Program
Speakers
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Program

Name: Operations Technology Summit 2022
Start: 2022-04-12T00:09:00-0400
End: 2022-04-13T17:00:00-0400
Location: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista

Goner Argon

Warehouse Logistics Expert

Vecna Robotics, Inc.

Speaker: Driving Toward Interoperability for Warehouse Robots

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Misty Ashton

VP of Operations

Jenni Kayne

Speaker: The People/Bot Interface: Cooperation and Synergy

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Brian Barry

President

F. Curtis Barry & Company

Speaker: Robotics Defined Broadly and Warehouse System Integration: A Primer

Brian Barry is the President of F. Curtis Barry & Company, a consultancy that specializes in distribution facility optimization and assessments, distribution network analysis, distribution center layout and design, evaluation and implementation of third-party logistics, warehouse management system evaluation and selection, material handling systems, evaluation and implementation of distribution automation and technology. Clients include multichannel retail, pure play ecommerce companies, wholesale distribution and manufacturers and industrial operations.

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Navjit Bhasin

Founder and CEO

Newmine, LLC

Speaker: Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

Navjit is a visionary expert in strategy, technology, operations, and change management. As a veteran entrepreneur and an active angel investor, he has worked in hands-on roles for several global retailers and consumer brands. Navjit has built his career as a natural problem solver, having helped some of the retailers navigate the changing industry landscape so they can achieve peak operational efficiency, transform their customer experience, and enhance their profitability.

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Rebecca Call

Software Sales Architect

Vargo Corporation

Speaker: How Gap Inc. Is Linking FC and Store Fulfillment Operations

Rebecca Call started her career in web development, mainly supporting eCommerce before jumping to enterprise warehouse fulfillment. For the last six years she has worked in designing, scaling and enhancing highly automated warehouse fulfillment systems.

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Stephanie Cannon

Senior Vice President

Pitney Bowes

Speaker: How Cutting-Edge Automation Is Changing the Ecommerce Logistics Game

Stephanie Cannon oversees the Platform Management and Network Group for Global Ecommerce at Pitney Bowes. Prior roles include leading the Operations Practices and Innovation Group, the Automation and Systems Innovation Group, as Director of Operations for Fulfillment Services and as lead for the Industrial Engineering group for fulfillment services. Previously, she consulted for West Monroe Partners, serving as an SME in operations and engineering strategies and creating operational assessments to provide unique solutions. These efforts focused on business process improvement across transportation, distribution, fulfillment and manufacturing clients. Stephanie also held various roles in engineering and operations for last mile, transportation and parcel hub at UPS.

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Bill Catania

Founder and CEO

OneRail

Speaker: Finding Capacity When There Is None

Bill Catania is an entrepreneur focused on developing and commercializing real-time technology networks. As founder and CEO of OneRail, a top-tier delivery fulfillment platform with an integrated coast-to-coast courier network of 8.2 million drivers, Catania recently led his team to win the 2021 Supply Chain Leaders in Action Pitch Tank Contest. Prior to OneRail, he was CEO of CoinFlip Solutions, a cloud-based payment platform delivering real-time electronic payment solutions for health benefits, points and promotional offers. He was also founder and CEO of digital coupon pioneer M-Dot Network, a first-of-its-kind retail POS-to-cloud transaction engine for real-time digital coupon redemption at grocery checkouts throughout North America.

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Joyce Chai

Associate Partner

McKinsey & Company

Speaker: Solving For Supply Chain, Inventory Visibility

Joyce is an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company and is a leader in the Consumer Retail Operations Practice. She mainly serves clients across the apparel, retail, and consumer goods industries and has functional expertise in omnichannel fulfillment, including inventory planning, network optimization, returns management and reverse logistics.

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Drew Croatt

National Sales Manager

BoxLogix Automation

Speaker: Robotics Defined Broadly and Warehouse System Integration: A Primer

Drew is the National Sales Manager for BoxLogix Automation, a system integrator for the material handling industry with a heavy focus on utilizing automation to create operational efficiency in the warehouse and distribution space. Clients include DTC, B2B, ecommerce, retail/wholesale distribution and food/beverage industries.

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Will Eadie

Chief Revenue Officer

WorkJam Inc

Speaker: How Data, Tech and Creativity Are Addressing Staffing Dilemmas

As CRO of WorkJam, Will brings his 20 plus years of experience of bringing together the nexus of the Customer and Employee experience. With a background in SCM and HCM leadership, will is passionate about driving collaboration in the digital workplace.

