Media Release

For Immediate Release

April 9, 2009

Sobey MBA student wins national logistics award

Kemeng Jiao, winner of the 2009 SCI Logistics National Student Paper Award

Kemeng Jiao, an international student in the accelerated MBA program at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University, has been named the winner of this year’s SCI Logistics National Student Paper Award.

The national award is presented annually to the student who submits the best original paper on logistics/supply chain management.

Jiao’s paper was called Research on Demand Forecasting Accuracy with Different Processes and Forecasting Methods. The focus of the paper was how companies can improve supply and demand forecasting, and in turn, better manage inventories.

Based on Jiao’s undergraduate and graduate research, the paper explores different methods and processes to help companies reduce inventory on hand while maintaining high service levels. 

As winner, Jiao receives a $2,500 prize, a one-year membership in Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada (SCL), and a complimentary delegate registration (including travel and accommodation) to the SCL Annual Conference on April 28-29 in Toronto.

“As a foreign student, this is a big deal for my family,” said Jiao, who expects to graduate from the MBA program in October. “They can see my results.”

Jiao is from Chengdu in southwest China, near the area devastated last summer by earthquakes. He came to Canada seven years ago, took undergraduate studies at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, and later worked at Century Vallen, a leading business-to-business distributor of maintenance, repair and operations products and services for the industrial market in Canada. 

In winning the award, Jiao extended thanks to his parents and family, his supervisor Stephen Alger at Century Vallen, his undergraduate instructors Ryan Orchard and Jim Penrod at Grant MacEwan College, and his current professor at the Sobey School of Business, Dr. Harvey Millar.

The national competition was open to all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in supply chain and/or logistics-related courses at Canadian education institutions.

Students in the competition were required to submit papers at least 10 pages in length (not including supporting materials) related to the fields of supply chain and logistics. The selection criteria included: originality, accuracy and value to the logistics industry in Canada.

Submissions were reviewed by members of the local SCL chapter committee, who choose a regional winner. Regional winning papers were then forwarded to a national committee that selected a single national winner.

Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada (SCL) is a non-profit organization of business professionals interested in improving their logistics and supply chain management skills through a comprehensive program of education, research and networking opportunities.

For more information about SCL, please go to: http://www.sclcanada.org/

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For More Information:

Blake Patterson
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: blake.patterson@smu.ca
www.smu.ca