Inside CSCMP EDGE 2025: Where Supply Chain Leaders Unite (9/30/25)

Ellie Thornton

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Milestones Behind the Freight Curtain! I’m Ellie, and as always, I’m joined by the legendary Steve DeNunzio. Today, we’re taking a deep dive into what’s shaping up to be the biggest event on the logistics calendar: CSCMP EDGE 2025. Steve are you attending EDGE?

Steve DeNunzio

Great to be here, Ellie! And I wouldn’t miss it! You know, it’s funny—EDGE always gets called “supply chain’s premier event,” and for good reason. Every year, they promise this blend of big solutions, bold connections, and, uh, that boutique experience that makes it really stand out from the typical mega-conference.

Ellie Thornton

I’ll be there too! It’s not just some massive expo hall where you’re lost in a sea of lanyards and coffee queues. EDGE feels, I don’t know, intentional? Like they’ve really thought about how to create those spaces where real conversations can actually happen. You see folks anywhere from Fortune 500 execs to these scrappy little start-ups, and everyone’s, kind of, mingling. It’s energetic, but not overwhelming. Well, sometimes overwhelming, but in a good way!

Steve DeNunzio

Yeah, I mean, you’ve got all these top industry leaders, but what makes EDGE different is how accessible it feels. The setting encourages conversation instead of just, you know, swapping business cards and scanning a hundred QR codes. And even for people newer to supply chain—there’s room for everyone to find their tribe, so to speak.

Ellie Thornton

Oh definitely—I remember the first logistics event I ever attended in the UK—I dunno, I must have been twenty-one or so. You walk in, knowing basically no one, and by the end you’ve collected not just LinkedIn connections but friends and mentors, if you’re lucky. I really think these kinds of conferences—EDGE especially—have the power to kickstart careers or reignite your passion for the field. For me, it was discovering how open people were to sharing advice and actually listening to young voices. I’ve been hooked ever since—and, honestly, events like EDGE are why! The learning never stops; that’s what’s so cool.

Steve DeNunzio

And it’s not just about networking—although that’s huge. It’s this sense that, yes, you’ll walk away with new contacts, but more importantly, you actually leave with ideas you can use back at work. Which, I mean, as we’ve talked about in past episodes, is rare with a lot of industry gatherings, right?

Ellie Thornton

Couldn’t agree more. I feel like we’re already getting into the nitty-gritty, Steve. Should we chat about some of the headliners this year? EDGE really curates their speakers and panels so you get both inspiration and that practical, “here’s what to do on Monday” kind of value.

Steve DeNunzio

Yeah, totally. So, looking at this year’s keynotes—John Phillips from PepsiCo is headlining, and wow, that’s kind of a big deal. I mean, nearly forty years running one of the world’s most innovative supply chains? Those are the kinds of lessons you want to hear from. He’s covering everything from operational excellence to building stronger connections with customers.

Ellie Thornton

And Maureen Zappala! Talk about a powerhouse—she’s the founder of High Altitude Strategies, right? She’s supposedly an award-winning speaker and presentation coach. I haven’t seen her live, but I’ve heard her clips online, and she turns these really complex ideas into surprisingly practical takeaways. Properly engaging stuff.

Steve DeNunzio

Then there’s Doug Cantriel at Ford—manages almost a billion-dollar transport budget. Over four hundred thousand parts moved to three thousand dealers, overnight. I can’t even wrap my head around that volume; it’s, like, operational wizardry. So, having folks like that share their process, especially at a time when the industry’s facing more crosswinds—geopolitics, tech, labor shortages, you name it—is just invaluable.

Ellie Thornton

And speaking of crosswinds, Steve, I noticed there are panels this year hitting those hot topics: geopolitics, shifting infrastructure, risk management with more uncertainty than ever before. That “Harnessing Uncertainty” session caught my eye. Sounds dramatic, but honestly, that’s what we do every day in supply chain—except EDGE gets the pros up there to cut through the murk.

