Florida Supply Chain Summit brings industry leaders together to solve global issues

TAMPA, Fla. - This week, more than 200 business leaders from across the state are in Tampa for the 4th Annual Florida Supply Chain Summit. The three-day event brings together key players from all industries with one goal in mind: to advance Florida as a global trade hub.

This year's summit has an added focus on streamlining systems that are still under pressure due to the pandemic and global shortages. 

"We have a power packed agenda and we're trying to educate the world about Florida. It's booming and it's the place where supply-chain can happen," 2022 Florida Supply Chain Summit Steering Committee Elaine Singleton said.

Business owners, CEO's, start-ups and students are all at the Hotel Alba in Tampa for the group's first in-person conference since 2019.

"Supply-chain logistics is a focal point for the state of Florida as one of the fastest growing companies in the state we felt it was one of the best places for us to be able to connect with government and municipality leaders," OneRail Founder & CEO William Catania said.

Catania's company OneRail is a delivery logistics platform that helps solve the problem of last mile delivery. While the company has only been in business for the last few years, it's already seen major growth and now working with more than nine million delivery drivers as well as some of the world's biggest shippers including PepsiCo, Advanced Auto Parts and Tractor Supply.

"It gives our customers the ability to do what Amazon does, which is delivered on time and very quickly," Catania said.

The summit offers the chance for CEO's like Catania to share the success behind their company and collaborate with other businesses to help them grow and ultimately advance Florida as a global trade hub.

Florida's ports are a big part of growing that hub and a major component of the state's economy that sets it apart from the rest of the world.

"They employ so many Floridians they really create the opportunity for economic development to grow jobs and high-wage pay," Enterprise Florida Senior Vice-President T.J. Villamil said.

Potential jobs and high-wage pay are exactly what USF students like supply-chain management major Mitchell Tosi have on their mind going into the conference.

"The opportunities are endless in supply-chain and being right here in the epicenter of where all the employers are and where the topics are being brought up it's very exciting," Tosi said.

The conference last until Wednesday, March 23.