S3E5: How Economics, Policy, and Labor Affect Maritime Operations with South Carolina Ports CEO Barbara Melvin
02/20/25 • 30 min
For the February 2025 episode, host Ted Stank and guest host Josh King speak with Barbara Melvin, CEO and president of the South Carolina Ports about everything from U.S. trade and tariffs to the impact of labor and economic development on port operations.
A member of the GSCI Advisory Board Melvin runs one of the fastest-growing ports in the country, and the fourth-busiest gateway on the East Coast in Charleston, South Carolina. Previously serving as the organization’s COO, she was named to her position in July 2022, becoming the first woman to lead a top 10 U.S. operating container port. In 2023, she was recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Supply Chain by student leaders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Listen in as our hosts also delve into the state of the U.S. economy, talent development in the industry, applied research opportunities with UT, and the challenges leaders like Melvin are tasked with overcoming to benefit American businesses and consumers.
The interview with Barbara Melvin starts at 8:23.
The episode was recorded on February 13, 2025, during the Winter GSCI Advisory Board meeting at the Haslam College of Business.
Related links:
- Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs shake up supply chains
- U.S. consumer inflation increases at fastest pace in nearly 1.5 years.
- Register for SCM Academies in Finance, and Planning
- Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
- Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top experts in the discipline.
- Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
- Become a Supply Chain Forum member
- Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
- Read the latest news and insights from GSCI
For the February 2025 episode, host Ted Stank and guest host Josh King speak with Barbara Melvin, CEO and president of the South Carolina Ports about everything from U.S. trade and tariffs to the impact of labor and economic development on port operations.
A member of the GSCI Advisory Board Melvin runs one of the fastest-growing ports in the country, and the fourth-busiest gateway on the East Coast in Charleston, South Carolina. Previously serving as the organization’s COO, she was named to her position in July 2022, becoming the first woman to lead a top 10 U.S. operating container port. In 2023, she was recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Supply Chain by student leaders at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Listen in as our hosts also delve into the state of the U.S. economy, talent development in the industry, applied research opportunities with UT, and the challenges leaders like Melvin are tasked with overcoming to benefit American businesses and consumers.
The interview with Barbara Melvin starts at 8:23.
The episode was recorded on February 13, 2025, during the Winter GSCI Advisory Board meeting at the Haslam College of Business.
Related links:
- Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs shake up supply chains
- U.S. consumer inflation increases at fastest pace in nearly 1.5 years.
- Register for SCM Academies in Finance, and Planning
- Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
- Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with top experts in the discipline.
- Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
- Become a Supply Chain Forum member
- Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
- Read the latest news and insights from GSCI
Previous Episode
S3E4: Retail Returns and Cybersecurity Insights with Huseyn Abdulla and Seongkyoon Jeong
For the first episode of 2025, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby spoke with UT Knoxville experts Huseyn Abdulla and Seongkyoon Jeong about their research in the areas of returns management and supply chain cybersecurity.
Assistant professors and esteemed scholars in their disciplines, Abdulla and Jeong’s insights are a deep dive into the challenges and innovations shaping supply chain management. Among other points, Abdulla explains how retailers balance the growing demand for customer-friendly return policies with environmental and financial sustainability, while Jeong discusses the rising risk of cyberattacks in an increasingly data-driven world.
Listen in as our hosts also delve into consumer sentiment, holiday spending, the trade implications of the new Trump administration, collaborations between Hyundai and Amazon, and much more.
The episode was recorded virtually on January 17, 2025.
Related links:
- U.S. shoppers set record for holiday spending in 2024
- Logistics industry growth slowed in December, per Logistics Managers Index report
- Trump orders trade review ahead of potential tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China
- Hyundai begins selling vehicles on Amazon Autos
- U.S. consumers ‘resilient and strong’ in face of high prices and interest rates
- Read Huseyn Abdulla’s article in The Conversation about consumer backlash when retailers change their return policies, and his study published in the Journal of Operations Management
- Read Seongkyoon Jeong’s blogs on cybersecurity risks and three types of cyberattacks affecting supply chains
- Register for SCM Academies in Leadership, Finance, and Planning
- Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
- Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
- Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
- Read the latest news and insights from GSCI
Next Episode
S3E6: The Promise of Technology in Uncertain Times with Shipium CEO Jason Murray
For the March 2025 episode, co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby are joined by guest host Thomas Deakins, managing director of the Global Supply Chain Institute, and Jason Murray, CEO and co-founder at Shipium to explore how data-driven decision-making fuels modern supply chain success.
Their in-depth conversation touches on the power of predictive technology and Agentic AI, the complexities of integrating products and software, and the critical role of data in solving today’s most pressing supply chain challenges.
With 19 years at Amazon in VP roles over retail systems and services and forecasting and supply chain, Murray brings deep expertise to the discussion. At Shipium, which he founded after leaving Amazon in 2019, he’s focused on bridging the gap between pre-purchase delivery promises and post-purchase fulfillment—ensuring better outcomes for both retailers and consumers.
Listen in as our hosts also break down the strategic use of tariffs in trade negotiations, shifting consumer sentiment amid recession fears, and how the stock market reacts to supply chain uncertainty and policy shifts.
The episode was recorded virtually on March 6, 2025.
Related links:
- Tom Goldsby shares insights on the effects of a trade war on supply chains
- Consumer outlook sinks as recession fears take hold
- Stock market continues its slide after Trump ups the ante in trade war
- Trump doubles planned tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum
- U.S. employers add 151,000 jobs in February, unemploment up to 4.1%
- Jack Daniel’s producer claims Canada’s empty shelves ‘worse than tariffs’
- Register for the Supply Chain Forum, April 8–10 in Knoxville
- Join the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative to explore advanced concepts in SCM with experts
- Read our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of the Gen XYZ Labor Force”
- Become a Supply Chain Forum member
- Subscribe to GSCI’s monthly newsletter
- Read the latest news and insights from GSCI
Tennessee on Supply Chain Management - S3E5: How Economics, Policy, and Labor Affect Maritime Operations with South Carolina Ports CEO Barbara Melvin
Transcript
Welcome to the Tennessee on Supply Chain Management podcast . Listen in as co-hosts Ted Stank and Tom Goldsby set sail into the world of end-to-end supply chain management , diving deep into today's most relevant business topics . They'll share insights and pressing industry issues and tackle the challenges keeping supply chain professionals up at night . If you're enjoying the rid
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