SCICBI - Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator
SCICBI is where business education, industry innovation, and regional economic development meet. Housed within Governors State University’s College of Business, the Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator helps organizations, entrepreneurs, and students transform ideas into practical solutions through consulting, training, supply chain optimization, process improvement, and incubation support. By leveraging university expertise, strategic partnerships, and its connection to the Illinois Innovation Network, SCICBI strengthens workforce development, supports business competitiveness, and advances innovation across the Chicago Southland and the State of Illinois.
SCICBI Advisory Board Members
The Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator Advisory Board brings together accomplished leaders from business, logistics, entrepreneurship, government, higher education, and community development to help guide the strategic direction of SCICBI. Through their collective expertise, board members provide insight, industry perspective, partnership opportunities, and support that strengthen SCICBI’s mission to advance innovation, workforce development, business growth, and regional economic impact across the Chicago metropolitan area. Their leadership helps ensure that SCICBI remains responsive to the needs of businesses, startups, students, and the broader supply chain ecosystem.
As SCICBI continues to grow, we welcome interest from professionals who are passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, supply chain excellence, workforce development, and community impact. Prospective board members should bring a spirit of collaboration, strategic insight, and a commitment to helping connect industry, education, and opportunity. Those interested in learning more about board service are invited to connect with SCICBI and explore how their experience, network, and leadership can help shape the future of business innovation in the region.
Dr. Tricia Kerns, LSSBB, Associate Director
Dr. Tricia Kerns earned her Ed.D degree from Olivet Nazarene University with a concentration in Ethical Leadership. She has extensive management experience in various industries in operations, manufacturing, material management, distribution, warehousing, and transportation along with 20+ years in the Operations/Supply Chain Management field. Her research study explored Midwest small- and medium-sized manufacturing and their ability to compete in the global economy. Dr. Kerns earned her MBA from Governors State University with a specialization in Leadership and a BA from Governors State University with a concentration in Operations Management. She also holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Purdue University and is APICS – CPIM certified (The Operations Management Association) and APICS - CLTD certified and is also an APICS CPIM & CLTD Certified Trainer. Dr. Kerns also earned an SCPro certification from CSCMP (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals) and mentors students today who elect to take this exam.
Dr. Kerns is an active member of the International Testing Committee at APICS Corporate located in Chicago. Her active term is 2017-2019 as she explores current industry material to develop and analyze examination material for the international testing that APICS utilizes globally. Dr. Kerns joined the GovState's College of Business in August 2014 as a University Lecturer. She teaches Operations Management, Quality Management, Project management, Lean Six Sigma, as well as Business Ethics at both undergraduate and graduate levels as well as Leadership at the graduate level. Dr. Kerns is the lead advisor for our GovState Supply Chain Student Club and provides consulting opportunities for GovState Continuing Education as well as the College of Business. She continues to work with various business leaders and professional Supply Chain organizations that provide students with real-life opportunities to help them advance in their career goals.
John Grueling, Founder, JEG 360 LLC (Board Co-Chair)
John E. Greuling has over 40 years of experience as a professional economic developer. He is currently the President and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development (CED) and Will County Economic Development Foundation—a position he has held since 2001. Among his priorities are business recruitment and retention/expansion, managing the development of the largest Inland Port in North America and the development of the Illiana Expressway and the South Suburban Airport.
Prior to joining the CED he was Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Business & Economic Development for InterMountain/RKH, a corporate affairs firm based in Denver specializing in government relations, strategic communications and business and economic development. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Economic Development for the Greensboro Area Chamber of Commerce in Greensboro, North Carolina; Executive Director for the Southeast Denver/Douglas County Economic Development Council; Director of the Colorado Office of Business Development; and Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development of the Bloomington-Normal Area.
Greuling, a native of Oak Park, Illinois is a graduate of Illinois State University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy in 1974, he received his Master of Science in City and Regional Planning from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1976. In 2016 he was conferred a Doctor of Humanities Honorary Degree from Lewis University.
