Title: Adjunct Professor of Supply Chain Management
Company: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Location: New York, New York, United States
Don Klock, adjunct professor of supply chain management at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in education and supply chain management.
With a distinguished career spanning several decades, Mr. Klock has made significant contributions to the fields of education and supply chain management. Since 2008, he has served in various roles at Rutgers Business School (RBS), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He joined the university as a professor of supply chain management in 2008, a role he held until 2014, teaching global procurement and supply chain management courses at the master’s and executive levels. In addition, he helped develop the supply chain management program into a nationally recognized one, ranking third in the U.S. by Gartner Supply Chain Leaders in 2011, thirteenth by US News and World in 2014, and thirteenth by Supply Chain Management World in 2014.
Concurrently, Mr. Klock served as the business director for supply chain management at RBS from 2009 to 2014, where he directed the activities of the Rutgers Center for Supply Chain Management. This center is dedicated to the development of leading-edge supply chain strategies and practical solutions to problems encountered by the business community. Following these positions, he became an adjunct professor and contract trainer with RBS, where he has excelled since 2014. In this role, he teaches Master of Business Administration courses domestically and internationally and develops and teaches procurement and supply chain management programs for major corporations on a contract basis.
Before his tenure at RBS, Mr. Klock held several high-ranking positions at Colgate Palmolive Company, including vice president and chief procurement officer from 2005 to 2008, vice president of global materials, logistics, and sourcing from 2000 to 2005, and vice president of supply chain management at Hills Pet Nutrition Inc. from 1997 to 2000. His extensive experience also includes roles at Mars Inc., where he was vice president and general manager of North American logistics services from 1994 to 1997, and director of purchasing and logistics at Uncle Ben’s Inc. from 1987 to 1994. Earlier in his career, he held various managerial positions at Mars Inc. and the R.T. French Company.
In addition to his primary career roles, Mr. Klock developed and launched two sets of courses in global procurement and sourcing specialization in partnership with Rutgers Business School in 2020, available on Coursera Inc., a massive open online course provider, with over 33,000 students enrolled in his courses. He also served on the editorial review board for Inside Supply Management from 2011 to 2014 and has presented at various conferences, workshops, and invited talks. Furthermore, he sat as an advisor for Clarkson University’s Business Leadership Council from 2006 to 2014.
Mr. Klock’s educational background laid a solid foundation for his distinguished career. He earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering and management from Clarkson University in 1972, followed by a Master of Business Administration in operations management from the University of Rochester in 1977. In addition to his academic achievements, he is a certified purchasing manager, further underscoring his expertise and commitment to the field.
Mr. Klock’s achievements in the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Procurement Leaders Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and the Pros to Know Award from Supply and Demand Chain Executive Magazine, IronMarkets LLC in 2012. Additionally, he received the Dean’s Meritorious Teaching Service Award for the 2009-2010 academic year, highlighting his dedication to both industry and education. He is also actively involved in several professional organizations, reflecting his commitment to the field of supply chain management. He is a member of Supply Chain Leaders in Action, the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals, and the Institute of Supply Management.
During Mr. Klock’s career, standout moments include tenure at RBS, where he secured internships and jobs for Master of Business Administration students, achieving 100% summer internship placement for supply chain management majors and a 93% job placement rate for graduates. His efforts contributed to Rutgers’ top rankings by Gartner and U.S. News & World Report. Throughout his career, he moved 13 times, accepting every promotion and gaining diverse experience. At Colgate, during a global restructuring program from 2004 to 2008, he delivered over $1 billion in savings by centralizing procurement operations, enhancing expenditure control, and generating substantial savings for the company. Looking ahead, Mr. Klock plans to continue traveling and taking on training and consulting assignments to keep him stimulated and to help fund his travel bucket list.
For more information, please visit:
Coursera – Advanced Global Procurement and Sourcing Specialization
Contact Mr. Klock:
