Joel Blanchard
About Joel Blanchard
Joel Blanchard serves as the Senior Vice President of Group Purchasing Organization and Brand Supply Chain at Inspire Brands, where he has worked since 2022. He has a strong background in supply chain management, having held various leadership roles at Georgia-Pacific LLC and experience as a Finance Officer in the U.S. Army.
Work at Inspire
Joel Blanchard serves as the Senior Vice President of the Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) and Brand Supply Chain at Inspire Brands since 2022. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring consistency across all brands within the supply chain teams. He has developed relationships and integration between the supply chain organization and various brands at Inspire Brands. Additionally, he leads joint procurement projects between Inspire Brands and external supply chain cooperatives, focusing on optimizing operations and enhancing collaboration.
Previous Experience at Georgia-Pacific LLC
Prior to his current position, Joel Blanchard held multiple roles at Georgia-Pacific LLC. He served as Senior Director of Supply Chain Optimization and Operations Support from 2016 to 2017. He then progressed to Vice President of Strategic Sourcing & Procurement from 2021 to 2022, and Vice President of Category Supply Chain from 2019 to 2021. His tenure at Georgia-Pacific also included a role as Director of Strategy and Analytics from 2013 to 2016, and Senior Director of Supply Chain Strategy and Category Supply Chain from 2017 to 2019.
Military Background
Joel Blanchard has a significant military background, having served in the U.S. Army. He worked as a Finance Officer in various capacities from 2005 to 2008, including positions at the 125th Finance Battalion and the 8th Theater Sustainment Command in Hawaii. He also served as a Field Artillery Officer from 2003 to 2005, with deployments in Hawaii and Afghanistan. His military experience provided him with foundational skills in leadership and operations.
Education and Expertise
Joel Blanchard earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School, completing the program from 2008 to 2010. He also holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he studied from 1999 to 2003. His educational background equips him with strong analytical and strategic skills applicable in supply chain management and operations.
Achievements in Supply Chain Management
Throughout his career, Joel Blanchard has focused on enhancing supply chain operations. At Inspire Brands, he has identified and shared best practices within the supply chain organization. His leadership in joint procurement projects and integration efforts has contributed to improved efficiency and collaboration across various brands. His experience in strategic sourcing and procurement at Georgia-Pacific further underscores his expertise in supply chain optimization.