Educational Tracks

EDGE presents a highly rated educational program spanning the end-to-end supply chain with the latest innovations, insights and perspectives shaping the industry.

Curated by our dedicated member volunteers, known as Track Chairs (scroll to the bottom to meet the 2026 class), EDGE delivers up to three sessions each on Monday, October 5th (EDGE Sessions 1-3) and Tuesday, October 6th (EDGE Sessions 4-6). Note that each track is exclusive to either Monday or Tuesday, so plan your schedule accordingly.

The sessions feature diverse formats, including panels, dynamic workshops, and lectures, offering actionable takeaways and best practices. Please stay tuned for updates as Track descriptions may be adjusted to reflect the ever-evolving state of the supply chain. Elevate your knowledge and expertise at EDGE 2026!

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Track Objectives & Track Chairs

Global Supply Chain — Presented only on Monday, 10/5

Co-Track Chair: Temidayo O Akenroye, Associate Professor of Supply Chain & Analytics, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Co-Track Chair: Mike Hamilton, Global Sales Director, Crane Worldwide Logistics
Co-Track Chair: Richard Richardson, Chief Equity Officer, RicheRich LLC

Global supply chains are operating in an increasingly complex environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade policies, and evolving sourcing strategies. This track is designed for senior leaders and practitioners who can share practical, real-world insights on how organizations are responding to these challenges at a strategic level.

Leadership & Talent: Young Professionals Academy — Presented only on Monday, 10/5

Co-Track Chair: Ian Macruda, Replenishment Planner, TireHub
Co-Track Chair: Thomas Clark, America's Supply Chain Recruiter, Direct Recruiters, Inc.

This track examines why organizations carefully plan for the products they deliver, but often fall short when it comes to planning for the people they hire, develop, and retain. Sessions will focus on practical strategies for building and sustaining a workforce equipped for today’s economy, with an emphasis on early-career and emerging leaders.

This track favors interactive, workshop-style sessions, including career-launching and skill-building content for those entering the workforce and those looking to grow in their current roles.

Network Planning & Optimization — Presented only on Tuesday, 10/6

Co-Track Chair: Michael Heisman, Founder & CEO, Tansect, Inc.
Co-Track Chair: Karan Gill, Head of AI for Supply Chain Optimization, Nestle USA
Co-Track Chair: Michael Fernandez, Department Char Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management, Alvin College

Nearshoring, AI, geopolitical disruption, natural disasters, and rising costs have pushed network planning and optimization to the forefront of supply chain strategy. When paired with ongoing structural shifts in global supply chains, the need for intentional, data-driven network design has never been greater. Failure to plan leads to inefficiencies, waste, and slower response to disruption.

Sessions in this track will feature organizations that have successfully redesigned their networks, offering practical insights to help attendees improve resilience, performance, and sustainability.

S&OP and Inventory Planning — Presented only on Tuesday, 10/6

Co-Track Chair: Joe Bozzo, Sales Director CPG, Blue Yonder
Co-Track Chair: Igino Colella, CEO, IES
Co-Track Chair: Hariharan Sivaprakasam, President & CEO, Sunland Logistics Solutions

This track explores how organizations can leverage today’s technologies to strengthen the fundamentals of S&OP and inventory planning in a “perma-crisis” environment. Sessions will focus on aligning technology, people, and processes to improve agility, enable real-time decision-making, and strengthen cross-functional collaboration across sales, finance, marketing, and supply chain teams.

Technology & Innovations — Presented only on Tuesday, 10/6

Co-Track Chair: Jonathan Smith, Senior Business Consultant, Tata Consultancy Services
Co-Track Chair: Nicole Miara, Global Head of Supply Chain Planning & SC Development, Huber & Suhner AG

This track explores how emerging technologies are transforming supply chain decision-making, network design, and workforce enablement. Sessions will move beyond buzzwords to show how AI, predictive analytics, digital twins, and autonomous decision-making are being applied in real-world supply chains to drive sustainability, resilience, security, and performance. Attendees will gain practical insight into where to start, where the greatest impact lies, and how to deploy these technologies in ways that create value and accelerate adoption.

Transportation & Logistics — Presented only on Monday, 10/5

Co-Track Chair: Heather Dohrn, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Dohrn Transfer Company
Co-Track Chair: Geoff Muessig, Chief Marketing Officer/Executive VP, PITT OHIO

Ongoing shifts in nearshoring, reshoring, and global trade disruption are reshaping transportation networks and freight lanes. As supply chains absorb both upstream and downstream pressure, transportation has become a critical pivot point for managing volatility, cost, capacity, and service. In this track, shipper, carrier, and 3PL leaders will share practical strategies they’ve used to navigate recent disruptions—along with perspectives on what’s coming next.

Warehousing & Distribution — Presented only on Monday, 10/5

Co-Track Chair: Megan Smith, Managing Director, Packgistics of Florida
Co-Track Chair: Adam Basson, CEO, FlexChain Holdings
Co-Track Chair: Jorge Duarte, VP Sales Mexico Cross Border U.S. Domestic, Fountain City Logistics

Warehousing and distribution sit at the center of today’s most pressing supply chain challenges—from labor shortages and rising costs to automation and global disruption. This track focuses on practical strategies and real-world applications that improve efficiency, resilience, and performance across distribution networks. Industry leaders will share insights on automation, labor and workforce models, real estate strategy, and data-driven operations to help organizations build more agile and future-ready facilities.

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