Demand Planning - Value Chain Collaboration Associates | Value Chain Collaboration Associates, CPFR, VCCA, Robert Bruce, Ron Ireland, supply chain collaboration, supply chain, value chain, ROI, collaborative, planning, forecasting, replenishment, collaboration software, enterprise, supplier-manufacturer, supplier managed inventory, CMI, co-managed inventory, demand planning, demand, planning, supply chain management, customer centric, customer, centric, supply chain planning, supplier, manufacturer, distributor, distribution, broker, retailer, value proposition, best practices, demand optimization, intergration

Demand Planning

best practices - broker - centric - cmi - collaborative - collaboration - CPFR - customer - demand planning - demand - distribution - enterprise - forecasting - integration - planning - replenishment - retailer - robert bruce - roi - ron ireland - software - supplier-manufacturer - supply chain management - supply chain - value chain - VCCA

Robert Bruce is an industry leading authority on retail demand and supply integration, optimization and collaboration. Robert has more than 25 years in the retail industry covering merchandising, store operations, buying, merchandising systems (hardlines/apparel), inventory management, planning, replenishment, forecasting and supply chain management. He has lead the design, implementation and adoption of major industry processes with some of the leading retailers and manufactures in the industry. Initiatives as Customer Response, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), Co-Managed Replenishment and Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM), as well as Value Chain Optimization have undergone wide spread adoption.

Robert Bruce has founded Value Chain Collaboration Associates Inc. to further the understanding, implementation and adoptions of key transformational strategies and initiatives with industry leading executive teams in retailing and manufacturing. Robert and his team of industry practitioners provide individualized advisory services on integrated demand planning and supply chain processes to optimize a customer driven value chain. Robert and his team are strategic advisors, industry thought leaders and subject matter experts in consumer demand and product supply chain processes and technology.

Previous to founding VCC Associates, Inc. Robert served as Partner focused on retail/CPG industry segment at Surgency, Inc., formerly known as Benchmarking Partners. Robert supported industry clients through defining business strategies, demand-supply chain opportunities, process integration, optimization and collaborative applications including Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR). Working with leaders in the retailer/CPG industry segment, he has helped lay the foundation and migration path to total chain collaboration. Robert also contributed to Surgency’s cross industry knowledge capital and methodology defining key applications for business multi-tier collaboration internally and externally within organizations, manufactures and their suppliers to enhance the total customer/consumer-based value proposition
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Before joining Surgency, Robert served as Wal-Mart’s Vice-President for Inventory Management and Replenishment and Corporate Supply Chain Strategies for Wal-Mart Stores and SuperCenters. In these capacities, he lead in the definition and implementation of inventory management practices, methods and policies at corporate, distribution center and store levels. Additionally, he led a cross-functional team in defining and implementing a series of coordinated corporate supply chain strategies focused on integrating and optimizing the total supply chain-from forecasting customer demand at shelf to production planning and manufacturing focused on net profit and value generation.

While at Wal-Mart, he played a major role in conceiving, defining and implementing CPFR, as well as introducing it as an industry standard for Closed Loop Integrated Planning and Replenishment. In addition, he led the development of the first Vendor-Managed Replenishment Program through a retailer/supplier partnership cross-functional team with Procter & Gamble. He also defined the first Co-Managed program with key suppliers in a migration path and foundation for CPFR along with other collaborative applications. In these applications he drove the definition and application of a net profit based Collaborative Merchandise Assortment Planning and Optimization and Collaborative Transportation Management programs. Robert was also instrumental in the design and implementation of many of Wal-Mart’s merchandising, assortment planning, seasonal, new item, short cycle and apparel planning processes and systems for both Wal-Mart Stores and SuperCenters. He lead the effort to define vertical profit and loss statements for trading partners measuring the net profitability of optimized merchandising and supply programs while measuring the overall effectiveness of trading relationships.

