50 Outstanding Thought Leaders in Supply Chain USA

Last updated: June 2026

The 50 people on this list represent the most important voices in US supply chain right now. They span academic research, industry media, executive practice, procurement strategy, sustainability, logistics technology, and community building, each actively shaping how American supply chain professionals think and operate.

As of June 2026, US supply chain operates under conditions of genuine complexity. According to the 2025 CSCMP State of Logistics Report, produced by Kearney and presented by Penske Logistics, US business logistics costs reached $2.58 trillion in 2024, equalling 8.8 percent of national GDP, a figure that reflects how central the supply chain function has become to the overall performance of the American economy. A separate 2026 survey found that 72 percent of trade professionals now identify US tariff volatility as the single most impactful regulatory change affecting their work, a dramatic rise from 41 percent the previous year. Getting the right information from the right voices has never mattered more for supply chain professionals at every level.

This list brings together the researchers, analysts, practitioners, media builders, and community leaders who genuinely belong at the top of any serious directory of US supply chain thought leadership. Rather than recycling the same small group of names that appears on every list, each person here was selected on the basis of documented contribution, active engagement, and genuine connection to the US supply chain ecosystem. Whether you lead a procurement function, run a logistics operation, advise organisations on supply chain strategy, or are building your expertise in this field, these are the people and the content worth following in 2026.

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Why Do the Supply Chain Voices You Follow Matter So Much Right Now?

The supply chain voices you follow shape the quality of your decisions, and in 2026 those decisions carry more consequence than they have for decades. The 2026 ASCM report on supply chain trends identified digital twins as the primary enabler of supply chain resilience, while 73 percent of supply chain leaders in the Tradeverifyd 2026 survey said they expect to hit their tariff absorption wall before the end of the year, the point at which cost pressure moves from corporate balance sheets to consumer prices.

These are not technical problems with technical solutions. They are strategic challenges that require access to the best thinking available, and that thinking is produced by people. The 50 voices on this list are the practitioners, researchers, and community builders who are actively helping the US supply chain profession navigate all of it. From MIT research labs to independent podcasting studios, from Gartner analyst desks to boutique consulting practices in Atlanta and California, they represent the full range of where the important supply chain conversations are actually happening in the US right now.

Organisations that need support translating supply chain strategy into team-level execution can book Jonno White to facilitate an executive offsite or deliver a keynote on leadership and performance. Bring Jonno White in to work with your supply chain leadership team at jonno@consultclarity.org. International travel is often far more affordable than clients expect, and Jonno regularly works with teams across the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and further afield.

How This List Was Compiled

Every person on this list was selected on three criteria. First, a substantive, documented contribution to the supply chain profession through published research, authored books, an established media platform, a recognised professional credential, or demonstrated leadership of a supply chain organisation or community. Second, active engagement with the profession in 2025 and 2026, sharing insight, advancing ideas, or building the platforms through which the profession develops.

Third, a genuine connection to the US supply chain ecosystem, whether through a US-based institution, a US-centred audience, or primary professional practice in the American market. The list deliberately brings together researchers, practitioners, consultants, media builders, and community leaders to reflect the full range of where US supply chain thought leadership actually lives, rather than repeating the same familiar subset of voices that dominates most public lists.

Academic Researchers and Educators: Who Are the Top US Supply Chain Researchers?

The academic research base of US supply chain thinking runs through some of the most respected institutions in the world. The people in this category are not simply theorists. They produce the frameworks, textbooks, and training programmes that shape how the next generation of supply chain professionals thinks and decides. Their work bridges the gap between peer-reviewed research and the practical challenges facing organisations operating in real supply chains under real pressure.

1. Yossi Sheffi

The Elisha Gray II Professor of Engineering Systems at MIT and Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, Yossi Sheffi has spent more than four decades building the intellectual foundation of supply chain risk and resilience thinking in the United States. He founded the MIT master's degree in supply chain management and the SCALE global network of supply chain academic centres, building the institutional infrastructure through which MIT's supply chain research reaches practitioners worldwide.

His 2025 book The Magic Conveyor Belt: Supply Chains, A.I., and the Future of Work directly addresses the artificial intelligence transformation reshaping US supply chains, examining how automation is changing production, logistics, labour, and the strategic decisions organisations need to make. Earlier works including The Resilient Enterprise and The Power of Resilience remain foundational reading for any supply chain leader managing disruption.

2. Chris Caplice

As Executive Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and chief scientist at DAT Solutions, Chris Caplice holds a rare dual role bridging academic research and freight market practice. His MIT supply chain management courses are among the most popular on the MITx platform, reaching practitioners far beyond the traditional academic audience.

He co-authored Strategic Planning for Dynamic Supply Chains with Yossi Sheffi and Shardul Phadnis, a practical framework for scenario-based supply chain planning under conditions of uncertainty. His combination of freight market data expertise and academic rigour makes him one of the most practically relevant research voices in US supply chain.

3. Hau Lee

Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Director of the Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum, Hau Lee created the Triple-A Supply Chain concept, one of the most widely cited frameworks in supply chain strategy. The framework, built around the properties of agility, adaptability, and alignment, provides a durable structure for designing supply chains that outperform under pressure rather than simply optimising for efficiency.

The October 2025 Supply Chain Summit co-hosted with Amazon at Stanford brought together supply chain executives and academics to explore how AI, robotics, and next-generation industrial technologies are reshaping value chains. Lee's ongoing research at the Value Chain Innovation Initiative continues to connect academic inquiry to boardroom decision-making.

4. Remko Van Hoek

Professor at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and 2025 recipient of the CSCMP Distinguished Service Award, the highest individual honour in the supply chain profession, Remko Van Hoek has built a career spanning academia and senior industry roles at Nike, PwC, and Disney. That combination of research depth and operational experience gives his work a distinctive credibility.