Rick Blasgen, Past President of Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Strategic Advisor of CSCMP
Rick D. Blasgen was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) in Lombard, Illinois, USA. Blasgen began his career with Nabisco, working in a regional customer service center in Chicago, Illinois. While at Nabisco, he held various logistics positions of increasing responsibility in inventory management, order processing, and transportation and distribution center operations management. Mr. Blasgen became vice-president, supply chain, at Nabisco in June 1998, then vice-president supply chain for Kraft in June 2002. He joined ConAgra Foods in August 2003 as senior vice-president integrated logistics.
Mr. Blasgen has devoted much of his time to furthering a number of company’s supply chain management programs and initiatives. This experience has given him a solid foundation for his roles at CSCMP where he has responsibility for the overall business operations and strategic plan of the organization. His efforts support CSCMP’s mission of leading the supply chain management profession through the development and dissemination of supply chain education and research.
Mr. Blasgen was recently designated by the US Department of Commerce to serve as the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (ACSCC) providing the administration advice and council on issues and concerns that affect the supply chain sector. He is a member of Northwestern University’s Transportation Center Business Advisory Committee and a past chair of the Grocery Manufacturers Association Logistics Committee, and a past president of the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC).
Mr. Blasgen holds a B.A. in finance from Governors State University.
Hannah Fernandez, Founder and CEO of ROI Business Funding
Hannah Fernandez is the Founder and CEO of ROI Business Funding. She is the first woman to become Chair of SCORE Chicago. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Hannah has over a decade experience in startups, sales, marketing, funding, and management leadership. Hannah advocates for small businesses who have limited access to capital and networks, andshe empowers women and minorities to be in positions of leadership and influence in business. Hannah is the host of SCORE Chicago TV’s “Let’s Talk Business” show. She is a featured expert columnist in Where Women Create WORK Magazine, the strategic business funding expert at Women’s Leadership LIVE, and the Financial Coach at Metropolitan Family Services. Hannah served on the City of Chicago Mayoral Business Council, and she was the Chair of the National Latino Education Institute (NLEI) Business Leadership Council for over 3 years. She was a member of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), Board of Directors at Mega Partnering and a Community Board Member for Metropolitan Family Services. Hannah is a member of the Advisory Collective Council for the Illinois State Comptroller. Hannah moderated and produced the sold-out "Game Changers: Women's International Day" in collaboration with Women's Leadership LIVE, Where Women Create WORK Magazines, Chicago Business Affairs & Consumer Protection, the Chicago White Sox, and HispanicPro. She is a sought-after speaker and panelist at business events, including: “Unstoppable Confidence: Women in Leadership”; SCORE and the SBA's “Show Me the Money” workshop; WBDC’s Latina Entrepreneurial Accelerated Development Program (LEADHer); SCORE and The Latino Coalition "Power of Mentoring" to name a few. Hannah has appeared in WCIU-TV's You & Me This Morning, ABC 7, WTTW 11 and has been featured in USA Today, CBS, The Daily Herald, Yahoo! News, and other publications.
Philip Resendiz, VP, Midwest Region, XPO Logistics
Philip Resendiz is an accomplished logistics executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in transportation and supply chain management. As President & COO of Go2 Logistics, he drives national growth, operational excellence, and customer-focused innovation. His career includes senior roles at Roadtex Transportation, Hub Group, XPO Logistics, and FedEx Freight, where he led multi-billion-dollar operations and delivered transformational results. A U.S. Army veteran, Philip holds an MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and advises organizations on strategic planning, logistics innovation, and workforce development.
Cortney Sigilai, Co-Founder and Owner, Treluxe Hair Products
Cortney Sigilai is a people-focused leader with experience in communication, culture, and leadership development across local, global, and Fortune 300 organizations. Along the side of her husband, she now leads her own e-commerce business, guiding teams in HR, marketing, and product innovation to build strong cultures and great products.
Dylon Donahue, Founder, FreightFit AI
Dylon Donahue has more than 20 years of experience in transportation and logistics. He began his career with eight years of service in the U.S. military, where he held leadership roles in various logistics and supply chain operations.
In 2014, he transitioned to the freight forwarding industry with DHL Global Forwarding, advancing through key account management roles before becoming a District Manager and Product Head. He later served as a General Manager at DSV Air & Sea in Chicago.
Recognizing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in logistics, he began developing practical applications for the industry. In early 2025, he founded FreightFit AI to provide forwarders and trucking companies with a low-risk, practical way to adopt AI in their daily processes. Dylon holds a master's degree in supply chain management from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville and a bachelor's degree in business management from Minnesota State University - Mankato.