Robert has also served as the original Chairman of the VICS Subcommittee as part of the Dynamic Information Sharing/Merchants Issues Committee, setting an industry standard for CPFR. In this role, he drove industry definition and guidelines for CPFR, standards and enabling technology that were the basis for the VICS/CPFR guidelines.

Prior to Wal-Mart, Bruce led a variety of initiatives in marketing, store operations, buying, replenishment and distribution for a subsidiary of Target Stores primarily focused on designing, implementing, and managing centralized basic replenishment and fashion apparel programs.

Robert often speaks and writes on emerging best practices in demand planning, forecasting and integrated collaborative value chains. He also was chosen as an outside expert advisor to Alan Greenspan and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on Inventory Management. He is a member of the Northwest Arkansas Council of Logistics Management and was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Supply Chain Council of the University of Arkansas prior to retiring from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He has been selected and referenced in Marquis’s Who’s Who in America since 1994.

Bruce is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Business.

Ron has a wide range of cross industry experiences that starts with 12 years in the aerospace industry at Martin Marietta. Ron was a computer programmer as well as a development manager responsible for MRPII implementations. During his tenure at Martin Marietta, Ron, was the technology lead manager who implemented 6 successful installs of MACPAC/D that resulted in the MRPII “Class A” rating by Oliver Wright Consulting.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was where Ron went after leaving Martin Marietta and provided Ron with his valuable experience in Retail. From Wal-Mart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, Ron served over 4 years as Strategy Manager in the Information Systems Division. Ron was responsible for system application development and support of Wal-Mart's award-winning Store Replenishment System, warehouse rebuying systems, purchase order applications, Inforem support, micro merchandising applications, Forecasting, Co-Managed Replenishment, SAM's Clubs replenishment applications, and all of the International Division's replenishment applications.

While at Wal-Mart, Ron was honored with several awards. The one award Ron is most proud of is the Information Technology Visionary Award for his design of Wal-Mart Replenishment Planning. This design became the initial vision and foundation for what is known today as “CPFR – Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment”.

Ron was Wal-Mart’s primary representative for the industry pioneering effort “CFAR – Collaborative Forecasting and Replenishment” that developed and piloted the collaboration concept with Wal-Mart, Warner Lambert, Surgency, Inc. – formerly known as Benchmarking Partners, SAP, and Manugistics. As a result of this successful industry transformation, Ron help start the VICS CPFR Working Group, which is so active today.

Ron decided to return to Colorado where he was Director in Supply Chain application design and development at J.D. Edwards. Ron designed future supply chain applications such as Demand Planning and Forecasting and Vendor-Managed Inventory. He also provided JDE strategic guidance on emerging trends that would impact the retail and consumer package goods for years to come.

Following J.D. Edwards, Ron Ireland was a Partner at Surgency, Inc., formerly Benchmarking Partners, where he lead several strategic consulting and research efforts in the High Tech, CPG, Retail, Communication, and Software Solutions industry. After years in the industry, this is where Ron learned how to be a Consultant. Ron’s experience at Surgency has provided extremely valuable knowledge to the exposure and development of several industry and cross industry best practices as well as emerging trends, from both a business process aspect to enabling technology solutions.

Ron Ireland is often seen and heard as a speaker at many industry conferences. Ron has authored many publications in trade magazines as well is often interviewed and quoted by world leading publications.

Ireland holds a BA in business management from Southwest Missouri State University.

Annette Donzella, Process and Project Management Advisor

Annette Donzella is a leader in project management and supply chain business process assessments for multiple industries, migrating best practices between industries to drive cost efficiencies and service effectiveness. Annette has over twenty years of leadership experience with large, multi-company, multi-industry projects. Her thorough understanding of supply chain management and manufacturing ERP implementations is supported by her experience in information systems delivery, support and evaluation.