He authored The Making of the Supply Chain: How Five CSCMP Supply Chain Hall of Famers Shaped the Industry, an exploration of the five pioneers whose innovations most transformed how the profession operates. His current research focuses on supply chain talent development, procurement leadership, and the strategic dimensions of supply chain capability building.

5. Lisa Ellram

University Distinguished and James Evans Rees Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain at Miami University's Farmer School of Business, Lisa Ellram received an honorary doctorate from Hanken School of Economics in 2024 and the Benjamin Harrison Medallion in 2023, recognising decades of contribution to supply chain scholarship. She specialises in total cost of ownership analysis, strategic supplier partnerships, and purchasing strategy.

Her research on the intersection of sustainability, buyer-supplier relationships, and supply chain cost management has shaped how procurement is taught and practised across the US. Her editorial leadership at leading academic journals has contributed to raising the standard of supply chain management research across the discipline.

6. Sunil Chopra

IBM Distinguished Professor of Operations Management and Information Systems at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Sunil Chopra is co-author with Peter Meindl of Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning, and Operation, which serves as the standard textbook for supply chain management programmes across the United States and globally. His research on supply chain design, distribution network optimisation, and demand-supply coordination has shaped how generations of supply chain managers approach strategic network decisions.

His teaching and consulting work with major corporations gives his academic output a grounding in real operational challenges, and his textbook has become the entry point into supply chain thinking for students and practitioners around the world.

7. Chris Tang

Distinguished Professor and Edward W. Carter Chair in Business at UCLA Anderson School of Management, Chris Tang was recognised among the top one percent of the world's most influential researchers based on Web of Science citations in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. As editor-in-chief of Manufacturing and Service Operations Management from 2015 to 2020, he was instrumental in having the journal added to the Financial Times 50 journal list in 2017.

His research covers supply chain strategy, socially responsible supply chains, and the management of supply chain risk under conditions of uncertainty. His work on multi-tier supplier networks and ethical sourcing is particularly relevant for US organisations navigating the increasing scrutiny of supply chain practices by investors, regulators, and consumers.

8. Ted Stank

Bruce Chair in Business professor at the University of Tennessee and a central figure at the Global Supply Chain Institute, Ted Stank leads one of the most influential supply chain education platforms in the United States. The GSCI was ranked the number one graduate supply chain programme in the US by Gartner in 2024 and the number two undergraduate supply chain programme, reflecting the depth of its research and practitioner programmes.

His work covers supply chain strategy, the relationship between supply chain capability and firm performance, and the development of supply chain leaders at all career stages. The GSCI's Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, Supply Chain Management Leadership Academy, and annual Supply Chain Forum reach practitioners and corporate partners across the country.

9. Matthew Waller

Dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and a prominent supply chain researcher, Matthew Waller leads one of the most active supply chain research communities in the US. Walton College hosts the Supply Chain Management Research Center and the Supply Chain Hall of Fame in partnership with CSCMP, making it a central institution in the professional life of US supply chain.

His research covers retail supply chain management, supply chain analytics, and the application of emerging technologies including AI and blockchain to supply chain operations. His podcast and active content work bridge academic research and the practical concerns of supply chain practitioners at all career levels.

10. Nada Sanders

Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain and Information Management at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University, Nada Sanders is one of the leading US academic voices on supply chain analytics, forecasting, and the use of artificial intelligence in supply chain decision-making. She has been listed among the top two percent of scientists globally by Stanford University for multiple consecutive years.

Her book The Humachine, co-authored with John D. Wood, and her 2023 Harvard Business Review article explore how human-AI collaboration will define the next era of enterprise performance. Her research on how organisations can adopt AI effectively without sacrificing human judgement is increasingly relevant for supply chain leaders navigating the technology transformation.

Media Builders and Content Leaders: Who Is Shaping the US Supply Chain Conversation?

The supply chain media ecosystem in the US produces some of the most impactful practitioner content in any business discipline. The people in this category are the founders, hosts, analysts, and editors who make the supply chain conversation accessible, current, and substantive for professionals across the country. Good supply chain media builds community, accelerates the diffusion of ideas, and creates platforms through which new voices get heard.

11. Scott Luton

Founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, ranked the number one global supply chain thought leader and influencer by Thinkers360 in 2025, Scott Luton has built one of the most listened-to supply chain media platforms in the world. With more than one million listeners and a programming model that features the voices of executives, engineers, and operators alongside analysts and academics, Supply Chain Now has become the central platform of the US supply chain media ecosystem.

At Manifest 2026, he hosted conversations covering AI in warehouse operations, the future of logistics automation, and the strategic implications of supply chain transformation for US organisations. A US Air Force veteran, he brings a service-oriented discipline to the platform's work of connecting and elevating the supply chain profession.

12. Lora Cecere

Founder of Supply Chain Insights and one of only two official LinkedIn Influencers in the supply chain space, Lora Cecere has more than 35 years of supply chain experience spanning senior roles at Procter and Gamble, Kraft/General Foods, Gartner, and AMR Research. Her Supply Chain Shaman blog is widely regarded as one of the most substantive independent voices in supply chain analytics and enterprise software in the US.

Her books Bricks Matter and Metrics That Matter provide frameworks for connecting supply chain performance to financial outcomes. Her research on demand-driven value networks, supply chain sensing, and digital transformation continues to produce some of the clearest thinking available on the questions supply chain leaders are actually grappling with.

13. Adrian Gonzalez

Founder and President of Adelante SCM and host of Talking Logistics, an online programme featuring supply chain leaders and newsmakers, Adrian Gonzalez has built one of the most enduring practitioner media platforms in US supply chain. He also founded Indago, a market research community for supply chain professionals, and Adelante SCM, a development platform for emerging supply chain professionals.

