Welcome to Procurement News, part of our ongoing aggregate news series covering recent supply management headlines and trends pertinent to Chief Procurement Officers and other procurement leaders. Contact us with your news story here.
Procurement Executive News
Peraton Appoints William “Bill” Mertz as CPO
RESTON, Va. — Peraton, a national security company, announced the appointment of William “Bill” Mertz as senior vice president and chief procurement officer.
The company stated that Mertz will have executive responsibility for all aspects of the company’s procurement organization, including business systems compliance, strategic sourcing, positive cash flow management, and subcontractor management. He will also oversee the execution of Peraton’s procurement strategy that is designed to drive better efficiencies and reduce complexity for the company, its partners, and its customers.
According to Chairman, President, and CEO, Stu Shea, “Bill has long distinguished himself as an industry leader, critical thinker, and business strategist. He uniquely understands the critical role the procurement organization plays in helping us to achieve our growth and financial goals. I look forward to working closely with him and welcoming him to our executive leadership team,” said Shea.
Prior to joining Peraton, Mertz served as vice president, enterprise supply chain, at CACI where he established their integrated supply chain function and led the execution of a multi-year procurement strategy. Earlier in his career, he served in leadership roles of increasing responsibility within procurement and subcontracts at both CACI and SAIC.
Read the full announcement here.
Lemon Perfect Hires David Kimmell as CSCO
ATLANTA — Beyoncé-backed Lemon Perfect, one of the fastest-growing brands in the Flavor-Enhanced Water category, announced the hiring of former Onda chief operating officer, David Kimmell, as chief supply chain officer.
According to Lemon Perfect Founder and CEO Yanni Hufnagel, Kimmell is a transformational, growth-oriented supply chain leader who will be instrumental in implementing plans for a supply chain with unconstrained capacity and world-class product quality.
“Today is a monumental day for Lemon Perfect. David is a best-in-industry CPG executive and passionate people leader whose experience is unsurpassed. His operational wisdom will be key in ensuring that not only our supply chain but also our entire organization is billion-dollar-ready,” Hufnagel said.
The company stated that with 20 years of operations experience and nearly 15 years in food and beverage, Kimmell has helped scale multiple companies from infancy to acquisition. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his ability to innovate and facilitate growth while streamlining operations and maximizing productivity.
Kimmell has been lauded in the food and beverage industry for pioneering new systems and processes and creating exceptional consumer product experiences.
Read the full announcement here.
Ulrik Nilsson Assumes CSCO Role for Careium
KALIX, NORRBOTTENS LAN, Sweden — Careium, a leading player in technology-enabled care in Europe, announced the appointment of Ulrik Nilsson as chief supply chain officer. Ulrik will now work dedicatedly with Supply Chain, where he has long and significant experience.
According to Careium CEO Christian Walén, “Ulrik, with his enormous competence and execution power, will take full responsibility for our strategic supply chain function. High competence and full focus are central for us as a producing company with significantly increasing product sales,” Walén said.
“Ulrik’s new role and refined focus enable new interfaces and a more flexible working model between supply chain, our development departments, and production partners. We are already seeing the effects of Ulrik’s work with new projects, cost reductions, and strengthened collaboration internally and externally around the production chain,” continues Walén.
Read the full announcement here.
Sarah Clarke Joins American Eagle Outfitters as CSCO
PITTSBURGH — American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), Inc. announced the appointment of Sarah Clarke as executive vice president — chief supply chain officer. She will be responsible for managing AEO’s global supply chain from sourcing through distribution. Clarke is one of two critical executive appointments for AEO.
The company stated that Clarke is a strategic business leader with extensive experience in supply chain management across several large-scale, multi-brand retail organizations. She joins AEO from PVH Corporation, where she held the role of global chief supply chain officer, driving operational excellence and strong commercial results.
According to Jay Schottenstein, executive chairman of the board and chief executive officer, “Sarah and Valerie bring deep industry knowledge and proven capabilities that complement our organization and innovative culture. As we chart out AEO’s next chapter and hone our focus on profitable growth, I am confident we have the right talent and performance-driven mindset across our teams to drive long-term success,” Schottenstein commented.
Read the full announcement here.
Casey’s CPO Leaving the Company
It was announced by Jaime Robles, chief procurement officer for Casey’s, on his LinkedIn account that he is leaving the company.
“After an incredible journey at Caseys, we have decided to take different paths for the future. I want to express my gratitude to CEO, Darren Rebelez and CFO, Steve Bramlage, for the opportunity and unwavering support throughout our Procurement journey!
To my Procurement team and fantastic colleagues, thank you for believing in the vision and overcoming so many challenges exceeding the wildest expectations. I will miss you all dearly, but I’m sure you will continue your success to take it from good to great!
I am overwhelmed by all the messages and well wishes I’ve received and excited about what the future holds for my career.”
Read the full announcement here.
Supply Management News
‘It Has Already Begun’: Senate Sounds Off on Climate Disruption to Supply Chains
Israel-Hamas War Prompts Concerns Over Global Fertilizer Supply
Free Shipping Has Its Costs for Merchants, Supply Chains and Consumers
G-7 Nations Back Strong Supply Chains for Energy and Food Despite Global Tensions
