**Miami**: Ryder System, Inc. celebrates the achievements of Cherie Brinkerhoff, Kevin Askew, and Sandy Hodes, honoured in the 2025 Pros to Know awards. Their innovative contributions highlight the importance of leadership and operational strategies in enhancing supply chain efficiencies across various sectors.
MIAMI — Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) has celebrated the achievements of its supply chain leaders who were recognised in the prestigious 2025 Pros to Know awards presented by Supply & Demand Chain Executive. This recognition highlights the work of innovators, leaders, and emerging talents in the supply chain sector, showcasing their contributions and accomplishments as guiding examples for others seeking to harness supply chain efficiencies as a competitive advantage.
The 2025 Pros to Know list shines a light on the accomplishments of several key figures within Ryder, specifically Cherie Brinkerhoff, Kevin Askew, and Sandy Hodes, who were honoured for their noteworthy leadership and innovative approaches within the supply chain realm. Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and co-founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, commented on the significance of these awards, stating, “Many of today’s supply chain pros are more than just leaders within their space; they’re true pioneers of change.” This reflects the high standard of excellence and transformative efforts demonstrated by this year’s winners.
Cherie Brinkerhoff, serving as Ryder’s senior vice president of supply chain operations, was acknowledged in the Leaders in Excellence category. She has been instrumental in overseeing and optimising the company’s extensive warehousing and transportation operations, especially within the retail, technology, and healthcare verticals. Recently, Cherie and her team executed a transformation of a major hospital network’s supply chain to adopt a self-distribution model. This resulted in 100% inventory control, improved fill rates and on-time deliveries, and enhanced operational efficiency. Additionally, Cherie has been a strong advocate for emerging talent and workforce development, leading initiatives through the Ryder Women’s Leadership Forum and an internal internship programme aimed at cultivating future supply chain engineers.
Kevin Askew, who holds the position of vice president of transportation execution and strategy, received recognition as a Top Transportation Innovator. His leadership has been crucial in advancing the operational excellence of Ryder’s dedicated transportation solutions (DTS) business. Kevin is significantly involved in implementing the Flex operating model, designed to optimise the sharing of drivers and resources for increased efficiency, reduced idle capacity, and heightened productivity. Furthermore, he chairs Ryder’s DTS Functional Excellence Board and is a key member of the AI Center of Excellence, where he collaborates on the integration of automation and technology within fleet management and business processes.
Sandy Hodes, in his role as chief procurement and corporate development officer, was honoured as a Top Procurement Pro. With over 20 years at Ryder, Sandy manages an annual budget of approximately $8 billion, focusing on strategic sourcing and supplier management. His leadership has fostered robust supplier relationships while maintaining compliance and cost-efficiency within industry standards. Sandy has also restructured Ryder’s procurement operations, incorporating automated processes and establishing a dedicated team to enhance reporting, analytics, and supplier performance management—steps which have rendered the procurement functions more agile, transparent, and responsive to customer needs.
The 2025 Pros to Know awards exemplify the critical role of innovative leadership in the supply chain sector, showcasing how organisations can effectively leverage operational strategies and technologies to enhance performance and drive industry standards.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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