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Imari Gabrielle

Owner

Black Millennial Vegan

Speaker: The Sustainable Last Mile: Not An Oxymoron

Imari Gabrielle is the owner of wellness brand Black Millennial Vegan, dedicated to the decolonization of human minds, body and soul through plant-based remedies and food. After going vegan by natural progression in 2018, the knowledge she gained inspired her to share it with her community that is plagued by high risks of many diseases. “Health is wealth” is what she always says as well as “To choose plants is to choose God.” BMV offers wellness products, diet consulting, recipes and now catering.

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Karan Gandhi

Head of Operations

HeyDay

Speaker: Leveraging Tech to Acquire, Operate and Scale Amazon Brands

Karan Gandhi is head of operations at ecommerce brand accelerator Heyday, where he manages the operations, supply chain, sourcing, and fulfillment organization. Prior to joining Heyday, Karan worked as Vice President of Operations at Boxed.com, where he led operations, fulfillment, robotics and delivery experience. He has also held roles at McKinsey & Company and Amazon.

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Frank Garcia

Head of Operations

Flowspace

Speaker: Leveraging Tech to Acquire, Operate and Scale Amazon Brands

As head of operations at Flowspace, Frank Garcia leads teams focused on scaling and managing the company’s distributed network of fulfillment centers, and those supporting customer success within them. He has a long career in logistics and operations: prior to joining Flowspace, Garcia led fulfillment services and client success and solutions for tech-forward 3PL OceanX. He also served as director of supply chain and operations at Lakeshore Learning Materials, and held several roles at McMaster Carr, a leading industrial supply distributor specializing in same-day delivery.

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Fergal Glynn

VP Marketing

6 River Systems, Inc.

Speaker: The People/Bot Interface: Cooperation and Synergy

Fergal Glynn is Vice President of Marketing at 6 River Systems, Inc. where he is responsible for demand generation and branding. Before 6 River Systems, Fergal was a member of the leadership teams at Docurated (acquired by Quark Software), Veracode (acquired by CA), and BlueNote Networks (acquired by Aspect Software). Earlier in his career, Fergal was a C++ programmer at Fidelity Investments and Oracle.

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Christopher Halkyard

VP of Logistics

Feather

Speaker: Keynote Panel: Throw Out the Playbook: Disruptors and Agitators

Christopher Halkyard is Vice President of Logistics at Feather, a disrupter in the furniture retail/rental space focused on circular commerce and sustainability. He helps streamline global supply chain strategy and drives financial results while improving customer satisfaction and best-in-class performance. Halkyard has over 30 years’ experience in supply chain/distribution and a proven track record of disrupting the status quo, including logistics executive roles at Bark, Toys R Us, Rent the Runway, L’Occitane and FAO Schwartz. As CSCO for Gilt, for example, he organized a team and designed an infrastructure catering to flash sales using both proven and state-of-the-art robotics and material handling technology.

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Veena Harbaugh

Director of Sustainability

Sendle

Speaker: The Sustainable Last Mile: Not An Oxymoron

Veena Harbaugh is the Director of Sustainability at Sendle, the first 100% carbon neutral carrier in the U.S. specifically designed for small ecommerce businesses. Fascinated by the companies that make substantive positive impacts on the environment and business, Veena is responsible for spearheading all sustainability initiatives at Sendle. Prior to Sendle, Veena served as the Director of Marketing and Communications for B Lab U.S. and Canada as well as a Sustainability Associate for Salesforce. Veena was also a field organizer in Iowa for President Obama’s 2008 election and worked in local government on policy and communications at the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

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Cathy Hardin

Chief Revenue Officer

Instawork

Speaker: How Data, Tech and Creativity Are Addressing Staffing Dilemmas

Cathy Hardin is the Chief Revenue Officer at Instawork where she leads the sales and marketing team and is responsible for revenue generation strategy and execution and the company’s go-to-market approach. Previously, she was EVP of sales and revenue at Angi, where she played a major role in scaling revenue teams and go-to-market strategies, and executed the merger between HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List. Before that Cathy held SVP roles in customer operations and revenue at Main Street Hub. She also served as SVP of sales at Home Advisor, a digital marketplace that connects homeowners with prescreened, local service professionals.

