Ready to be inspired? At Let’s Talk Supply Chain, we know the value of elevating the voices of the female trailblazers who are fearlessly changing the face of our industry. That’s why every month we feature a woman leader in supply chain on our blog. We share their stories, achievements and advice for other women coming up the ranks in supply chain.
And this month, we’re proud to feature Jennifer Tracy in our Women in Supply Chain™ blog series. Jennifer is the Director of Operations at Kodiak Cakes, a fast-growing natural foods company nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Park City Utah. She has almost two decades of experience in supply chain with an MBA in Business Administration from University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Minnesota State University.
- What brought you into supply chain?
I was drawn to supply chain after interning at Target for a summer in college and fascinated by the data behind purchasing and merchandising decisions. So, I jumped at the chance to join the store’s leadership team after graduation. Piloting the P-fresh store concept, I was instantly struck by the powerful connections that food creates for shoppers.
I leapt into the world of food supply chains. After becoming a mom, my focus on the family table grew even more along with a deep desire to help others create those special connections in their own lives.
- What are you up to now?
I am the Director of Operations at Kodiak Cakes. Every day is packed with exciting brand and self-growth. Our entrepreneurial leadership team encourages exploring new ideas—empowering us to discover pockets of opportunity our competition isn’t.
At Kodiak, we try a lot of approaches till we find the right one, and our quick pivots ensure we seize those pockets of success.
- Tell us about your leadership style.
Listening is so important. Every day my goal is to listen to my team and encourage them. That team includes my internal team and our extended supply chain team of partners—both upstream and downstream. The fast, constant changes in market require clear, nimble communication and trust to position everyone for success.
- What advice do you have for other leaders in supply chain?
Embrace challenges and changes as learning opportunities. The most rewarding times in my career have been when my team and I persisted—working through complicated, challenging tasks. We learn together to achieve our goal and ultimately we succeed together. It’s important to make space and reward teams for challenging each other and the status quo.
- What’s your supply chain focus this year?
I am laser focused on unlocking development opportunities for my team and continuing the evolution with our strategic partners. We can accomplish a lot as individuals, but together—our success will be multiplied and unstoppable.
- What matters most for the future of supply chain?
The future of our industry hinges on leadership advocating for the value supply chain professionals bring to overall organizational operations and performance and the integration of proven best practices and methodologies.
The advancements in block chain technology and partner integrations are making space for greater innovation if we simply allow ourselves the time and curiosity to explore. Supporting these areas will unleash capital—creating a fast path forward for new advancements in our field.
Meet Our Sponsor
This Women in Supply Chain™ feature was made possible by our sponsor, Omnichain™. Omnichain is a Los Angeles-based provider of intelligent supply chain process automation solutions. Its demand-driven platform connects real-time data from source to shelf—and back—through a decentralized, mesh connectivity layer powered by blockchain, enabling newfound levels of transparency, trust and efficiency across the supply chain. Combining domain expertise and the latest in AI and machine learning (ML), the Omnichain platform runs predictive analytics and delivers prescriptive insights from connected data to simplify, orchestrate and automate global supply chain operations. Recently named one of Fast Company’s 2020 Most Innovative Companies, Omnichain champions innovation, progress and collaboration—all qualities shared with Let’s Talk Supply Chain. Recognizing the importance of elevating diverse voices in the industry, Omnichain is proud to partner with Let’s Talk Supply Chain and sponsor the Women in Supply Chain™ blog series.
About The Author:
Naomi Garnice is the Director of Marketing for MicroAge where she leads the marketing team and creative strategy. Naomi has been a content marketer for 14 years and is passionate about creating engaging content that matters. Throughout her career in marketing for technology, healthcare and supply chain organizations, Naomi has advocated to highlight female thought leaders in male-dominated industries.
