World Class Supply Chain Summit

Academia Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Zach G. Zacharia

Dr. Zach G. Zacharia is an Associate Professor of supply chain management, and Director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at the College of Business at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in supply chain management. Dr. Zacharia's research is primarily focused on buyer-supplier relationships and collaboration across the supply chain. 

Dynamic challenges, collaborative solutions

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

MC:
Bianca Caramento

Bianca Caramento serves as President & CEO of the Milton Chamber of Commerce.

A proud McMaster University alumni, Bianca also holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics in Environmental Policy and a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Bianca has worked at both the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce as Manager of Policy and Government Relations. She formerly managed both the Bay Area Climate Change Council and the Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk College.

Bianca has worked in government, both federally and provincially. Bianca currently sits on the boards of YWCA Hamilton and the Sons & Daughters of Italy Housing Corporation. Bianca is the self-proclaimed queen of doughnuts.

CO-CHAIRS:
KEITH REARDON AND MICHAEL HAUGHTON

Keith Reardon is the Senior Vice-President, Interline and Network Development, based in Toronto. He is responsible for the execution and expansion of CN’s intermodal and automotive businesses, leading the commercial teams and non-rail operations in his supply chains, and adapting all last-mile services for customers. Mr. Reardon oversees all aspects of the Company’s domestic and international intermodal and automotive activities, as well as freight forwarding services in North America and Asia, and CN’s Supply Chain Sales groups, corporate revenue planning, and business development.

Prior to his appointment, he had been Vice-President of Intermodal and Automotive since January of 2017. In 2012, Mr. Reardon was named Vice-President of Intermodal Services. In 2009, Mr. Reardon was appointed Vice-President of Supply Chain Solutions, where he was responsible for the Automotive and Iron Ore business units and CN’s non-rail transportation services including transloading, freight forwarding and warehousing, just to name a few. He also directed many supply chain and business development initiatives for CN – working closely with CN customers and partners. Previously, he was Assistant Vice-President of CN Transloading Operations, where he managed more than 80 CN-owned warehousing and distribution facilities.

Passionate about logistics, Mr. Reardon has more than 25 years of experience in the field; he also held senior positions with outside firms in the world of logistics for a number of years. Mr. Reardon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and an MBA from the University of North Florida.

Dr. Michael Haughton is Professor of Operations and Decision Sciences and CN Research Fellow in Supply Chain Management (SCM) in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business & Economics.  Dr. Haughton’s expertise within SCM is freight transportation. He has a prolific research record of scholarly awards, publications, and presentations to audiences in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.  His more recent awards include appointments as Visiting Fulbright Research Chair appointment at Arizona State University’s Center for Transborder Studies and Visiting Scholar at China’s Chongqing Technology and Business University.  Two major topics in Dr. Haughton’s current research are: (i) the benefits of high quality information for decisions by both 3PLs and their clients and (ii) logistical efficiency issues at critical links in transportation networks. 

COMPANY PROFILES

Lazaridis School of Business & Economics

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business & Economics is one of Canada’s most selective and prestigious business programs. With more than 33,000 alumni, 160 full-time faculty and 6,000 students, the Lazaridis School has the largest business-degree co-op program in Canada.  

The mission of the Lazaridis School is to develop leaders with the skills in management and economics for a rapidly changing and complex global environment. We seek to advance knowledge and practices in these fields by supporting both theoretical and applied research. Furthermore, we strive to serve business and our community by fostering mutually beneficial alliances with leaders at local, national and international levels.  

Located within one of the most vibrant startup communities in Canada, the Lazaridis School which is accredited by AACSB offers undergraduate and graduate business and economics degrees along with a PhD in Management on Laurier’s Waterloo campus. Our Business Technology Management bachelor’s program is located on the university’s Brantford campus, and we offer a Master of Finance and MBA at our downtown Toronto location.

CN

CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Milton's Voice of Business

The Milton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit, membership-based, volunteer driven, organization representing over 700 member businesses and individuals. The Milton Chamber’s primary role is Strengthening Business through our influence in advocating on behalf of our members, marketing and promotion for our members, and providing informational events to help members learn and interact.

STUDENT CO-CHAIRS:
Raeed Ahmed and Shikha Sharma

Raeed Ahmed is a third-year student at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program. Serving a third Presidency term between two university organizations, Raeed is a proven leader who has seen frequent successes in management. His leadership is further validated through his consulting experiences, working in management for projects ranging from $100,000 to ~$5,000,000. With a concentration in Supply Chain Management and minors in Computer Science and Economics, Raeed is able to contribute towards both strategic and analytical conversations. Having acquired a Black Belt in LEAN Six Sigma, Raeed excels in process efficiency, quality management, and logistics.