Recently Annette served as Director at Surgency, Inc., formerly known as Benchmarking Partners, working with consumer goods, retail and high tech industry clients to provide Global Business Information Assessments, Process Re-engineering efforts, Business Strategy Development, and Value Chain Opportunity Assessments. She has helped clients such as Exide, Fuji Film, Kmart, Bush Brothers, SAP and IBM to gain a competitive edge by transforming their businesses through high-velocity value chain strategies and improved business information architectures. In addition, Annette has received multiple leadership awards and client testimonials.

Before joining Surgency, Annette spent much of her career consulting in manufacturing and distribution ERP systems, in both project management and implementation capacities. During her nine years at Baan Process Solutions (formerly Marcam Solutions Inc), Annette managed and led several strategic PRISM and Protean clients with multiple, large, simultaneous ERP projects, to ensure the client’s strategic and project objectives. Annette also assisted management in strategic product development and implementation planning decisions.

Prior to Marcam, Annette spent several years at ADP as an implementation consultant for wholesale distributors. During her time there, Annette developed implementation standards that were adopted by the entire division.
Annette also supported the pharmaceutical sales management information processing for governmental regulations at IMS Health (formerly Clark O’Neill/Fischer Stevens) for three years. In this position, Annette led the initial rollout of a new technology while working directly with the VP of Services.

Annette has authored several case study and while paper publications.
Donzella holds a BS in Business and Economics from Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey.

Greg Kincade, Management Advisor, Process and Technology Solutions

Greg Kincade has over 14 years experience in the technology field bridging the gap between strategic planning and technical solutions. His career has spanned numerous technical and functional positions in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, and health care. His focus on managing projects has been to analyze business process and data flows to increase efficiencies and enhance communications between internal and external business partners.

Greg spent 5 years at Martin Marietta as a computer programmer supporting MAC-PAC/D, a MRPII package utilized by the Astronautics Group. He was involved in supporting the application, installations, upgrades, and reporting, allowing MAC-PAC/D earned an MRPII “Class-A” rating by the Oliver Wright Consulting Group.

Greg began his business and process analysis career at OneComm Communications, acting as a Business and Technical Application Analyst. He supported both the business and technical ends of a SMR billing and accounting system for their analog communications business. By analyzing business processes and data flow, the billing executions and data retrieval processes gained tremendous efficiencies, allowing for significant cuts in processing times and costs.

At Health Decisions International, Greg managed the development of a usage based reporting system distributed to all clients of the health and medical call center application. He managed programmers and projects focused on improving the flow of data through the application, while improving communications, reporting data captured, and call times.

At Jones International, Greg managed the software development group in charge of meeting the needs of most of the Jones Companies. Along with many other applications, he managed the technical support staff of the PeopleSoft implementations and upgrades being utilized at Jones.

As Director of Engineering and Implementation Director at Jato Communications, Greg was involved with the identification, selection, testing and installation of the equipment included in the deployment of a nation-wide DSL network.

Greg holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management, with minor in Computer Programming, from the University of Northern Colorado and a Masters Degree in Technology Management from the University of Denver.

Darren Shaffer, Management Advisor, Technology Solutions

Darren Shaffer has over 12 years experience designing and delivering enterprise caliber software solutions in a wide range of industry domains including retail, e-commerce, ERP, energy, hospitality, insurance, defense, and media/advertising. A results-oriented technical leader and mentor, Darren specializes in bridging the communication gap between business visionaries and technical staff as well as introducing new technology and delivery methodologies to Fortune 500 companies. Darren is a recognized expert in object technology, enterprise application integration, web services, and messaging. Darren frequently speaks and writes best practices for enterprise solution architecture and design.

In the last 5 years, Darren was the Principal Architect responsible for designing and delivering enterprise solutions for the following companies: Dynegy, Columbine/JDS, Journeylink.com, AgencyWorks, and Encoda Systems. These solutions were all based on the Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) architecture and included extensive object-oriented, XML, messaging, and web services technologies. Darren worked at all levels in the business to drive these projects, secure budget and consensus, and mentor technical staffing.

