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!

For the final episode of Season 3, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby spoke with supply chain consultant and former Procter & Gamble senior director Andrew Byer to explore how people, culture, and technology intersect to shape resilient supply chains.

Byer shares lessons from his long career at Procter & Gamble, where he supported global operations for health, hygiene, and cleaning products. He discusses how licensing, supply chain planning, and culture building are critical levers for performance, and why growing talent from within remains essential. The conversation also touches on how machine learning and automation are shaping new approaches to work.

Plus, Ted and Tom cover the latest headlines: the Supreme Court’s upcoming case on the legality of Trump’s tariffs, the end of the “de minimis” loophole for online orders, changes to EV tax credits, and new data on consumer prices and jobless claims.

The episode was recorded virtually on September 11, 2025.

Related links:

• Supreme Court to hear Trump’s tariff legality case in November
• ‘De minimis’ loophole is ending; here’s what it means for online orders
• EV tax credit ends soon, but it's still as complicated as ever: What to know
• Consumer prices rose at annual rate of 2.9% in August, as weekly jobless claims jump
• 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
• Save the date 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!

For the August 2025 episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby spoke with Doug Gray, VP of integrated supply chain for Trane Technologies, about driving resilience in the aftermarket business, embedding sustainability into strategic decision-making, and upskilling long-tenured employees to create value in a landscape of AI and automation.

Gray, a member of the GSCI Advisory Board, joined Trane’s executive leadership in 2024. In his role, he is accountable for the company’s supply distribution, including SIOP, order management, quality and packaging, inventory management, and distribution center operations. A global climate innovator, the company provides heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, refrigeration solutions, and connected building technologies, while maintaining a focus on reduced energy use and carbon emissions. Prior to Trane, Gray spent more than 16 years in various supply chain functions for Caterpillar Inc.

Listen in for insights on AI adoption, aftermarket performance, inventory management, and talent development. Plus, Ted and Tom dig into the latest news about U.S. tariffs and trade relationships, the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, and more.

The episode was recorded during the GSCI Advisory Board meeting at the Haslam College of Business on August 20, 2025.

Related links:

• U.S. hikes steel, aluminum tariffs on imported appliances, railvars, and EV parts
• How Trump’s tariffs, the AI boom, and the leadership shake-up at the Bureau of Labor Statistics will impact the economy
• Doug Gray named a 2025 Rainmaker by DC Velocity
• Learn about UT’s new master’s degree in global supply chain management
• Download our latest white paper on reshoring manufacturing and the talent skills gap for U.S. labor.
• GSCI leaders on five points of consideration from the proposed UP-NS merger
• Save the date for the fall Supply Chain Forum, November 4–6 in Knoxville
• Download the white paper “Future-Ready Procurement” or read our blog series
• Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative, where forward-thinking leaders and companies, like Trane, explore advanced concepts in SCM with UT scholars.
• Sign up for one of our virtual credentials in Finance (Sept. 15-Nov. 16) and Procurement (Sept. 15–Nov. 16).
• Become a

Text the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management team!