How do you centralize procurement across a $1+ billion health system while maintaining 24/7 operations that literally keep people alive? Dawn Watkins, Director of Strategic Sourcing at UF Health, gives John her blueprint for transforming independent hospitals into an integrated clinical enterprise. Her team of 25 is expanding to 50+ as they merge previously independent … EP 28 – UF Health’s Dawn Watkins on Building Mutual Incentive Partnerships With Suppliers

When Aramark acquired Avenger International—the GPO consortium built by Marriott, Hilton, and other major hotel chains—they weren’t just buying a customer list. They were executing a 15-year strategic plan to close competitive gaps while creating unprecedented scale for premium hospitality products. Autumn Bayles, SVP Global Supply Chain & GPOs at Aramark, reveals how this acquisition … EP 27 – Aramark’s Autumn Bayles on Global Procurement and Spend Harmonization

Arvind Nathan, SVP of Private Brands & Sourcing at The Michaels Companies, Inc., didn’t plan to revolutionize how global teams think about private brand sourcing, but his mathematical approach to procurement has transformed operations in both his current role and his previous one at Walmart. Managing 220 people across Asia and the US taught him … EP 26 – Michaels’ Arvind Nathan on Why Private Brands Carry Retailer Reputation Risk

David Pennino, CEO & Founder, built LogicSource by recognizing that indirect procurement represents the largest untapped opportunity for most enterprises. His conversation with John highlights how a company processing $150 billion in spend data approaches categories that consume 20% of revenue but receive minimal professional attention. David’s methodology challenges traditional consulting models through comprehensive free … EP 25 – LogicSource’s David Pennino on Finding Gold in Indirect Procurement

Sean Park, VP of Procurement and Transformation at Arm, didn’t set out to revolutionize procurement at Arm, but when you’re scaling a $4 billion semiconductor company at 20% year-over-year growth without adding procurement headcount, revolution becomes necessity. Sean offers John a peek at how Arm achieved nearly 20% savings on an 8-figure server deal using … EP 24 – Arm’s Sean Park on Making Transformation a SPORT

Managing 8+ billion products annually across 180+ countries while reducing logistics footprint by 27% requires more than traditional supply chain thinking. Steeve Yammine, Global SVP of Supply Chain at BIC, has orchestrated this complex operation by fundamentally reimagining how global companies approach contingency planning, regionalization, and talent development. He tells John his journey from brewery … EP 23 – BIC’s Steeve Yammine on Their Regionalization Strategy for Global Resilience

“I’m a fireman,” is how Yelena Mogelefsky, SVP of Production and Sourcing at Komar describes her role to her children — a perfect metaphor for the daily crisis management that defines sourcing leadership in fashion. In this captivating episode of Smarter Sourcing, Yelena walks John through how she transformed an entrepreneurial opportunity into a $150+ … EP 22 – Komar’s Yelena Mogelefsky on Redefining Sourcing Success Metrics Beyond Just Lowest Cost

“If your supply chain only reduces costs, it’s not a strategic asset — it’s a commodity,” Randy Bradley, PhD & EVP of Digital Transformation in Life Sciences at BSMA, tells John in this episode of Smarter Sourcing. When 80% of executives claim their supply chain is strategic but expect it only to cut costs, Randy … EP 21 – BSMA’s Randy Bradley on Transforming Supply Chains into Strategic Assets

What does it take to transform procurement from a cost center into a strategic value driver? Johnathon Baker, Operating Partner & Head of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement at Apollo Global Management, shares his expertise in procurement transformation, gained from leading strategic initiatives at major companies like Starbucks, before taking on his current role at Apollo. … EP 20 – Apollo’s Johnathon Baker on Transforming Portfolio Procurement Through Partnership

In this episode of Smarter Sourcing, John welcomes Jeff Bever, VP of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement at Russell Stover Chocolates, to discuss how a 100-year-old company is transforming its procurement and supply chain operations for the modern era. Jeff reflects on his diverse career journey across agriculture, construction, and confectionery, sharing how each experience has … EP 19 — Russell Stover’s Jeff Bever on Leadership in Strategic Sourcing