For 2 years, Darren held the position of Development Manager at JD Edwards, leading a team of software engineers in identifying and coding performance enhancements for the JD Edwards OneWorld ERP product. Darren was frequently called upon to present OneWorld architecture and technical strategy to customers and prospects. Darren also led the effort to evangelize object-oriented development methodologies to senior JD Edwards product development executives. Darren achieved a 40% improvement in OneWorld’s MRP application performance and specified numerous enhancements to JD Edward’s supply chain application suite.

Darren served 4 years at Wal-Mart Stores, Information Systems Division as a Strategic Applications Manager, Manager of Buyer Decision Support Systems, and Senior Software Engineer, delivering retail solutions for Wal-Mart’s rapid domestic and international expansion. Darren delivered enhancements to Wal-Mart’s Buyer Decision Support Systems for 800 buyers and 2,200 vendor partners resulting in more accurate replenishment decision making and the ability to provide buyers and vendors a common shared understanding of real-time retail performance. Darren designed and delivered Wal-Mart’s risk management systems driving a self-insured program that reduces claims exposure. Darren also delivered systems solutions for Wal-Mart’s expansion into South America, China, and Indonesia, assisting in the formation of a $500M division in just three years. Darren developed merchandising systems providing product labeling, international tax scenario calculation, replenishment of grocery items, and apparel forecasting across a variety of platforms. Darren also managed the support of Wal-Mart’s warehousing, FLASH sales, payroll, and merchandising legacy systems.

Darren holds BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the US Military Academy at West Point and completed graduate work in Computer Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson AFB. Darren holds numerous technical certifications including Sun Certified Java Programmer and Microsoft Certified Professional. Darren was a Captain in the US Army Signal Corps and won the 1990 Distinguished AFCEAN award.

Michael D Smith, Executive Advisor, Merchandising & Operations Solutions

Mike Smith is a retail practitioner with over 25 years of retail operations, merchandising and inventory management experience. He has lead industry leading initiatives in these areas setting best practices in methods, processes and results while serving in Buyer, Director and Vice President positions at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. In executive level positions he lead the creation, design and implementation of several innovative merchandising approaches and methods leading to dramatic sales and profit growth which has lead him to receive several Industry Awards as well as 3 Buyer of The Year Awards at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Through Mike’s leadership, vision, design and execution significant financial results have been obtained in sales, inventory, margin and profitability. Mike is a subject matter expert focused on:

Operations Management
Purchasing & Merchandising
Sales Development/Forecasting
Inventory Management/Replenishment
Sales & Marketing
Financial Budgeting & Planning
Strategic Planning
Business Alliances
Advertising & Promotions
As Senior Vice President of Store Operations at Hudson’s Bay Company he established the store operations group as parity with the merchandise group. Spearheaded a company wide proprietary Communications/Marketing Manual, introducing online Intranet procedures for communications between the field and the buyers. Marketing/Merchandising Plans were introduced online, allowing stores to pull information at store level, reducing the tonnage of paper flow to the stores.

Developed the GMDP, General Merchandise Development Program while supporting The Northwest Company in a retail consultant capacity. He established a Merchandise Strategy that reduced current vendor base by establishing meaningful partnerships with key suppliers. This improved quality, selection, key item development, significant style improvements and gross margin development. Developed a modular planning process that scheduled each category of merchandise. Category Managers followed set up procedures that were designed to maximize presentation of best sellers as well as maximize sales per linear counter foot. This
helped Category Managers to develop retail principles that will improve their modular process.

