by Janice Marquardt | Aug 11, 2026 | Definitions, Supply Chain Career
The roles we all play matter, and so do our names for them. I’m not talking about the roles of mother, sister, wife, buyer, etc. I’m talking about the professional roles of Consultant, Executive, and Coach. While there’s a lot of overlap between these three roles,...
by Janice Marquardt | Aug 4, 2026 | Supply Chain Career
Summer has always felt like the beginning of my year instead of January. Part of that is all the years of being a student with an academic year starting in late August and ending in May, but there’s just something about summertime that’s full of energy and promise. I...
by Janice Marquardt | May 5, 2026 | Conferences
Conference season is in full swing! Do you have any good ones on your itinerary? When I was in charge of a team, I used to task team members who went to conferences with coming back and presenting what they learned to the group. We didn’t go to many conferences at the...
by Janice Marquardt | Apr 21, 2026 | Creative Solutions, Supply Chain Career
I love the Iowa State Voorhees Supply Chain Conference, and not just because I’m an alumni. People who attend this one-day conference are there to learn, not just to rub elbows and eat good food (although the catering is very good). When I was primarily in corporate...
by Janice Marquardt | Dec 30, 2025 | Supply Chain Career
The most common question, especially at conferences and networking events, is “What do you do?” In casual settings, my answer is “I solve supply chain problems.” At networking and professional events it’s often, “I bring negotiation back to procurement” or “I elevate...