With more than 24 years of research experience in transportation management, logistics outsourcing, and global trade, his content translates complex supply chain dynamics into practical insight for executives and practitioners. His LinkedIn following of more than 250,000 makes him one of the most-followed supply chain voices in the United States.

14. Craig Fuller

Founder and CEO of FreightWaves, a data and media company focused on the freight and logistics sector, Craig Fuller has built one of the most data-driven supply chain media organisations in the United States. FreightWaves provides real-time market intelligence on freight rates, capacity, and demand that enables shippers, carriers, and analysts to make faster and better-informed logistics decisions.

His background in trucking and freight business gives his commentary on market dynamics and industry transformation a credibility rooted in direct operational experience. FreightWaves now sits at the centre of the US freight and logistics media landscape, reaching the executives and practitioners who move goods across the country every day.

15. Bob Ferrari

Founder and Executive Editor of Supply Chain Matters, Bob Ferrari has been one of the most consistent independent supply chain commentators in the US for more than a decade. His background spans supply chain management, technology marketing, and consulting, and his writing covers the strategic implications of supply chain developments across manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and technology sectors.

Supply Chain Matters provides a critical, contextualised perspective on global supply chain news that many practitioners use to supplement the information they receive from their own organisations. Ferrari's willingness to challenge vendor narratives and provide independent analysis has earned him a loyal following among supply chain professionals who value a clear-eyed view of the technology landscape.

16. Mary Kate Love

President of Supply Chain Now since January 2026, Mary Kate Love leads the strategic growth and programming of one of the most influential supply chain media platforms in the US. Her background spans digital manufacturing, startups, and innovation leadership, including building out the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific and earlier work with MxD, the Department of Defense's digital manufacturing innovation centre, where she was among the first team members.

Her leadership of Supply Chain Now's expansion into new partnerships, scaled programming, and demand-generation capabilities reflects a clear vision for how supply chain media can build the community and deliver the content that helps practitioners and organisations perform better. Her background combines supply chain expertise with media and content strategy in a way that makes her a distinctive voice in the conversation about professional development and community building.

17. Marina Mayer

Editor-in-Chief of Food Logistics and Supply and Demand Chain Executive, and co-founder and Content Director of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, Marina Mayer is one of the most influential figures in US supply chain media. Food Logistics covers the temperature-controlled, cold chain, and food and beverage supply chain space with rigour and depth, serving one of the most operationally demanding segments of the US supply chain.

The Women in Supply Chain Forum, now in its fifth year, has grown into a significant community and recognition programme, running four major awards programmes alongside its flagship conference and bringing together women from across the US supply chain profession. Mayer's work sits at the intersection of supply chain journalism, sector expertise, and community building.

Analysts, Strategists, and Procurement Leaders: Who Is Driving Strategic Supply Chain Thinking?

The analysts, strategists, and procurement leaders in this category are the people organisations turn to when they need to understand where supply chain is heading and how to position themselves for it. Their work spans Gartner, EY, the world's most active procurement media platforms, and independent advisory practices. Good supply chain strategy analysis is not prediction. It is the work of helping organisations understand the decisions they face clearly enough to make them well.

18. Kelly Barner

Co-founder of Buyers Meeting Point and co-host of the Art of Procurement podcast with Philip Ideson, Kelly Barner was ranked second among global supply chain influencers by Thinkers360 in 2025. Her writing and podcasting challenge procurement professionals to think beyond cost savings and embrace their role as strategic business partners inside their organisations.

Barner's content covers the strategic evolution of procurement, digital transformation in sourcing, and the changing role of procurement leadership. Her work has contributed significantly to the body of knowledge around procurement strategy and supplier relationship management, and her reach within the US procurement community is substantial.

19. Philip Ideson

Founder of Art of Procurement and co-host of its flagship podcast with Kelly Barner, Philip Ideson moved up 13 places in the Thinkers360 global supply chain rankings between 2024 and 2025, from 25th to 12th, one of the largest year-on-year movements in the ranking. His background spans both practitioner and advisory roles in procurement, giving him credibility at all levels of the function.

Art of Procurement has built a substantial library of content, research, and practitioner guidance that helps procurement professionals navigate digital transformation, supplier strategy, and the organisational dynamics of building procurement functions that deliver genuine strategic value. His reach within the US procurement community has grown rapidly and continues to expand.

20. Sheri Hinish

Senior Partner at EY and widely known as the Supply Chain Queen, Sheri Hinish is one of the most visible and authoritative voices at the intersection of supply chain, sustainability, and digital transformation in the US. She advises Fortune 500 companies and governments on climate finance, circular economy strategy, AI-driven supply chains, and regenerative business models.

She is the founding host of the Supply Chain Revolution podcast, with more than 100 episodes featuring guests from Microsoft, IBM, MIT, TerraCycle, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Named one of the Top 100 B2B Thought Leaders by Thinkers360 in 2025 and featured on the March 2026 cover of Supply Chain Digital, she has built one of the most substantive and distinctive personal brands in US supply chain leadership.

21. Maria Villablanca

Founder and CEO of Future Insights Network and Gartner Peer Community Ambassador, Maria Villablanca was ranked in the top five global supply chain influencers by Thinkers360 in 2025. Her content explores the intersection of supply chain transformation, technology strategy, and executive leadership, helping supply chain leaders navigate the digital transformation landscape with clarity.

Future Insights Network builds communities and events connecting supply chain executives across industries to share experience and accelerate the adoption of best practices. Her work on supply chain transformation strategy is particularly relevant for US organisations deciding where and how to invest in digital supply chain capability.

22. Mike Griswold

Vice President Analyst at Gartner covering supply chain strategy and technology, Mike Griswold is one of the most influential analyst voices shaping how US enterprises think about supply chain investment and transformation. At Manifest 2026, he engaged with Scott Luton on the practical dimensions of AI adoption, the balance between augmentation and automation, and how supply chain is stepping into a more strategic, decision-shaping role within organisations.

