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Path Finder Program - Instructors
Application
Gary Shell, VCG Technical Director, is co-creator of the application used by VCG to house and maintain our models. As Technical Director, he oversees strategic technological direction, technical staff, and product development. Mr. Shell brings over 30 years of systems design and development expertise to VCG. Prior to joining the not for profit, he served as president and CTO of The Conch Associates, Inc., a database design and development consulting group based in Cincinnati. His experience includes the product design and development of a database management system that ran on multiple IBM computing platforms, ranging from microcomputers to mainframes.
An authority in data aggregation and distribution systems, Mr. Shell has also previously owned and operated his own database consulting group.
Content
Tom Mercer, is VCG's Chief Model Architect. Tom's company, Value Chain Associates, is a Founding Member of the Value Chain Group. Tom formed this LLC in 2001 to offer consulting, implementation, training, and software solutions for companies seeking to optimize supply chain management (SCM) processes. VCA principals recognized the existence of obvious disconnects in high-level business processes between product development and the supply chain. Developed and strengthened market position around a holistic Value Chain approach. In order to capitalize on this opportunity, VCA created a Value Reference Model (VRM) and a supporting semantic framework. In turn, this IP was donated to the not-for-profit Value Chain Group, in order to drive market adoption.
Recent work has focused on the development of process reference frameworks and integrated methodologies for continuous improvement of business processes. Working closely with leading domain experts in the field of product lifecycle management, Tom has been designing a comprehensive approach streamlining how businesses define and create value for their customers.
Recent work has focused on the development of process reference frameworks and integrated methodologies for continuous improvement of business processes. Working closely with leading domain experts in the field of product lifecycle management, Tom has been designing a comprehensive approach streamlining how businesses define and create value for their customers.
He has 15 years of experience in supply chain management and inventory systems integration in the durable goods manufacturing sector. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology & Education from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Methodology
Methodology
Vasco Drecun is the VCG's Methodologist. He has been involved with designing and implementing information systems for supply chain management and product lifecycle management for over 18 years. Part of the DHBA PLM group that helped founded CPDA, he originally joined the group to drive detailed evaluations of business benefits, functional capabilities, and organizational challenges that leading enterprise and e-marketplace supply chain solutions bring to their customers. Vasco has completed product commerce research projects in such areas as e-Commerce best practices, improving consistency among customer needs, ordered products and products delivered, public and private trading exchanges, the rapid supply chain, and value chain convergence.
Prior to joining CPDA, he managed large implementation projects, and designed functional and workflow templates for supply chain management in discrete and process manufacturing verticals, at i2 and at Baan. Vasco also led business process re-engineering efforts at ATI Technologies (now AMD) in the implementation of best practices for managing the product lifecycle, the supply chain, and collaborative product development.