A Gentleman of Principles

John A. Gentle, the 2006 NITL Executive of the Year, is a logistics sage who worked tirelessly to make Owens Corning the shipper of choice for its carriers. Now he’s ready to share his guiding principles with other shippers.

By Michael A. Levans, Chief Editor -- Logistics Management, 11/1/2006

It’s nearly impossible to have a conversation with John A. Gentle without coming away with at least one piece of sound, practical advice. You can’t help but get the feeling that he cares about you and about what you’ve just discussed—because he does.

Gentle, who retired after 35 years at Owens Corning (most recently as global leader, transportation affairs and processes) worked tirelessly to transform the company into a “shipper of preference” for its 300-plus carriers. He accomplished that in large part by practicing a set of fundamental principles he’s been developing since his early days in the U.S. Army. What has particularly impressed many of those who have worked with him over the years is that he’s done all that with the calm effectiveness of a true sage—a wizened master worthy of flowing robes and a crooked, wooden staff.

During his time at Owens Corning, Gentle received two patents for processes that helped truckload drivers unload their cargoes more quickly and safely, and ushered in a culture of open communication that regularly brought shipper and carriers together for meaningful discussions. But that’s just scratching the surface of his accomplishments. Gentle has made dozens of presentations and served for many years as Highway Transportation Committee chairman for the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL). He’s also championed the League’s “Vision 2020” program, which aims to improve collaboration between shippers and carriers.

For his steadfast commitment to teaching the fundamentals of logistics and transportation, his determination to strengthen two-way communication between shippers and carriers, and his years of service as Highway Transportation Committee chairman, NITL and Logistics Management (LM) have chosen to present John Gentle with the 2006 McCullough Award. This honor, which recognizes an individual for achievement and leadership in the logistics and transportation industry, is co-sponsored by NITL and LM. The award is named after John T. McCullough, a former chief editor of Distribution magazine, a predecessor of LM. The award will be presented on November 13 at NITL’s 2006 Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“John is truly deserving of the McCullough Award as the Logistics Professional of the Year,” says NITL President John Ficker. “His belief is—and has always been—that by working together, we can address the issues that impact all stakeholders in the logistics and transportation conversation.”

I recently spent some time with this logistics veteran (and lifelong New York Yankees fan) to learn more about his personal history and about the principles that have guided his success.

Logistics Management: What did you want to be when you were a kid?

John Gentle: That’s tough to say. When I was about 10 years old, Eisenhower was president. Life seemed to be about duty, honor, religion, and country. Young men were influenced by Boy Scouts and family. I was raised in a middle-income family spending every Sunday with my grandparents and cousins in the Metro New York area or with my friends running all over the U.S. Navy ships in New York Harbor.…But in the end, I guess I was influenced by the nobility of things and doing things well at New York speed.

When did you know you wanted to forge a career in logistics and transportation?

It was during my time in the military. I graduated as a Distinguished Military Student in the ROTC program at Providence College and had always had an interest in weaponry. I was an expert marksman in both pistol and rifle, and after being commissioned as an armor officer, I became very interested in making sure that I never got too far ahead of my supply train.

The military has traditionally been a training ground for logistics professionals. What was the most important thing the military taught you?

It’s too bad more people don’t go through military training. There are so many lessons you learn, including planning, training, and organization. Many people just don’t have solid planning and organizational skills or know how to create contingency plans—a plan for unplanned events. For example, when you’re running a tank at 50 miles per hour, there’s always a chance that you’ll outrun your resupply. Or when you go out on a limb, you need to know how to get back without falling off the tree and getting hurt. That’s what logistics is really all about.

What was your very first job in logistics and transportation?

I guess it was in my second civilian job, when I was a controller for a small company. I had some responsibilities for the warehousing as well as for the private fleet. It was then that I realized that logistics was more fascinating than financial planning, credit and collections, and accounting.

My first real job in logistics was when I was hired by Owens Corning as the administrative supervisor of the Providence and Boston supply-center operations. I had responsibility for inventory planning and management, warehouse operations, and inbound and outbound operations, including private-fleet management. It was during those five years that I realized that things need to be viewed holistically.

Who were your early mentors who helped fine-tune this holistic approach?

There were several key mentors. Back in the army, my first sergeant had to remind me only once that the company was poised to act not because the company commander wanted it done, but because it was on my authority, decision, and command. He stressed that you can’t wait for things in life, you have to take action.

My first boss at Owens Corning, Nelson Beveridge, stressed the importance of the human element in business. He believed in taking his children to visit his customers at Christmastime because…he wanted to make sure the customers knew him as a real person, with a family, and not as an indifferent business person.

My second civilian boss, Frank Glover, stressed process management. Frank was a believer in having an operating procedure or manual in place for every process. He stressed the need for defined procedures to tackle every challenge. Today, more than ever before, Frank’s lessons ring true.

And then there was Wayne Earley. He was a terrific boss who stressed creativity and the fact that you can do several things, but you can only do one thing well at a time.

What were the key turning points in your career?

