National Supply Chain Day started with a simple idea: the people who keep the world moving deserve to be seen.

In this special episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Mary Kate Love, President of Supply Chain Now, welcome Dr. Stephanie Thomas, Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas and Executive Director of WISE, for a conversation on the people powering the global supply chain.

The episode also features a keynote from Billy Ray Taylor, CEO and founder of LinkedXL, plus award recognition for Keith Moore of AutoScheduler.AI and Jim Opoka, recently retired from FEMA.

Together, they celebrate the people behind hospital shelves, disaster relief, warehouse execution, and the next generation entering the field, while exploring clarity, ownership, people skills, AI, and why every supply chain professional should tell their story.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:07) The mission behind National Supply Chain Day

(03:08) Celebrating the anniversary: A look back at the first NSCD

(06:11) Billy Ray Taylor keynote begins

(07:13) Deliberate clarity & the 17-inch standard

(10:59) Deliberate ownership

(18:23) Unpacking Billy Ray's key takeaways

(21:25) 2026 supply chain pressures & macro disruptions

(31:03) Dr. Stephanie Thomas joins WISE & inspiring the next generation

(32:39) Celebrating unsung heroes in supply chain

(41:40) Supply chain trends, AI, resilience & people-first thinking

(55:00) Leadership challenge

Additional Links & Resources:

• Connect with Stephanie Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniethomasuark/
• Connect with Mary Kate Love: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklove/
• Connect with Billy Ray Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyrtaylor/
• Connect with Keith Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithdmoore13/
• Learn more about LinkedXL: https://linkedxl.com/
• Learn more about AutoScheduler.AI: https://autoscheduler.ai/
• Learn more about the University of Arkansas: https://www.uark.edu/
• Learn more about WISE: https://walton.uark.edu/departments/supplychain/wise.php
• Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
• Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
• Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
• Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
• Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://supplychainnow.com/media-kit/
• WEBINAR- How “Almost Right” Shipping Decisions Turn Into Six-Figure Losses: https://bit.ly/4mMov2T
• WEBINAR- There's No Finish Line in Leadership: Tips to Optimize Your Strategy & Execution: https://bit.ly/4tHOWJA
• WEBINAR- Delivering Flawless Field Service with Predictive Insights and AI: https://bit.ly/4sXVZfV
• WEBINAR- From AI Pilots to Performance: How Supply Chain Leaders Are Scaling Agentic AI: https://bit.ly/49hCqIq

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Mary Kate Love and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/celebrating-national-supply-chain-day-1582