Training and Retaining - The Future Workforce of the Supply Chain

Mary E. Blair joined Accuride Corporation in October 2011 as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Management. She is a member of the Company’s Executive Committee and reports directly to the President & CEO. Blair is responsible for Accuride’s global activities in the areas of strategic sourcing, logistics, supplier quality and development, and inventory control and planning. An accomplished Supply Chain executive, Blair brings to her role more than 25 years of leadership experience in strategic procurement and supply chain on a global basis. She has led transforming initiatives in the areas of procurement, logistics, and supplier quality, and has a strong track record of building winning teams. She is based at the company’s headquarters in Evansville, Indiana. Blair joined Accuride from Evansville, Ind.-based UCI International, a leading producer of filtration, engine management, fuel pump, and water pump systems for the transportation market. There she served as Vice President since 2008 and led Supply Chain for the company’s four business units. In that role, she led strategic supply base development, inventory reduction, logistic optimization, and supplier quality and development processes tailored to delivering savings combined with improved quality and delivery performance to meet corporate objectives. Prior to UCI, she had served as Director, Global Sourcing for International Truck and Engine the operating company of Navistar International, a leading producer of heavy- and medium-duty trucks, severe service vehicles and engines. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles of increasing responsibility with the global supply chain organizations of General Motors North America Operations and Delphi Interior and Lighting Systems. In 2017, The Manufacturing Institute honored Blair as a recipient of its Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award. Now in their fifth year, the STEP Ahead Awards recognize women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers, and represent all levels of manufacturing, from the factory floor to the C-Suite. She was among 100 Honorees from across North America. Blair serves on the Board of Directors the University of Evansville’s Institute for Global Enterprise and is a former board member of Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University and a Master of Science – Business degree from Central Michigan University. She currently is a Capella University Global Leadership Doctoral candidate (ABD).

Meyer Skalak is a Supply Chain professional with Chick-fil-A focusing on providing support for the growing needs of a $9 billion restaurant chain. Meyer held the Director of Finance role at Allstate for 13 years prior to joining Chick-fil-A. For the last 16 years, he has served Chick-fil-A in numerous Supply Chain and Operations positions with a primary focus on Procurement, Supplier Quality & Safety, Technology, Strategy, Innovation and new Product Commercialization. He also served for 6 years on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta based Empty Stocking Fund charity and currently on the Atlanta Area Boy Scouts Peach of an Athlete committee. Primary responsibilities in his current role include leading the strategic supply chain planning process, developing a data and analytics platform and aligning innovation engine to address unique challenges faced by Chick-fil-A. Meyer graduated cum laude in 1988 with a BS in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and has completed post graduate executive education programs from both Wharton Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Meyer has been married to his wife Patricia since 1990 and has two daughters Hope and Jennifer. In his spare time, he is an avid sports fan who enjoys playing golf with friends and colleagues.

Osmar Rodriguez is an accomplished, results-driven professional with over 30 years of expertise at all levels of global operations and supply chain management. His qualifications include a Postgraduate Degree in International Trade (from Universidad de Santiago de Chile), a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing (both from Universidad Empresarial Siglo XXI, Argentina). His professional career has broadened from management of primarily export & import operations activities through transportation, warehousing, distribution, fiscal policies, product and business development, engineering, manufacturing, third-party contract manufacturing, purchasing and global procurement, strategic planning, finance, marketing, sales, and customer service. Osmar Rodriguez started his professional career in 1986 when he joined Arcor Group, an Argentinian, vertically-integrated holding company known as the largest hard candy manufacturer in the world as well as the main exporter of confectionery products of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru. Together with Danone, Arcor’s joint venture is also one of the major cookies & crackers companies in South America. During his tenure with Arcor, Osmar Rodriguez held various positions of increasing responsibility until he was appointed VP of Logistics & Operations for the whole Americas Region, moving to Miami in 2002 to occupy said position. In 2006 he left Arcor Group to join Cosmetic Dermatology Inc. d/b/a Dr. Brandt Skincare and has executed his VP of Manufacturing Operations & Supply Chain role since then.