FORTE Network Optimization Experts

For more than 30 years, FORTE has provided our customers growth-enabled distribution and supply chain solutions.

Jeffrey Camm, PhD, Chief Scientist - Network Optimization

As one of the supply chain industry's most distinguished practitioners of network optimization, Dr. Camm offers FORTE clients more than 25 years of experience in advanced optimization modeling. In addition to his work as Chief Scientist in the Network Optimization practice at FORTE, Dr. Camm is Professor and Department Head at University of Cincinnati, College of Business, and Fellow of the Graduate School.  He is the director of the UC Center for Productivity Improvement, and member of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). In addition, he has served as Visiting Professor of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business; Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, School of Engineering; and Senior Advisor, Operations Research, for Integral Analytics.

His work in supply chain optimization for Procter & Gamble (P&G) is credited with saving in excess of $250 million per year for its North American operations, and was an Edelman Award Finalist. Dr. Camm was also responsible for the analytical modeling that resulted in the highly regarded merger of GE Plastics and Polymerland. In 2006, he was named a Rainmaker by DC Velocity magazine, and won the INFORMS Prize for the Teaching of Operations Research and Management Science Practice.

Dr. Camm developed the advanced, customized modeling approach employed by FORTE for plant location, sourcing, distribution facility location and transportation optimization. This custom approach uses the modeling language AMPL (Advanced Mathematical Programming Language) linked to the best-in-class optimization software, CPLEX. By applying custom-configured models, the approach offers complete flexibility in modeling optimization problems such as distribution system design, carrier selection, routing and scheduling, and procurement optimization. The result is accurate, actionable, customized strategies with cost-effective re-run capabilities in the future.

Clients served by Dr. Camm include P&G, The Kroger Company, Owens Corning, GE Plastics, Tyco, Ernst and Young Supply Chain Operations, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas and Electric, Senco Products, Perfetti van Melle, MEDRAD, Dade Behring, Big Rock Sports, Road Runner Sports, Honeywell, and many others.

Ted Newton, Network Optimization Consultant

Ted Newton offers FORTE clients more than 31 years of experience with Procter & Gamble (P&G) in IT and supply chain management positions. At P&G, Newton was credited with network optimization that resulted in more than $1 billion in total savings over five years, including a three-year period in which costs in the supply chain were reduced by 10-15% each year. His key senior management positions included Systems and Analysis Manager for Corporate Distribution, IT Manager for Beverage division, Director of IT for Japan, Managing Director of IT for Asia, Managing Director for Global Applications, and Managing Director for Global Supply Chain Systems, which included responsibility for global purchasing systems, global analytics for modeling and designing supply chain networks, global logistics systems, engineering systems, and systems common to manufacturing, such as WMS.

Newton is known as one of the industry's most distinguished practitioners of supply chain strategy and design, including network optimization to determine the best location and sourcing for manufacturing plants and distribution centers. In addition, his expertise includes streamlining the supply chain to eliminate redundancy, reduce SKUs, reduce inventory and increase customer service. His organization was selected as best implementation of SAP by McKinsey, and in conjunction with Dr. Jeffrey Camm of University of Cincinnati, he was a Franz Edelman Award Finalist for applying analytics to the supply chain. Under Newton's stewardship, P&G was awarded best supply chain in the consumer products industry in 2000.

In addition to P&G, Newton has consulted with Ace Hardware, Senco Products, King & Prince Seafood, General Mills, Church & Dwight, Perfetti van Melle, Batesville Casket, Big Rock Sports, Dade Behring, MEDRAD, NIBCO, Road Runner Sports, Trillium Manufacturing, TRT and Tyco.