READERPROFILE Elevating Supply Chain from ‘Necessary Evil’to C-Suite In uence as told to Karen Kroll
HEIDI HOFFMAN leads the supply chain practice at ON Partners Executive Search. RESPONSIBILITIES: Recruiting senior supply chain and operations executives for privately held, investor-backed, and publicly traded companies. EXPERIENCE: Senior client partner, supply chain practice, Korn/ Ferry International; managing director, Russell Reynolds Associates; associate, Booz Allen & Hamilton; credit analyst, Core States Bank (now Wachovia). EDUCATION: M.B.A., The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; B.A., economics, Franklin & Marshall College.
M y rst job out of college was in commercial banking. I was a trainee, charged with making sure that our borrowers had the appropriate inventory to secure their loans. Once, I was in a warehouse and literally kicking tires that were security for a loan. I didn’t love the nance part of banking, but I loved working with inventory. That started my path down the supply chain. After earning my M.B.A., I went into operations consulting. I put my love of supply chain to the test, doing large supply chain projects for industrial and consumer companies. I think like an engineer, although I’m not educated as one. I should be. I love consulting and solving big hairy problems, but the lifestyle was not great. I was in a plane, on my way to see a client, when I started chatting
investment in supply chain technologies and businesses right now. Supply chain management is not like it was even ve years ago. It used to be a sort of necessary evil operating behind the scenes, and nobody wanted to work on it. Now, it’s more strategic. Supply chain executives have a seat at the table and sit on boards. Chief supply chain of cers look more like CEOs now because they constantly think about what’s changing and how they can make money. They’re more technical, as well as more commercially oriented, as they gure out how to use their supply chain to drive revenues. One of the biggest challenges is the digital transformation of supply chains. Automation is essential to meet customer expectations and manage labor constraints. You need it to keep moving
with my seatmate; I didn’t know him or what he did. When he asked what I liked to do, I said, ‘I love to build teams and develop people.’ One month later, I had an offer to join the recruiting rm Russell Reynolds. At the time, I was the only female on a large industrial recruiting team. Nobody wanted to touch roles like purchasing and traf c. I said, ‘I love inventory. Send me to the warehouse.’ I created a supply chain recruiting practice and have been doing it ever since. One great thing about the supply chain is it never goes away. People love their stuff, and to have stuff, you need a supply chain. So, the opportunities keep getting bigger. I came to On Partners about eight years ago. I’m blessed to have moved when I did, because there’s so much
10 Inbound Logistics • March 2026
Powered by FlippingBook