Karel Hurka, Jr.
About Karel Hurka, Jr.
Karel Hurka, Jr. is the Sr. Director of Supply Chain at BillionToOne, bringing over 20 years of experience in supply chain and materials management. He has held various leadership roles in notable companies, including Genomic Health, Pendulum Therapeutics, and CareDx, while applying methodologies such as SPC, TQM, and Lean Manufacturing.
Work at BillionToOne
Karel Hurka, Jr. has been serving as the Sr. Director of Supply Chain at BillionToOne since March 2022. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing supply chain operations and implementing strategies to enhance efficiency. His extensive experience in supply chain management supports his leadership in this position.
Previous Positions in Supply Chain Management
Before joining BillionToOne, Karel held various significant roles in supply chain management. He worked at Pendulum Therapeutics as Director of Supply Chain from 2020 to 2022, and at CareDx, Inc. as Global Director of Supply Chain from 2018 to 2020. His earlier experience includes positions at GRAIL, Inc., Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp., Genomic Health, and Applied Biosystems.
Education and Expertise
Karel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Finance from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. He possesses technical and functional expertise in SAP’s MM/PP & SRM modules, and he applies methodologies such as SPC, TQM, and Lean Manufacturing in his work.
Background in Supply Chain and Materials Management
Karel has over 20 years of experience in supply chain and materials management. He began his career at Monsanto, where he worked for seven years, progressing from Buyer to Purchasing Manager. His career has included roles that required expertise in managing consignment and vendor-managed inventory programs, as well as compliance with cGMP, ISO 9001 & 13485, CLIA, and DCAA standards.
Key Skills and Competencies
Karel has developed strong skills in planning and managing materials with expiration dates, lot tracking, and serial tracking. He is proficient in various software systems, including SAP, NetSuite, Sales Force, Oracle, and MS Office. He also focuses on team building and mentoring within supply chain teams, and he develops key performance indicators to enhance supply chain efficiency.