In this holiday-season episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby sit down with Dr. Yemisi Bolumole, the incoming head of the Department of Supply Chain Management, to explore how the University of Tennessee’s supply chain program balances academic rigor with real-world relevance.

Yem and the hosts discuss the program’s evolution from its transportation roots to a comprehensive end-to-end supply chain focus, the opportunities and responsibilities that come with rapid growth, and what success looks like for students, employers, and the broader Tennessee economy. With roughly 1,800 undergraduates, about 450 graduates each year, and several hundred master’s and PhD students, UT’s SCM talent engine serves a wide range of stakeholders and career paths in logistics, planning, procurement, and operations.

The conversation also highlights the Transportation and Logistics Collaborative (TLC) within the Global Supply Chain Institute—connecting industry, government, and academia to anticipate policy shifts, guide mobility initiatives, and translate research into practice. Yem shares examples of partnerships in warehousing automation, mobility policy, and cross-campus collaborations, and emphasizes that AI is best understood as an “accelerant”—a force that speeds up insight and execution while still relying on human judgment, ethics, and domain expertise.

Recorded with candor and clarity, this episode offers a grounded look at how universities can protect their heritage, expand their scope, and move faster from insight to impact.

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!

For the Season 4 premiere, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby sat down with retired Rear Admiral Kevin Sweeney to explore how military leadership principles translate to the business world.

Throughout his remarkable career in the U.S. Armed Forces, Sweeney commanded the USS Cole during its historic rebuilding and served as chief of staff to Defense Secretary James Mattis. He is now a trusted senior advisor on government relations and management in the private sector. Sweeney’s conversation with Ted and Tom spanned geopolitics, defense manufacturing, cyber readiness, and building strong teams. Along the way, he offered insights into how trust and adaptability remain vital whether leading sailors, managing crises, or guiding corporate boards.

Recorded live at the Fall 2025 Supply Chain Forum, Sweeney brought decades of experience navigating complexity under pressure—wisdom that supply chain professionals can apply in their own leadership journeys.

This episode was recorded at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown on November 5, 2025.

Watch the video.

Related links:

• Relive the Fall 2025 Supply Chain Forum
• Download free white papers from UT experts for improving returns management processes, reshoring manufacturing, procurement capabilities, and more.
• Save the date for the Spring Supply Chain Forum, April 21–23
• Learn about our SCM Academy programs, including upcoming virtual courses on Leadership (Jan. 30–May 10), Finance (March 2–May 3), and Planning (March 11–May 10).
• Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top industry experts and scholars
• Become a GSCI partner
• Follow GSCI on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
• Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!

In this special episode, regular co-host Tom Goldsby and Scott DeGroot, managing director of UT’s Global Supply Chain Institute, catch up with Mark Baxa, president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, at the organization's EDGE 2025 Conference in Washington, DC.

Earlier in the week, Tom was recognized as a CSCMP Distinguished Fellow, while Scott and other UT supply chain management faculty participated in several sessions as expert panelists.

We'll be back for the launch of Season 4 of the podcast at the Fall 2025 Supply Chain Forum, Nov. 4–6, in Knoxville.

The episode was recorded live on October 5, 2025, during the CSCMP Edge Conference in Washington, DC.

Related links:

• Learn more about Mark Baxa
• Download our latest white papers from UT experts on returns management and reshoring manufacturing.
• Learn about UT’s new master’s degree in global supply chain management
• Register for the fall Supply Chain Forum, November 4–6, in Knoxville
• Become a Supply Chain Forum partner
• Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
• Read the latest news and insights from GSCI

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!