A Supply Chain Leader Supports Other Women in Manufacturing
When Carrie Shapiro began her career as an engineering student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, she didnt expect to work in manufacturingbut the moment she walked into a manufacturing facility near her school for an interview, she was hooked.
Ive had so many opportunities in manufacturing that I never wanted to leave, said Shapiro. From the very beginning, I was able to keep learning and growing and making better relationships.
Today, Shapiro serves as the vice president of sourcing execution at Georgia-Pacifica pulp and paper companywhere she guides procurement and uses her expertise in supply chain operations to benefit the companys 110 facilities. As a leader in the industry, shes also focused on helping potential creators understand all that manufacturing has to offer.
A changing world: Shapiros role has been especially important over the past few years, as the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath forced companies to adjust their supply chains and react to shortages in real time. For Shapiro, that process required rethinking risks, using data effectively and focusing on achieving stability before optimization.
- The mistake that we often make is we try to optimize something thats not stable, said Shapiro. If youve got chaos in your supply chain, you have no business trying to optimize it. You have to stabilize first.
A need for humans: As Shapiro notes, data has become more readily available than ever before, and new tools are helping organizations make smart adjustments in real time. Yet, human decision-making and critical thinking still have a vital role at the center of manufacturing.
- Tools are great, software is great, tech is greatbut it should be an enabler and not a magic wand, said Shapiro. You still have to know your process, understand your current state and know your capabilities across the supply chain to make effective decisions. Tools dont absolve you from doing the real work of continuous improvement.
Leading by example: At a time when women are underrepresented in the manufacturing industry, Shapiro feels a responsibility to help other women succeed.
- She serves as a mentor with, where she helps high-achieving women reach their fullest potential. She also coaches young engineers in the at Georgia Tech and serves as a longstanding member of the Next Generation Manufacturing Womens Roundtable.
- One of the most important roles that I play is to be a visible leader and to show there is a path to leadership inside manufacturing as a female, said Shapiro. Having someone who looks like you in a leadership position really matters. That representation matters, and its meaningful to people coming up in the organization.
- On the strength of her long record of mentorship, Georgia-Pacific has nominated Shapiro for a 2024 , given by the Manufacturing Institute (the 51勛圖厙s workforce development and education affiliate) to outstanding women in the field. (Stay tuned for the !)
The last word: Shapiro encourages other manufacturing leaders to be active in lifting up individuals who might otherwise be overlooked.
- Ive had incredible supervisors who have pulled me up through the organization, who saw something in me that I didnt see in myself, said Shapiro. Sometimes people look at a candidate and think they might be a stretch for the positionbut they may just not look like a traditional candidate.
