UWF business logistics students at the top of their game

University of West Florida business logistics students Andrew Blevins, Annalee Chiswell and Melida Mendez traveled to East Lansing, Mich., in April to compete against the world’s top logistics students at the 2009 Supply Chain Challenge. The challenge was hosted by Michigan State University, Dow Chemical, Motorola, Shell Oil, Flextronics, IBM, GM and Chrysler.

By creating a superior supply chain strategy that led to higher performance in the key outcome factors, the UWF team won third place over 11 other university teams including: Northeastern, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Syracuse, Missouri State, University of North Florida, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Arkansas State. First place went to University of Kentucky and second place to Grand Valley State. And, not only did the UWF team place third in the overall simulation, but UWF’s supply chain contribution margin was ranked first and the inventory turns were ranked second.

“Overall, our team had a great experience at the Michigan State Supply Chain Logistics Simulation,” said Blevins. “Companies look to hire the brightest students that will help their company sustain future profitability, and Dr. Keller, as well as all the professors at UWF, have done a great job in developing their students.”

The 2009 Supply Chain Challenge requires competing students to review specific product demand, capacity, inventory, service, and cost data pertaining to supplier, manufacturer, distribution center and market locations throughout the world. The decisions that Blevins, Chiswell and Mendez made to manage procurement, production and distribution were input into a professional supply chain simulation program, developed by Michigan State University, and through a series of 13 simulation periods. This resulted in their strategies being evaluated on several key supply chain performance indicators.

“Our students were at the top of their game and at the top of the class,” said Scott Keller, associate professor of UWF Marketing and Logistics. “I cannot express how impressive winning third place is for our students as they finished ahead of such strong schools and logistics programs. And, we finally beat Ohio State in a competition. This was an accomplishment that is a first for UWF and me!”

This is the fifth competition over the past three years that UWF teams have placed in the top three winning positions over nationally ranked universities. And, although the business logistics program is new to UWF and Pensacola, it is benefitting students. In a report issued by Florida’s Great Northwest, transportation and logistics was named a key industry for developing a diversified and sustainable economy. UWF’s program is helping to meet the increasing demand for educated and experienced professionals in the field.

Written by Janice Cooper, University Marketing Communications