The Sourcing Hero

Ep 78: Empowering Procurement to Create Broader Value feat. Brian Chaplin

Modernizing procurement organizations from tactical to strategic takes more than new technology and upgraded processes. The individuals on the team will need to embrace change as well. Whether it is through improved relationships with internal stakeholders and key suppliers, or distributed authority to generate ideas and make decisions, everyone has a role to play.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Brian Chaplin, Director of Global Sourcing for Medline Industries. Brian has experience managing indirect procurement in manufacturing-centric industries like CPG, aerospace, and energy. He changed jobs during the pandemic, moving into healthcare distribution at a very interesting time in the industry, and has been working to formalize his team and modernize procurement operations since.
In this conversation, Brian talks about his international team’s journey towards strategic, value-oriented procurement:
What it was like taking a role in healthcare during the pandemic, one that requires him to manage a remote team
His vision for how Medline procurement can expand the value they deliver to all North American operations
Positioning the value proposition of procurement in a sales and marketing driven organization
The need for relationships building with suppliers, and how the team is pulling them closer while still emphasizing quality and performance

Ep 77: Manufacturing Macrotrends and the Metaverse feat. Minesh Pore

Although each procurement professional and team does the best they can under the circumstances they are handed, all industries and companies are subject to global megatrends… and they never stop evolving. From where low cost labor is located to how the “fast fashion” industry is managed, the rate of change is accelerating - and having implications worldwide.
 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Minesh Pore. Minesh has over two decades worth of experience leading multinational organizations in Intraprenuership, corporate transformation, business development, and strategic planning. Today, he is getting the opportunity to put all of that to work as the Founder and CEO of BuyHive.
  
In this conversation, Minesh talks about the macrotrends he is watching and how he thinks they will affect how all of us work in the future:
How the rise of third party platforms and service providers may change procurement’s opportunity to create value
The impact that continued remote working and freelancing may have on procurement talent and staffing
The advantages associated with all corporate functions breaking out of their comfortable silos and having the opportunity to learn from colleagues

Ep 76: Tapping Into the Thoughts of Today’s CPOs feat. Tarek Alaruri and Greg Tennyson

The most interesting conversations at in-person events are rarely started from the stage. Instead, they take place quietly, one-on-one, in the coffee line or during lunch. Procurement has been on a two-year hiatus from these networking opportunities, so now that events are back on the calendar, what are CPOs talking about? 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Tarek Alaruri and Greg Tennyson, both from Fairmarkit. Tarek is their Co-founder and COO, and Greg - a return guest to The Sourcing Hero podcast - is their SVP of Strategy and Procurement.  
In this conversation, Tarek and Greg provide up-to-the moment thoughts and advice about the complexities procurement and supply chain professionals face today:
What they are hearing between sessions at the in-person events they have recently attended
How economic pressures, such as record-high levels of inflation, change the playing field for companies
Approaches procurement professionals can use to stay educated and inspired enough to have informed, action oriented discussions

Ep 75: Turmoil Around the Globe: Sri Lanka and the Netherlands feat. Kris Lance

A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, and the images coming out of Sri Lanka and the Netherlands may be worth more than that. From economic instability leading to the overturn of a government, to individual families and farm operations fighting to preserve their livelihood, these two stories offer all of us lessons about human motivation and the challenges presented by disruptive chance.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Kris Lance, Senior Director at Una, for a recurring monthly conversation about current news stories. Kris has experience in multiple industries and has his finger on the pulse of the trends and topics that procurement, sourcing, and supply chain professionals need to be aware of.
In this interview, Kris and Kelly talk about the government upheaval in Sri Lanka and the farmers’ strike in the Netherlands:
What is happening in each story and what role are pictures and social media playing in the shaping of public perceptions?
How can supply chain professionals reconcile sustainability regulations that start as government policy but have to be translated into executable processes?
The many things that we all have in common, despite differences in location, career, and philosophy

Ep 74: Creating Opportunities for Networking & Education feat. Kathy Perna

Networking has changed a lot in procurement - and the transition from in-person to digital was underway even before the pandemic hit. Digital networking requires a different kind of energy, and when the whole world stopped and went home to work, the most creative educators in the field of procurement found new ways to bind the community together and add value. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Kathy Perna. Kathy may not be a procurement professional in practice, but she is a critical member of the community that has been hard at work promoting networking and education for thirty years, first as part of the National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM) and now as the Executive Director of ISM-New Jersey.  
In this conversation, Kathy shares her perspective on how networking has changed and the variety of educational needs that have to be met for procurement professionals to shine:
How the professional association model has been affected by the very unusual last two years
Why it is important for procurement training and education to go beyond “traditional” topics 
Some of the trends she has watched during her (almost!) three decades working to support the procurement community

Ep 73: Bridging Business Gaps Through Reflective Procurement feat. Thomas Siersbæk Heller-Njor

Procurement can talk about systems and processes all it likes, but without making a real and lasting investment in people, sustained success will remain elusive. In many cases, this means learning to understand the motivations of people quite unlike themselves, walking a mile in their shoes before trying to drive specific types of engagement. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Thomas Siersbæk Heller-Njor. Thomas is the Founder and CEO of CostBits, but he has held multiple roles within procurement. He helped lead digital transformation at Maersk, and worked as Head of Operations Consulting at PwC. Now he is applying all of his digital and human experiences to change people’s behavior with regard to procurement. 
In this conversation, Thomas speaks about the different human gaps, challenges, and opportunities procurement must be prepared to address to achieve long term success:
Why every transformation effort must start with an acknowledgement that people come before systems and processes   
Why procurement needs to understand the different personas they support in the company (and outside of it), and why the best approach might be to allow for discussion between personas
The conditions, traits, and skill sets that are required for long term procurement success

Ep 72: Making an Impact Through Mission-Connected Procurement feat. Iris Cooper

How each leader sees procurement has a directional impact on what the team is able to achieve for their larger organization and the community they serve. Savings is often described as ‘table stakes’ for procurement, but even those savings are not just dollars and cents. Whether procurement is working in the public sector or private, there has to be a connection between the numbers and what they mean in a real world sense.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Iris Cooper. Iris is a dedicated procurement professional who has worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Treasury and who is now the Assistant Secretary for Procurement, Contracts & Grants at North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service. All of her work is mission-connected and based on her belief that each procurement team can - and must - make a significant impact in the community they serve.
In this conversation, Iris is open about the passion and techniques she relies upon to positively impact communities through her procurement work and leadership:
Positioning the mission of procurement in the context of public sector health and human services
Ensuring that values such as community support and a service mission are evident in every member of the team
How procurement can build trust between the organizations they are a part of and the communities they serve

Ep 71: Leveraging Logistics and Supply Chain for Ukraine feat. Maureen Woolshlager

There is no end to the opportunities for mission-driven organizations to contribute their knowledge and resources to the world. In order to be successful, these organizations have to remain focused and ensure that their mission converts to action in a way that benefits those in need. 
 In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Maureen Woolshlager. Maureen is the Director of Business Development at Vector Global Logistics. She has a background in manufacturing, supply chain, and account management and is one of the hosts of Logistics with Purpose, part of the Supply Chain Now family of shows.
In this conversation, Maureen shares her perspective on Vector’s efforts to help the Ukrainian people:
How the Vector team made the decision to get involved and where the primary focus of their efforts has been
Some of the challenges they have had to overcome while working to connect global donors with carriers and recipients
Shifting the pace of their work as the conflict stretches on in an effort to make it more sustainable