Gartner's supply chain research reaches the C-suites of the world's largest organisations, and Griswold's contribution to that research gives him genuine influence over the technology investment decisions of US enterprises. His nuanced perspective on AI, capability building, and leadership in supply chain is valuable precisely because it avoids the hype that often surrounds technology discussions in this space.

23. Jennifer Ulrich

Senior Vice President of Procurement Solutions at Corcentric and a recognised US procurement thought leader, Jennifer Ulrich was ranked 50th among global supply chain influencers by Thinkers360 in 2025, reflecting her growing profile in the US procurement and supply chain community. Her work focuses on procurement technology, strategic sourcing, and the transformation of procurement from a transactional function to a strategic business partner.

Ulrich's content and speaking work engage procurement professionals across the US on the practical dimensions of procurement digitisation, supplier management, and the organisational change required to build procurement functions that deliver measurable business value. Her perspective as a practitioner inside a large procurement technology company gives her commentary a grounding in how organisations actually use procurement tools.

24. Jamie Crump

Founder of The Richwell Group and a prominent US procurement adviser and community builder, Jamie Crump was ranked 49th among global supply chain influencers by Thinkers360 in 2025. Her work focuses on helping organisations build procurement capability, develop procurement talent, and create the internal conditions needed for procurement to operate as a strategic function.

Crump's content covers procurement leadership, team development, and the cultural dimensions of procurement transformation. Her focus on people and capability building within the procurement function makes her a distinctive voice in a discipline that often emphasises technology and process over the human dynamics that determine whether transformation actually takes hold.

25. Omid Ghamami

Known as the Procurement Doctor and named a Top 10 Procurement Influencer and Top 10 Supply Chain Influencer across multiple recognition programmes, Omid Ghamami brings decades of Fortune 50 executive experience to his consulting and training work. His approach combines deep technical procurement knowledge with practical negotiation strategies designed to deliver measurable results in real procurement environments.

His content on LinkedIn covers negotiation strategy, procurement leadership, and the transformation of procurement performance. His no-nonsense approach to procurement improvement and his credibility as someone who has operated at the highest levels of corporate procurement makes him a sought-after voice for supply chain and procurement professionals who need to move beyond theory and into execution.

26. Elouise Epstein

Author of Radical Procurement and one of the sharpest US voices on digital procurement disruption and the technology stack behind modern supply chains, Elouise Epstein challenges conventional thinking about how procurement and supply chain technology should be designed and deployed. Her analysis of platform strategy, digital supply networks, and enterprise technology architecture helps supply chain and procurement leaders make more informed decisions about technology investments.

Her book Radical Procurement is a direct challenge to the accepted wisdom about how procurement should operate and how technology should support it, making it essential reading for procurement leaders who sense that the current model needs fundamental rethinking rather than incremental improvement.

27. Sarah Scudder

A procurement and supply chain thought leader with a strong personal brand on LinkedIn, Sarah Scudder combines expertise in digital transformation with a focus on helping organisations navigate the procurement technology landscape. Her content covers procurement strategy, marketing procurement, and the practical dimensions of supply chain technology adoption for mid-market and enterprise organisations.

Scudder's work addresses a segment of the procurement conversation that is often underserved: the practical, operational challenges facing procurement leaders who need to improve performance without the resources of the largest enterprise procurement functions. Her accessible, practitioner-focused content makes her one of the more useful voices to follow for supply chain and procurement professionals working in complex but not Fortune 50 environments.

28. Helen Yu

Founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory Corp. and a Thinkers360 top 50 global supply chain influencer in 2025, Helen Yu is a technology strategist and supply chain adviser whose work focuses on the intersection of enterprise technology, digital transformation, and supply chain capability development. Her advisory practice spans healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and technology, giving her a cross-industry view of how supply chain capability drives competitive advantage.

Her content covers AI adoption, digital business model design, and the leadership requirements of technology-enabled supply chain transformation. Her ability to connect technology strategy to business outcome in accessible, non-technical terms makes her a valuable voice for supply chain executives who need to evaluate digital investment decisions without deep technical expertise of their own.

Consulting Practitioners and Industry Builders: What Makes an Exceptional US Supply Chain Consultant?

The consulting practitioners in this category have built supply chain practices, written textbooks, and transformed the operations of some of the largest organisations in the United States. Their thought leadership is grounded in the practical experience of implementation, and their advice carries the weight of having been tested inside real supply chains under real competitive pressure.

29. Jim Tompkins

Founder of Tompkins International and more recently Tompkins Ventures and Tompkins Leadership, Jim Tompkins has built one of the most extensive bodies of work in US supply chain consulting over a 50-year career. He has written 31 books, delivered more than 2,000 presentations globally, and founded 15 businesses generating more than two billion dollars in combined revenue.

Tompkins Ventures, founded in 2020, delivers hands-on supply chain solutions for organisations navigating disruption. Tompkins Leadership, founded in 2022, addresses the leadership and organisational transformation dimensions of supply chain improvement. Together, they reflect his recognition that operational excellence and leadership capability must be developed in parallel for supply chain transformation to deliver lasting results.

30. Lisa Anderson

President and Founder of LMA Consulting Group, Lisa Anderson specialises in supply chain planning, transformation, and execution for manufacturers and distributors across the US. Recognised by SAP and Washington Frank as a top supply chain and ERP influencer, she has built a consulting practice focused on helping organisations improve customer experience and drive profitable growth through supply chain capability development.

Her background includes a Vice President of Operations role at PaperPak, where she led significant supply chain transformations, and her consulting work spans private equity-backed and multi-billion dollar organisations across manufacturing and distribution sectors. Her practical, results-oriented approach makes her a trusted adviser for operational leaders who need supply chain improvement that actually sticks.

