SUPPLYCHAINP.O.V. Coach and Cheerleader: Van Vossen Tackles Supply Chain Transformation as told to Karen Kroll
T ransformation is one word that defines my leadership; it’s the constant work of building something better than what came before. My focus is on ensuring our operating model matches the complexity and reach of the business: a strategic supply chain function that owns supplier relationships, a tactical team that executes day-to- day orders, and an enterprise planning group that aligns closely with sales, inventory, and operations planning. Rather than operate the transportation function ourselves, we made a deliberate choice to partner with a company capable of bringing technology and capabilities we could not efficiently build in house. That decision let us redirect our energy toward managing the partnership strategically. The result has been clarity for our teams: a clearer view of how the pieces fit together, and a path for their own development. In 2023, a little more than one year into my tenure, that broader effort was delivering measurable results. LEADING CHANGE DELIBERATELY Transformation of this scale doesn’t happen through announcement, but through persistence. I spend a significant amount of my time communicating: up to leadership, down through the organization, and across functions that don’t always see the world the same way. Staying anchored to a shared goal, even when the path to it isn’t linear, has been essential.
WHAT I DO I serve as vice president of global operations excellence at Lindsay Corporation, a provider of agricultural irrigation and road infrastructure products and services. My responsibilities span global supply chain, transportation, trade compliance, global quality, and lean manufacturing— functions that together determine how reliably we deliver for our customers around the world.
“Transformation of this scale doesn’t happen through announcement, but through persistence.” STEVE VAN VOSSEN Vice President, Global Operations Excellence, Lindsay Corporation
Early on, a colleague introduced me to a structured change management approach built around a few core stages: building awareness of why change matters, creating the desire to pursue it, developing the knowledge and ability to execute, and reinforcing it to make it durable. It is not a fast process. It is, however, one that brings people with you rather than leaving them behind, and we are already seeing that discipline translate into measurable results. This approach isn’t new to me. Earlier in my career, I was asked to fix a distribution center where on-time delivery hovered around 80%. Working with strong mentors, I learned how lean manufacturing principles translate
10 Inbound Logistics • October 2026
Powered by FlippingBook