While Senior Vice President Merchandising for Wal-Mart Stores Mike supervised and mentored the newest International division in Canada, which was struggling to be profitable despite sales increases of more than 50% the first year. Within the first 6 months of my one-year assignment, we reached profitability. Mike introduced the Vendor Development Program (VDP), which established sales goals by vendor and produced incremental volume discounts quarterly to Wal-Mart. Mike also introduced a financial method of managing sales and margins. Spearheaded a merchandising and marketing plan to aggressively go after the Toy Business and take market share from then number 1 Zellers. Prior to this role he served as Vice President Apparel where he planned, developed and introduced the Vassarette Brand of Intimate Apparel exclusively to Wal-Mart. Coordinated the design and development of a low-profile hanger with a color-coded size topper that created space for one more facing of product. This design became the standard for most mass retailers in the bra department as well as improving store maintenance. Target Stores now uses this hanger design in all of the apparel departments. In apparel buying positions, Mike was presented with the prestigious 1994 Femmy Award for Best Intimate Apparel in the industry and was presented with the Buyer of the Year award.

While serving as Director of Inventory Management and Replenishment he focused on leading and driving accelerated replenishment and inventory management standards. From supplier trading partner development to comprehensive planning and Inforem replenishment Mike set new standards, policies and practices in both hardlines and apparel.

Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration & Marketing, California State University, Fullerton, California

Supporting Team of Industry Experts

Andre Martin, Co-Founder, Retail Integrated Pipeline, Inc.

Andre is Co-founder of the Retail Pipeline Integration Group. The Retail Pipeline Integration Group is a consulting organization focused on integrating the distribution pipeline from point of manufacture to final point of sale. With more than 25 years of experience in distribution and manufacturing, Andre pioneered the development of Distribution Resource Planning (DRP) in 1975. In 1982, he introduced DRP to wholesaler/distributors as CEO of LogiCNet. Andre has implemented DRP concepts and standards for consumer packaged goods companies, as well as large retail chains and mass merchandise outlets.

He served as president of Oliver Wight Logistics Group for over 12 years. Also, he was the director of manufacturing and materials management at Abbott Canada. At Abbott, he was the driving force behind the successful implementation of the first integrated DRP/MRP II (Manufacturing Resource Planning) system in industry. In addition, he tied Abbott's financial and operating systems together.

Applying his expertise to wholesaler/distributors, Andre successfully implemented DRP in 1983 at two companies ? American Hardware Supply (now called Servistar) and Mass Merchandisers Inc. In 1987 Andre worked with Sears on their successful DRP implementation.

As an educator and consultant for over 13 years, Andre is a world?wide authority on the subject of developing, refining, and successfully implementing customer connectivity programs. He is the author of two books: Infopartnering, the Ultimate ECR Strategy, and DRP: the Gateway to True Quick Response and Continuous Replenishment, as well as the Oliver Wight DRP Video Library. At the request of the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS), Andre wrote the DRP chapter for the revised edition of the APICS Handbook. He is a member of the Council of Logistics Management and APICS. He has conducted seminars throughout North America and Latin America, as well as France, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

He has worked internationally with companies such as Coca?Cola, Colgate?Palmolive, Philips, RJR/Nabisco, Michelin, Digital Equipment Company and Procter and Gamble.

Darryl V. Landvater, Co-Founder, Retail Integrated Pipeline, Inc.

Darryl is Co-founder of the Retail Pipeline Integration Group, President of Oliver Wight Video Productions. The Retail Pipeline Integration Group is a consulting organization focused on integrating the distribution pipeline from point of manufacture to final point of sale. Oliver Wight Video Productions produces the Oliver Wight video library used by over a thousand companies for internal education. Darryl served as an Oliver Wight consultant from 1975 to 1995, and President of Oliver Wight Publications from 1981 through the sale to John Wiley & Sons in 1995.

The Retail Pipeline Integration Group is currently working with several retail clients in Canada and the US on full implementations of time-phased planning systems including both store-level and DC level systems.

As a consultant, Darryl has worked with over seventeen companies who have obtained Class A status using the Oliver Wight ABCD Checklist. His clients include manufacturers of capital equipment, textiles, paper, wood products, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods, as well as distributors.

Darryl was the consultant on the first DRP application in 1975 at Abbott Laboratories in Montreal, Canada. He worked with Dennison National on their successful Class A DRP implementation, and was selected by LogiCNet, a division IRI to be the consultant on their leading edge retail and manufacturing DRP pilots. The first with Giant foods was at the DC level, and the other with Price Chopper was at store-level.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Darryl worked at Ohaus Scale company as project leader for a successful, Class A MRP implementation.

