In the realm of supply chain management, organization and operations, Susan Diewald has emerged as a distinguished professional with an impressive track record. Her career trajectory is a testament to her leadership, logistics expertise and passion. Susan’s journey embodies an unwavering commitment to excellence and a relentless drive to enhance operational efficiency.

Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence in a Time of Crisis

Susan’s career highlights include her experience as the Director of Supply Chain and Logistics with SHIELD Illinois, the University of Illinois System’s program to make its groundbreaking saliva-based COVID-19 test available to students and communities in Illinois. Susan joined the SHIELD team in May 2021 and quickly came together with her colleagues in a time of crisis to protect the state of Illinois, keep students in school and save lives. As the leader of the supply chain and logistics teams at SHIELD, Susan implemented and optimized supply chain processes for an inventory of over 1000 SKUs valued at over $25 million. Susan balanced demand based both on proven laboratory capacity and real-time updates as SHIELD Illinois experienced exponential growth. In the fall of 2021, Susan also established a saliva sample transportation network that has now logged over a million miles, including managing the procurement of vehicles, maintenance, and courier development. As the demand for testing waned, Susan switched her focus to directing shutdown and decommissioning projects for all laboratories and processing facilities, including creating an online storefront for rehoming $4 million worth of laboratory equipment and supplies.

Leadership and Management

Susan seeks to lead with empathy and develop team members to their full potential. She led a team of 36 at SHIELD Illinois, including on-site processing facility personnel, couriers and hybrid supply chain and logistics specialists. One of her proudest accomplishments is the remarkable team she interviewed, hired, and trained at SHIELD Illinois. Managing in a time of crisis requires constant succession planning and development of new roles-tasks Susan thoroughly enjoyed.

Hospitality Expertise

Prior to becoming a force in operations management, Susan spent over a decade in the hospitality industry, learning the ins-and-outs of customer service from some of Chicago and New York City’s most award-winning restaurant groups, including Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, BOKA Restaurant Group and Land and Sea Department. Susan’s relationship with a diverse group of global clients during her time in this industry honed her communication skills and prepared her for success in any field.

Community Improvement

Susan always strives to improve her community. She has been a volunteer at the PAWS Chicago Medical Center since 2020, where she has had the privilege of helping both homeless pets being treated at the medical center and the pets of Chicago’s communities. She also assists clients at the Glen Ellyn food pantry. Susan loves a challenge that will improve her community, and was proud to collaborate with IDPH in September of 2023 to lead distribution of nearly 50,000 air purifiers and air filters to over 2000 daycare centers across the state of Illinois.

 Susan’s career trajectory is marked by a relentless commitment to operational excellence, underpinned by her leadership and supply chain management prowess. Her vast experience, from her current role as a supply chain director to her past role as a hospitality leader, underscores her adaptability and versatility in the workplace. Susan’s unwavering dedication to success, coupled with her passion to improve her community, establishes her as a highly valuable asset in operations management.