2 minute read
TALKING SHOP
feaTURinG:
TALKING SHOP WITH: Abe Eshkenazi — CEO, Association for Supply Chain Management
I’ve enjoyed learning about ASCM. When was it founded, and how has it coalesced over the years?
The formation of this association was truly a grass roots effort. In 1957 state chapters realized the need to consolidate and organize into a cohesive association that would both represent and legitimize their work. These individuals were involved in everything from procurement, to logistics, to warehousing, and so much more. They realized they needed to speak with one voice, and even to develop a common language. One of the first efforts undertaken involved creating a dictionary to help unify all the disparate terms used in so many different occupations that, in reality, shared a common bond. That dictionary is now celebrating its 12th edition, and has played an incredible role in uniting the members of what used to be called “Industrial Design,” and is now known as the supply chain. Although the original efforts centered around Cleveland, Ohio, and were carried out among different chapters, we are now headquartered in Chicago with a staff of around 100 people.
Who are your members, and what benefits do you provide as an association?
They’re involved in manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and a host of other specialties. ASCM serves its member companies, which number around 60 in the United States and 120 overseas, by offering a central point of contact for everyone involved in the supply stream. And the relationships we’ve built with similar associations located around the world allow us to share different approaches to challenges we all encounter in our work and also for us to be aware of conditions occurring elsewhere that might affect our U.S. membership. In addition, we hold a Trade Show each year in Chicago, and we produce a host of publications to aid our U.S. constituency in weathering whatever challenges may occur in the future. We’re active in disseminating the information that we and our members produce, both online and in print, and we’ve been heartened by the college degrees now being offered in the supply chain management field, along with the certification programs we provide – we’re at 125,000 graduates and counting. Our goal is to support the entire global supply chain as “a force for good” in the world.
Do you think the growing awareness of supply chain issues in the national media has been beneficial to your work in any way?
It definitely has. The concept of a “supply chain” being featured in major media outlets has helped everyone to think about how the products they purchase are actually delivered to them. People don’t really think about how many miles a machine part, or even produce, travels before it reaches them. In this business, we experience disruption after disruption, and in ways that simply can’t be predicted beforehand. That’s why we keep our finger on the pulse of the global supply chain, so that we and our members will be better prepared to weather any upcoming storms.
