Honoring Chuck Baker: A Champion for South Carolina’s Next‑Generation Supply Chain Talent
At this year’s SC Competes Fall Summit in Greenville (Sept. 9–11), we proudly recognized Chuck Baker for more than six years of volunteer leadership bringing Supply Chain Games into classrooms across South Carolina. Chuck’s steady, hands‑on commitment has helped students see and feel what supply chain roles are like, long before they choose a career path.
Through SC Competes’ Supply Chain Games, students experience the flow of goods, information, and decisions through fun, age‑appropriate simulations. Two interactive flagship exercises anchor the program, teaching supply/demand dynamics, transportation trade-offs, cost, and lead time:
- The Cell Phone Game
- The Lemonade Supply Chain Game
Since 2018, these games, delivered through SC Competes’ SC Logistics initiative, have reached 2,500+ students statewide. This reach is growing as we train more teachers to facilitate the activities directly, and this work couldn’t be done without Chuck’s commitment and partnership.
The educator behind the game
Chuck is the kind of community champion every state needs—part instructor, part mentor, always an advocate. Before bringing the Supply Chain Games to classrooms, he built his expertise at Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo, and spent more than 30 years with Michelin North America. Drawing on that depth of experience, he turns abstract supply chain ideas into hands‑on simulations, guiding students through sourcing, production, transportation, and retail so they see how coordination, data, and teamwork drive results. His approach aligns seamlessly with ASCM’s K–12 outreach and advances SC Competes’ mission to connect education and industry through practical, high‑impact learning.
Thank you, Chuck, for the countless miles driven, classes visited, and students inspired. Your dedication shows young people that supply chain isn’t just behind the scenes—it’s a dynamic, purpose‑driven career where they can build, optimize, and lead. To borrow your catch phrase, WE ASSURE YOU your impact will be felt for years to come!
Bring the Supply Chain Games to your classroom.
Educators and administrators can request a session or download information via our Lemonade Supply Chain Game page.