Chuck Nicholson, clinical associate professor of supply chain management in Penn State's Smeal College of Business, will enhance his classroom instruction this fall with his experience at a weeklong externship with Leprino Foods Company at the company’s headquarters in Denver, Colo.
Nicholson observed various dimensions of the company’s operations, including forecasting, inventory management, distribution and procurement.
He says that his experience will add new dimensions to his course offerings, including an upper-level undergraduate course on Demand Fulfillment and an MBA course in Strategic Procurement. If schedules allow, supply chain professionals from Leprino Foods will be present in these classes.
“Visiting a company like Leprino Foods is a great way to keep in touch with what’s going on in industry, and to enhance student understanding of problems real companies face and practical solutions to those problems,” said Nicholson.
In addition, Nicholson toured the company’s newest production facility, accompanying the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack; the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius; and the governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, on a visit designed to highlight Leprino Foods’ state-of-the-art food safety technology.
Nicholson also discussed with the company potential collaborative research projects related to supply chain operations and forecasting of milk deliveries to the company’s production facilities.
Leprino Foods is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of mozzarella cheese and dairy ingredients, with manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. and a global sales presence.
Smeal Media Relations