Fritz inducted into Logistics Hall of Fame

US entrepreneur Lynn C. Fritz has been inducted into the international Logistics Hall of Fame. The TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award has been given to Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt

Born in San Francisco in 1942, Fritz is considered the founder of logistics for humanitarian organisations. In order to help those affected faster and better in a crisis, he founded the Fritz Institute named after him in 2001 with his own funds, had software developed for non-governmental organisations that could be used free of charge, and established contacts with the leaders of numerous aid organisations in order to implement new concepts and institutionalised learning.

“Lynn C. Fritz has provided proof of how logistical strategies work for fast and effective disaster relief- a topic that is more topical than ever due to climate change,” said Anita Würmser, Executive Chairperson of the Logistics Hall of Fame jury, explaining the decision of the expert jury, which includes 70 well-known personalities from business, science, politics and the media in 13 nations.

“With his induction into the Logistics Hall of Fame, the international jury recognises his efforts to consistently support effective frontline humanitarian operations with strong competencies and a systematic approach in the background. The main pillars are effective processes, professionally trained logistics staff and the use of IT. Numerous initiatives in the field of humanitarian logistics are based on the far-sighted pioneering work of Lynn C. Fritz.”

Experts in the field of logistics for humanitarian organisations highlight several of Fritz’s achievements. After selling his logistics company Fritz Companies Inc. to UPS, the Californian used his money to have the free, web-based logistics software HELIOS developed at the Fritz Institute. The tool is available as a free global standard for humanitarian organisations and enables up-to-the minute tracking of food, non-food items, in-kind and cash donations, as well as financial information about goods in the supply chain.

Experts from the Institute had spent around 3,000 hours interviewing Red Cross and Red Crescent staff to develop the software. The reason: Fritz had recognised that methods and tools from business cannot be transferred one-to-one to the supply chains of aid organisations.

The entrepreneur also pushed for initiatives to systematically train logistics personnel and evaluate humanitarian missions with the help of key figures. Fritz also founded the first association for humanitarian aid workers in the USA and established a consortium of companies that provide logistics experts and donate money when needed.

Lynn C. Fritz will be officially inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame at a gala reception on November 25th, 2021 in the Erich Klausener Hall of the BMVI in Berlin.

Feindt is Leader of the Year

The TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award will also be presented at the reception. This year the award goes to Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt, founder of the software company Blue Yonder, for which he now works as a strategic consultant. The scientist is considered an expert in data-driven software development, learning effects through data analysis and the development of new algorithms and tools in Big Data environments. In 2002, he founded a company to transfer his inventions in the field of predictive analytics from science to business. His idea: predictions in pricing and replenishment can be improved if they are made with the help of artificial intelligence.

Retail experts recognised the potential of the NeuroBayes algorithm he developed to automate operational decisions in the processes of retail companies. In 2008, managers from the Otto Group and Feindt founded the software company Blue Yonder. JDA Software bought the company in 2018. In 2020, JDA Software changed its name to Blue Yonder. In 2021, Panasonic acquired the company completely. The manufacturer of trucks and buses TRATON SE has sponsored the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award since 2020.

With the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award, the organisation honours those who set the pace and create the future of logistics. Entrepreneurs and managers from the transport and logistics sector are honoured who have been particularly successful in promoting their companies or who have set a trend-setting impulse. The focus is on topicality and the benefit for the company as well as innovative strength, sustainability and entrepreneurial change. The award is presented by the Logistics Hall of Fame and donated by TRATON SE.

The decisive factor for acceptance as a member of the Logistics Hall of Fame, on the other hand, is that an achievement is not only beneficial to an individual company, but has significantly and permanently advanced logistics beyond the boundaries of one’s own organisation or has become an industry standard. So far, 37 logisticians have made it into the international Logistics Hall of Fame. The Logistics Hall of Fame can be accessed free of charge at any time at www.logisticshalloffame.net and offers information and pictures about the logistics milestones and their makers.