Leslie G. Brand III
Leslie is the Co-Executive Chairman of Supply Chain Solutions (SCS), a company headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, dedicated to global supply chain and transportation management solutions. Leslie is a member of the Board of Directors of SCS and is the President of the West Michigan Supply Chain Management Professionals Association (CSCMP), actively involved in various community and industry organizations, including Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. He is passionate and has proven experience, leading experienced teams and clients to achieve impressive supply chain improvements, and creating cost-cutting and sustainable business value.
Jim Ward
Jim is the Co-Executive Board Chairman and founder of Supply Chain Solutions. Throughout his career, he has led Fortune-500 companies (such as Steelcase, Whirlpool, PolyOne, John Deere and Dell) launch their major supply chain initiatives both globally and domestically.
As a supply chain management expert, he has considerable experience in design, implementation and inventory operations, along with distribution, global and domestic transportation, and supply chain management.
Under Jim's direction, SCS continues to develop innovative tools and process improvements that enable his clients to significantly reduce their cash flow cycles while optimizing the logistics processes for purchasing, inventory control, warehousing, distribution and transportation.
Michele Zimmerman
Michele Zimmerman is the VP of Technology at Supply Chain Solutions. She is a technology leader who thrives in a challenging, fast-paced organization that can deliver advanced technology systems, innovative solutions, architecture, and applications.
By contributing her depth of skills that can balance business management and technology, with the ability to lead multiple teams, performance goals, operating requirements, and financial objectives are met.
She graduated from Davenport University with a Master’s degree in Technology Management.
Dave Whittaker
Dave is the company's Co-President and joined the company in 2012. He assists multi-industry global supply chains with lean logistics strategy, asset management, and process improvement. This includes automotive, agriculture, finished products, and manufacturing.
Dave has more than 35 years of supply chain management experience, including logistics network planning and optimization, distribution operations, transportation, ERP business process conversion, inventory management and logistics information systems. He designed and deployed a multi-site distribution network in North America and planned personnel and technology management processes. Dave is also an experienced negotiator, evidenced in multi-million dollar warehouse operations and transportation service contracts.
Dave earned a bachelor's degree in supply chain management from Michigan State University.
Vandana Bahl
Vandana is the Vice President of Trade Management, and joined SCS in 2013 with the acquisition of Vanik International Inc. She has been in the logistics business since 1994.
Having worked with clients large and small by helping them analyze current supply chains, she has found numerous opportunities to implement improvements.
Vandana received a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Terry McCracken
Terry is the Vice President of Customs Administration. He has more than 45 years of experience assisting companies in import and export strategies.
Terry has a customs broker's license. Prior to joining SCS, he worked for W.R. Filipino from 1964 to 2008. He can provide all of the services of a customs broker with a focus on customs compliance.
Michee Vrtis
Michee, Director of Software Solutions, joined Supply Chain Solutions in 2007 as the leader of the Software Solutions division. She holds a degree in Computer Engineering and has 15 years of experience developing solutions for multiple industries. These extensive experiences have given her a unique perspective on creating solutions and increasing efficiency for SCS and its customers.
Prior to joining SCS, Michee worked at Smith Industries (now GE Aerospace) and Greenville Tool & Die.
Kendra Townsend
Kendra is the Vice President of Integrated Logistics Solutions.
She joined the company in 2002 and has extensive experience and expertise in all aspects of the company, including operations, finance and information technology. As Vice President of Logistics Solutions, she manages customer relationships and ensures that the company provides the customer with a high level of service.
Prior to joining SCS, she spent 14 years in customer service and sales at Ryder Transportation.
She has served on many area industry-related councils and alliances.