Justin Marchant – General Manager, Dot Foods
Justin Marchant is a supply chain operations leader with experience across procurement, sales operations, and distribution management. After serving as Director of Procurement at Upper Iowa University, he joined Dot Foods in 2017 and has held several leadership roles. He currently serves as General Manager of the University Park facility, overseeing both Dot Transportation, Inc. (approximately 205 employees) and Dot Foods operations (approximately 218 employees) across a wide range of supply chain and warehouse roles.
Marc Brajkovich, Asst. Terminal Manager, Estes Express Lines
Marc Brajkovich is an experienced supply chain and logistics professional whose career reflects a strong combination of operational leadership, entrepreneurship, business development, and service. He currently serves as Assistant Terminal Manager for Estes Express Lines in Joliet, Illinois, where he supports operations for a complex transportation facility, contributes to employee development, assists with profit and loss analysis, and helps implement strategies that strengthen efficiency and performance. His experience also includes founding ENACT, LLC, a third-party logistics and technology services provider that supported transportation management, software, training, auditing, and request for proposal services before being acquired by My Freight World Technologies in 2014. Earlier in his career, Marc held leadership roles with Matson Integrated Logistics and Roadway Express Lines, where he helped launch a new highway transportation service, supported sales and operations teams, managed customer relationships, and earned recognition for performance, process improvement, and leadership.
Marc is a proud Governors State University alumnus, earning both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Operations and Supply Chain Management. In addition to his professional work, he serves as an Alumni Athletic Associate at GSU, where he supports alumni engagement, athletics, student-athlete recognition, and community-building efforts across the university. Marc also served in the United States Marine Corps and received an honorable discharge, an experience that helped shape his commitment to discipline, teamwork, accountability, and service. Through his work with SCICBI, Marc brings practical industry knowledge, entrepreneurial insight, and a strong commitment to connecting business education with real-world supply chain leadership, student development, and community impact.
Manthan Lad, Advanced Purchasing Technical Sourcing Group Leader, Nidec Mobility America Corporation
Manthan Lad is an advanced purchasing and strategic sourcing professional with Nidec Mobility America Corporation, where he serves in a leadership role supporting mechanical group sourcing within the company’s North American operations. His work is connected to global corporate purchasing and reflects the critical role sourcing professionals play in supplier relationships, cost alignment, technical purchasing decisions, and the movement of components through complex automotive supply chains. In an industry shaped by innovation, quality expectations, and rapidly changing technology, Manthan brings a practical understanding of how purchasing strategy supports product development, manufacturing readiness, and long-term business performance.
Through his role at Nidec Mobility America Corporation, Manthan contributes to a company focused on automotive electronics, including sensing, control technology, power system components, user interfaces, switches, and related vehicle systems. His experience offers valuable perspective for SCICBI’s work at the intersection of supply chain, business innovation, technology, and workforce development. As supply chains continue to evolve through advanced manufacturing, automation, supplier collaboration, and data-informed decision-making, Manthan’s professional background provides students, partners, and industry stakeholders with a grounded example of how strategic sourcing connects technical knowledge with business execution.
Dr. Sonia Dalmia, Dean, GovState
Dr. Sonia Dalmia serves as Dean of the College of Business at Governors State University and Director of the Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator. Since joining GovState in September 2023, Dr. Dalmia has brought extensive experience in economics, assessment, accreditation, strategic planning, academic program development, and higher education leadership to the College of Business. Before coming to Governors State University, she served at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business, including as Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, New Initiatives, and Outreach, and as a professor of economics. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Iowa and has significant experience supporting AACSB accreditation and institutional development efforts.
In her role with SCICBI, Dr. Dalmia brings a strong academic and strategic leadership lens to the Center’s work at the intersection of supply chain innovation, business education, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and regional engagement. Her leadership reflects the College of Business’s commitment to building programs and partnerships that are innovative, inclusive, and impactful. As SCICBI continues to connect students, faculty, industry partners, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders, Dr. Dalmia’s experience in academic planning, outreach, and business education helps support the Center’s mission to strengthen opportunities across the Chicago Southland region and prepare learners for an evolving business landscape.
