Matthew Arel

Matthew Arel has a diverse and extensive work experience spanning over 23 years. Matthew started their career in the US Navy as a Supply Officer, serving from November 1997 to July 2008. Following their military service, Matthew joined Caterpillar Inc. in July 2008 as a Six Sigma Black Belt, focusing on process improvement. From March 2010 to November 2011, they served as the Supply Chain New Product Introduction Manager at Caterpillar, successfully overseeing the introduction of new products. Matthew then assumed the role of Supply Chain Manager from November 2011 to April 2015, leading a team of 60 professionals and implementing the Caterpillar Production System. After leaving Caterpillar, they joined Smithfield Foods in June 2016 as the Senior Supply Planning Manager, responsible for inventory management and capacity planning across multiple facilities and seasonal demand categories. In April 2021, Matthew was promoted to the role of Director, Supply Planning at Smithfield Foods, where they currently serve.

Matthew Arel obtained their Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from Troy University between 2002 and 2006. Prior to that, they earned a Bachelor's Degree in Management from Columbia College from 1994 to 1997. In addition to their degrees, they hold certifications as a Certified Supply Chain Professional from APICS, obtained in 2014, and as a 6 Sigma Black Belt from Caterpillar Inc., obtained in 2010.