31. Tom Linton

A veteran supply chain executive whose career includes chief procurement and supply chain officer roles at Flextronics, LG Electronics, and Agility, Tom Linton co-authored Flow: How the Best Supply Chains Thrive with Rob Handfield, a book exploring how velocity and visibility drive supply chain performance in the digital age. He currently serves as a senior adviser at McKinsey and Company and as an executive advisory board member at Resilinc and Project44.

His practical experience running large, complex global supply chains from within major corporations gives his thought leadership a distinctive operational credibility. His content and speaking work focus on the strategic dimensions of supply chain transformation, with particular emphasis on the role of procurement, visibility, and speed in building supply chains that outperform under pressure.

32. Rob Handfield

Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University's Poole College of Management and Director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative, Rob Handfield is co-author with Tom Linton of Flow: How the Best Supply Chains Thrive and one of the most prolific supply chain researchers in the United States.

His research spans procurement strategy, supplier development, global supply chain risk, and the application of analytics to supply chain decision-making. The Supply Chain Resource Cooperative at NC State is a significant practitioner-academic partnership that translates Handfield's research into usable tools and frameworks for supply chain organisations across the US.

33. Steve Banker

Vice President at ARC Advisory Group specialising in logistics, transportation, and supply chain technology, Steve Banker is one of the most respected independent technology analysts in US supply chain. His research provides organisations with clear assessments of the technology landscape, from warehouse management systems and transportation management platforms to supply chain visibility tools and freight market analytics.

ARC Advisory Group's research is widely used by supply chain technology buyers and sellers alike, and Banker's analysis helps US organisations evaluate, select, and implement the technology stack underpinning their supply chain operations. His writing covers the full breadth of supply chain technology trends with a depth that goes well beyond the surface-level commentary that often dominates technology discussions.

34. Glenn Steinberg

Global and Americas Supply Chain Leader at EY, Glenn Steinberg oversees multinational teams across supply chain strategy, procurement, and operations, advising Fortune 500 companies and governments on supply chain challenges and transformation. He was recognised in The Consulting Report's Top 25 Operations and Supply Chain Consultants and Leaders of 2025, reflecting the breadth and impact of his work at one of the world's largest professional services firms.

His work at EY spans supply chain network design, procurement transformation, digital supply chain investment, and operating model redesign. His perspective on the intersection of supply chain strategy and business performance, developed across years of senior client work, gives him a well-grounded view of where US supply chain capability needs to develop in the current environment.

35. Rosemary Coates

Executive Director of the Reshoring Institute and author of five supply chain books, Rosemary Coates is one of the leading US voices on reshoring strategy, global sourcing, and supply chain design for the American manufacturing revival. She has worked with more than 80 clients globally across industries and teaches Global Supply Chain Strategy at UC Berkeley.

Her work on reshoring strategy has become particularly relevant as US organisations evaluate the trade-offs between global cost optimisation and domestic resilience in the face of tariff disruption, geopolitical tension, and the supply chain failures that large-scale offshoring exposed during and after the pandemic.

36. Enrique Alvarez

Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics and a member of Supply Chain Now's Advisory Board, Enrique Alvarez combines a background at the Boston Consulting Group with logistics operating experience that spans North America and beyond. A US Air Force veteran, his commitment to the veteran community informs both his professional work and his leadership philosophy.

His advisory work focuses on the strategic and operational improvement of logistics and supply chain operations for organisations in complex, multi-region environments. His combination of top-tier consulting experience and direct logistics operating knowledge makes him one of the more practically grounded voices in the US supply chain consulting community.

37. Jason Schenker

President of Prestige Economics and one of the most accurately forecasted economists in the world, Jason Schenker brings macroeconomic and futures analysis to the supply chain conversation in a way that is genuinely distinctive. His work helps US supply chain leaders understand how shifts in interest rates, energy prices, trade policy, and global economic conditions translate into supply chain risk and strategic opportunity.

He has authored numerous books covering economics, supply chain, and the future of work, and his content reaches supply chain executives who need to understand the economic environment in which their operations sit. His ability to make complex macroeconomic dynamics accessible and strategically relevant to supply chain decision-makers is a capability that relatively few voices in this space possess.

Community Builders and Emerging Voices: Who Is Growing the Next Generation of US Supply Chain Leaders?

The community builders in this category are doing some of the most important work in US supply chain: building the platforms, networks, and development pathways through which the next generation of supply chain professionals learns, connects, and grows. Good community leadership multiplies the impact of every other form of thought leadership.

38. Robert Martichenko

Chief Executive Officer of LeanCor Supply Chain Group and a 2015 inductee into the CSCMP Supply Chain Hall of Fame, Robert Martichenko has built one of the most distinctive lean supply chain consulting and education practices in the US. LeanCor's approach integrates lean thinking with supply chain design, procurement, and operations, offering a framework for building supply chains that improve continuously rather than requiring periodic transformation.

His work on lean supply chain management and his contributions to the CSCMP community have made him one of the most respected practitioner voices in the US supply chain consulting space. His induction into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame recognises a career of substantive contribution to the profession.

39. Ellen Voie

Founder of the Women in Trucking Association, which she launched in 2007, and author of From Dispatcher to Disruptor: One Woman's Journey to Drive Gender Diversity in the Trucking Industry, Ellen Voie has spent her career building the infrastructure for gender diversity in one of the most male-dominated sectors of the US supply chain. The Women in Trucking Association has grown into a substantial advocacy and community organisation with influence across the transportation and logistics industry.

