Supply chain professionals considering a certification face a bewildering array of options"”there are multiple organizations and certifications from which to choose. Three deserve careful study.

Recognized by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals as an emerging supply chain leader, Keiko Arai talks about the supply chain leadership development program she recently completed at Bell Helicopter Textron and why she chose SCM as a career.

C.J. Wehlage, vice president of high-tech solutions with Kinaxis, details industry's major supply-chain management challenges - in particular, the difficulty of obtaining full visibility of supply and demand, and dealing with the volatility of markets.

In taking the helm of General Motors, Mary Barra becomes the first woman to serve as chief executive officer of a major automotive company, a sign that corporate boards and investors increasingly see leaders' gender as a non-issue and gender diversity perhaps even as an asset.

Trey McClure, vice president of supply management with Lawson Products, explains the importance of supply "change" management -- and identifies a shortage of leaders who can address the issue today.

A survey of hiring managers and human resources professionals about recruiting and employment trends in manufacturing and distribution found that 77 percent of manufacturers and distributors are facing challenges finding skilled workers for new positions and to replace workers who have left.

While President Obama and Congress keep talking about the plight and economic cost of Americans' declining incomes, a growing number of states and municipalities frustrated by federal inaction are moving to do something about it. Legislators and voters in five states "” California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island "” and in four local governments this year approved measures raising the minimum wage above the current national rate of $7.25 an hour, in one case as high as $15 an hour.