Tech Topics - Spring 2008 - (Page 20)

TheHill Driven to Advance Logistics Master’s program alumnus promotes exchange of knowledge throughout Latin America Tech Seeks State Funding for New, Existing Facilities G O ners of our lands,” Gonzalez said. mar Gonzalez relied on intuHe has been with Almacenar for ition to grow his logistics busiOmar Gonzalez credits his master’s in more than 20 years and has served ness in Colombia. Now he’s using international logistics with helping him as president since 1992. Almacenar his Georgia Tech master’s degree to improve his company’s market position. services include international transadvance the logistics industry world value with academic rigor. portation capacity by air, sea and throughout Latin America. The 18-month program enables land; customs intermediation; coorBefore joining Tech’s executive employees to stay on the job while dination of national and internationmaster’s program in international al loads; legal and technical consulta- learning practical techniques for logistics, Gonzalez had never studdecreasing logistics costs and tion; warehousing and storage servied logistics in any systematic way. improving supply chain efficiencies ices; and specialty services such as “I ran my company with intuitive across the globe. business process management and knowledge,” he said. Gonzalez is a strong advocate of That company, Almacenar, is the cold chains for agricultural and the program and has served on its pharmaceutical sectors. largest third-party logistics firm in advisory board since 2006. “Intuitive Gonzalez, who earned a masthe Colombian market, employing knowledge is great but it could only ter’s in finance at the Universidad 1,000 people and providing services take us so far,” he said. “EMIL proDel Rosario and a bachelor’s degree to businesses in Colombia, Ecuador vided me with the knowledge, in law and diplomacy at the and Venezuela. benchmarking capabilities Gonzales, MS IL 05, and specific technical tools was elected president of the for analysis that have made it Latin American Association It is our dream that in the possible for me to improve of Logistics, a nonprofit near future merchandise will our company’s market posiorganization that integrates tion significantly.” and combines the resources ride freely through our He said he continues to of 14 independent associaterritories day and night, 365 benefit from the master’s tions from Brazil, days a year, transporting wealth program. “Through particiVenezuela, Paraguay, Peru, and development to all corners pation in the alumni network Uruguay, Chile, El Salvador, and the EMIL advisory Cuba, Mexico, Argentina of our lands. board, I stay in touch with and Colombia, in 2006. the many international conGonzalez promotes an tacts made while I was in the exchange of knowledge program. They continue to provide Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, between the member associations me with insight and resources and also serves as president of the and serves as mediator between prihelp to keep me on top of the latest Colombian Association of Logistics, vate and public logistics interests in committed to the development of the innovations in logistics.” the region. He also is responsible for An estimated 50 percent of proprofession in that nation by bringing developing a regional logistics traintogether industry, academia and gov- gram participants already have ing program, conducting study and MBAs and more than 85 percent ernment. analysis groups and implementing have more than 10 years of experiJohn Vande Vate, a professor in strategies, initiatives and measureence in the industry. ment indicators to benefit the partici- the H. Milton Stewart School of Gonzalez has worked diligently Industrial and Systems Engineering, pating countries. founded Tech’s executive master’s in to collaborate with leaders of the Gonzalez’s expertise in internaLatin American Association of international logistics program to tional logistics made him a prime Logistics and Tech’s master’s prohelp the world’s leading companies candidate to lead the organization. groom their supply chain executives. gram to advance topics of mutual “It is our dream that in the near interest in logistics and supply chain Vande Vate worked with such future merchandise will ride freely management and helped secure a companies as Intel, Ford Motor Co., through our territories day and partial scholarship for members of Wal-Mart and The Home Depot to night, 365 days a year, transporting the organization. create a program that combines real wealth and development to all cor- “ eorgia Tech is asking the state Legislature to pass a budget that includes an allocation of $10.2 million for an Innovative Learning Resource Center. “The center is planned as the hub of campus for undergraduate students. It will house core academic labs for first- and second-year students, experiential learning facilities, information technology, instructional technology and academic support services. Every incoming Georgia Tech student will use this building and benefit from the services provided,” said Dene Sheheane, Mgt 91, the Institute’s director of government relations. The Innovative Learning Resource Center is slated to include 24 labs, 15 general purpose classrooms and two large lecture halls, according to a report issued by Sheheane’s office. Sheheane was named Andrew Harris’ replacement in August. He previously represented Georgia State University at the Capitol. During the 2008 General Assembly session, Tech also seeks $6.4 million for renovation of the Hinman building to serve College of Architecture students with new design, classroom and office space and a portion of $130 million earmarked for University System of Georgia infrastructure repairs. “A bill that is extremely important to the fiscal health of all University System institutions is one that will authorize public colleges and universities to carry forward certain funding, such as a percentage of tuition and continuing education funds, from one fiscal year to the next. Approval of this measure will enable institutions to better manage these funds and facilitate long-term planning,” Sheheane said in his legislative report. More information about the General Assembly session may be obtained at the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Legislative Network Web site, http:// gtalumni.org/site/Page/LegislativeNetwork. 20 TECHTOPICS “ | SPRING 2008 http://gtalumni.org/site/Page/LegislativeNetwork http://gtalumni.org/site/Page/LegislativeNetwork http://gtalumni.org/site/Page/LegislativeNetwork

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Tech Topics - Spring 2008 Contents Mail Call Gold & White Honors Alumni House Sweet Spring Centennial Buzz Supreme Court Victory The Hill ‘Treasure Trove’ of Stories Living History Forget-me-not Fashion Student Life Investing in Graduates Giving Back Training the Next Generation Burdell & Friends Ingredients for Success Yellow Jackets Hockey Club Ices Georgia Tech Job Hunters Fare Well Real World

Tech Topics - Spring 2008

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