Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Frank Kenney, director of industry strategy at Cleo. The Federal government shutdown is in its third week now with no end in sight. Beyond the politics of each party blaming the other for failing to fund the government, there are real repercussions that affect many aspects of American life – including our supply chains. Our guests shares how this latest disruption is adding even more uncerta...

Our guest on this week's episode is Amanda Hedberg, vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Aspire, a Chicago non-profit organization that works to place people with disabilities into the labor market. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This yearly event began in 1945 and is now commemorating 80 years of acknowledging the good work that people with mental and physical disabilities bring to their jobs...

Our guest on this week's episode is Sean Daley, director of sustainability consulting at Sphera. Among the many changes happening in Washington is a reprioritizing of environmental issues. The Environmental Protection Agency is among many of the government agencies that has undergone dramatic policy changes. Our guest discusses those changes and how to prepare for shifting EPA regulations.  

The world has been experiencing Amer...

Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). Twenty years ago last month, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, leaving in its wake an estimated $125 billion dollars of damage and countless lives changed. It was during this catastrophe that a group logisticians had an idea - and ALAN, the American Logistics Aid Network, was born. Our guest shares the wor...

Our guest on this week's episode is Doug Cantriel, the head of North American transportation for the Ford Motor Company’s Customer Service Division. Accurately delivering more than 400,000 parts every night to 3,000-plus Ford automotive dealers is complex work. Charged with this daily task is the team led by Cantriel. They manage the delivery of parts from suppliers to packagers, distribution centers, and then finally to the d...

Our guest on this week's episode is Clete Cordero, vice president of pricing and traffic at Southeastern Freight Lines. He is also chairman of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). In July, NMFTA introduced a new system of freight classification to the trucking industry. The new system is design to streamline freight classes by basing it shipments on density and dimensions rather than on commodity type. Our g...

Our guest on this week's episode is John Lash, group vice president of product strategy at e2open. Last week the de minimis exemption ended. This tariff exemption applied to imports on low-value goods. Our guest shares how its loss will affect supply chains and impact small importers in particular. Will this limit consumer choice?

There was some steady movement in recent years for adopting electric vehicles, but now with course...

Our guest on this week's episode is Scott Cornell, vice president of transportation at Travelers. Summer will soon be wrapping up, but the heat of summer will be around for a few more weeks yet, at least. Too much of that heat can destroy food and other products while they are in transit. How can we protect temperature-controlled cargo? We have some tips. 

As we approach peak season, a new survey shows that the supply chain sec...

Our guest on this week's episode is Chris Steiner, senior vice president of product management at Dematic. In the past, automation was often viewed as nice to have. But in these days of customer expectations for speed and shortages of available workers, automation is now a "must have." We often think of automation just being placed into shiny new facilities, but a lot can be done to automate existing legacy facilitie...

Our guest on this week's episode is Joel Wayment, VP/GM at Cardinal Health Third Party Logistics and Packaging Solutions. We are definitely in the dog days of summer and in just about every part of the country we are really feeling the heat. While many people like to soak up the sun’s rays, high temperatures are not so welcome for the pharmaceuticals we rely on to stay healthy every day. A lot of drugs have to be kept at stric...

Our guest on this week's episode is James Shefelbine, principal at PraxiChain Consulting. Last week it was announced that Union Pacific Railroad has entered into an agreement to acquire Norfolk Southern. Aside from creating a true transcontinental railroad, it greatly would expand the reach of this historic rail company. But not everyone is onboard with the merger. Who is in favor and who is opposed? What’s the likelihood the ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Lisa Anderson, founder and president of LMA Consulting Group. The One Big Beautiful Bill is now the law of the land. Among the provisions in this expansive legislation are incentives to encourage business investment. But, how will the bill affect our supply chains and will it provide support to grow domestic manufacturing? Our guest offers some insights.

Two of the nation’s major railroads ar...

Our guest on this week's episode is Manish Kapoor, founder and CEO of Growth Catalyst Group. Since we have passed the mid-summer mark of 2025, retailers are now focused on the next dates on the retail calendar – and that’s back to school season. This is traditionally the second busiest season of the retail year. But like everything in supply chains in 2025, this year has not been normal. Our guest helps us find out how retail ...

Our guest on this week's episode is Zac Rogers, associate professor of Supply Chain Management at Colorado State University and the lead author of the monthly Logistics Managers' Index report. This past week a number of economic numbers came out. On Tuesday, The Consumer Price Index showed some rise in inflation, a few major banks also reported solid earnings, and we saw some evidence of strong consumer spending during Pr...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jimmy Roussel, CEO of IDScan.net. Among the problems that supply chains have had to deal with lately is an increasing rise of identity fraud at warehouses and fulfillment centers nationwide. Counterfeit identification is often used by those committing the fraud to get inside the warehouse gate.  Thefts of entire trucks often follow. Our guest discusses the scope of the problem, how it happen...

Our guest on this week's episode is Mark Baxa, president & CEO of The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, also known as CSCMP. Earlier this week the supply chain industry lost an icon. Fred Smith was the founder of FedEx – a company that has literally revolutionized the delivery business. Our guest discusses how Fred Smith’s vision and business savvy has left lasting impacts on the supply chain industry.  

Aut...

Our guest on this week's episode is Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen, co-CEO of The Nearshore Company. It’s now been five years since the USMCA trade agreement was negotiated between the Mexico, Canada, and the United States, replacing NAFTA. In this current time of trade friction, including new tariffs on both Mexico and Canada, what’s still working with USMCA and what’s next for the trade alliance? Our guest offers some insights.

Th...

Our guest on this week's episode is Brett Wood, Chair this year of the Industrial Truck Association (better known as the ITA). In his daytime job, Brett is the President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America. This past Tuesday, the material handling industry recognized the 12th annual National Forklift Safety Day. Sponsored by ITA, the highlight of the day was a series of presentations on safety held at the Nationa...

Our guest on this week's episode is Michael Needham, principal procurement & supply chain at Efficio Consulting. Among the flurry of executive orders issued recently by the White House is one aimed at restoring pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities here in the U.S. Currently most drugs and ingredients are manufactured in China and India. How will such a move affect supply chains? Our guest offers his views on what can ...