AWESOME’s first CEO, Michelle Dilley, talks in an interview with AWESOME Founder, Ann Drake, about her early impressions of her new role and what she finds both daunting and exciting about the future.
Announcement from Ann Drake, Founder and Chairman of AWESOME
We are extremely excited to share the news that Michelle Dilley will be the new CEO of AWESOME, joining us on July 20,, 2020. Michelle is coming to us from DSC Logistics, now CJ Logistics America, where she is Chief Operating Officer and has been an active participant in AWESOME.
Michelle joined DSC Logistics in 2017 as Chief Supply Chain Transformation Officer, leading the vision for the DSC operating platform of the future and implementing strategic initiatives to deliver continuous improvement. Promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2019, Michelle continued to lead the transformation initiative and was directly responsible for leading DSC’s nationwide network of logistics centers and supply chain packaging operations.
In addition to direct responsibilities for DSC’s logistics center operations, Michelle led engineering, safety and security, quality, business process integration, performance excellence, and operations training. She has held significant leadership roles in multiple industries, including consumer electronics, healthcare, building materials and logistics. Her experience spans the full spectrum of end-to-end supply chain, including strategic sourcing, operations, inventory management, logistics, technology and business/customer process harmonization. This breadth of experience uniquely positions her to lead AWESOME’s continued growth and enhance our impact in the future.
After seven years of driving change, AWESOME is ready for a full-time leader to carry the mission and strategies to new levels of impact. Elevating the lead role to CEO reinforces our commitment to advance and transform the future of supply chain leadership.
In this new leadership role, Michelle succeeds two outstanding Executive Directors, Heather Sheehan (2018-2020) and Nancy Nix (2014-2017). As Executive Director, Heather has significantly increased AWESOME’s depth and breadth, adding programming, developing new partnerships, and strengthening engagement among the AWESOME community of leadership. Before becoming AWESOME’s second Executive Director, Heather was our Director of Member Engagement and Sponsorships, where she led significant growth in participation by both senior women in supply chain and companies that actively support AWESOME and women’s leadership. Prior to that, Heather was one of the first two women to receive the AWESOME Legendary Leadership (ALL) Award (2014), when she was Vice President, Indirect Sourcing and Logistics, for Danaher Corporation.
Nancy’s connection to AWESOME dates back to our earliest days in 2013, helping to envision and plan what AWESOME could become. As Executive Director, she built the foundation for AWESOME’s key initiatives and as Executive Director Emeritus has continued to serve as an organizer of AWESOME events and a moderator of discussions on a wide variety of topics. Previously, Nancy served as Executive Director for the EMBA program and Professor of Supply Chain Practice at Texas Christian University’s Neely School of Business. In 2017, she became the second woman in more than 50 years to receive CSCMP’s Distinguished Service Award.
The knowledge and expertise of both Heather and Nancy have been a tremendous resource for AWESOME as we’ve grown our community, broadened our reach throughout the supply chain profession and the business world, and expanded our programming. I’m happy to say that Heather and Nancy will continue as members of AWESOME’s Advisory Board.
Our new CEO’s background will prove extraordinarily powerful for AWESOME as Michelle is an experienced practitioner and active proponent of leadership and transformation. I’m excited for you to get to know Michelle – energetic, articulate, knowledgeable and committed to our mission to advance and transform the future of supply chain leadership. She will be the perfect leader to take us to new ways to make an impact and help us jump-shift to new strategic heights.
Now is the time, with all the changes and disruption taking place in our world, for AWESOME to inspire, lead and accelerate transformation. Never has it been more important for supply chain leaders to come together – virtually now and hopefully, in person, soon.
Please stay in touch, stay safe, stay committed to improving our world – and be well.
Warm regards,
Ann Drake
Founder and Chairman,
AWESOME