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Nick Herbon

Regional Sales Manager

EuroSort Inc.

Speaker: How Cutting-Edge Automation Is Changing the Ecommerce Logistics Game

Nick Herbon is a Regional Sales Manager at EuroSort, Inc. where he has been focused on designing high speed automated sorting solutions for the past 8 years. During that time, he has designed and deployed solutions to accommodate the varying requirements of e-commerce and omni-channel operations, in addition to parcel sorting operations. With a background in mechanical engineering, he previously served as Regional Sales Engineer for FlexLink where he was focused on manufacturing automation, including solar panel manufacturing and medical device manufacturing.

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Martin Hickey

Senior Manager, Direct to Consumer Team

Fruit of the Loom

Speaker: How Data, Tech and Creativity Are Addressing Staffing Dilemmas

Martin Hickey has 25 years of ecommerce operations experience and currently serves as the senior manager of Ecommerce Operations at Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of Loom’s family of brands include AAI, BVD, Dudley, Fruit of the Loom, Russell Athletic, Spalding and Vanity Fair Lingerie. Prior to his work there, Martin held ecommerce operations positions at Ralph Lauren and Borders. He also served in combat and logistical roles as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.

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Tim Holody

COO

Seta Corp.

Tim Holody has more than 30 years of industry experience in all phases of call center/fulfillment operations and general management. Tim is also a recognized industry pioneer in third-party call center and fulfillment services, having done work for Bloomingdales-by-Mail, FAO Schwarz, Children’s Wear Digest, Levi’s, Xerox, the Franklin Mint, the Sierra Club and many others.

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Stephane Jean-Baptiste

COO and Co-Founder

Kreyol ESSENCE

Speaker: How Data, Tech and Creativity Are Addressing Staffing Dilemmas

As COO and Co-Founder of Kreyol Essence (KE), Stéphane utilizes his creative intuition and business experience to directly impact the economic development and brand awareness of Haiti. KE brings natural hair, skin, and body products from Haiti to the world, ensuring Haitian economic development by creating sustainable jobs, empowering women, and conserving the island’s environment. An impassioned social entrepreneur, Stéphane has served as an advisor for the Lambda Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., a founder of the Alumni Board for Summer Search Philadelphia, Communications Director for the Philadelphia Young Democrats, and Community Development Chair for the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia.

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Deanna Kaufman

Vice President, Sales

Körber Supply Chain Software

Speaker: The Autonomous Middle Mile and the Realm of the Possible

Deanna is Vice President of Sales at Korber Supply Chain, focusing on bringing supply chain solutions to major clients in retail and ecommerce. Previously she was a managing consultant in FedEx' Customer Solutions’ Design and Implementation global team focused on retail and ecommerce. Deanna worked with FedEx’s marketing team to bring new services to market and facilitated an Ecommerce Executive Customer Advisory Board. Before that FedEx Deanna spent nine years in international business, software globalization and localization with major corporations including AT&T and small consulting firms.

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Jay Kent

Managing Director

SLB Performance

Speaker: Solving For Supply Chain, Inventory Visibility

Jay is Managing Director of supply chain consultancy SLB Performance. He is a results-driven supply chain professional with extensive leadership experience in omnichannel, fulfillment operations, transportation negotiations, inventory productivity, vendor management and reverse logistics. Most recently Jay was Chief Supply Chain Officer at PetValu/PetSupermarket. He has an outstanding track record of implementing strategic business solutions that yield significant expense savings, improve supply chain speed and increase shareholder value. Jay is an experienced business partner and change agent with an extensive background in successful startups, high-growth firms and turnaround operations. He has held senior supply chain roles at GNC, Kohl’s, Tiger Direct, Linens N Things and Toys ‘R’ Us.

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Brian Kilcourse

Managing Director

RSR Research

Speaker: Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

Brian Kilcourse is a recognized thought leader helping businesses innovate to deliver differentiating, sustainable value through the power of information. A managing partner at Retail Systems Research, a company focused on helping retailers develop winning strategies, he has authored studies on omnichannel strategy, AI, fulfillment, supply chain and cloud computing, among others. He speaks on everything from emerging technologies to IT governance, and is frequently quoted in major media including the Wall Street Journal and Boston Globe. Before co-founding RSR in 2007, Brian was President and CEO of a B2B media company. From 2002-2005, he advised several Palo Alto-based venture funds on retail technology investments.

