Logistics Executive Lecture Series

The Center for Logistics & Supply Chain Management sponsors the Logistics Executive Lecture Series which promotes excellence in student-centered education. These lecture sessions expose students, faculty, and researchers to senior industry leaders. Students directly interact with senior executives and gain first-hand knowledge regarding the challenges they face and the leadership strategies being deployed by participating firms.

Important information for all events

For all events, registration is required. Registration closes at 12:00 noon on the day before the event. Post-event attendance reports will be sent to the professors. Reports include a list of registered participants and the arrival and departure times of each attendee.

The deadline to register for any event is 12:00 noon on the day before the event. Immediately after registering, students will receive a registration confirmation at the email address provided on the registration form. Students will choose which class to receive Professional Development attendance credit for by selecting the course number on the registration form. Students have the ability to change the course number for a registered event by logging in and clicking ‘edit’ in the event they have registered for. Students also have the ability to cancel registration by logging in and clicking ‘cancel’ in the event they have registered for. If a student has registered for an event and is not able to attend, they should cancel their registration no later than 24 hours before the start time of the event. The registration system will allow students to register for an event until capacity restrictions have been met. Students should register early in the semester as events fill up very quickly!

For all speaker events hosted by the Center for Logistics & Supply Chain Management, an event reminder email with the specific location of the in-person presentation will be sent to the same email address provided on the registration form one day before the event.

If you would like to request accommodations for any speaker event, please email Chris Peavy at the email address provided below.

For all questions regarding the Logistics Executive Lecture Series, Student Onboarding Program, The Business of Intermodal Continues Program, and Group Tours not answered by content found in the class syllabus or on the Center for Logistics & Supply Chain Management website please send an email to:

Chris Peavy chris.peavy@unt.edu
(she-her-hers)
Director, College of Business Programs
Center for Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Upcoming Events

  • Overview of the domestic transportation landscape and notable initiatives at J.B. Hunt Transport.

    Date: Friday, March 22nd - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Jordan Sarchet
    Sr. Director of Operations, J.B. Hunt

    Jordan has been an operations leader in transportation for over 20 years and spent the past 17 with J.B. Hunt. He is currently lives in Denton and is responsible for the North Texas Dedicated Contract Services book of business spanning 1,000 employees at over 50 customer locations

  • DHL Supply Chain believes in the value of our people. Thomas will share the story of his career progression at DHL and provide tips on how you can set your career up for success. Student opportunities at DHL will also be discussed for you to start your own story with us this summer!

    Date: Friday, April 12th - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Thomas Flynn
    Director of Operations, DHL Supply Chain

    Thomas Flynn is currently a Director of Operations with the Consumer Sector in the Southwest Region. Thomas has a customer account responsible for Kohler which consists of two distribution centers, a 1.3M sq feet facility in Desoto, TX., and a 600K sq feet facility in San Bernardino, CA. Both sites employ approximately 500 associates. In addition to the Kohler account, Thomas also has regional responsible for Church & Dwight Fort Worth and Ferrara Grand Prairie, both sites employ approximately 300 associates across 1.4M sq. feet of distribution center space.

    Thomas, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, began his logistics career in 2010 when he joined DHL Supply Chain (then Exel) through the college recruiting program. He started as an operations supervisor at our Carrier Byhalia facility outside of Memphis, TN. After working at multiple sites in various roles in the mid-south region, Thomas relocated to Atlanta, GA. as an OSM for the AEM sector. As the JDA ops lead for the sector, he supported multiple go-lives before being promoted to General Manager of the Goodyear McDonough site. After a lateral move to start up the Pfizer Stone Mountain site also in Atlanta, Thomas relocated with his family to Dallas, TX. in 2018 to start the Kohler Desoto facility. Thomas was promoted to his current role in 2021 after being an integral part in leading the 300%+ growth with the Kohler account.

    Thomas is a graduate of Miami University where he earned two Bachelor of Science Degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management. While in undergrad, Thomas was an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and was a three-year member of the Student Senate. Thomas leveraged DHL’s tuition reimbursement program to continue his education and graduated with an MBA in Finance in 2015 from Benedictine University. Thomas is happily married to his college sweetheart, Icaria, and they have two boys, TJ (5) & Teigan (1).

  • In order to grow in a sea of sameness, companies must understand their customer’s needs completely. Both simple and obvious, right? Then why do many customer interactions end without the customer feeling a sense of true value in the services or products that they received? We will explore the Value of Value in an interactive discussion about delighting the customer at every step and the return for that effort.

    Date: Friday, April 26th - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Barry Stephens
    Vice President, Omni Academy

    Barry currently serves as Vice President of the Omni Academy. In this role he oversees Omni’s training strategy, including LMS development and analytics. He has previously served as a CMO as well as other executive and senior sales and business development roles in both the logistics and IT industries.

    Having been both a transportation buyer and provider, Barry brings a unique leadership perspective with a strong belief in collaboration as a practice and providing clients with creative value that can only be developed with knowledge from both sides of the table.

Previous Events

  • Download Slides | Watch It Again

    This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of distribution growth trends in major US transportation hubs, focusing on the impact of supply chain shifts over the past few years. The discussion delves into how these shifts have affected drivers and capacity, explores broader industry trends, and introduces the business model of the presenting company as a 3PL (Third-Party Logistics). The services offered by the company are highlighted, emphasizing their contribution to the resilient and efficient functioning of the supply chain. The presentation concludes by summarizing key points and inviting questions from the audience, fostering engagement and discussion.

