Supply Chain, Logistics & Transportation: The Backbone of Global Commerce In this course, students will learn about the basics of supply chain, including activities such as planning, sourcing & procurement, manufacturing, transportation & freight, reverse logistics and supporting technologies. We will explore and go deeper into industries or aspects that students find a connection to (ex: “the supply chain of sports” or “the sustainable supply chain” or “GenAI-powered autonomous supply chains”). We will hear from guest speakers from companies such as Accenture, Nike, Patagonia and Amazon, etc. and discuss career opportunities in supply chain, and related areas (finance, marketing, operations, consulting, etc.). Weather and time-permitting, we will look to have a field trip to a warehouse or distribution center (TBD). The class will conclude with a project that asks the students to fuse what they’ve learned with an innovative new idea. (Open to Juniors and Seniors only.)  John Atherton graduated from Middlebury College in 1993 with a major in geography, and a minor in studio art. After coaching athletics at the college level, and teaching at a boarding school, he found his way into the world of global supply chain, and has been a practitioner for over 20 years. John has worked for a major global container shipping line, grew a tech start-up from nothing to something, and is now with the biggest consulting firm on the planet. In 2018, John was inducted into the Middlebury College Athletic Hall of Fame (Soccer, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse and Football)./

John Atherton

Reviews and ratings for John Atherton at Middlebury College.John Atherton teaches Supply Chain & Global Commerce and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is John Atherton good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Atherton is incredible, he is incredibly passionate about supply chain and teaching. He tries to make his class different from others by befriending students and really getting to know them. I learned not only about supply chain, but also about connections. Atherton brought in many cool, important people such former NFL players, execs of major companies (Goldman Sachs, Venture Global, and Capital Group), and the president of the PGA Tour to talk to the class.