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Rachel Kois

Founder and CEO

Simple Switch

Speaker: Keynote Panel: Reconciling Sustainability With “I Need it Now”

Rachel Kois is Founder and CEO of SimpleSwitch.org, the online marketplace for ethical and impactful shopping. Following life in sustainability-focused Boulder, CO and business consulting for underserved entrepreneurs in South Africa, Rachel couldn’t ignore the lack of convenient, frictionless access to products in ecommerce. Through online sales of more than 4,000 everyday products with positive social and environmental impact, Simple Switch works to normalize ethical online shopping and divest from exploitative companies to empowering business models. BCorp, Climate Neutral and Plastic Neutral certified, Simple Switch holds both its team and suppliers to high standards of justice and environmental stewardship.

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Jason Kovacs

Operations Director

Comoto Holdings

Speaker: Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

Jason Kovacs is Operations Director for the Comoto family of brands, America’s largest and fastest-growing omnichannel platform in the powersports aftermarket products industry, dedicated to advancing the experience of moto enthusiasts across the globe. Comoto’s brands (RevZilla, Cycle Gear, J&P Cycles) deliver premium products, dedicated expertise, engaging media and passionate customer support of the rider community through best-in-class ecommerce and retail experiences. Jason manages a team across three fulfillment centers that support returns, recovery and inventory operations for ecommerce, 160+ stores and industry events. He has worked in the moto-retail industry for over 15 years.

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Jim Liefer

CEO

Ambi Robotics

Speaker: How Cutting-Edge Automation Is Changing the Ecommerce Logistics Game

Jim Liefer is the CEO of Ambi Robotics. Previously he was President, CEO and a director of Kindred. Jim brings more than 35 years of operational leadership and technology development experience from established Fortune 50 companies to Silicon Valley startups. Prior to Kindred, he was COO of One Kings Lane, where he supported three years of consecutive year-over-year growth of more than 100%. Before that, he was vice president of operations for Walmart.com, responsible for large teams and identifying and implementing processes and systems that could scale and continually improve efficiency. Jim formerly held positions in technology banking and software applications, including vice president of software applications at Fritz Companies and UPS.

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Brian McAllister

Director of Operations

Burton

Speaker: Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

As a collaborative leader at Burton, Brian works with retail operations partners in North America, Europe, and Asia to ensure Burton is meeting the needs of today’s consumer both in store and online. Brian has over ten years of experience within the supply chain and distribution field. Most recently he has turned his focus to Burton’s growing retail and ecommerce business, focusing on the operations behind the customer journey.

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Valerie Metzker

Head of Partnerships and Enterprise Sales

Roadie

Speaker: Gaining Speed and Scale When the Last Mile is Far Away

Valerie has 20+ years of experience in sales and marketing. After beginning her career at the agency level, she held executive roles in banking and healthcare in the Philadelphia area before taking the plunge to join the Roadie team in 2014. Valerie’s role at Roadie includes enterprise sales and business development, where she helps retailers add speed, flexibility and scalability into their logistics ecosystem.

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David Morin

Senior Director, Retail and Client Strategy

Narvar

Speaker: Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

David is the Senior Director of Retail and Client Strategy at Narvar, working closely with renowned retailers like Nike, Sephora, lululemon and a range of other global and DTC brands. He’s spent over a decade in retail and technology at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and HP’s Immersive Computing division. David is passionate about the intersection of retail and technology with a focus on customer experience, and driving innovation across digital and physical worlds.

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Mike O'Brien

Senior Content Manager

Multichannel Merchant

Speaker: Keynote Panel: Throw Out the Playbook: Disruptors and Agitators
Speaker: Keynote Panel: Reconciling Sustainability With “I Need it Now”

Mike has worked in journalism and communications for more than 30 years. In his current role at Multichannel Merchant he is responsible for producing and managing editorial content across website, e-letters, reports, webinars and podcasts covering all aspects of ecommerce. As lead programmer for Ecommerce Operations Summit he is also responsible for all aspects of the event’s agenda, including speaker recruitment. Prior to MCM he was a public relations senior account executive working with clients in marketing and advertising services. Mike has also worked as a media relations consultant for a startup nonprofit concert promoter, a research analyst covering corporate training and a daily newspaper reporter on a variety of city beats.