Her book, published in 2025, documents how one person can transform an industry's culture through sustained advocacy, practical coalition-building, and a willingness to challenge structures that many others accepted as fixed. Her work addresses the human and cultural dimensions of building a more inclusive US supply chain workforce, a challenge that is increasingly recognised as central to solving the talent crisis facing transport and logistics.

40. Rodney Apple

Founder and CEO of SCM Talent and host of the supply chain talent podcast, Rodney Apple is one of the leading voices in US supply chain on the people dimension of supply chain performance. His work focuses on supply chain career development, talent acquisition, and the workforce strategy challenges facing supply chain organisations at a time of significant leadership and skills gaps.

His podcast and content work give supply chain professionals direct access to insights on career navigation, hiring strategy, and the development of the leadership and technical skills that determine career progression in the field. His focus on the talent side of supply chain is a genuinely important contribution to a conversation that is often dominated by technology and operations rather than people.

41. Joe Lynch

Founder and host of The Logistics of Logistics podcast, Joe Lynch has built one of the most active and widely listened-to logistics podcasting platforms in the US. His show features conversations with logistics executives, technology founders, consultants, and practitioners that provide practical insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the US logistics sector.

The Logistics of Logistics fills a niche for supply chain and logistics professionals who want longer, more substantive conversations than short-form social media content can provide. Lynch's accessible interview style and genuine curiosity about how the logistics industry works have built a loyal audience among practitioners at all career levels.

42. Rick McDonald

Co-host of The Buzz on Supply Chain Now and a veteran supply chain executive, Rick McDonald brings extensive senior practitioner experience to his content work with Supply Chain Now. His conversations with Scott Luton and other industry voices cover the most pressing strategic challenges facing US supply chain leaders, including AI adoption, geopolitical risk, logistics automation, and supply chain workforce transformation.

His practitioner background gives his commentary a grounding in operational reality that complements the academic and analytical perspectives featured elsewhere on the Supply Chain Now platform. His contribution to the supply chain media conversation is rooted in decades of direct experience inside complex supply chain organisations.

43. Daniel Stanton

Known as Mr. Supply Chain, Daniel Stanton has spent more than 25 years building supply chain education infrastructure that reaches practitioners globally. As a LinkedIn Learning instructor, Udemy premium instructor, and author of Supply Chain Management For Dummies, he has made supply chain knowledge accessible to a much broader audience than traditional academic or professional certification programmes typically reach.

His dual role as a Supply Chain Futurist for IBM Sterling Supply Chain and a widely recognised educator and community builder gives him a perspective that bridges the technology transformation story and the practical development needs of supply chain professionals at all experience levels. He is a consistent voice for making supply chain knowledge available to everyone who needs it.

44. Doug Brown

Founder of Black Book Research and author of The Black Book of Reshoring (Wiley, 2026), recognised as a Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling business title, Doug Brown is one of the leading US voices on reshoring strategy and the transformation of healthcare and manufacturing supply chains. His research firm has surveyed supply chain software, outsourcing, and managed services vendors across more than 30 industries since 2004.

His most recent book addresses the reshoring movement reshaping US manufacturing and supply chain strategy, providing a framework for organisations evaluating the trade-off between global sourcing efficiency and domestic resilience. His research into healthcare supply chain technology is widely used by hospital systems and health system leaders evaluating technology investment.

Procurement and Sourcing Specialists: Who Is Redefining Procurement in the United States?

Procurement has moved from a cost-management discipline to one of the most strategically important functions in US business, and the people in this category have led that transformation. Their work spans independent research firms, professional media platforms, and advisory practices that are actively redefining what it means to lead procurement with strategic intent.

45. Zal Phiroz

Holding faculty positions at Harvard, UC San Diego, and Michigan State University, Zal Phiroz trains future supply chain leaders on building smarter, more resilient supply chain systems. Named an Inclusive Teaching Fellow at Harvard University in 2023, a recognition of his commitment to equitable and effective supply chain education, his teaching career has been shaped by front-line supply chain experience at Procter and Gamble and subsequent expert witness work in high-profile product liability cases.

His data-driven approach to supply chain analysis, combined with his ability to work across both academic and legal contexts, gives him a perspective on supply chain accountability and operational standards that is genuinely distinctive among US supply chain educators. His expert witness work for major manufacturers including Pfizer, 3M, and Home Depot has further sharpened his understanding of where supply chain systems succeed and fail.

46. Kimberly Wilks

A senior supply chain executive whose career includes serving as Chief Procurement Officer at Kimberly-Clark, responsible for a $12 billion annual spend, and as the first Chief Supply Chain Officer at REI, Kimberly Wilks has built a career at the intersection of procurement leadership and operational transformation. At REI, she opened a 400,000-square-foot sustainable omnichannel fulfilment centre and built the supply chain strategy for one of the country's most purpose-driven retailers.

A trusted advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, she has served in executive sponsorship roles supporting employee resource groups at multiple organisations. Her combination of large-scale procurement leadership experience, supply chain transformation expertise, and commitment to inclusive leadership makes her a voice that the US supply chain profession genuinely needs to hear more of.

47. Carol Ptak

Partner at the Demand Driven Institute and co-creator with Chad Smith of Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning (DDMRP), Carol Ptak has spent her career building a more effective alternative to traditional MRP-based supply chain planning. DDMRP is recognised by supply chain associations and has been adopted by manufacturing and distribution organisations globally, representing one of the most practically influential contributions to supply chain planning methodology of the past two decades.

Her work on demand-driven supply chain methodology has moved the conversation from schedule-driven planning toward demand-signal-driven execution that reduces waste, improves service, and builds genuine resilience into supply chain operations. As a past president of APICS, she also shaped the institutional infrastructure through which supply chain professional development happens across the US.

