Workforce Planning Analyst

Kurt Shafer, Jabil wins procurement Future Leader Award. September 30, 2026 Following the Global Procurement Awards, Procurement Mag take a look at this year's winner of the Future Leader Award, Kurt Shafer from Jabil, Inc. Procurement has never been more central to organisational strategy, managing supplier risk, driving sustainability agendas, and delivering measurable value, all while operating in an environment where disruption is the new norm and resilience is more critical than ever before. Navigating this complex landscape requires a fundamental shift from transactional management to transformative leadership. Modern procurement leaders must do more than just optimise spend; they must act as visionary strategists, cross-functional collaborators, and champions of innovation. They inspire teams through uncertainty, leverage cutting-edge technology and create deep, value-driven relationships across global supply networks. The Global Procurement Awards 2026 celebrate the organisations and individuals proving that procurement excellence is about far more than negotiating the best price. The Future Leader Award for Procurement celebrates an individual bringing fresh thinking and real impact to the procurement profession. Shortlist: * Abdulrahman Alghumayzi - Saudi Tadawul Group * Azmat Ali - Oil & Gas Development Company * Tisbin Devasia - Wipro Limited * Sanjeev Senta - TekWissen * Kurt Shafer - Jabil, Inc. Kurt Shafer. Kurt Shafer is the Senior Director of Global Procurement at Jabil, with over 10 years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, and S&OP. Kurt is dedicated to driving positive change and innovation; he approaches problem-solving with resilience and enthusiasm, while still focusing on maximising cost and operational efficiencies through transformative procurement strategies and initiatives that will drive success. Kurt values effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders at various levels and across different cultures. Kurt joined Jabil in 2015 as a category manager. Since then, he has built a global procurement function at the engineering, supply chain and manufacturing solutions provider. Jabil's Procurement Function in Numbers: * Over 3,000 procurement professionals spread amongst more than 25 countries, with 400 people sitting underneath Kurt's leadership * Managing US $6bn in spend * Staff retention above 90% * Team's commercial value grew from US $30mn to over US $300mn Grateful to receive Procurement Magazine's Future Leader Award and to be recognised alongside an accomplished group of nominees and winners who are helping shape the future of procurement. Thank you to everyone who has played a part in helping me grow, learn and lead. I appreciate the acknowledgement and am excited about what lies ahead for its profession. Kurt Shafer, Senior Director of Global Procurement at Jabil (LinkedIn) In his role at Jabil, Kurt leads an enterprise-wide organisation located in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. His team is responsible for Jabil's Indirect Procurement investments, including Capital Equipment, MRO, and Infrastructure. Kurt and his team deliver value through the execution of global category strategies and through regional support for tactical investments. Company Portals

Jabil reported Q2 revenues of $8.75 billion, up 11.8% year on year, exceeding analyst expectations by 2.3%. The electronic components and manufacturing company also beat earnings per share guidance and revenue guidance for next quarter. Despite the strong results, Jabil's stock has fallen 17.6% since reporting, currently trading at $309.38. The decline suggests investor expectations may have been higher than Wall Street's published projections. The electronic components and manufacturing sector as a whole performed well in Q2. The 10 companies tracked reported revenues that beat consensus estimates by 4%, whilst next quarter's revenue guidance exceeded expectations by 6%. The sector faces mixed prospects. Demand could rise from advanced electronics in automotive, healthcare, aerospace, and computing industries. However, headwinds include US-China trade tensions and environmental regulations.

How AI is changing business. Iowa State alumnus Tom Hall will share lessons from startups, manufacturing and defense. September 21, 2026 AMES, Iowa - Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how organizations operate and make decisions. Iowa State University alumnus Tom Hall will explore those changes during a public lecture, "How AI Is Changing Business: Lessons from Startups, Manufacturing and Defense," at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. AI's greatest value is not replacing workers, according to Hall. Hall is now director of defense at Jabil, one of the world's largest manufacturing solutions providers, where he focuses on emerging technologies and next-generation defense products. Prior to his current role, Hall served as Jabil's director of AI and previously worked with startups before leading applied AI initiatives at Cisco and helping build the program management organization at Veritas. "As the director of AI, I didn't replace a single employee," he said. "Instead, we used AI to reduce up to 80% of time-consuming tasks in some cases, freeing up time and money for issues that matter most." A former U.S. Army Ranger, Hall will discuss how AI is transforming defense and aerospace industries, from improving data governance and decision-making to accelerating innovation and supply-chain processes. Drawing on his experience leading AI programs, he'll share insights into how emerging technologies are reshaping both the battlefield and the industries that support it. For example, Hall said a backlog of about 18,000 planes are waiting to be built in the U.S. due to supply-chain and manufacturing challenges. "With AI, we can rapidly speed up operations. We have decades of historical information on lead times and materials costs, which gives us options to ramp up production and enhance operational efficiencies," he said. Hall believes students entering today's workforce should view AI as a tool for adaptation and growth rather than a threat to future careers. "It's a dynamic work environment," he said. "You have to be prepared for shifts in what you're working on, be willing to keep learning and do your best. Resiliency is incredibly important." A 2015 Iowa State political science graduate, Hall was also a member of the Cyclones football team. The Waverly native currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida, earned a master's degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a doctorate from South Florida. During his campus visit, Hall will meet with business and entrepreneurship students, faculty and ROTC members. He said Iowa State's combination of hands-on student experiences, interdisciplinary collaboration and strong faculty expertise makes it especially relevant to industries navigating rapid technological change. "Iowa State has an exceptional student and faculty base that's highly applicable to my industry," Hall said. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions following the presentation. The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Ivy College of Business and the ISU Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government). A recording of the lecture will be available on the lecture program website approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.