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Lauren Owens

Director of Supply Chain

Firstleaf

Speaker: Keynote Panel: Throw Out the Playbook: Disruptors and Agitators

Lauren Owens is the Director of Supply Chain at Firstleaf where she leads the end-to-end supply chain function for the organization. Prior to joining Firstleaf, she worked at both Diageo and Eataly across a variety of supply chain roles focusing on both domestic and international operations in the food and beverage industry.

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Mark Petrosoniak

Senior Manager, Strategy and Business Operations

Gatik

Speaker: The Autonomous Middle Mile and the Realm of the Possible

Mark Petrosoniak is a Senior Manager of Strategy and Business Operations at Gatik, an autonomous vehicle company focused on B2B short-haul logistics. Gatik is a pioneer in the middle mile, helping Fortune 500 companies including Loblaw and Walmart automate their transportation. Mark leads key initiatives across business development, partnerships and special projects and was instrumental in a Series B equity financing round; Gatik has raised over $115M. Prior to Gatik, he worked in management consulting at Accenture for more than 10 years, focusing on supply chain strategy, planning and logistics, and supporting clients across retail, CPG and industrial manufacturing.

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Mike Plasencia

Director, New Product Strategy

Ryder System, Inc.

Speaker: The Autonomous Middle Mile and the Realm of the Possible

Michael “Mike” Plasencia is Group Director of New Product Strategy for Ryder System, Inc. He is responsible for coordinating the ideation and creation of new products in the Ryder pipeline along with developing the business cases for bringing new products to market across Ryder’s key business segments. Mike also leads operations for RyderVentures, a $50 million corporate venture capital fund focused on investing in startups that are driving and tackling disruptions across the supply chain.

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Andisheh Ranjbari

Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Penn State University

Speaker: The Sustainable Last Mile: Not An Oxymoron

Andisheh Ranjbari is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. Ranjbari was the Director of the Urban Freight Lab (UFL) at University of Washington, a public-private partnership that brings together private industry, academic researchers and city transportation agencies to develop and test solutions around freight management problems. Dr. Ranjbari has over a decade of research experience in multiple areas of transportation, including urban freight, automated and shared mobility and public transit.

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John Rossman

Author

The Amazon Way

Speaker: Keynote: Think Like Amazon About Innovation

John Rossman, managing partner of Rossman Partners, is a sought-after keynote speaker, former Amazon executive and business strategist and author of “The Amazon Way” book series. Rossman is most known for launching and scaling the Amazon Marketplace, which accounts for more than 50% of Amazon’s units sold. He served as Director of Enterprise Services at Amazon.com under CEO Jeff Bezos, managing worldwide services to enterprise clients like Target.com, Marks and Spencer and the NBA. Rossman has advised clients across most industry verticals on innovation, digital strategy and culture, and has delivered keynotes to all types of businesses, associations, healthcare organizations and government agencies.

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Joseph Ruck

VP of Marketing

Ambi Robotics

Speaker: How Cutting-Edge Automation Is Changing the Ecommerce Logistics Game

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Tom Ryden

Executive Director

MassRobotics

Speaker: Driving Toward Interoperability for Warehouse Robots

Tom Ryden is Executive Director of the nonprofit MassRobotics, which supports the robotics community, helping grow the next generation of robotics and connected device companies. MassRobotics runs the world’s largest robotics and IoT-focused co-working space. He was founder and CEO/COO of VGo Communications where he helped launch the VGo telepresence robot. Ryden was also director of sales and marketing for iRobot, overseeing development of some of its most successful products. He serves on the Tufts University Computer Science Advisory Board, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Robotics Engineering Advisory Board, the Mechatronics & Robotics Engineering (MRE) Education Advisory Board and ASME’s Robotics Technical Advisory Panel.

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Steve Schwietert

Senior Director, GSC Logistics Engineering and Maintenance

Gap Inc.

Speaker: How Gap Inc. Is Linking FC and Store Fulfillment Operations

Steve Schwietert is Senior Director of Engineering and Support for Gap Inc.’s global supply chain, responsible for PMO, distribution, network maintenance and material handling. Each year Gap sources over 1 billion units of product from over 2,000 factories in 50 countries and delivers 250,000 ocean and air shipments to one of 16 distribution centers located in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Japan. To support its merchandise and inventory strategies, Gap’s international networks must operate with exceptional reliability. Since assuming his current position in 2017, Steve has built a strong engineering and strategy team and led efforts to make significant improvements in logistics systems, processes and DC productivity. Prior to joining Gap, Steve worked at TGW Logistics Group.

