Indirect Spend Strategies

After serving 3 years in the US Army as a medic, Kate graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a BS in Geoscience and started her logistics carrier with Roadway Express. Over the next decade Kate gained manufacturing experience in the tire industry as Operations Manager for Bridgestone and Titan Tire, returning to logistics with Target Stores. In this role she was responsible for domestic transportation and peak season planning & earned an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Carlson School, University of Minnesota, before leaving Minneapolis. To obtain additional education from the carrier side, Kate headed up dedicated operations for Western Express and had a dry van sales territory. She returned to the shipper side with Dr Pepper Snapple Group and then Lennox International with dedicated fleet and domestic freight responsibilities. Kate currently is Director of Global Transportation for Interstate Batteries, responsible for domestic and international freight & warehouse distribution models, indirect procurement, trade compliance, and facilities. Kate has participated in numerous panels and customer advisory boards such as CSCMP, FTR Annual Conference, Union Pacific Shipper Conference, and various carrier advisory boards. Topics have included Intermodal conversion strategies, freight collaboration between shippers, dedicated fleet tactics, indirect spend management and general state of the industry opinions.