Will Hutchinson (CPIM, CSCP)

Will Hutchinson (CPIM, CSCP) has over 20 years of experience in supply chain management. Will began their career in 2001 as a Raw Materials Manager at Wilson's Leather, where they were responsible for purchasing raw materials, controlling inventory, and coordinating production between vendors from Europe, China, Korea and India. Will was able to reduce cost of goods sold by 6% through negotiating prices and terms. Will also worked with the merchandising team, overseas sourcing office and foreign factories to cut development time from 9 months to 6 months. In 2006, they became a Supply Chain Consultant at Wilrise Enterprises and provided supply chain management services such as sourcing, product design, and logistics oversight to clients in industries including sporting goods, hardware, apparel, and electronics. Will was able to cut client costs by 30-50% by sourcing products offshore. In 2012, they became the Supply Chain Manager at Crystal D, where they led all purchasing, transportation, warehouse, and quality control functions. Will was able to reduce product costs by 20% by establishing factory-direct relationships using Chinese language skills and reduce inventory 25% while maintaining service level by implementing improved forecasting techniques. In 2015, they became the Director of Operations at eyebobs. In 2017, they became the Supply Chain Sourcing Manager at Quality Bicycle Products. In 2020, they became the Supply Chain Manager at Red Wing Gear, where they managed the supplier portfolio including sourcing, on-boarding, business startup and termination, and lead all supplier-facing activities including negotiation, forecasting, PO management, and scheduling. Will also lead product development activities for 3 proprietary brands supplying ebikes, hunting equipment and trailers. In 2022, they became the Supply Chain Director at Claros Technologies Inc., an advanced materials company that develops sustainable materials and solutions for the circular economy.

Will Hutchinson holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management from the University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management, which they obtained between 1999 and 2001. Will also holds a BA in Chinese Language from the University of Minnesota, which they obtained between 1991 and 1996. In addition, they hold the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification from APICS and the Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) certification from APICS.