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David Strobelt

EVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer and Senior Technical Advisor

Saadia Group

Speaker: Keynote: The Digital, Scalable Transformation of Legacy Brands

David Strobelt has over 20 years of progressive experience in retail IT and supply chain. He is helping Saadia Group transform its technical footprint and supply chain operations to meet the fast-growth demands of its portfolio, including Lord & Taylor, Aquatalia, Le Tote, New York & Co. and several private-label brands. During executive roles at Modell’s, Gymboree, Lane Bryant and Gap, David has implemented best-in-class solutions capable of personalizing and optimizing the digital customer journey. He is an expert in standing up new websites and establishing fulfillment models to share inventory across B2C websites, wholesale customers, dropship partners and marketplaces.

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Pascal Van Hentenryck

Associate Chair for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Georgia Tech

Speaker: The Autonomous Middle Mile and the Realm of the Possible

Pascal Van Hentenryck is the A. Russell Chandler III Chair and Professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Associate Chair for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is the director of the NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT), the director of the Socially Aware Mobility (SAM) and and Risk-Aware Market Clearing (RAMC) labs. Several of his optimization systems have been in
commercial use for more than 20 years for solving logistics, supply chain and manufacturing applications. His current research focuses on machine learning, optimization, and privacy with applications in energy, mobility, and supply chains.

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Dana von der Heide

Founder and Chief Commercial Officer

Parcel Perform

Speaker: Unlocking the Power of Delivery Data for an Integrated Customer Experience

Dana is the Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Parcel Perform. She is an experienced ecommerce logistics professional and part of the distinguished eFounder Fellowship by Alibaba, host of “The Logistics Tribe” and an advisory board member of the German Logistics Association (BVL). Before starting Parcel Perform, she gained her industry knowledge and passion for international logistics by implementing global strategy and regional business development in companies throughout Europe and Asia. Since then, she has won various awards, including the well-respected Digital Female Leadership Award sponsored by Amazon.

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Jason Walker

VP of Market Development

Locus Robotics

Speaker: How BI in Robotics Optimizes Fulfillment Center Productivity

Jason Walker is the Vice President of Market Development at Locus Robotics. Before joining the Locus Robotics organization, Walker Co-founded Waypoint Robotics, which designs and manufactures easy to use, industrial-strength, omnidirectional autonomous mobile robots. Prior to founding Waypoint, Mr. Walker Co-founded CyPhy Works where he served as Lead Roboticist and Director of Operations while working on contacts for DARPA, NIST, and the National Science Foundation. Walker helped grow CyPhy Works into a leading tethered drone supplier in North America. Prior to CyPhy Works, he was the quality and testing manager for the Roomba vacuuming robot at iRobot.

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Del Wood

CEO

Musictoday

Speaker: Robotics Defined Broadly and Warehouse System Integration: A Primer

Del has repeatedly built technology solutions to add business value with financial results throughout his career. He has led small and medium technology based companies, founded two successful technology consulting companies, been a board member of several companies, and been CIO or technical lead for several technology firms. He started his career with various positions at IBM and is trained in Computer Science, Business Administration, and Instructional Technology, all with a focus toward technology. Musictoday is in the process of reengineering its distribution center with new WMS and automation including robots and vertical lift machines.

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Tuesday Wednesday

Tuesday | April 12

1:30 PM – 2:10 PM

How Cutting-Edge Automation Is Changing the Ecommerce Logistics Game

Room: International Center

Ecommerce logistics is full of challenges. From labor wages and staffing shortages to identifying the right carrier mix to growing concerns about sustainability, retailers need to find the most effective way to streamline operations. Successful omnichannel retailers need to implement a delivery approach that incorporates innovative processes to meet customer expectations without completely shifting strategy. Automation in your fulfillment operations can provide a significant competitive edge. Hear from leaders in logistics, automation and AI-based robotics how automation is being implemented to provide greater efficiency in ecommerce operations.

