ISM World 2026 Notebook: ‘Wheels Grinding’ at Committees and TLC Meeting

Sopan Shah, senior vice president and CPO at IHG Hotels & Resorts and member of the Institute for Supply Management^® (ISM^®) Board of Directors, addresses the meeting of ISM Committees and Thought Leadership Council on Sunday. (Ember Light Media)

Holding a marker while standing against a large sheet of paper on an easel, Heidi DeMello, CPSM, compiled brainstorming ideas on when she sensed one of the members of the discussion group was itching to add to the list.

“I see your wheels grinding,” said the senior vice president of supply chain for Fall River, Massachusetts-based Blount Fine Foods. “Do you want to say more?”

After hearing the input on top risks in the areas of delivery and sustainability, DeMello documented it with her marker, then replied, “I like how you are thinking. Keep questioning.”

The exchange during a risk scenario exercise on Sunday morning captured the spirit and purpose of the meeting of Institute for Supply Management^®’s (ISM^®) Committees and Thought Leadership Council (TLC), which kicked off the ISM World 2026 Annual Conference at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.

The meeting is critical not only for ideas exchange and networking, but also for guiding content and offerings from ISM over the following year, says Sopan Shah, senior vice president and CPO at IHG Hotels & Resorts, member of the ISM Board of Directors and Chair of the TLC.

“A lot of really smart people are discussing topics that are top of mind in the profession,” Shah said. “Their insights are fed back into ISM as we think about the future. It’s valuable to me not only as part of the TLC but also as an ISM member and Board member. This helps us fundamentally think about how we evolve our products and our services as an organization to remain the preeminent organization for supply management.”

In an ever-changing supply chain environment, there were sobering discussions on if training and resources were keeping up. “Are we in uncharted territory?” a participant asked. Another noted, “The questions have changed. Companies are looking for something different than just two years ago. … It’s a different landscape.”

Dynamics from AI to geopolitical risk in the Middle East were discussed. Among the issues was how companies can best harness the “unknown capabilities” of AI. “You can’t wait to ask McKinsey (& Company) about that,” a participant said.     

In addition to the risk scenario exercise, participants heard presentations from experts from Moody’s, Eurasia Group and McKinsey & Company.

“If a supply chain practitioner that wants to get involved in the discussions and steer the profession, this would be a good thing to be a part of,” Shah said. “And you can take what you learn here and apply it to what you do every day and put some of these theories into practice.”

60 Seconds With …
Rebecca Johnson, CPSM, and Allison Silveus

Rebecca Johnson, CPSM, is a veteran of the ISM World Annual Conference as an attendee and has presented a session once. This is the first visit for Allison Silveus. They will team up to lead the session, “Building the Next Generation of Talent for the Human-AI Era” on Monday at 11 a.m. MT.

As senior director of strategic sourcing at Intuitive, Johnson deals with supply chain challenges every day. Silveus has no procurement experience, but as a training program manager can

Question: What are the biggest challenges you are facing in your job?

Johnson: There’s a lot of noise. Geopolitical issues are the top concern, as well as tariffs. Another one is AI’s impact on some commodities. As there is this massive buildup of data centers and everything else AI requires, industries like electronics are being stretched to support it. Whether that’s a bubble remains to be seen.

Q: How do you decide to come to Conference to present or to simply attend?

Johnson: It depends on my schedule, where the Conference is, and what else is going on in my calendar. We felt this year we had something to share with the profession.

Q: Is there a concern that the environment is changing too fast for education to keep up?

Silveus: That’s actually one of the things we’re talking about. You have to know what validated tools exist and how they have been used successfully. You can still keep up, but you have to have the skills in-house — but that’s a growing gap, too.

Q: Allison, what attracted you to the Conference?

Johnson: She has a doctorate in education, no supply chain experience!

Silveus: I’ve been to a lot of conferences, but this is the first for supply chain.

Q: How do you use your education skill set to relate to attendees?

Silveus: Technology models have to be cost-effective, but also strategic in getting the point across and mobilizing it. Many supply chain people don’t understand that world or the technology associated with the most strategic option. So, that’s where I come in, to help show how to adopt the right tools, as well as scaling.

Quote of the Day

Dominic LoTempio, CPSM, is CPO at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina. On the unique nature of education sourcing, which demands serving research and athletic departments, dorm eateries and other products that simply keep a school running, he said, “We source everything, from air filters to bovine eyeballs.”

Monday’s Highlights

Kara Swisher, the straight-talking and well-connected technology journalist and podcaster, highlights the Opening General Session at 9 a.m. MT with a keynote interview conducted by Conference emcee Kelly Wallace.

Also:

• Breakout sessions continue, with AI, talent, risk and resilience, the ISM^® PMI^® Reports and strategic sourcing among the key topics, 11 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
• Meet and greet with Debbie Fogel-Monnissen, Interim ISM CEO, 1 p.m.
• ISM International Student Case Competition, 3 p.m.
• ISM Awards Gala (ticket required), 7 p.m.

For a detailed agenda, click here.

Postcard from the Conference

Dinner on Saturday night after arriving in Denver was a powerful example of the connections and community that happens at an ISM World Annual Conference.

Jimmy Anklesaria, MBA, FCA, LL.B., has not only revolutionized the profession through his pioneering of innovative procurement cost management strategies but also lived a full life outside it. The 2022 J. Shipman Gold Medal Award winner has a gift of educating and challenging an audience, even in a casual setting.

John Atasie, MBA, filled another seat at the table. A managing partner at JR Global Synergy Group in Houston, he also possesses a sharp supply chain skill set and has been pivotal in the success of one if ISM’s most vibrant chapters, ISM—Houston.

Listening to Jimmy and John hold court over barbeque ribs and sandwiches on the table and playoff basketball and hockey on the sports bar’s giant TV screens leaves one’s heart, and especially mind, full. — Dan Zeiger