2011 NESCON Supply Chain Hall of Fame Winner
The 2011 honoree for NESCON’s Supply Chain Hall of Fame Award is Christiane Loup, a long-time contributor to the supply management profession as both a doer and a leader in business and administrative operations, in the transfer of application knowledge, in progressive functional thought, and in the professional growth of two generations of supply practitioners.
Her base is Boston, but her influence has reached the entire New England area and beyond. The professionals for whom she has been a mentor, have spread to various positions across the country, and indeed, around the world.
Chris gained a global perspective early, having been born and educated in Switzerland, then moving to the United States for high school, a BA at Rhode Island College, a graduate stint back in Geneva, and a Masters degree from Boston University.
She came to supply management after earning her stripes (AND a further respect for education) as a college level teacher, and then textbook editor. Her supply upbringing began at GTE (now Verizon, and formerly Sylvania).
Purchasing and logistics requirements were integrated into her area of responsibility under the moniker of Materials Management, the predecessor name for Supply Management. GTE was one of the earliest adopters of the integrated supply concept, and she grew her supply expertise under the tutelage of GTEs senior supply management officers.
Chris rose quickly in responsibility and title, becoming the Director of Materials at Bolt, Beranek & Newman in Boston, & then returned to the GTE corporate office in Connecticut, in a senior purchasing position, and then, of all things, retired! Or so she thought. In 1988 she became the Executive Director of the Purchasing Management Association of Boston, with the charge to maintain the organization, its members and the profession — with the same dedication as her long-serving predecessors. And that she did for 20 years, receiving PMABs Harry J. Graham Memorial Award, for Outstanding Service to the Purchasing Profession in 1997, and then finally really retiring, in 2008.
During her tenure at PMAB, Chris formulated an array of educational programs, that were second to none, rivaling the quality of the executive programs sponsored by the very prestigious New England colleges and universities. In parallel, she grew PMABs membership significantly.
Chris also developed a regional Business Survey in conjunction with UMass-Lowell that continues today, and she also committed PMAB to host the ISM national conference in 1989, in Boston.
She initiated and implemented exchange between PMAB and other professional organizations, in addition to establishing an undergraduate supply studies scholarship, honoring Herb Hamilton at Northeastern University.
As the organizational and operational leader and implementer of the New England Supply Chain Conference (NESCON, originally called NECON at the time), Chris worked TIRELESSLY, contributing countless hours of her own time, to help promote and grow this conference, which continues today largely in the format that Chris envisioned. This attribution about her effort, states her contribution best: the NESCON project has proven to be a cost effective, educational, supply chain regional event, of the highest quality; it is one of its kind in the country, and it benefits not only our volunteer organizations but the volunteers themselves.
And all along, she inspired us, and continues to do so, with her parallel commitment to her partner and children. After her family, Chris most lasting legacy is the leadership growth that the volunteers whom served with her, gained through her influence. Her example of professionalism elevated the bar for supply chain management people throughout New England.
Our 2nd Annual Supply Chain Hall of Fame inductee is Christiane Loup.