Shikha Sharma is a fourth year Honours BBA Co-op Student at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. She is currently working towards her accounting specialization and hopes to attain her CPA designation upon graduating. Outside of accounting, Shikha shares a passion for the supply chain and logistics industry as the Co-president of the Laurier Supply Chain Association. Shikha has arranged and led several supply chain panel discussions with experts in the field, case competitions, and workshops to help broaden the scope and reach of the supply chain industry at Wilfrid Laurier University. 

2023 Industry Keynote:
Rocco Rossi

Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

A successful entrepreneur and business executive, champion fundraiser, and dedicated public servant, Rocco Rossi joined the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) in 2018 as President and CEO. Prior to joining the OCC, Rossi most recently served as President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada where he helped to advance the research, advocacy, education and awareness of the most common cancer in men. Mr. Rossi also served as CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation – one of Canada’s largest non-profit organizations – overseeing consecutive years of record fundraising combining for over $500 million in total and launching many new, life-saving initiatives. Mr. Rossi has held senior positions at the Boston Consulting Group, TORSTAR, Labatt/Interbrew and MGI Software. He is a graduate of McGill and Princeton. 

2023 Industry Panel:
Masud Azizi, Stephanie Carruth, Thomas Henning, Mark Price and Kelvin Tan

Masud Azizi, Director, Transpacific Trade, Canada at Kuehne+Nagel

Masud is the Director, Transpacific Trade, Canada at Kuehne+Nagel, the largest global freight forwarder by revenue, and market leader in both sea and air logistics. He is originally from Vancouver, currently living in Toronto, and has spent over a decade in the industry. As the Director of Transpacific Trade for Canada, Masud helps to facilitate and grow the Asia trade by Sea. Working with all types of organizations to import their product into North America, this role has taken him to over 10 countries and 3 continents. 

Stephanie Carruth, ONE for Freight, Halton Peel Supply Chain Council, Milton Chamber Board of Directors

Stephanie is an experienced transportation professional in the field of Human Resources Management and Research & Development. She is the founder of a project management and consultancy firm, Minds For Matter Inc., and works closely with several Canadian trucking companies, including Milton-based ONE For Freight, of which she is a former employee.  

A graduate of McMaster University, Stephanie has a proven track record of designing and implementing advanced HR programs that support employee development through customized training, coaching, and mentorship and focus on driving a culture of accountability through policies and functional business tools and resources. Early on in her career, Stephanie was named to Today’s Trucking Next Generation Class of 2016. More recently, she partnered with Mohawk College Enterprises to create and launch ‘Essential Skills for Transportation Professionals,’ a joint venture aimed at providing meaningful and relevant professional development opportunities for Professional Truck Drivers and future leaders in the industry.  

Stephanie is a member of the Milton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and HR Roundtable, the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada’s Young Leader’s Group Board of Directors, Trucking HR Canada’s National HR Transformative Change Group, the Peel-Halton Supply Chain Council, and the HRPA. For the past several years, she has also served as an an industry mentor for Mohawk College Supply Chain Management students through the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. 

Thomas Henning, Director, Trucking Operations, CN

Thomas Hennig was appointed Director, Trucking Operations in August 2017, based in Brampton.  He oversees all trucking operations for CN”s Intermodal business unit. 

Prior to joining CN, Thomas had over 25 years involvement in the transportation industry.  Holding various position of increasing responsibility with market leading service providers in categories of Courier, LTL, TL, Air Freight, Temperature Controlled Warehousing, Purchasing and Controlling Assets.  Solid successes in delivering business objectives and strategic implementation of cross functional work groups. 

Mark Price, Associate Vice President, Domestic Transportation, Canadian Tire Corporation, Ltd. 

Mark started his career with Canadian Tire Corporation in 1993 and has moved through a number of progressive Supply Chain positions within Logistics, Network Design and Supply Chain Integration. His roles and experience in analytics, projects and operations have supported several cross functional initiatives with merchandising and suppliers in the pursuit of improved supply chain operations. 

In 2009 Mark was appointed to the role of Associate Vice President, Operations Planning whose department was accountable as the central planning hub for CTCs Supply Chain network.  This role extended from long term network planning through to the detailed plans used by the CTC transportation and distribution centers to execute on a daily basis. 

In 2018 Mark was appointed to the role of Associate Vice President, International Transportation whose department oversaw inbound international product flow across the globe including customs clearance, transloading, cross border trucking and equipment acquisitions.  

