President's Messages

AUGUST 2025 - MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

In my continued reading and conversations with colleagues about the impact of tariffs on our supply chains, I’m reminded that tariff uncertainty is not just a trade issue, it’s a significant supply chain risk. Proactive scenario planning, supplier diversification, and digital visibility tools are essential to building resilience and agility.

Does this sound familiar? These are the same strategies we leaned on during the challenges of the pandemic. The truth is, while tariffs may be the challenge today, new and greater uncertainties emerge every year. It's time we applied the hard-earned lessons from recent years to navigate the risks ahead.

Tariff uncertainty poses significant challenges to global supply chains, disrupting sourcing, pricing, lead times, and supplier relationships. Supply chain professionals can draw on APICS certification learnings,  such as those from CSCP, CPIM, and CLTD to apply structured, data-driven approaches to mitigate these risks.

A foundational strategy is supplier diversification, reducing reliance on single-country sourcing. APICS principles emphasize global sourcing strategies and risk management, encouraging the use of nearshoring and friend-shoring to maintain supply continuity. Many companies are already shifting production to Mexico and Southeast Asia to reduce exposure.

Leveraging tools like control towers and supplier portals enhances visibility, enables real-time monitoring of shipments and tariff-driven cost shifts. Scenario planning, emphasized in both CSCP and CPIM, helps simulate “what-if” tariff impacts on inventory and cost structures, enabling proactive contingency planning.

Contract reviews are critical. Including tariff pass-through clauses and force majeure terms aligns with best practices for supplier relationship management and contractual risk control. Inventory strategies, such as buffering and sourcing from free trade alliance aligned regions, reflect the focus on inventory optimization under uncertainty.

Finally, strong cross-functional collaboration alignment between procurement, finance, logistics, and legal. Staying informed through USTR updates and industry associations like ASCM keeps professionals ahead of policy shifts and better equipped to lead through uncertainty.

How is your company responding?  Let’s keep this conversation going at our August PDM focusing on Navigating the Future – A Port of Houston Update

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Board Spotlight: In each newsletter, I’m proud to introduce you to one of the dedicated leaders behind the scenes at ASCM Houston. This month, meet our Chapter Secretary, Roddrick Neal, CPIM, CLTD.

Rod is a seasoned supply chain professional currently serving as Supply Chain Planning Lead at Johnson & Johnson. Holding dual ASCM certifications, for CPIM and CLTD, he brings deep expertise in planning, inventory management, and logistics. As Chapter Secretary for the past four years, Roddrick has played an essential role in ensuring operational continuity, leading numerous chapter initiatives, and chairing several key focus committees.

Beyond his leadership duties, Roddrick is passionate about empowering supply chain professionals. He actively shares best practices on LinkedIn and engages regularly with our members through chapter events. His commitment to professional development, continuous learning, and community impact makes him a true catalyst for excellence in the supply chain field.

Thank you, Rod, for your leadership and service.

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Warm regards,
Tammy Giesler-Hagans
President, ASCM Houston Chapter