Lynn C. Fritz enters the Logistics Hall of Fame

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

"Lynn C. Fritz has proven how logistical strategies for rapid and effective disaster relief work - a topic that is more relevant than ever due to climate change. With his induction into the Logistics Hall of Fame, the international jury recognizes his efforts to always support effective humanitarian operations on the front line with strong skills and a systematic approach in the background. The most important pillars are effective processes, professionally trained logistics personnel 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," said Anita Würmser, Executive Jury Chairwoman of the Logistics Hall of Fame, explaining the decision of the expert jury, which is made up of 70 well-known personalities from business, science, politics and the media in 13 nations.

Experts in the field of logistics for humanitarian organizations highlight several of Fritz's achievements. After selling his logistics company Fritz Companies Inc. to UPS, the Californian used his money to develop the free, web-based logistics software HELIOS at the Fritz Institute. The tool is available as a worldwide, free standard for humanitarian organizations and enables the minute-by-minute tracking of food, non-food items, donations in kind and cash donations as well as financial information about the goods in the supply chain. Experts from the institute spent around 3,000 hours interviewing Red Cross and Red Crescent employees to develop the software.

The reason: Fritz had recognized that methods and tools from the business world could not be transferred one-to-one to the supply chains of aid organizations. The entrepreneur also launched initiatives to systematically train logistics personnel and evaluate humanitarian missions using key figures. Fritz also set up the first association for humanitarian aid workers in the USA and founded a consortium of companies that provides logistics experts and donates money when needed. Lynn C. Fritz will be officially inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame at a gala reception on November 25 in the Erich Klausener Hall of the BMVI in Berlin.

Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt becomes TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year 2021

The TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award will also be presented at the reception. This year, it 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 regarding pricing and merchandise planning can be improved if they are created with the help of artificial intelligence. Retail experts recognized the potential of the NeuroBayes algorithm developed by him 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. JDA Software was renamed Blue Yonder in 2020. Panasonic acquired the company in full in 2021. Truck and bus manufacturer TRATON SE has sponsored the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award since 2020.