This award recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage.

Chattanooga, TN —March 8, 2024 — Supply & Demand Chain Executive, named Kristi Montgomery, Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development, and Paula Hise, Senior Vice President of Operations, as winners of this year’s Pros to Know Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage.

Kristi Montgomery, Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development

Kristi Montgomery has been with Kenco since 1990, moving to the role of Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development and leading our Innovation Lab in 2015. And, according to Kristi, that’s where her heart lies – and it shows.


“It’s not about coming up with wonderful ideas at the end of the day. It’s about taking those ideas and delivering value through real solutions and practical innovation. I’ve been in my current role for eight years, and during that time, I’ve identified over $75 million in customer savings. That’s what is meaningful to me, and that’s what sets my work for the industry apart,” said Montgomery.


Most importantly to Kristi is finding innovation which improves lives and brings value to the customer and Kenco. In the past year, Kristi and her team completed 4 innovative customer pilots and implementations with solutions spanning automation, security, safety, package verification, camera-vision AI enabled intelligence platform and IoT. These projects resulted in over $2.5M annual savings for single customers, and when extrapolated to all applicable customers, the innovations would be valued at over $15M annually.


Her work to drive fresh solutions that push the bounds of a warehouse environment and open it up to a more diverse workforce. She works with local organizations to drive STEM in schools, provide hands-on opportunities for kids to learn, assists in betas and pilot programs for new warehouse technologies, and offers expertise to panels nationally.


Kristi is not only an asset to Kenco, but the logistics industry as a whole.

Paula Hise, Senior Vice President of Operations

Paula Hise has been with Kenco since 2006, and now serves as Senior Vice President of Operations, focusing on the CPG vertical.


Paula exhibits positive influences in the supply chain and logistics space through her customer relationships. She is not only dedicated to serving customers to the best of her ability, but she is also a major advocate of knowledge sharing. Many of Kenco’s CPG logistics customers don’t have relationships with each other and are therefore unaware of challenges faced by their peers. But Paula has visibility across all the challenges faced by her team’s customers, and she uses that knowledge to help them all.
Her deep experience in the logistics and CPG industry not only benefit her customers, but those around her with the opportunity to gain experience as well. Her investment in talent has paid off. With this ardent team and leadership built, Kenco was able to better serve its customers and deliver cutting-edge logistics solutions.


The numbers do not lie – her Net Promoter Score is frequently double or nearly triple the industry average. How does she do it? By using the soft skills that she has developed over decades and her kind and practical nature, Paula is able to challenge her customers’ opinions and provide alternative recommendations, all while maintaining a solid and friendly customer relationship.


Paula is a critical member of the Kenco team and for our customers – and her work reverberates throughout the industry.


Recipients of this year’s award will be profiled in Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s March 2024 issue, which will be distributed at MODEX 2024 and at www.SDCExec.com.


Go to https://sdce.me/9nuat3bs to view the full list of winners. Go to www.SDCExec.com/awards to learn more about other Supply & Demand Chain Executive awards.

About Kenco
Kenco supplies integrated logistics solutions that include distribution, eCommerce fulfillment, comprehensive transportation management and material handling equipment services, and customized supply chain solutions – all designed for Operational Excellence. Kenco continues to be a leading 3rd party logistics provider in North America, building lasting customer relationships for over 70 years. Kenco’s focus is to support customers’ business needs and redefine third-party logistics by offering innovative, connected solutions.

About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the only supply chain publication covering the entire global supply chain, focusing on trucking, warehousing, packaging, procurement, risk management, professional development and more. Supply & Demand Chain Executive and its sister publication, Food Logistics, also operate SCN Summit and the Women in Supply Chain Forum. Go to www.SDCExec.com to learn more.

About IRONMARKETS
IRONMARKETS, formerly known as AC Business Media, is a leading business-to-business media and buyer engagement platform with a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, landscape, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain markets. IRONMARKETS delivers relevant, cutting-edge content to its audiences through its industry-leading digital properties, trade shows, conferences, videos, magazines, webinars, and newsletters. It also provides advertisers the analytics, data, and ability to reach their target audience. Learn more at https://www.iron.markets.

Media Contact
Lauren Bovard
Arketi Group
lbovard@arketi.com
978-477-5546