Open Sky Group and Crate & Barrel Make SDCE Annual Awards Honoring Women

Open Sky Group, global specialists in Blue Yonder solutions, and client, Crate & Barrel, international home décor retailer, were each recipients of Supply & Demand Chain Executive’s third annual “Women in Supply Chain” awards program honoring female supply chain leaders and executives.

Honorees, Crate & Barrel Senior Director of Technology, Hema Ganapathy, and Open Sky Group Senior Supply Chain Consultant for Client Services, Susan Estes, were chosen for their accomplishments, mentorship, and example in setting a foundation for women at all levels of a company’s supply chain network. Both were nominated by Open Sky Group.

Estes, a 20-year industry veteran with 8 years at Open Sky Group, is known for her leadership in training, testing, and support of warehouse management system implementations, bringing a positive attitude and energy to assignments that help teams fully engage on projects. She routinely makes extra time to hear concerns, answer questions, and share insights to encourage those working alongside her and ensure that every team member feels valued and heard.

Ganapathy has been on the technology side of business for more than 25 years, the last 15 in supply chain. Her skill in managing, building, and supporting large, global teams has resulted in numerous project successes over the years; Hema is passionate about raising the visibility of her team members with every success. She leads with empathy, is forward-thinking, and strives to make a positive impact on the lives she touches.

“Receiving this award comes as a really nice surprise to me,” said Estes, who is considered an innovative thinker among her peers.  “I am focused on achieving the needs and objectives of our clients and helping to make an impact for them. It’s humbling to consider that by helping our clients, I’m also impacting and advancing the industry.”

Likewise, Ganapathy was humbled by being nominated for the award. “There are many others whom I would have placed on the list ahead of me,” she said. “There is no doubt that this is a very notable career honor, one that I will always be grateful for and cherish.”

This year’s Women in Supply Chain Awards list includes individuals from software and service providers, consultancies and academia, trucking and transportation firms, professional development agencies, sourcing and procurement divisions, and more. To view the full list of award winners, please visit www.SDCExec.com/awards.

Crate & Barrel Holdings is a member of the Otto Group and employs 7,500 associates across Crate & Barrel and CB2. With over 100 stores and franchise partners in 9 countries, Crate & Barrel is an international destination for contemporary and modern furniture, housewares and decor that help people “Welcome Life In.”

Open Sky Group, global specialists in Blue Yonder warehouse management, labor management and transportation management solutions, helps lower costs and risks for clients with its proprietary methodology and no-modifications approach to upgrades and implementations. As the largest, dedicated Blue Yonder WMS Implementation partner and one of the first accredited for WMS, Open Sky Group is committed to client success and strives every day to be the best consulting partner on the planet for supply chain solutions.