Institute for Supply Management® Expands to End-to-End Supply Chain
The Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) announces its strategic expansion from supply management to covering end-to-end supply chain management for its global community. This significant move represents another innovative step in its 110-year organizational history, which aligns with the movement of the profession, and the evolving roles of practitioners.
This expansion goes beyond ISM’s core procurement focus, introducing an updated mission and vision that aligns with the changing roles and responsibilities of supply chain management professionals.
Transformative supply chain executive honored with prestigious ISM® award
Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) named Craig Reed, CPSM, Vice President of Global Procurement and Chief Procurement Officer at Thermo Fisher Scientific, the 2025 J. Shipman Gold Medal Award winner in recognition of his distinguished service to the supply management profession.
Reed was honored during the 2025 Awards Gala at ISM World 2025, ISM's annual international supply management conference, held June 1 - 3 in Orlando. The award, created in 1931, is ISM's most esteemed honor and is presented annually to an individual who contributes to the advancement of procurement and supply management while providing guidance to other professionals.
Logistics Dos and Don’ts During Volatile Times
Given the volatility of tariffs, an uncertain economic environment and other disruptions, logistics companies face a variety of challenges, the biggest of which is learning to manage unpredictability.
Uncertainty is impacting sourcing decisions, delivery timelines and shipping costs, says Oswaldo Villanueva, CEO and president of VR International LLC, a logistics provider and commercial broker in Houston. It has also caused friction between retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers, he says.
“On top of that, the sector was already facing such challenges as inefficient port infrastructure, geopolitical trade tensions and a shortage of specialized labor. These existing issues have only worsened the situation. Logistics companies are now expected to do more, do it faster, and do it with less certainty.”
Villanueva offers thoughts about today’s logistics environment and some best on how logistics companies can manage volatility.