Darryl is the author of two books: "World Class Production and Inventory Management," and "The Standard System." He also authored a number of the Oliver Wight video library modules, and is a frequent speaker, including the Oliver Wight ECR class. Darryl is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in engineering physics, and a past teacher trainer in the Peace Corps.

Value Chain Collaboration Associates, CPFR, VCCA, Robert Bruce, Ron Ireland, supply chain collaboration, supply chain, value chain, ROI, collaborative, planning, forecasting, replenishment, collaboration software, enterprise, supplier-manufacturer, supplier managed inventory, CMI, co-managed inventory, demand planning, demand, planning, supply chain management, customer centric, customer, centric, supply chain planning, supplier, manufacturer, distributor, distribution, broker, retailer, value proposition, best practices, demand optimization, intergration Robert Bruce established Value Chain Collaboration Associates (VCCA) to provide tailored strategic advisory services focused on defining a unique customer/consumer value proposition throughout the total value chain. Ron Ireland is co-founder of the firm and creates a perfect blend of business process and technology expertise. Robert Bruce and Ron Ireland have over 50 years of “Real World” industry knowledge, experience and leadership in the Mass Retail, Grocery, Consumer Product Goods, Aerospace and High Tech market segments. They have led the industry with their Practitioner knowledge and thought leadership in best in class and emerging practices that focus on building integrated and collaborative relationships between trading partners throughout the total Value Chain.

Robert and Ron were the original designers of Value Chain Collaboration, linking demand and supply processes which eventually lead to the development of the highly successful retail and consumer package goods industry standard, CPFR, Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment. Robert continued to drive the industry leading the VICS/CPFR subcommittee on CPFR as Chairman while defining other collaborative applications in merchandise optimization and integrated transportation management.

VCCA was created to offer strategic advisory services that leverage their years of industry experience, visionary leadership and knowledge that not only have become today’s Best Practices but also provide insight to tomorrow’s emerging Value Chain Practices with a cross industry application.

VCCA is not an arms and leg consulting service, but concentrates on providing executive and team advisory services promoting direct application and rapid implementation impacting bottom line results. They believe that for a company to truly succeed in Value Chain Collaborative Best Practices, the ownership and major efforts have to be done by the leaders and associates in that company. VCCA's purpose is to provide strategic advisory guidance formulating a migration path and operational plan for successful integration within an organization. A primary focus is to instill organizational ownership, embodiment of new business processes enabled with the right technology--the bridge and intersection of business best practices with best technologies.

Our team reflects strong values of integrity, trust and honesty. VCC Associates are industry seasoned professionals that embrace their work with excitement and enthusiasm. Our pride comes from creating continuous and sustaining value for our clients from the applications of "real world" practical applications of our industry knowledge, experience and thought leadership. We work toward customer centric process solutions enabled by technology that are results oriented.

Previous to founding VCC Associates, Inc. Robert served as Partner focused on retail/CPG industry segment at Surgency, Inc., formerly known as Benchmarking Partners. Robert supported industry clients through defining business strategies, demand-supply chain opportunities, process integration, optimization and collaborative applications including Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR). Working with leaders in the retailer/CPG industry segment, he has helped lay the foundation and path to total chain collaboration. Robert also contributed to Surgency's cross industry knowledge capital and methodology defining key applications for business multi-tier collaboration internally and externally within organizations, manufactures and their suppliers to enhance the total customer/consumer-based value proposition
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Before joining Surgency, Robert served as Wal-Mart's Vice-President for Inventory Management and Replenishment and Corporate Supply Chain Strategies for Wal-Mart Stores and Supercenters. In these capacities, he lead in the definition and implementation of inventory management practices, methods and policies at corporate, distribution center and store levels. Additionally, he led a cross-functional team in defining and implementing a series of coordinated corporate supply chain strategies focused on integrating and optimizing the total supply chain-from forecasting customer demand at shelf to production planning and manufacturing focused on net profit and value generation.

