chain practices. Her interest in integration and environmental issues stems from her belief that these are two areas in which firms can create value — for themselves, certainly, but also for their customers, supply chain partners, communities and other stakeholders. Much of her work has been conducted in an international environment.

While living overseas, Dr. Mollenkopf worked with several major New Zealand organizations. She developed and presented a variety of logistics and supply chain seminars throughout New Zealand and Australia. She continues to work with executive development programs in the U.S. She is a member of the Council of Supply Chain management Professionals (CSCMP).

Thomas Nightingale is the Vice President of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer of Con-way Freight. Prior to joining Con-way he was the Vice President of Corporate Marketing, schneider National, Inc. And before that, he worked in senior marketing, sales leadership and operations roles for several transportation, logistics and supply chain companies, including Clareon, a B2B payment software subsidiary of FleetBoston Financial; Paxis, a supply chain services joint venture between GATX and Lockheed Martin; CSX Transportation; and United Parcel Service. Mr. Nightingale holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Marketing/Management from Siena College and received his M.B.A. from Syracuse University, where he completed graduate studies in Organization and Management.

Chris Norek, Ph.D., has 15 years of experience in supply chain and logistics–related consulting across several industries including retail, consumer products, industrial products, services and internet business fulfillment.

He has consulted for both CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation, formerly Cleveland Consulting Associates) and Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) and also has extensive consulting experience as an independent consultant. He spent three years as a professor of logistics and transportation, two years on the faculty of the University of Tennessee and one year on the faculty of Auburn University.

In addition, he has worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation as an area planner, Apple Computer as a worldwide materials planning analyst and Office Depot as an internal logistics consultant. His independent consulting engagements included work for amazon.com, Aramark Uniform Services, The Sports Authority and accenture/Andersen Consulting. Dr. Norek has his B.S. in Business Logistics from Pennsylvania State university, an M.B.A. with a concentration in logistics and transportation from the University of Tennessee and an M.A.B.A. and Ph.D. in logistics and transportation from The Ohio State University.

He is also a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the Council of Logistics Management (now CSCMP), the warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) and the National Retail federation (NRF).

He is also a recurring invited speaker to supply chain executive development programs at the University of Tennessee, the University of North florida, the University of Louisville and ITRAN (a professional group headed by the Georgia Freight Bureau). Dr. Norek is a member of CommerceNet’s Evolving Supply Initiative’s advisory board.

Peruvemba S. Ravi is an Assistant professor in the Operations and Decision Sciences area at the School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier university, Ontario, and a member of the Supply Chain Management faculty group at Wilfrid Laurier. Professor Ravi holds a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India, an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta, India, an M.S. in Operations Research from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, and an M.S.B.A. and Ph.D. in Operations Management from washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to joining Wilfrid Laurier University, Dr. Ravi was a visiting faculty member at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses in operations management and supply chain management. Dr. Ravi’s research interests include logistics and supply chain management, the marketing–manufacturing interface and scheduling. He was awarded the Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2001, an award that is granted annually to only about twenty researchers in Canada. He also holds a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Dr. Ravi is a member of the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), the Production and Operations management Society (POMS) and the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS).

Kurt Ritcey, Partner, Deloitte, is a management consultant and specializes in improving supply chain operations for clients in many industries including manufacturing, consumer business and energy. He has directed improvement projects throughout the supply chain including strategic sourcing, e-procurement, demand management, inventory management, distribution and warehouse operations.

Mr. Ritcey leads Deloitte’s Canadian Sourcing and procurement practice, focusing on assisting clients to improve business results by implementing strategic sourcing, procurement transformation, supplier relationship management and electronic procurement solutions. In addition to his work in Canada and the U.S., Kurt has worked in Hong Kong, Germany and Mexico. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University and an M.B.A. from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.

Keith Robson graduated from the Aston University in Birmingham, england, and joined the automotive industry in marketing and product planning roles.

He then spent 20 years with Massey Ferguson/Verity corporation in various roles including Vice President, corporate Controller and President of a division involved in parts warehousing and distribution. Since 1990 he has worked as a consultant in strategic management, including the turnaround of Canadian Pacific Trucks. In 2001, he took on the role of President of the Institute of Corporate Directors, where he was instrumental in establishing an educational program for corporate directors.

In 2002, he was appointed President and CEO at the Hamilton Port Authority, which manages the port operations and recreational uses of Hamilton Harbour. In this role he has demonstrated leadership in the community, working with the United Way to create new port-focused programs. He has just completed four years as Chair of the transportation Committee of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Education Committee of the Institute of Corporate Directors and a board member of Friends of HMCS Haida.

In 2005, Keith completed his ICD certification as a Corporate Director and also became Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee as well as serving on several industry related organizations. In 2006, the university of Aston in England recognized Keith’s career achievements by honouring him as a Fellow of the Aston Business School.

Nicholas Seiersen, B.Sc. (Hons.), M.B.A., P.Log., LQ Executive Editor, is a Senior Manager with KPMG, based in Toronto, Ontario. He specializes in supply chain consulting, with particular attention to strategic sourcing and supply chain planning and operations. Mr. Seiersen is the Canadian Service Line lead for Operations Cost Management at KPMG. Mr. Seiersen holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Biochemistry and an M.B.A. in Industrial Management. He teaches executive development courses at top universities in Europe and North America. He is the past President of the Toronto Roundtable of the Council of Logistics Management (now CSCMP).