Some measure success by salaries and titles. Others use a different yardstick altogether. Take the 10 professionals selected as our 2020 Rainmakers, for example. When asked about their proudest professional accomplishments, several cited the satisfaction of mentoring younger colleagues and seeing them go on to greater glory, while another spoke proudly of his company’s pioneering work in predictive supply chain software. Yet another described the gratification of being involved with the American Logistics Aid Network’s humanitarian relief work.
So who are these Rainmakers and how were they chosen? As in the past, DC Velocity selected the 2020 Rainmakers in concert with members of the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board from candidates nominated by readers, board members, and previous Rainmakers and DCV Thought Leaders. This year’s selections represent different facets of the business—from practitioners and association executives to technology specialists, consultants, and academics. But as the profiles on the following pages show, they’re united by a common goal of advancing the logistics and supply chain management profession.
If you’d like to nominate someone for our 2021 Rainmakers report, please send your suggestions to DC Velocity’s editorial director, David Maloney, at [email protected].
Kevin Condon
It’s often said that the most satisfactory job a person can have is one that combines their work responsibilities with a personal passion. That’s the case with Kevin Condon, who has been able to turn his passion for food into a supply chain career optimizing how food moves throughout the country. Condon is currently vice president of engineering and optimization for the food and beverage supply chain at the retail chain Target. He and his team of engineers, technicians, and project managers are dedicated to designing and operating Target’s automated food distribution centers with an eye toward cost efficiency and providing reliable service to stores.
Before joining Target last year, Condon worked at grocery chain Kroger for eight years in various supply chain leadership roles. He shepherded many Kroger initiatives, including e-commerce fulfillment and pilot programs for deliveries using autonomous vehicles. Condon is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he studied industrial and systems engineering.
Q: Your bio says that you “turned a passion for food into a career optimizing how food moves throughout the country.” How did that come about?
A: Like many people, I didn’t enter the business with a predetermined idea of what path my career would take, but once I started working in the food distribution industry, I knew I’d found where I wanted to be. I grew up in a large family where gathering and sharing a meal has been a tradition that’s both important and rewarding. Food is a key part of bringing people together.
Throughout my career, I’ve come to recognize how many people struggle with food insecurity, and I’ve appreciated more deeply the role that our food supply chain plays in providing support and comfort, putting food on the table for so many families. Target’s mission to help all families discover the joy of everyday life provides tremendous motivation for my work in the food and beverage supply chain.
Q: Covid-19 has caused extensive disruption to the food supply chain. What adjustments have you had to make?
A: The changes and disruptions from Covid-19 have certainly been numerous. I would group them into three major categories: safety, process capacity, and working routines. In order to support our stores as a safe place to shop, we’ve focused on the safety of our team and food distribution operations through providing PPE (personal protective equipment), social distancing measures, and rigorous cleaning routines. In terms of process capacity, rapidly shifting sales patterns as well as supply fluctuations have challenged our operational capabilities. Decisive evaluations and quick strategies to support assortment change and optimizing delivery frequencies have proved critical in supporting our over 20% growth. Finally, for an engineering discipline where “going to the Gemba” [a Japanese term referring to the act of visiting the shop floor or other “real place” where the work gets done] has been an indoctrinated requisite, working from home away from the Gemba poses various challenges to our ability to create value and support change. Leveraging technological solutions and a culture of collaborative problem-solving have been essential in continuing to support our operations remotely as we work to optimize and improve processes.
Q: You were trained as an industrial engineer. How has that background helped you in your current role?
A: Industrial engineering at its core is about improving quality and cost through optimization of complex processes. When you consider the complexities of the food supply chain—farmers and manufacturers, temp-controlled logistics, automation and robotics, and quality and perishability—it’s hard to imagine an industry more suited to an industrial engineer’s skill set. That complexity is compounded by various challenges of major national retail operations along with the ever-evolving expectations of consumers, so my experience and development as an industrial engineer has been paramount for the work I do today.
Q: What’s one supply chain project or initiative you’ve worked on that you found to be particularly memorable?
A: My involvement and critical roles played in many recent supply chain evolutions has definitely been the most remarkable part of my career. Working with Kroger on the functional design and launch of its curbside pickup program, extending that work into automated fulfillment centers for home delivery, and now seeing massive growth in Target’s digital grocery adoption through the Covid-19 crisis have all been incredible, and I’m excited for what the future holds for digital grocery.
