Women in Supply Chain: Ann Marie Jonkman of Blue Yonder

The supply chain industry is a predominantly male one. Females only represent 37% of the workforce and 15% of senior vice president (SVP), executive vice president (EVP), and C-Suite positions, according to MIT's Women in Supply Chain Initiative. In our latest series, Women in Supply Chain, SC247 is speaking with women in different roles to provide insights into the realities of working in this industry.

In this edition, we speak with Ann Marie Jonkman of Blue Yonder.

Supply Chain 247: Hi Ann Marie. Thanks for joining us. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started in the industry?

Ann Marie Jonkman: My original plan was to be a lawyer or a history professor, I was accepted into graduate programs for both. My friend's dad worked at a logistics company and offered me a job to work transportation for the summer. I knew nothing. It was a third-party logistics company and I was the Supply Chain Planner and eventually Transportation Planner. As you probably guessed, I never went to law school. I never became a history professor. and I have been in this business for over 20 years,

SC247: But that wasn't your first job in the industry, correct?

AMJ: Yes, I worked for a major shipping company during college and I was the only female on my shift.

SC247: I imagine that was hard. Did you encounter any uncomfortable situations?

AMJ: Yes. I worked the Twilight shift from 10:30 to 2:30 in the morning. On my first day, a couple of people were screaming from the trailers and whistling as I walked around with the terminal manager. I am 5-foot-10 and was modeling wedding dresses at the time, to give you more context.

Now I'm from Chicago - born and raised on the south side - so I wasn't going to ignore what I heard. I told the manager as soon as it happened, “We're not doing that here. Get the union steward. We aren't going to do that.” To their credit, it was addressed right away and never happened again.

SC247: Did that event shape you or how you interacted with men in future jobs?

AMJ: Not really because at the time, in 1998 or so, fewer females were doing physically demanding jobs. The men had never had to work with females on that shift before. There were female supervisors during the day but that was it. So I think a “we're at work and these are the expectations” type of talk never happened. You would never see that incident today, but you do see a lot more females going into jobs like this, construction, or something more physical.

You would never see that incident today, but you do see a lot more females going into jobs like this, construction, or something more physical.

SC247: How come you chose to work at a warehouse in the first place? It's a little outside the box.

AMJ: I don't know (laughing). It was great money and I loved it. I was a puller, and we were moving three to four trailers a night of 55-pound paper wrap boxes. There was no automation at the time; you needed to have a little muscle.

SC247: Did you have any other incidents in your career?

AMJ: Yes, One of my first fourth-party logistics projects was at a major food manufacturer. I was the Transportation and Financial Analyst at the time. We were switching the company to a more efficient model, and the longtime head of the supply chain was not happy about it. We were in the office with my Director talking about KPIs and the layout of the Consolidated Scorecard. The guy was getting more and more upset and the next thing I knew, he threw his coffee across the desk, where it landed on my shirt and face.

SC247: What were the next 30 seconds like?

“Those events teach you to remain calm and composed. You're at work. You're representing your brand and your business. I don't mean you should be passive. I mean you take the high road and address the situation in private.”

AMJ: I'm a very calm person. I looked out the window and said to my Director, “I'm gonna excuse myself,” and I got up and left. Those events teach you to remain calm and composed. You're at work. You're representing your brand and your business. I don't mean you should be passive. I mean you take the high road and address the situation in private.

SC247: How are you so calm in these situations?

AMJ: I just remembered that I'm representing the business and it's a place of work. Outside of work, my reaction would have maybe been a little bit more assertive.

Blue Yonder employees gathered in Dallas earlier this year.

SC247: Let's fast forward to today. What's the company culture like at Blue Yonder?

AMJ: I love it here. This company and the people are smart. They're curious. They're willing to learn. It's collaborative. You don't feel scared to offer your point of view. They recruited me off LinkedIn - I was not looking for a role but I've been able to follow my curiosity and move from operations to supply chain to supply chain technology.

Lightning Round

Favorite podcast: I listen to Dave Ramsey but not for the religion. I love the when people call in for financial advice. For instance, someone calls looking for help after running up $89,000 in credit card bills. I like to hear the people's stories and how the leaders are helping people. I also really like The Look and Sound of Leadership. It's a little bit more about communication, coaching, and stories from former clients. He changes the names and they talk - it's kind of cool.

In another life, I would have a store and decorate homes for the holidays. I usually put four or five different Christmas trees each year.

Favorite hobby: I love crafting. I don't sell my work, but in another life, I would have a store and decorate homes for the holidays. I usually put four or five different Christmas trees each year. I can make wreaths. I love all that stuff.

TV show you're currently binging: I have like 15 of them (laughing). We're rewatching Stranger Things and waiting for the new season. Don't judge me but I also like The Summer I Turned Pretty, which I think is for college kids. And also The Crown. So I alternate between heavy and not heavy at all.

First job: I worked at a famous rib place in the Chicago suburbs called The Patio. I worked there about 25 hours a week during high school. My mom helped them start his first business so I know the whole family

Best career advice: Whether you see situations as positive or negative, you should maintain your composure and keep moving forward. Look at every opportunity and say, “What did I learn? What could I have done better? Am I okay with my reaction?” If there's something I don't understand, be curious and learn it.