FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The supply chain management undergraduate program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas has been ranked No. 1 in North America by the leading global research firm Gartner.

Gartner, which studies and rates companies and academic programs across a variety of industries, releases its findings on supply chain programs every two years. Arkansas’ program moved up 14 spots in Gartner’s top 25 from the previous rankings in 2018.

The rankings were released Wednesday, June 24.

Brian Fugate, department chair and the Oren Harris Chair in Transportation, said the Department of Supply Chain Management remains relatively young and it is phenomenal to see this type of recognition. Arkansas launched the department in 2011 under the leadership of Matthew A. Waller and John Ozment.

Its reputation as a top-flight program continues to grow.

“Gartner provides an unbiased report, and this No. 1 ranking recognizes the outstanding work and excellence of our faculty, staff and students,” said Waller, who is now Walton College dean and the Sam M. Walton Leadership Chair in Business. “The ranking also is highly respected throughout industry, which helps our students as they look for internships and move into careers.”

The rankings reflect excellence in three specific areas: industry value, program scope and program size.

“It’s an honor to earn such outstanding recognition,” Fugate said. “Northwest Arkansas has become a hot-spot for the industry with all the great supply chain companies located nearby. It’s important that we do our part to add to that excellence.”

The rest of the top 10 in the Gartner rankings were: Rutgers University, Penn State University, the University of Texas at Austin, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee, Auburn University, Northeastern University, Michigan State University and Georgia Tech.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.