48. Rahquel Purcell

Currently serving as Chief Transformation Officer for North America at L'Oreal USA, Rahquel Purcell spent 20 years at Procter and Gamble in international leadership roles across Western Europe, the Middle East, and Africa before joining L'Oreal. At L'Oreal, she rose to become Chief Operations Officer for North America, transforming the supply chain into one that delivered record results and market leadership during the pandemic and through its aftermath.

She co-founded the KeepYourKookee podcast, elevating intergenerational conversations about women, relationships, and professional life, and she serves on the Board of MSC Industrial Supply. Her combination of operational supply chain excellence, international leadership experience, and commitment to diversity and inclusion makes her a distinctive voice in the US supply chain executive community.

49. Patrick Van Hull

Founder of Supply Chain Storyteller and a Thinkers360 top 25 global supply chain influencer, Patrick Van Hull has built a distinctive niche as a practitioner who uses storytelling methodology to make complex supply chain concepts accessible and actionable. His career spans roles at Gartner, Deloitte Consulting, Kinaxis, and supply chain leadership positions at CVS Health, Apple, and Dell.

His approach to supply chain thought leadership emphasises narrative as a tool for making supply chain strategy usable in organisations. He was named a Supply and Demand Chain Executive Pro to Know in 2025 and 2026, reflecting his growing influence as a voice who helps supply chain leaders communicate more effectively internally and publicly.

50. Alan Amling

Distinguished Fellow at the University of Tennessee's Global Supply Chain Institute and former Vice President at UPS, Alan Amling brings more than two decades of supply chain and logistics executive experience to his research and content work. At the GSCI, he focuses on the intersection of supply chain strategy, innovation, and the future of work in logistics.

His work addresses the strategic implications of technology, automation, and workforce change for US supply chain and logistics organisations, drawing on his experience managing large-scale supply chain operations and technology implementation at one of the world's largest logistics companies. His ability to connect strategic supply chain thinking with the practical realities of running large logistics operations makes him a valuable voice for executives navigating transformation.

Notable Voices We Almost Included

Several supply chain voices were seriously considered for this list before the final selection was made. Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, and Brene Brown appear on almost every leadership list and have contributed frameworks that supply chain leaders draw on regularly. We chose to use that space for voices whose work is specifically grounded in supply chain practice rather than repeat names that readers will have encountered many times.

Among supply chain-specific voices we considered: Cathy Morrow Roberson of Logistics Trends and Insights, whose freight forwarding and logistics analysis is well regarded; Kevin O'Meara, an experienced supply chain executive with deep logistics network expertise; Jason Miller at Michigan State University's Broad College of Business, whose research on supply chain disruption and performance is well regarded in the academic community; and Mark Hermans of PwC's connected supply chain practice, whose work on technology-enabled supply chain transformation spans major global clients.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Following Supply Chain Thought Leaders

The most common mistake supply chain professionals make when following thought leaders is choosing names by profile size rather than content relevance. A supply chain leader with 300,000 LinkedIn followers who posts about general business strategy is less valuable to a demand planning professional than a researcher with 8,000 followers who publishes specifically on S&OP methodology and forecasting accuracy. The size of an audience tells you about marketing, not about the quality or relevance of the thinking.

A second major mistake is treating thought leadership consumption as a substitute for engagement with primary sources. The most valuable supply chain knowledge is in the books, research papers, and detailed frameworks that thought leaders produce, not in the LinkedIn summaries of those works. When a thought leader publishes a book or a research report, read it rather than relying on the condensed social post.

A third mistake is following voices who comment only on disruption and crisis rather than those who offer frameworks for building durable capability. Supply chain has been through a decade of consecutive disruptions, and the most valuable thought leaders are the ones who help organisations build supply chains that absorb disruption and recover faster, not simply the ones who describe what just happened in compelling terms.

A fourth mistake is geographic narrowness. The US supply chain ecosystem is deeply connected to global supply chains, and the best supply chain thinking often comes from outside the US or from practitioners who have operated in multiple international contexts. Several people on this list bring global operational experience that gives their US supply chain commentary a perspective that purely domestic voices lack.

Finally, many supply chain professionals follow thought leaders from only one discipline within supply chain, typically the one closest to their own role. The most effective supply chain professionals build a portfolio of voices that spans procurement, logistics, technology, sustainability, analytics, and leadership, because the challenges they will face at more senior levels cross all of those boundaries.

For supply chain teams that need support building the internal leadership and communication capability that makes supply chain strategy executable, engage Jonno White for a keynote, workshop, or executive offsite. Hire Jonno White to work with your supply chain leadership team by emailing jonno@consultclarity.org.

How Do You Get the Most from Following Supply Chain Thought Leaders?

Getting real value from supply chain thought leaders requires a deliberate approach rather than passive consumption. The first step is identifying two or three voices whose work is most directly relevant to your current professional challenges, whether that is procurement transformation, demand planning, nearshoring strategy, or supply chain technology investment. Start narrow rather than trying to follow every voice at once.

Second, engage actively with primary sources rather than summaries. When someone on this list publishes a book or a research report, read it. The condensed LinkedIn version tells you the headline; the full work gives you the framework, the evidence, and the nuance needed to actually apply the thinking.

Third, use the content you consume to generate better questions rather than ready-made answers. The best use of supply chain thought leadership is not to replicate what someone else has built but to improve the quality of your own analysis and decision-making. Every article, podcast, and framework you engage with should make you a sharper thinker about your own supply chain challenges.

Fourth, build a deliberate portfolio across disciplines. Follow at least one strong academic voice, one media or analysis voice, one consulting practitioner, and one community builder. The different lenses they apply to supply chain challenges will help you see your own situation from more than one angle.

Fifth, invest time in the community platforms that thought leaders build. The CSCMP, ASCM, the Women in Supply Chain Forum, the Art of Procurement community, and Supply Chain Now all create opportunities to engage with ideas not just as a consumer but as a participant. That engagement accelerates learning in ways that passive content consumption cannot.

