ISM®
EDITORIAL
ADVISORY
BOARD
Jami Bliss, CPSM, CPSD
Teva Pharmaceuticals
Joe Cavinato, Ph.D.
Thunderbird School of
Global Management
Ric Freeman, C.P.M.
Ennis-Flint Tra;c Safety
Solutions
Jerry Miller, CPSM, CPSD
Capital One Services
Tom Mulherin
JDA Software Group
Brian Schulties, C.P.M.
Prysmian Group
Meghan Truchan, CPSM
Bain Capital
Ron Wilson, CPSM, C.P.M.
Wilbur Curtis Company
Dave Wood
Coca-Cola
SPOTLIGHT
BY JOHN YUVA
UNIFICATION, NOT ISOLATION
Did you have an opportunity to attend ISM2017? Set against the backdrop of Walt
Disney World in Orlando, Florida, this year’s Conference again proved that attending
the largest supply management event can lead to growing your network, learning
new skills and expanding your career horizons.
There were many highlights during ISM2017. ISM’s
Wall of Fame CPSM® mural attracted hundreds of
attendees snapping photos of their name among
those of the thousands of Certified Professional
in Supply Management® recipients that made
up the mural. And General Colin L. Powell, USA
(Ret.) delivered a powerful keynote that touched
upon such areas as geopolitics, leadership during
uncertainty and immigration issues facing our
country.
Tuesday’s keynote with David Cameron,
former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
punctuated the state of the world we’re living in
today. As the first audience Cameron faced since
the bombing in Manchester, England, just hours
before, his opening remarks spoke of resiliency in
the face of horror. That somber moment brought
into perspective the fragility of our world.
Cameron then shifted his focus to business
challenges and a unified approach to solving
them. He said that 9/11, the Iraq War and the
2008 financial crisis caused nations to look
inward — which is the wrong approach. Now,
more than ever, Cameron explained, we need
to lead in a global environment made smaller
through our supply chains. “Protectionism will
turn us backwards for jobs and prosperity,” he
said. “We need to be more like us — who we’ve
been traditionally.”
And he’s right. Many companies operate
internationally with suppliers and even
governments as their partners. The
interconnectedness of our world cannot be
denied, nor can it be ignored. Cameron cited
India as a country with a democracy and
president focused on transformation. He also
praised Vietnam for its extraordinary economy
and collaborative spirit toward the U.S. China,
Cameron said, is a rising great power. “The right
approach is to have a cooperative partnership
because as the country invests in your success,
then its future is your future,” he said.
As we digest the experiences and learnings from
ISM2017, let’s not forget how we all fit into the
larger picture. ISM
Director of Publications