While at Wal-Mart, he played a major role in conceiving, defining and implementing CPFR, as well as introducing it as an industry standard for Closed Loop Integrated Planning and Replenishment. In addition, he led the development of the first Vendor-Managed Replenishment Program through a retailer/supplier partnership cross-functional team with Procter & Gamble. He also defined the first Co-Managed program with key suppliers in a migration path and foundation for CPFR along with other collaborative applications. In these applications he drove the definition and application of a net profit based Collaborative Merchandise Assortment Planning and Optimization and Collaborative Transportation Management programs. Robert was also instrumental in the design and implementation of many of Wal-Mart's merchandising, assortment planning, seasonal, new item, short cycle and apparel planning processes and systems for both Wal-Mart Stores and Supercenters. He lead the effort to define vertical profit and loss statements for trading partners measuring the net profitability of optimized merchandising and supply programs while measuring the overall effectiveness of trading relationships.

Bruce is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Business.

Ron Ireland has a technology background of over 20 years. Along with his extensive technology experience, Ron is also known for his expertise in industry business processes in which he places as the highest priority. Ron can compliment and bridge the business process goals and strategies with the right technology tool solutions to enable the business transformation to higher levels of execution.

Ron has a wide range of cross industry experiences that starts with 12 years in the aerospace industry at Martin Marietta. Ron was a computer programmer as well as a development manager responsible for MRPII implementations. During his tenure at Martin Marietta, Ron, was the technology lead manager who implemented 6 successful installs of MACPAC/D that resulted in the MRPII "Class A" rating by Oliver Wright Consulting.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was where Ron went after leaving Martin Marietta and provided Ron with his valuable experience in Retail. From Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, Ron served over 4 years as Strategy Manager in the Information Systems Division. Ron was responsible for system application development and support of Wal-Mart's award-winning Store Replenishment System, warehouse rebuying systems, purchase order applications, Inforem support, micro merchandising applications, Forecasting, Co-Managed Replenishment, SAM's Clubs replenishment applications, and all of the International Division's replenishment applications.

While at Wal-Mart, Ron was honored with several awards. The one award Ron is most proud of is the Information Technology Visionary Award for his design of Wal-Mart Replenishment Planning. This design became the initial vision and foundation for what is known today as "CPFR - Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment". Ron was Wal-Mart's primary representative for the industry pioneering effort "CFAR - Collaborative Forecasting and Replenishment" that developed and piloted the collaboration concept with Wal-Mart, Warner Lambert, Surgency, Inc. - formerly known as Benchmarking Partners, SAP, and Manugistics. As a result of this successful industry transformation, Ron help start the VICS CPFR Working Group, which is so active today.

Ron decided to return to Colorado where he was Director in Supply Chain application design and development at J.D. Edwards. Ron designed future supply chain applications such as Demand Planning and Forecasting and Vendor-Managed Inventory. He also provided JDE strategic guidance on emerging trends that would impact the retail and consumer package goods for years to come
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Following J.D. Edwards, Ron Ireland was a Partner at Surgency, Inc., formerly Benchmarking Partners, where he lead several strategic consulting and research efforts in the High Tech, CPG, Retail, Communication, and Software Solutions industry. After years in the industry, this is where Ron learned how to be a Consultant. Ron's experience at Surgency has provided extremely valuable knowledge to the exposure and development of several industry and cross industry best pracHome | About Us | Leadership | Approach | Clients | Contact Us | Mailing List | tices as well as emerging trends, from both a business process aspect to enabling technology solutions.

Ron Ireland is often seen and heard as a speaker at many industry conferences. Ron has authored many publications in trade magazines as well is often interviewed and quoted by world leading publications.

Ireland holds a BA in business management from Southwest Missouri State University.