From a purely creative standpoint, it came early in my Owens Corning career when I managed the large division warehouses. In conjunction with my warehouse supervisor, we used our warehouse operations as laboratories and pioneered the use of 6 x 6 pallets and double-wide clamps to create significant productivity savings. Later, we experimented with inventory-positioning software to model travel distances based on throughputs, stocking levels, and receiving and shipping doors. And in the mid-1980s, I pioneered the use of DRP (distribution resource planning) for our major DC warehouses, and later introduced MRP (materials resource planning) to the company.

From a management standpoint, my career took a turn in the mid-1980s. The transportation manager left the company for another opportunity, and I applied for the job and got the position based on my experience of selecting and managing the carriers that I used at the large DC operations. After that, I drew upon my creativity to create tools to manage a large carrier base, including two-sided carrier reviews, carrier-recognition awards, carrier councils, and carrier Web-portal technology.

What was that transition period like for you?

It was in the mid-’80s, when the company downsized…and many of the senior managers retired or took packages. One day I was with some friends of mine in the company, all about the same age, and I looked around and said “I think we’re it.” It was one of those crystal-clear moments when you realize that you are giving the direction—you are the parent and you have all the responsibility and accountability. It was a defining point. I took the transportation manager position and applied all I had learned in the warehouse about managing carriers; I never looked back.

You mentioned two-sided carrier reviews. How were those received when you first rolled them out?

It was one of the first things I installed in the new position. I had to learn as much about my carriers in the shortest period of time and let the carriers know who I was and how I operated. We designed a carrier-review form like a scorecard. The DC, dispatch team, administration team—the folks who paid the bills—and the management team all evaluated the carrier. Carriers could see how we would be measuring them and how they matched up to all the other carriers. But we knew that we weren’t going to get what we needed out of these reviews unless we asked the carrier to evaluate us as well. I said to the carriers, “I want you to evaluate us using the same questions.”

What was the biggest challenge in rolling out this initiative?

The biggest initial challenge was to get the carriers to tell us the truth. If I knew of an area where we were not performing well, I would refuse to accept a high score, and I would insist that they tell me the truth and have confidence in the fact that we needed to put together an action plan and solve the problem By doing this, both parties recognized that they were caregivers and had equal responsibility for the well-being of their business partner.

What role do the carrier councils play?

The carrier-council concept works hand-in-hand with the reviews; it’s a way to realize improvement through open conversation. I picked carriers that represented the North American landscape: big guys, small companies, company drivers, and owner-operators—all kinds of carriers.

We would invite the carriers to our company headquarters to have an open conversation, with the goal of understanding how to effect desired changes for our company and for the marketplace, as well as how to be more productive together. We tossed out ideas or challenges to them, and we provided them with a platform to suggest and endorse new approaches that would be more effective for carriers.

With all the challenges of managing a transportation budget, did you ever feel like jumping out of the business?

No. The challenges were tough, but the desired outcomes forced you to be creative and learn to work with and rely on your business partners and teammates. After all, 80 percent of what we do is routine. It’s the other 20 percent that we get paid to do, and to do well.

You’ve had a long, successful run with Owens Corning. What were the keys to that success?

You need to be proactive and creative, you have to imagine possibilities, you have to execute and follow process, and you have to perfect relationship management. Another key to long-term success is to understand the culture and direction of the company you work for. Once you do that, you can adapt programs that are complementary to the company’s values and initiatives. At the same time, I found that Owens Corning’s nurturing culture allowed us to explore new concepts that put us in a leadership position. Nothing is worse than being caught by surprise—I learned that in the Army.

Is there any single project that you’re most proud of during your time at Owens Corning?

There are a few, actually. I hold two patents that helped us unload faster and safer. I’m very proud of those achievements. But I guess I would say I’m just as proud of the carrier Web-portal technology that was developed over the last five years. This was like a child to me. The Web portal started out because we just couldn’t continue to FAX and phone tendered-shipment data to some carriers. The portal provides valuable and timely information for all of the carriers’ departments, allowing them to do their work when they want to do the work—with the right information at any time during the day. Both of these achievements allowed me to be creative while improving productivity for our customer, our company, our carriers, and often the drivers. It’s the shipper’s job to be the carriers’ best driver recruiter by making our plants and processes as driver-friendly as possible.

How do you want to be perceived in this new phase of your career?

As a person who helps shippers, carriers, and 3PLs realize that there’s value to looking at things holistically. I also want to help them understand that there are many things they can do to make themselves more attractive to their customers and suppliers through the careful and attentive management of their relationships.

What do you see as being the biggest challenges for new “kids” taking over logistics management positions?

Overcoming the obsession for advancement in favor of learning the basics of market dynamics, and recognizing that an opportunity can only come from a complete understanding of the process. They need to have patience. Not everything can be found in the “Logistics Handbook.”

What would you say to anyone who’s not involved in industry organizations such as NITL, AST&L, or CSCMP?

You are responsible for effecting change not only for your company but for America. These premier organizations can provide the platform from which to learn, debate issues, and work with other concerned professionals to bring about change.

Note: To read the complete transcript of Chief Editor Michael Levans’ interview with John Gentle, go to logisticsmgmt.com/gentle.