Dr. Olumide Ijose, Associate Provost & Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, GovState
Dr. Olumide (Olu) Ijose serves as Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Governors State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University with concentrations in Industrial Relations, Labor Economics, and Human Resource Planning, and joined Governors State in 2010.
Dr. Ijose was the inaugural Director of the Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator (SCICBI) and previously served as Division Chair in the College of Business. Under his leadership, SCICBI has secured multiple competitive grants, including $579,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (Build-to-Scale Program) to expand operations, $454,554 from the State of Illinois to redevelop Hantack House as its permanent home, and $50,000 from the South Suburban Economic Growth Initiative to strengthen workforce training programs.
He also played a key role in developing the proposal and implementing a $1 million preliminary NSF Engine Award,in partnership with the Illinois Innovation Network and the Office of the Provost, for the project Advancing Smart Logistics in Illinois. As Principal Investigator, Dr. Ijose leads the development of a Logistics Optimization Lab that integrates data analytics, simulation, and applied research to enhance regional competitiveness.
Dr. Ijose’s research focuses on global value chains, knowledge transfer, and economic growth, drawing on corporate experience with Accenture and Shell. His work has been published in leading journals including Competitiveness Review, Journal of Developing Areas, and Academy of Business Research Journal. He teaches Strategic Management and International Business, bridging theory and practice to prepare students for leadership in a global economy.
Gloria Fuller, Business Liaison, GovState
Gloria Fuller is a dedicated and highly organized administrative professional with a proven track record of managing operations, supporting executives, and improving administrative efficiency across higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations.
She currently serves as Office Manager in the College of Business at Governors State University, where she oversees daily operations for the Dean”s Office and the Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator (SCICBI). In this role, she coordinates meetings and events, manages communications and purchasing, and fosters partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.
Prior to joining Governors State University, Gloria served as Front Office Manager at Oak Lawn Respiratory & Rehabilitation Center and Office Coordinator for the Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens (CARC), where she supervised staff, managed payroll and vendor relations, and led key administrative initiatives.
Known for her reliability, resourcefulness, and professionalism, Gloria takes pride in creating organized, service-focused office environments that support both staff and leadership success.
Dr. Karen A. Blackman, Marketing Advisor, GovState
Dr. Karen A. Blackman brings a strategic, equity-centered, and story-driven approach to her role in marketing and communications for the Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator. Possessing a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership, a Master of Public Administration, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, and deep experience in higher education communications, Dr. Blackman understands how to translate complex ideas into messages that are clear, engaging, and connected to the people they are meant to reach. She describes her professional lens as that of a “Leadership Disruptor | Inclusive Strategist | Narrative Engineer | Branding with Purpose,” reflecting her commitment to using communication as both a strategic tool and a bridge-builder. Her work centers on helping organizations clarify their story, elevate underrepresented voices, and create brand strategies that are not only polished, but purposeful.
In her professional practice, Dr. Blackman supports marketing, outreach, brand storytelling, website content, event communications, stakeholder engagement, and student-centered messaging. Her experience spans higher education, human resources, alumni engagement, business development, and strategic communications, giving her a practical understanding of how to connect academic programs, industry partners, students, alumni, and community stakeholders. As part of SCICBI, Dr. Blackman helps strengthen the Center’s visibility by shaping communications that highlight its programs, partnerships, industry relevance, and impact within the Chicago Southland region. She is especially committed to ensuring that innovation, entrepreneurship, and supply chain education are communicated in ways that feel accessible, inclusive, and meaningful to a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Dr. Blackman’s approach to marketing is grounded in clarity, relationship-building, and purpose-driven storytelling. She believes strong communication should do more than announce what an organization does; it should help people understand why the work matters, who it serves, and how they can be part of the story. Through her work with SCICBI, she contributes a communications lens that supports collaboration among industry leaders, startups, students, faculty, alumni, and university partners. Outside of her SCICBI work, Dr. Blackman is passionate about mentorship, elevating professional voices from underrepresented communities, and staying ahead of emerging trends in brand strategy, inclusive marketing, and strategic storytelling.
- Gloria Fuller
- SCICBI Contact
- College of Business Dean Office
- gfuller@govst.edu