    Date: Friday, March 8th - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Jim Nichol
    Chief Operating Officer, American Diamond Logistics

    Jim Nichol has over 25 years of experience in Supply Chain from warehousing, distribution, production, transportation, and Management. He spent many years with Home Depot, Best Buy, and Dart Transit Company in Director roles for both Sales to Operations. Jim joined American Diamond Logistics in 2014 as the Executive Vice President. American Diamond Logistics has grown from a 2-million-dollar revenue company in 2014 to a 30-million-dollar revenue company in 2021. Jim has been married 21 years and he and his wife have 3 sons. The oldest is an architect, the middle son is a bull rider for Tarleton State, and the youngest wrestles for Timber Creek High School in Keller TX.


    Nicole Grumbles
    Director of Operations, American Diamond Logistics

    Nicole Grumbles is a seasoned professional in the logistics industry, currently serving as the Director of Operations for American Diamond Logistics. A proud alumna of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX, Nicole graduated in 2018. Nicole embarked on her career journey with American Diamond Logistics in 2018, initially joining as a Logistics Coordinator. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for efficiency, she quickly made her mark in the organization. Nicole's dedication and strategic approach to logistics operations led to her rapid ascent within the company. In her current role as Director of Operations, Nicole plays a pivotal role in overseeing and optimizing the logistical processes of American Diamond Logistics. Her leadership and managerial skills have been instrumental in driving the company's success and ensuring seamless operations. Nicole is known for her commitment to excellence, problem-solving acumen, and ability to navigate the dynamic landscape of the logistics industry.

  • Download Slides | Watch It Again

    Students will learn about the relationship between human capabilities and technology transformations to maximize business productivity and efficiency. By combining the strengths of talented individuals and cutting-edge technologies, Mitchell will describe how business can optimize operations, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable success in today’s dynamic and competitive logistics industry.

    Date: Friday, March 1st - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Mitchell Ward
    Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, MW Logistics

    Mitchell is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Dallas-based MW Logistics, LLC. a company that he founded in July 2001. MW Logistics, LLC designs logistics and transportation solutions for businesses by working with asset-based partners to secure shipping capacity and services across multiple transportation modes, including over the road, rail and bulk/tanker options. Achieving profitability early on, MW Logistics has emerged as one of the leading third-party logistics providers in North America.

    Mitchell, an advocate for giving to others, is committed to giving back to communities through philanthropic initiatives and college work programs. Through the MW Cares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of his company, he supports several Dallas community organizations and college programs each year. Over the last few years, MW Cares brought together several organizations, businesses and area Food Banks to deliver the largest food giveaways in the history of North Texas giving away over a million pounds of food that fed over 60,000 people each year. 

    Mitchell has been an avid supporter of his alma mater Texas State University since his graduation, serving in multiple capacities on various boards.  In 2022, Mitchell was the recipient of the Texas State Distinguished Alumni Award which recognizes alumni that have achieved prominence and made a significant impact on the lives of others through their professions, accomplishments, affiliations, and service to the society and the university. 

  • Download Slides | Watch It Again

    Overview of BNSF Railway’s sustainable freight program. Description of the drivers for climate change and sustainable freight action; climate change/carbon targets and plans; and advanced energy innovation for freight. Discussion of the logistics implications for emerging sustainable freight markets that are being catalyzed by government policies and circularity approaches.

    Date: Friday, February 16th - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    John Lovenburg
    Vice President Environment & Sustainability, BNSF Railway

    John Lovenburg is the Vice President, Environment & Sustainability, for BNSF Railway. His responsibilities include sustainability and climate change; energy and advanced energy innovation; remediation; hazardous materials; and environmental law, operations, construction permitting, engineering, and policy. John has expertise in sustainability, remediation, environmental liability management, and brownfields redevelopment.

  • Download Slides | Watch It Again

    In this interactive presentation, Ernest Osei from JAS Worldwide will be talking about how to communicate with each other, how to connect, and how important clear communication is between the Branch and Corporate offices at JAS Worldwide.

    Date: Friday, February 9th - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Ernest Osei
    Branch Manager, JAS Forwarding

    Ernest Osei has 17+ years of logistical experience, solutions driven mindset, and strong customer service focus. His tenure by way of the University of North Texas consists of managerial roles with Air/Ocean Imports, Customs Brokerage, CFS Manager, Local Sales, Account Management, Transition Manager, and Branch Manager within the Southwest Texas region alongside other Tier 1 Freight Forwarders.

  • Download Slides | Watch It Again

    Interests, abilities, geography, or a search for happiness, opportunity, income, or power pulls everyone in unique directions throughout their careers. When I walked across the stage at UNT I had no idea of the variety of opportunities, responsibilities, or challenges I would face, but I grew from each experience. Now as I embark on starting my own brand and business, Supply Chaney, I am grateful for the struggles and successes and hope others can learn something from them, too. Although I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, a dozen business cards later, my future is finally starting to come into focus.

    Date: Friday, February 2nd - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
    Location: Location will be shared via email one day before the event.
    Speaker(s):
    Nathan Chaney
    Owner, Supply Chaney

    Nathan is a first-generation college grad, born and raised throughout Texas. With a bit of luck, hard work, good advice, and a stack of scholarships, he graduated with a UNT Logistics degree in 2009. 2 internships in school (CEVA, PepsiCo) led to several years in management in 3PL transport and warehousing (Crane, Mainfreight), followed by 2 supply chain leadership roles at Texas Instruments and a year managing autonomous transportation at Silicon Valley start-up, Gatik. In the last year Nathan has started Supply Chaney, a supply chain consulting and services company in addition to hosting supply chain operations tours on his YouTube channel. Beyond work Nathan served on the UNT PLP board, was President of the DFW Roundtable of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and remains plugged into the supply chain industry in DFW.