Immersion Summit Connects Diverse Groups With NWA Supply Chain Ecosystem

Nathan Bramwell

Marc Scott, associate professor of supply chain management, led the 2023 Immersion Summit

The 2023 Immersion Summit, hosted by the J.B. Hunt Transport Department of Supply Chain Management in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, took place virtually Nov. 9-10. The purpose of the summit was to connect a diverse grouping of university students and faculty from across the nation with the thriving supply chain ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas. 

The Supply Chain Immersion Summit is an event within a broader initiative SCOPE, which stands for Supply Chain Opportunity, Practice and Exposure, aimed at facilitating student and faculty engagement with industry partners across various dimensions. The summit featured executive speakers that included Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer at J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.; Diana Brown, head of customer experience at Unilever; Krissy Glass, vice president of operations, Steve Moore, head of TM Operations, and Matt Shoop, principal recruiter at Uber Freight; Maryclare Kenney, vice president intermodal and automotive at CSX and Intermodal Association of North America board member; Jeremiah Griffin, senior director launch and implementation; Rebecca Hollett, director supply chain innovation and automation; Shaan Patel, senior director modernization and U.S. Army logistics officer; and Michael del Rosario, transportation group director at Walmart.

Over 300 students and faculty from 14 universities participated in the summit. Participants heard from executives from each of our industry partner participants on the topics of supply chain sustainability, logistics technology, intermodal supply chains, customer-centric supply chains and innovations in omnichannel retail supply chains. Participants then heard from the human resource groups of each industry partner regarding career opportunities and professional development. 

AGENDA

The agenda for the Immersion Summit included speakers from some highly visible companies and organizations within the supply chain industry. 

The summit's topics of discussion included:

• Thursday, Nov. 9

  • Uber Freight | Technologies in Supply Chain Flow

  • IANA | The Role of Rail (Intermodal) in Supply Chains

  • Walmart | Innovation in the Retail Omnichannel Supply Chain

• Friday, Nov. 10

  • J.B. Hunt Transport | Driving Sustainability in Supply Chains

  • Unilever | Customer Centric Supply Chain Planning

SPONSORSHIPS

The summit was made by the generous support of several companies:

• J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

• Walmart Inc. 

• Intermodal Association of North America

• CSX

• UberFreight

• Unilever

PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES

Faculty and students attending the symposium hail from supply chain programs at colleges around the country including:

• Adelphi University

• Alcorn State University

• Florida A&M University

• Howard University

• International University of Rabat

• NC A&T State University

• Oral Roberts University

• Philander Smith College

• Prairie View A&M University

• South Carolina State University

• University of Arkansas

• University of North Texas

• Valparaiso University

• Wagner College

For more information regarding the J.B. Hunt Transport Department of Supply Chain Management at the U of A or the symposium, visit supplychain.uark.edu.