To explore how your supply chain leadership team can build the communication, decision-making, and team dynamics capabilities needed to execute strategy more effectively, reach out to Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, at jonno@consultclarity.org. Whether virtual or face to face, Jonno works globally with leadership teams across industries and regularly travels for speaking and facilitation engagements. International travel is often far more affordable than clients expect.

Frequently Asked Questions About Supply Chain Thought Leaders in the USA

Who are the top supply chain thought leaders in the USA right now?

The top US supply chain thought leaders in 2026 include Yossi Sheffi (MIT), Scott Luton (Supply Chain Now), Lora Cecere (Supply Chain Insights), Chris Caplice (MIT CTL), Kelly Barner (Art of Procurement), Sheri Hinish (EY), and Remko Van Hoek (University of Arkansas). They span academic research, media, consulting, and community building, collectively representing the full range of where important US supply chain thinking is produced.

What should I look for when deciding which supply chain experts to follow?

Look for people who produce original content on topics directly relevant to your role, who have documented credentials in the specific area they comment on, who reference primary research and data rather than repeating conventional wisdom, and who are actively engaging with the profession rather than simply maintaining a professional profile. Active LinkedIn posting, recent books or research, and a clear point of view on where supply chain is heading are all strong signals.

Are the supply chain thought leaders on this list active on LinkedIn?

Every person on this list was selected on the basis of active professional engagement, and the majority are regular LinkedIn contributors. Scott Luton, Lora Cecere, Adrian Gonzalez, Sheri Hinish, Kelly Barner, and Philip Ideson all post substantive content regularly and have built large followings. Academics including Yossi Sheffi, Chris Caplice, and Remko Van Hoek are also active on the platform with original insights.

How was this list compiled?

Every person on this list was selected on the basis of substantive, documented contribution to the US supply chain profession, active engagement with the profession in 2025 and 2026, and a genuine connection to the US supply chain ecosystem. The selection criteria prioritised people producing original supply chain content through books, research, media platforms, or community leadership rather than simply holding prominent titles.

Can I hire someone to help my supply chain leadership team build better communication and decision-making capabilities?

Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold) and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, works with supply chain leadership teams and executive groups on the culture, communication, and decision-making dynamics that determine whether supply chain strategy actually gets executed. Bring Jonno White in for a keynote, a Working Genius workshop, or an executive offsite by emailing jonno@consultclarity.org.

Which supply chain podcasts are worth following in the USA?

Supply Chain Now (Scott Luton), Talking Logistics (Adrian Gonzalez), Art of Procurement (Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner), The Logistics of Logistics (Joe Lynch), and The Supply Chain Revolution (Sheri Hinish) are among the most substantive supply chain podcasts produced in the US right now. Each covers different aspects of the supply chain profession, from media and analysis to procurement strategy and sustainability.

What are the biggest challenges facing US supply chain leaders in 2026?

US supply chain leaders in 2026 are primarily navigating tariff volatility, AI adoption strategy, nearshoring and reshoring decisions, and workforce talent gaps. According to the Tradeverifyd 2026 survey, 73 percent of supply chain leaders expect to hit their tariff absorption wall before the end of the year. Alongside that, the ASCM Top 10 Supply Chain Trends report identifies digital twins and agentic AI as the primary technological forces reshaping how supply chains operate.

Final Thoughts

The 50 people on this list represent the strongest cross-section of US supply chain thought leadership available in 2026, and engaging with their work is one of the most practical investments a supply chain professional can make in their own capability. The supply chain challenges ahead are genuinely difficult: tariff uncertainty, AI transformation, talent gaps, and the growing expectation that supply chain will play a strategic role at the boardroom level. Getting the right information from the right people will matter.

What this list shows, beyond the names, is that US supply chain thought leadership is produced across a far wider range of institutions, disciplines, and formats than most practitioners realise. The best supply chain knowledge is coming from MIT research labs, from independent podcasting studios in Atlanta and Chicago, from boutique consulting practices in California and North Carolina, from university programmes in Tennessee and Arkansas. The voices that belong at the top of this conversation are not all in the same room or on the same platform.

Start with one or two voices whose work is most relevant to the challenges you are actually facing. Read their books or research, listen to their podcasts, engage with their LinkedIn content, and then expand your portfolio from there. The supply chain profession in the US is well served by the people on this list. They have built the knowledge base that practitioners need to navigate what comes next.

For leadership teams who know that their supply chain strategy is sound but need help building the team dynamics, communication patterns, and decision-making discipline to execute it, Jonno White works globally with leadership teams across industries. To book Jonno for a keynote, Working Genius workshop, or executive team offsite, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Step Up or Step Out is available at Amazon.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, author of Step Up or Step Out, and leadership consultant who has worked with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world. His book Step Up or Step Out has sold over 10,000 copies globally, and his podcast The Leadership Conversations has featured 230+ episodes reaching listeners in 150+ countries. Jonno founded The 7 Questions Movement with 6,000+ participating leaders and achieved a 93.75% satisfaction rating for his Working Genius masterclass at the ASBA 2025 National Conference.

Based in Brisbane, Australia, Jonno works globally and regularly travels for speaking and facilitation engagements. Organisations consistently find that international travel is far more affordable than expected.

To book Jonno for your next keynote, workshop, or facilitation session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Next Read

For more on logistics leadership, check out my blog post '27 Best Thought Leaders in Logistics Leadership' at consultclarity.org/post/thought-leaders-logistics-leadership. If supply chain leadership interests you at the global level rather than specifically the US context, see '50 Best Thought Leaders in Supply Chain (2026)' at consultclarity.org/post/50-best-thought-leaders-in-supply-chain-2026.

Keep reading: https://www.consultclarity.org/post/thought-leaders-logistics-leadership