Smith School Honors Home Depot’s Supply Chain Head

College Park, Md. – October 15, 2010 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today named Mark Holifield – senior vice president of global supply chain for the Home Depot – as the 2010 “Person of the Year.”

Each year Smith students in the Supply Chain Management Society and the Supply Chain Club recognize an influential industry leader. The students and faculty in the school’s logistics, transportation and supply chain management department present the award at a ceremony during the annual Industry Day, which also includes networking events and a career fair.

“We are pleased to honor Mark Holifield for his significant achievements in the field of supply chain and logistics,” said G. “Anand” Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “This chance to interact with one of the top leaders in the industry adds another element to the rich, experiential learning-based education our students are getting in supply chain and logistics, making them some of the most desirable and most successful graduates in their field.”

Holifield is responsible for the Home Depot’s retail logistics, import and domestic distribution, delivery, transportation and inventory planning and replenishment operations. He joined the company in 2006 and has more than 30 years of experience in high-volume retail supply chain management, transportation and logistics operations.

Prior to the Home Depot, Holifield served as executive vice president of supply chain management at Office Depot, where he was responsible for the successful operation of its global supply chain, including 57 distribution centers worldwide that served all retail stores and customer delivery operations. Earlier in his career, Holifield was director of consulting projects at Dallas Systems Corp., served as traffic manager for Frito-Lay Inc., and spent nine years with H.E. Butt Grocery Company in its distribution operations. Holifield earned his B.A. in business with honors from the University of Texas and his MBA from Baylor University.

Mark Holifield, Home Depot's senior vice president of global supply chain, receives the "Person of the Year" award, presented by Smith student Allison Schulz of the Supply Chain Management Society.

The annual Industry Day and the “Person of the Year” award ceremony are organized by Smith School students and faculty. The Supply Chain Management Society provides networking and career development opportunities for Smith School undergraduate students, while the Supply Chain Club provides similar opportunities for the MBA students. Representatives and recruiters from more than 30 companies were expected to participate in this year’s event.

Previous “Person of the Year” honorees include John T. “Jock” Menzies, chairman of the Terminal Corporation, a warehouse, trucking and distribution company; Rick Blasgen, president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals; John D. Porcari, secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation; a joint award shared by Jeffrey N. Shane, under secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Ron Widdows, chief executive of global transportation company APL Ltd.; the Dell Corp., accepted by Ro Parra; Jeffrey Crowe, chairman of Landstar System Inc.; Linda Morgan, former chair of the Surface Transportation Board and the Interstate Commerce Commission; Michael J. Ward, chairman, president, and CEO of CSX Corp.; Don Schneider, president of Schneider National Inc.; Herb Johnson, past president of the Council of Logistics Management; and Edward Emmett, president of the National Industrial Transportation League.

The Smith School’s logistics, transportation and supply chain management program is consistently recognized among the best business school programs in the country. U.S. News & World Report ranked the undergraduate program No. 8 and the MBA program No. 15 in the United States in 2010. The Smith School is launching a master’s of business in supply chain program in fall 2011. Smith’s supply chain management curriculum incorporates all aspects of the industry, including expanding global networks and cutting-edge technology. In addition to offering a range of academic courses, the school is home to the Supply Chain Management Center, which provides research, consulting services and education highlighting the latest advances in e-supply chain management. 

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, MS in business, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.