Thomas Scanlan

Degree: MBA with a concentration in Supply Chain Management ’17

Occupation: Manager for Procurement in Strategic Sourcing at Health Care Service Corporation

Why did you choose this program?

I have been working in the procurement and sourcing industry for about 10 years, and I’ve always had a plan to further my education in this industry. I wanted to stay in the Chicagoland area, so when I was looking at MBA programs in the area, I was very impressed with Loyola’s. I shadowed a couple classes and I really liked the professors, the classes I shadowed, and the overall curriculum.

Quinlan provides a strong foundation for the business world, and I liked the idea of being able to have a concentration in supply chain. I knew I wanted to stay in the supply chain and procurement industry because there are a number of great opportunities within companies across the world that are starting to realize and take full advantage of the supply chain strategic value.

What was your favorite experience during your time at Quinlan?

In Dr. Nowak’s Supply Chain Analysis course we toured a local manufacturing plant for dental instruments. Seeing the amount of steps and expertise that goes into making such a simple tool was eye-opening.

We got to walk through the plant and see how precise every step to make these instruments has to be. They had to combine skilled labor of people with 20+ years’ experience along with automated machinery. It was neat to see how they worked together.

We also did a case study for them with a real problem that we were able to help them solve. It was a freight case study primarily doing cost analyses. We went through the whole case, and then we got to present to their procurement and senior leadership team.

How has the program helped your career?

It gave me a more well-rounded business background to help me think of different ways to solve problems. I’m only one year out of the program, so that has been the instant improvement. I’ve always looked at it as a long-term investment in my career growth and education, so I’ll know even more how it impacted me ten years down the road.

What advice do you have for current students?

If you want to go into the supply chain industry, take a course at Quinlan that offers negotiating and contract review experience. To be successful in the industry today, you need to be able to read through contracts and understand the best way to negotiate a fair deal where both parties feel satisfied at the end of the day. If you’re not proficient at reading through a contract and reading legal terms, or comfortable leading a negotiation you may fall short in your career when you want to move up.

In 10 words or less: Why Quinlan?

Innovative classes with experienced professors from the business world.