Leadership

Monday
June 20
12:00 pm–12:45 pm
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

Setting the bar high for supply chain investment: A conversation with Tractor Supply CEO Hal Lawton

Join Hal Lawton, CEO of Tractor Supply, as he discusses how the company is accelerating its supply chain investments to enhance its position as the dependable supplier for the “Out Here” lifestyle. For more than 80 years, Tractor Supply has been dedicated to serving its unique niche, targeting the needs of recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle. Learn more about the Company’s $3 billion capital investment plans over the next five years and initiatives to optimize the end-to-end supply chain.

Monday
June 20
3:00 pm–3:30 pm
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

Creating a profitable and integrated supply chain network

The acceleration to digital, further fast-tracked by the pandemic, has put increased pressure on retail’s supply chain, making it imperative for businesses to rethink their operations with agility, resilience, and out-of-the-box strategies. To support changing consumer behaviors and drive profitability, retailers and brands have to adjust their networks and build a shared, scalable, hyper-efficient and sustainable supply chain.
Monday
June 20
3:30 pm–4:00 pm
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

Sustainable retail requires sustainable supply chains

Everyone -- consumers, employees, investors and regulators – is asking retailers to be more sustainable yet more than 95% of a retailer's sustainability impacts occur outside of their direct control. The most significant impacts are deep in retail supply chains. Being more sustainable means retailers must leverage their supply chains to create sustainable products that are manufactured sustainably from sustainable materials and deliver those products to consumers in a sustainable fashion. Sound impossible? Learn how retailers are doing it and still growing profits.
Tuesday
June 21
9:00 am–9:30 am
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

The future of grocery retail now: Employing the latest innovations in automation, distribution, and fulfillment to deliver fresh food to more neighborhoods

Hear from Kroger’s Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer Gabriel Arreaga and Ocado Solutions’ Senior Vice President David Hardiman-Evans on breakthroughs and innovations redefining e-commerce distribution, fulfillment and last-mile solutions in the grocery industry. The leaders will share how they’re deploying smart, AI-driven technological advancements to serve more households, create tech-first career opportunities, and build a more resilient and competitive business model.
Tuesday
June 21
10:30 am–11:00 am
Room 26A

Product donations: Turning unneeded inventory Into corporate goodwill

Retailers are finding ways to donate unneeded inventory to generate environmental, social and community benefits while increasing corporate goodwill. Learn how retailers like Amazon have made product donations a successful part of their CSR, ESG, and related sustainability efforts.

Tuesday
June 21
2:15 pm–2:45 pm
Room 26A

Cultivating retail’s next generation of supply chain talent

Retail’s pipeline of qualified supply chain talent requires training and certification programs to achieve a robust pool of candidates proactively searching for individual and family-sustaining careers. NRF Foundation’s RISE Up program recently launched its newest skills training course to offer a Warehouse, Inventory and Logistics credential. The course provides an understanding of supply chains and develops workplace readiness skills for roles in warehouses, distribution, or fulfillment centers.
Tuesday
June 21
3:00 pm–3:30 pm
Room 26A

Detect and protect: Securing the supply chain against cyber attacks

Global events and existing threats have now combined to create the most volatile cyber risk landscape yet known. Adam Isles from security and risk advisors Chertoff Group will show how to develop cyber best practice through an understanding of the implications of the war in Ukraine, the latest trends in cyber extortion, and what governments, customers and insurance carriers now expect.

Tuesday
June 21
3:45 pm–4:15 pm
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

Unlocking the modern supply chain: Leveraging technology to optimize operational excellence and sustainability

Logistical challenges continue to cause disruptions that require last-minute workarounds on the part of  brokers, carriers, and retail shippers. Retailers must embrace innovation and collaboration to create that sought-after supply chain resilience and reliability. Increasingly, the modern consumer expects retailers to think beyond financial considerations and into matters of social and environmental responsibility.
Tuesday
June 21
4:15 pm–4:45 pm
Port of Baltimore Theatre, Grand Ballroom

How same-day delivery favors consumer demand: A conversation with Shipt CEO Kamau Witherspoon

 Ecommerce exploded during the pandemic, often stretching supply chains to their limits. Still, as the pandemic crisis eases, the new normal for e-commerce delivery remains at all-time highs and promises only to go up in sales volume. As retailers mull their strategies to accommodate such growth, they are faced with added pressure to keep pace with ever-shifting consumer preferences.