In 2022 Mark assumed the role of Associate Vice President Domestic Transportation, accountable for the flow of product from domestic suppliers to distribution centres as well as outbound shipments to retail locations across all CTC banners across the country. 

Mark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering) from the University of Toronto. 

Kelvin Tan, Head of Global Business Development Sales at PSA BDP.

Kelvin Tan is currently Head of Global Business Development Sales at PSA BDP, being responsible for the business development and sales teams globally, offering cargo solutions to a variety of customers, leveraging on technology, creativity and efficiency to provide optionality, sustainability and cost effective options within the supply chain. 

Kelvin was Deputy Chief Executive Officer for PSA Halifax from 2019-2023, building the strategic value of Halifax as a key Atlantic gateway, integrating the container terminals in the port with various stakeholders, and with the global family of PSA businesses. A keen focus on business development allowed Kelvin to bring experience from more than 20 years with PSA to Canada. 

Kelvin was previously CEO of Ashcroft Terminal in British Columbia, PSA’s first venture into the North American market and prior to that, the CFO for Mersin International Port, Turkey’s largest container and bulk cargo port.  

Since joining PSA in 2001, Kelvin has held various roles in Finance, Commercial and Operations across Europe and Asia. Kelvin has a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, London (UK), a Diploma in Marketing from the London Chamber of Commerce (UK), is a Certified Internal Auditor from the Institute of Internal Auditors, with executive education at INSEAD (France) and LSE (UK). 

2023 STUDENT FORUM:
Raeed Ahmed, Kyle Henkenhaf and Aldo DeBiase

Raeed Ahmed

With a background that composes computer science, fintech consulting, software implementation, supply 

chain management, and developing machine learning algorithms, Raeed demonstrates a strong understanding of technology. Pairing his experience with a Black Belt in LEAN Six Sigma, Raeed is able to understand how technology can impact operations and have a positive influence on business performance. 

Kyle Henkenhaf

Kyle Henkenhaf is a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics with a concentration in Supply Chain Management. He joined the Corporate Relations portfolio on the Laurier Supply Chain Association in the beginning of his 3rd year and developed his interest in the area through club events and activities. He has since been more involved with the club in finding event speakers. Kyle has work experience as a Supply Chain Analyst in the foods industry.  

Aldo DeBiase

Aldo DeBiase is a second-year student in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. He has an interest in supply chain management and is an executive member of the Laurier Supply Chain Association. Aldo has work experience on the performance improvement team at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. 

2023 Fireside Chat: 
Eric Dewar, Rocco Rossi, Shika Sharma, Chris Walker, Dr. Zach Zacharia

Eric Dewar is a Senior Merchandise Flow Analyst at TJX Canada, where he partners with planners and distribution centres, ensuring the efficient flow of products to Canadian stores. During his four years at TJX, Eric has also planned sales for multiple product categories. Eric holds the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation through the Association for Supply Chain Management and graduated from Laurier's BBA program in 2019. 

Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce is a successful entrepreneur and business executive, champion fundraiser, and dedicated public servant, Rocco Rossi joined the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) in 2018 as President and CEO. Prior to joining the OCC, Rossi most recently served as President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada where he helped to advance the research, advocacy, education and awareness of the most common cancer in men. Mr. Rossi also served as CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation – one of Canada’s largest non-profit organizations – overseeing consecutive years of record fundraising combining for over $500 million in total and launching many new, life-saving initiatives. Mr. Rossi has held senior positions at the Boston Consulting Group, TORSTAR, Labatt/Interbrew and MGI Software. He is a graduate of McGill and Princeton. 

Shikha Sharma is a fourth year Honours BBA Co-op Student at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. She is currently working towards her accounting specialization and hopes to attain her CPA designation upon graduating. Outside of accounting, Shikha shares a passion for the supply chain and logistics industry as the Co-president of the Laurier Supply Chain Association. Shikha has arranged and led several supply chain panel discussions with experts in the field, case competitions, and workshops to help broaden the scope and reach of the supply chain industry at Wilfrid Laurier University. 

Chris Walker is the President of Maritime-Ontario Freight Lines Limited. Chris has a diverse background in transportation, from healthcare to e-commerce, and is now leading the M-O team from Coast to Coast.  

Dr. Zach G. Zacharia is an Associate Professor of supply chain management, and Director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at the College of Business at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in supply chain management. Dr. Zacharia's research is primarily focused on buyer-supplier relationships and collaboration across the supply chain.