Steve DeNunzio

Yeah—these panels, the ones that candidly tackle what’s keeping leaders up at night, that’s the gold. You know, last year I had the chance to moderate a session kind of like that—sorry, I forget the exact title, but—what struck me was how upfront people were about failures and strategy pivots. It set the tone for new best practices. You could see, in real-time, how frank conversations shift the industry. People left that room ready to act—like, you could feel it in the hallway afterward.

Ellie Thornton

That’s honestly my favourite bit—when someone up there just says, “Yeah, we got it wrong the first go, but here’s what we did next.” You don’t get that in a newsletter. And it’s so much more relatable when you see the big names talking about the same things your team might be wrestling with. And, as we said in one of our past episodes, those honest insights are sometimes what actually moves the industry forward, not just the polished success stories.

Steve DeNunzio

Exactly, Ellie. And all of this trickles down into the educational tracks—some pretty cool ones this year, right? From AI and network optimization, to sustainability and emerging trends. There’s a seat at the table for every part of the supply chain, whether you’re leading digital transformation or trying to solve the next truck parking headache—uh, call-back to that episode, remember?

Ellie Thornton

How could I forget! Still scarred by those stats. But you’re spot on, Steve. The session diversity is actually refreshing—learning from peers, getting different perspectives. And, if you’re a supply chain nerd like me, you might even find yourself bouncing between sessions taking furious notes. Not that I’ve done that—well, okay, maybe I have.

Steve DeNunzio

Yeah, but it’s not just the keynotes and panels that make EDGE stand out. It’s what’s happening across the exhibition floor. The Supply Chain Exchange Exhibition is, honestly, in a league of its own—live demos, the Ask the Expert theater, the whole Startup Alley thing. It’s like the best innovation lab you could hope for, just… bigger and more buzzing.

Ellie Thornton

That hands-on bit is so important Steve. I’ll never forget my first proper live product demo at a conference—think it was some warehouse robotics thing, and, I mean, I was completely gobsmacked. It’s one thing reading about tech online, but standing there watching it do its thing, then poking and prodding and throwing out your skeptical “but what about…” questions? Completely different. It’s where you start to spot opportunities—and gaps you might never have imagined.

Steve DeNunzio

Yeah, exactly. And for companies, being an exhibitor at EDGE isn’t just about floor space. It’s that unique access to some of the sharpest minds in logistics. You’re pitching—or learning from—actual decision-makers, eighty percent or so at a director level or above. Startup Alley, for instance, is packed with folks showing real, working solutions you can deploy now, not some sort of vaporware.

Ellie Thornton

I love that EDGE does “Ask the Expert” sessions as well. You don’t just wander around in a haze of swag and brochures; you actually sit down with someone and have a back-and-forth. Sometimes those conversations spark ideas that change your approach back home, or, if you’re cheeky like me, you get to quiz someone you’ve admired for ages!

Steve DeNunzio

And, you know, for sponsors and exhibitors, it’s a prime chance to build credibility, not just visibility. I know some brands who sponsor or do demos because it puts their ideas right in front of the people who can say, “Yes, let’s try this tomorrow.” That’s worth the price of admission by itself.

Ellie Thornton

Even just wandering around, you notice how quickly real connections form. It’s never just a pitch. Sometimes it’s someone solving a real headache on the spot, or maybe someone just sharing a war story from last peak season—those moments are brilliant for learning. I always leave inspired; I think that’s the magic.

Steve DeNunzio

Same here. EDGE brings the kind of “try it, touch it, talk about it” energy you can’t get online. And that’s, I think, why it’s supply chain’s can’t-miss event year after year.

Ellie Thornton

Couldn’t have put it better, Steve. Well, we’ll wrap up there for today, I reckon. If you’re hungry for more EDGE insights, we’ll be diving deeper into some of the breakout sessions and tech trends in episodes ahead. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to say hi if you spot us at National Harbor!

Steve DeNunzio

Thanks, Ellie—and thanks everyone for joining us on Milestones Behind the Freight Curtain. We’ll catch you next time. Cheers, Ellie!

Ellie Thornton

Bye, Steve! See you all soon!