Here we are. It’s our first official blog post. As we move through the process of building the blog, whew, we realize that there are a lot of questions to answer.

To begin with, we’d like to paraphrase Ross Perot’s VP running mate from the 1992 presidential election, Admiral James Stockdale, who said, “Who are we, and why are we here?” 

So that you have a glimpse of how we came to be, we’ll give you a quick run down of our background. 

Tompkins Associates has been in the business of supply chain consulting since 1975. We’ve also been providing supply chain information technology (SC IT) services since the ‘80s, which makes us one of the most experienced SC IT consulting firms in business today and one heck of a good-looking team, even if we do say so ourselves.  

Some of Tompkins’ earliest projects were in the design of warehouses and distribution centers (DCs) so it’s easy to understand why our IT roots are in warehouse management systems (WMSs) and material handling integration (MHI). Not only did we advise our clients on operational best practices, but we were also able to support the design and implementation of the systems and supply chain technology that supported those best practices. 

As our medley of clients grew, our range of services grew to support them. No longer are we bound by the “four walls” (warehousing and DCs) or limited to the supply chain execution systems side of the equation. We’ve shaped up to support an emerging need for solutions like transportation management systems (TMSs), trading partner integration and collaboration tools, and now more recently, global trade management (GTM) systems. We even have our own homegrown Warehouse Control System solution, TCS (known as Tompkins Control System), as well as custom software development services. 

While our service offering has expanded in terms of the range of technology that we can assess, select, design, and implement, we are still one of the oldest (we’re not afraid to tell our age) and most well-respected warehouse management system and material handling integration firms in the US.

We’re always on the lookout for the next big thing. So now, as we see the demand and expectations for total supply chain solutions, we’re glad to be ahead of the challenge. 

It is with that foundation – and because of our commitment to our clients and to the marketplace – that we are kicking off this Supply Chain Information Technology Blog.  

Our main goal is to inform. But sometimes, if we’re not careful, we may actually provoke deep thought and heated discussion.  

Although IT is IT, when viewed within the context of supply chain, it has different nuances, complexities, and challenges than other enterprise arenas.  We hope our perspectives on SC IT will provide you practical value on topics that mean as much to you as they do to us. 

Meet the Supply Chain Information Technology Team 

In this inaugural post, let us first introduce you to the Tompkins Associates SC IT leadership team. These are the guys who will be writing the majority of the posts. From time to time, we expect to have guest bloggers, but these are the folks you will get to know as you follow this blog – as we hope you will (subscribe to get updates when a new post is available here).

Don’t be shy. You can go ahead and say hello, if you’d like. We look forward to sharing what we know and hearing any thoughts or questions that you may have.  

John Spain is a founding partner of Tompkins Associates. He’s an experienced SC IT veteran (I mean really experienced) – been around so long his social security number only has three digits. And he can read barcodes with his naked eye. He has strong distribution operations and supply planning background in all fields and verticals. 

Paul Faber is one of the founding fathers of the Tompkins Control System (TCS); he doesn’t wear a funny wig though. He once wrote a program that was able to tell when a politician was lying – not surprising that it didn’t sell. He’s a recognized expert in RFID solutions and the application of RFID in industry. 

Kevin Hume is an expert at analyzing processes, systems and equipment for supply chain optimization and a pioneer in the field of Internet retail fulfillment. He took a lot of arrows back in the day, too. His Conestoga wagon is full of tools, tips, and tricks that turn the dangerous and dirty trails into 8-lane wide expressways for your supply chain systems projects. 

David Meyers is highly experienced in CPG distribution operations and pharmaceuticals (shipping them, not taking them), with deep knowledge about everything and anything even remotely related (through marriage or otherwise) to warehouse management systems. 

Tom Singer has been with Tompkins for more than 12 years, primarily with rolling out top-tier best of breed and ERP WMS solutions. He’s been working with distribution and supply chain applications for more years than he’ll ever admit. Tom is often quoted as an authority on auto-ID and voice applications in the DC, which is surprising given he is such a shy and retiring guy.

Tags: first post, meet the team