I was, like many in our industry, delighted when ThomasNet and ISM teamed up to launch the Annual Top 30 Under 30 program. I even did a radio segment on it shortly after the campaign was launched in early 2014.
By focusing on a group of 30 “rising”supply chain stars who, as the name suggests, were all 30 years of age and younger, I believed that the program was important because it provided a glimpse into the future movers and shakers in our industry.
In fact, I also believed that featuring our GenerationNext professionals in such a manner, would have a positive spillover effect beyond the procurement world. Specifically, the profile of procurement would be raised across the enterprise as a whole, bringing us closer to that long coveted seat at the executive table. We will talk about the Freudian merits of so desperately needing an inanimate object to validate an entire profession’s contribution and self worth in a future post.
In the meantime, the inaugural program was what I would consider to be a big success.
But that was 2 years ago, and it seems that despite officially launching the second Top 30 Under 30 campaign in 2015, the program has gone missing in action.
Yes, there have been two separate announcements about delays regarding the naming of candidates for the sophomore campaign, in which vague references were made to submission numbers?
I don’t know, maybe there has been a tidal wave of nominations that has pushed a 2015 program into 2016? I mean skipping a year isn’t a big deal . . . after all, didn’t they cancel the 1994 World Series?
But here’s the point, the ambiguity of the reasons that were previously given for the delays, coupled with the continuing silence in the new year – and yes it is still early, may tell another story. At the very least, the absence of any meaningful updates that has left the program in what appears to be an indeterminate holding pattern, undermines the 2014 success.
I think that it also hurts the creditability of our profession. Let’s face it, when you say that you are going to do an annual Top 30 Under 30 program, and it doesn’t happen, is it because there are not enough qualified and/or interested candidates?
We are all familiar with the term silence is golden however, at least in this instance, silence is troubling.
Someone, anyone, please say something!
30
Procurement Insights 
Gleason, Robert (DGS)
January 13, 2016
Reminded me of a joke my kids used to say to me e.g.,
Me: “well, say something!”
Kid: “’something’”
Me: “smartass”
ha ha
but I get your point.
I have a hard enough time keeping things going year in and year out here from an operational perspective. Really hard, especially when those under 30’s are chasing dreams and then using me and my organization as the revolving door to realizing their own goals.
But, the train keeps moving. “constancy of purpose” as deming used to say, and still applies
Man it is tough, but is sad to see when folks don’t make it. “Sad,” as in watching good companies go out of business, and then seeing all the empty buildings. Reminds me of driving through Rochester, NY years ago and seeing so many huge, empty buildings. Broken dreams.
piblogger
January 13, 2016
Good analogy Bob . . .
You know it is a funny thing, but when I was talking earlier with Kelly, I indicated that it would have been better for everyone all around, if they had come clean and said “look, based on the great success of the inaugural program in 2014, it only made sense to do another one in 2015.”
If I were them, I would then say “it hasn’t worked out as expected in 2015, so we will regroup and look to do another Top 30 Under 30 at a future date.”
I think that generally speaking, the market would have understood.
Unfortunately, 2015 has come and gone, and there is not really anything but silence. That I believe is more detrimental.
Annette Browdy, Executive Director of Marketing Communications
January 14, 2016
Thanks for the interest. Here’s the skinny from someone who is deeply involved in almost every aspect of the Program.
The 2014 winners were actually announced January 28, 2015 (http://www.thomasnet.com/pressroom/news/30_Under_30_Winners.html).
We extended the window for nominations for a month on the 2015 Program to ensure we hit 100 qualified nominations. We closed with a very highly qualified pool of 124 nominations (exceeding our own expectations and making the judging super difficult) as promoted and promised on October 30.
Winners and nominators were notified before the end of the year. And they are an amazing group of talented young professionals from an impressive roster of diverse businesses. We are set to announce the winners a month past last year’s announcement, on February 29. Since we closed a bit late, we needed the extra 4 weeks to prep materials – website, bios, interviews, etc – in order to announce our 30 winners with the appropriate fanfare they deserve.
I’m confident this year’s winners will help us exceed the over 2000 media placements, mentions and articles received last round. We appreciate Procurement Insights promoting last year’s winners and certainly look forward to the same support this year as well.
piblogger
January 14, 2016
First of all Annette that is great news! And yes, as before I am more than happy to support this worthwhile program.
But I must admit that I am a bit confused regarding your 4 week statement?
Back in the summer, and again in the fall, Warner Communications indicated that there were delays in the program.
What was that all about?