Navigating Supply Chain Leadership: Advice from Coca-Cola Executive Julie Reilman

Earlier this week, I was afforded the opportunity to introduce Julie Reilman, a supply chain executive from Coca-Cola to my supply chain leadership course led by Donnie Williams. This course is a colloquium that has students discuss and converse about various leadership styles and includes a weekly discussion surrounding leadership facilitated by a local supply chain executive. Reilman focused her discussion on her background and career path, her values, and her advice to the audience.

??????????? Originally hailing Chicago, Illinois, Reilman now resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas, surrounded by friends and family, partaking in hobbies that include reading and travel. Beginning her academic career, Reilman attended the University of Missouri at Columbia where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Following her college career, Reilman accepted a job at Proctor and Gamble where she began as a plant operations manager. Reilman remained rising through the Proctor and Gamble organization for the next 25 years and had an illustrious career at the company. Following her time at Proctor and Gamble, Julie joined the Coca-Cola Company as a Group Director of Customer Solutions on the Walmart and Sam’s club team which was then followed by her current role as Vice President of the Sam’s Club Customer Team. Throughout Reilman’s career, she has demonstrated her ability to work in a variety of different fields like plant operations, finance, supply chain and sales. The versatility in which she holds in a professional sense knows no bounds and is clear to see when observing her accomplishments.

??????????? Reilman is not only a highly achieving individual in the workplace, but also a role model to many women in the supply chain industry. Reilman was named by the Progressive Grocer Staff one of the 2022 Top Women in Grocery: Rising Stars. This honor was rightfully earned with her outstanding performance at Coca-Cola delivering 15 points of in-stock improvement on Walmart’s sparkling beverage business, thus resulting in double digit sales growth. An award winner is just one of Reilman’s titles, joyfully accompanied by the title of co-author. Reilman’s contribution to the Journal of Retailing was an article discussing sustainable retailing and its impact on supply chain practices. The article goes into depth about the consumer trends in recent years, along with retailer’s role in the circular economy.

??????????? Throughout her discussion this past week, Reilman offered many pieces of advice to her audience of early career talent. Reilman began by highlighting a need for constant learning, a common theme among many of the executives our class has heard from this semester. One of the first warnings that Reilman imparted on the class was the “when you stop wanting to learn, there’s a problem.” Reilman later went into detail discussing how she craves variety in her work to keep her mentally stimulated and ensure that her best work is being put forth. She continued by stating that to grow you must first struggle by saying, “put yourself in an uncomfortable position in order to learn”. This notion of being a lifelong learner is sure to put Reilman at the front of the pack, leading the charge in whatever organization she chooses to contribute to.

??????????? Reilman’s next piece of advice addressed the concept of planning your career path and mapping out your goals for the future. She explained that following her graduation from the University of Missouri, she had never imagined her degree in electrical engineering landing her in a sales role at an international CPG company like the Coca-Cola Company. However, she forewarned the class to be open to different possibilities because “you never know what you may like”. As a senior at the University of Arkansas entering the work force in May of 2024, this message had an immense impact on me. While my classmates and I have our beginning roles following graduation planned, there are unlimited opportunities that lie ahead and Reilman’s reminder of this couldn’t have been more perfectly timed.

??????????? Lastly, Reilman left the class with advice on what traits will mold young professionals into a strong supply chain leaders. First, she highlighted the necessity of maintaining the relationships with your peers throughout your career. Reilman explained that leaning on past mentors and colleagues was a huge part of her success over the years and pushed her to grow in her own roles. Reilman next highlighted the practice of going back to the needs of the consumer when dealing with conflict at a high level. Boiling down large problems to the fundamentals has helped Reilman manage disruptions over the years and has contributed to her advancement over time. Finally, Reilman left us with a framework she learned during her time at Proctor and Gamble titled the 5 E Roles of Leadership. The five Es stand for: envision, engage, energize, enable and execute. These leadership tenants have guided Reilman throughout her 30+ year career and have had a lasting impact on her triumphs, clearly displayed by her impressive achievements over time.

??????????? I could not be more thankful to the university and the supply chain department for providing such an amazing experience like being able to introduce an incredible leader like Julie Reilman. I will take her advice with me throughout my career following my graduation in the spring and look forward to having such an impact on others as Julie has had on me.