You will learn:
• The value that automation can bring to your operations
• The challenges of implementing automation, and how they're overcome

Moderator:

Joseph Ruck, VP of Marketing, Ambi Robotics

Panelists:

Stephanie Cannon, Senior Vice President, Pitney Bowes
Nick Herbon, Regional Sales Manager, EuroSort Inc.
Jim Liefer, CEO, Ambi Robotics

2022-04-12 a0H3b00001iHyJXEA0 Order Fulfillment

Wednesday | April 13

10:40 AM – 11:20 AM

Taking a Tech Approach to Ecommerce Returns

Room: International South

With returns a growing problem in ecommerce – representing $102 billion or 18% of 2020’s $565 billion in ecommerce sales, NRF says – how is technology being leveraged to tackle the issue? What types of solutions and processes are leading retailers employing? From returns reduction via data analytics to AI and machine learning to identify non-returns, technology is playing an increasing role. This session will review the latest innovations in returns technology, how they’re being applied to reduce costs and speed up return-to-stock and dispositioning, and real-world examples of the returns tech journey.

You will learn:
• How technology to address returns has evolved over time
• About the latest solutions and innovations to address the problem
• About the proliferation of sizing tools and returns reduction technology
• Best practices for disposition and speeding up back-to-stock

Moderator:

Brian Kilcourse, Managing Director, RSR Research

Panelists:

Jason Kovacs, Operations Director, Comoto Holdings
Brian McAllister, Director of Operations, Burton
David Morin, Senior Director, Retail and Client Strategy, Narvar
Navjit Bhasin, Founder and CEO, Newmine, LLC

2022-04-13 a0H3b00001iHyJXEA0 Order Fulfillment

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Robotics Defined Broadly and Warehouse System Integration: A Primer

Room: International South

While robotics providers often tout near plug-and-play compatibility with your existing warehouse systems, the reality can be quite different. For example, adding picking robots to a goods-to-person system may involve separately programming the conveyor, the robot and the robot’s 3D vision system, according to the Material Handling Institute. Also, robotics can be broadly defined beyond an autonomous bot scooting down an aisle. This expert panel will provide actionable information, based on real-world examples, of what it takes to successfully integrate all types of robotic systems into your existing warehouse technology to derive the greatest benefit.

You will learn:
• About creating an integration timeline
• About pitfalls and barriers, including exceptions
• About handling containerization issues
• About creating metrics and dashboards

Moderator:

Brian Barry, President, F. Curtis Barry & Company

Panelists:

Del Wood, CEO, Musictoday
Drew Croatt, National Sales Manager, BoxLogix Automation

2022-04-13 a0H3b00001iHyJXEA0 Order Fulfillment

1:15 PM – 1:55 PM

How Data, Tech and Creativity Are Addressing Staffing Dilemmas

Room: International South

Ensuring adequate staffing for fulfillment operations was challenging enough before the pandemic hit in 2020, but the difficulty has scaled up considerably. Now companies are facing the “great resignation” with many exiting the workforce altogether. Then add in safety restrictions and rising wages driven by Amazon, and the staffing task becomes more daunting. This session will explore how data-driven processes and flex work are helping companies ensure adequate staffing in the new world of work.

You will learn:
• How matching business needs with workers is optimized with technology
• How apps are streamlining training before associates arrive for a shift
• How flexible staffing models help you manage demand fluctuations
• How data and analytics can help you meet current/future needs

Moderator:

Cathy Hardin, Chief Revenue Officer, Instawork

Panelists:

Stephane Jean-Baptiste, COO and Co-Founder, Kreyol ESSENCE
Martin Hickey, Senior Manager, Direct to Consumer Team, Fruit of the Loom
Will Eadie, Chief Revenue Officer, WorkJam Inc

2022-04-13 a0H3b00001iHyJXEA0 Order Fulfillment

1:15 PM – 1:55 PM

Leveraging Tech to Acquire, Operate and Scale Amazon Brands

Room: International Center

With company valuations doubling and more than $12 billion in venture capital raised in the past 12 months, it’s no wonder all eyes are on the acquisitions of third-party Amazon seller brands. There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to acquiring and growing these companies beyond the Amazon ecosystem —and technology may very well be the key difference between success and failure. In this session, executives from aggregator HeyDay and fulfillment platform Flowspace discuss ecommerce optimization at scale, and the role technology plays in growing revenue and meeting customer expectations post-acquisition.

You will learn:
• Why this corner of the market has been in hyperdrive
• The critical role of technology in scaling operations
• The view from the seller’s perspective
• Where the space is headed

Speakers:

Frank Garcia, Head of Operations, Flowspace
Karan Gandhi, Head of Operations, HeyDay

2022-04-13 a0H3b00001iHyJXEA0 Order Fulfillment

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