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Mary H. King
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For Immediate Release
Executive Edge Sessions Just Added
to the 2003 APICS International
Conference and Exposition Program
Alexandria, VA (September 12, 2003) APICS—The Educational Society for Resource Management is pleased to announce the addition of five Executive Edge sessions to its 2003 APICS International Conference and Exposition program, October 6-9, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"By bringing these additional top industry executives together, APICS is able to present solutions to help companies reevaluate the design of their current supply chains and adopt strategies that will employ the best capabilities to assemble supply chains that can adapt to changing conditions," said Karen Alber, CFPIM, chair of the APICS Conference Committee.
APICS recently teamed with Oracle and CAP Gemini Ernst & Young (CGEY) to launch a study of leading companies implementing postponement to lower costs and reduce risk. Jonathan Colehower, vice president, supply chain management, Oracle; Paul Matthews, vice president, CGEY; and Chris Wire, senior director, supply chain management, Xilinx, Inc., will present findings of the study that address the successes, challenges, and critical success factors of postponement. "The study involves interviews with key thought leaders, executives, and subject matter experts to gain significant perspectives on postponement," said Colehower.
Chris Mahoney, senior vice president of Global Transportation Services for UPS, will detail how global business opportunities in developing countries are opening doors for multinational companies. "Leadership of a venture in an emerging market requires a complex blend of local sensitivity and global knowledge. When companies try to impose Western models of commerce on developing countries, they are missing real opportunities," said Mahoney. He offers the solution: spend time building a deep and unbiased understanding of the unique characteristics and needs of developing countries and their peoples.
The combined application of lean and six sigma to address the business concerns at GE Appliances will be presented by Lou Unkeless, CPIM, CIRM, vice president of marketing, DataSweep, and David A. Turbide, CFPIM, CIRM, principal, Production Solutions. "While lean initiatives drive efficiencies into quality, six sigma methodologies enforce the elements of quality for successful competitive advantage," said Turbide.
Jeffrey Colburn, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Metallic Power, will present a case study of his company's business reasons for providing a remote backup power source for customers and will introduce the concept of a "lights-out" service response system that requires comprehensive and integrated inventory, process, and repair management.
Auto-ID and RFID are the topics of Alexander Renz, vice resident of auto-ID, SAP global product marketing. "For companies to fully leverage auto-ID, real-time raw data need to be integrated into existing and future applications. How companies can protect their technology investments and increase the value of their present applications are important steps."
These speakers join the already scheduled speakers, Karin Bursa, vice president of Logility and Bruce Abraham, director of logistics planning and international distribution for Mercury Marine, who will discuss sales and operations planning; Richard O'Connor, national director of collaborative supply chain for Deloitte and Touche, who will present a benchmarking study of global best practices for supply chain management; and Rene Desvignes, global vice president, Finmatica, who will explore real-time Internet collaboration.
APICS—The Educational Society for Resource Management provides lifelong learning for lifetime success through its certification programs, training tools, and networking opportunities. The society supports nearly 60,000 members in 20,000 manufacturing and service industry companies worldwide. To learn more about the APICS community, visit apics.org.
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Members of the press receive complimentary registration to the conference and exposition. Please complete the enclosed registration form and return it to APICS, Attn: Michael Nuckols, 5301 Shawnee Road, Alexandria, VA 22312-2317. Questions regarding press registration should be directed to Nuckols at APICS at (800) 444-2742 or (703) 354-8851, extension 2279.