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Leading Supply Chain Management Professionals

Welcome to our ISM—Twin Cities website. It should be your first stop for registering for meetings and learning what we are up to!

In the Twin Cities chapter, we have close to 400 sourcing professionals in our membership, and we strive to bring everyone significant value in their professional and personal development.

We offer a mix of events using both in-person and virtual approaches. Our virtual events are conducted on Zoom so you can access them from anywhere.

If you have not already done so, bookmark this site so it is handy for you when you are looking for information about ISM. Please reach out to us at info@ism-twincities.org org with any input or questions you have.

December

07 2023

MEMBER WEBINAR

Member Only

Optimizing Your Shoring Strategy

Over the last few years, manufacturers have considered making significant changes to their network footprints in response to global disruptions and an uncertain geopolitical landscape. While some companies are starting to put those plans into action, many are still evaluating whether and how to change their manufacturing locations.

Trends in nearshoring and reshoring
Considerations for leading companies when deciding on shoring strategy changes
Credits and incentives that can help fund strategic investments
A practical framework to help your company optimize its shoring strategy

Online

December

12 2023

Chapter Webinar

ISM-Twin Cities Dec. Prof. Dev. Meeting - Mitigating the Risks of Single Source Supply

Nearly every company has single and sole-source suppliers in their supplier network. These relationships provide significant value, but also present many challenges.

At our December meeting, Kent Kolstad, ISM-Twin Cities president and strategic sourcing manager, will present on effective negotiations with single and sole-source suppliers.

Sponsor: 700 ISM—Twin Cities, Inc.

Online

Kent R Kolstad, CPSM, C.P.M.

January

18 2024

MEMBER WEBINAR

Member Only

Quarterly State of Risk Update

Join the executive leaders from ISM and Resilinc as they come together as part of a quarterly series to discuss the latest and emerging risks and disruptions impacting global supply chains. ISM CEO Tom Derry and Resilinc CEO Bindiya Vakil will also provide insights based on respective data and research from both organizations.

Online

Thomas Derry, Bindiya Vakil

View All Education

Welcome from the President

On behalf of the board, thank you for visiting our website.

ISM—Twin Cities is a non-profit organization, run primarily by volunteers, focused on education, professional development, and networking for those in sourcing and supply chain. Our chapter has monthly membership meetings where we discuss topics relevant to today’s professionals and networking opportunities. We’d love to see you online or in person!

Look for information on the Fall Conference. This two-day seminar is packed with speakers focused on ideas to take back to the workplace. The conference is a great value for the amount of information provided and close to home.

ISM—Twin Cities offers courses to assist participants to earn CPSM® certification. This certification is a great tool to have in any position, just starting a career or towards the end of a career. The courses help attendees prepare to pass each section of the exam.

Not a member of ISM—Twin Cities? Please join us. Consider this a personal invitation from myself and the board to join as a member. Becoming a member offers many benefits at the local and global level. Members can find many options to help become leaders of their careers.

If you need more information, please contact the office for further information. You may e-mail info@ism-twincities.org or call 952.564.3045.

Sincerely,
Kent Kolstad, CPSM, C.P.M.
President, ISM—Twin Cities, Inc.

The power of AI in driving supplier performance and innovation

December 05, 2023

Articles

Sponsored Content | In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in various industries. One field in which AI is proving to be a game changer is supply chain management, where it has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses interact with their suppliers.

Report On Business® Roundup: November Services PMI®

December 05, 2023

Articles
After the release of the Services PMI® for November that beat analysts’ expectations at 52.7 percent, the question was asked: Is it time for the U.S. Federal Reserve, after 11 interest-rate hikes since March 2022, to think about reversing course?
Supply Chain Resiliency Requires the Ability to Adapt

December 05, 2023

Articles
Get an overview of session highlights and key takeaways revealed at the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in November 2023 focusing on best practices in finding supply chain resiliency.
Report On Business® Roundup: November Manufacturing PMI®

December 01, 2023

Articles
The Manufacturing PMI® in November equaled its previous-month reading of 46.7 percent, reflecting a U.S. factory sector that seems to be staying in place.

Save the Date for the 2024 Fall Conference!

October 14-15, 2024

Crowne Plaza Hotel- Plymouth, MN

Join ISM

Your membership in ISM will provide a powerful path to stay connected, engaged, and up-to-date with everything happening in supply management. Serious procurement and supply chain professionals are dedicated to staying in the know about their profession and staying at the top of their game. An ISM membership will provide you with that and more.

More than 100 years of experience speaks for itself – ISM can help you succeed. It's our mission.

Become A Member

I consider ISM to be an integral part of what keeps me current in today’s business world! I’ve been a member of ISM since earning my Certified Professional of Supply Management in 2014, and through that set of classes I’ve been able to broaden my understanding of supply chain issues, network with other professionals, advance my career and my earnings to a much greater extent than I could have without ISM and the CPSM credentials. The CPSM course is robust for the topics it covers and depth of coverage. Once I earned it, I became motivated to keep it with the 20-hours per year CEH requirement. With that incentive in place, I’ve learned even more to help accelerate career growth. It’s been the best professional move by far. Staying current and relevant in today’s business world takes effort of some sort, ISM makes that easy and rewarding with the ISM Twin Cities fall conference and monthly meetings. Lessons and insights learned in ISM training opportunities are immediately applicable in my job, continually providing credibility in my role.

- Cindy Jerome
Production Director
Lerner Publishing

ISM and the local chapters provide access to networking, professional development, conferences, leadership opportunities, best practice benchmarking and lifelong connections. This applies to supply management professionals who are at any stage of their career. It’s really a no-brainer for anyone who is serious about their career in supply management and would like to continue their education on a reoccurring basis.
I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors at ISM-Twin Cities for 5 years which has accelerated my leadership development and networking as a young professional. This active role in the organization has created excellent benchmarking opportunities which I can utilize at my existing employer and beyond. My network has drastically expanded in this short time and will continue to grow as I stay involved in ISM throughout my career.

- Corey Gustafson, CPSM
Commodity Manager
Entegris

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