From Small-Town Grit to Global Supply Chains

Vice President of Supply Chain Analytics Chuck Harwood brings a lifetime of grit and a data-driven mindset to advancing mission readiness.

Chuck Harwood started working when he was nine years old.

“It was all hands on deck,” he remembers.  

At his parents’ and stepparents’ construction, factory, dairy, and hair salon jobs in the tiny town of Allegan, Michigan, “I had to contribute to make things work—whether it was picking up nails at a construction site, milking cows at 4 a.m., or sweeping up hair,” said Harwood.

The experiences led him to appreciate diligence.

“I learned to see challenges not as barriers, but as opportunities to think differently and make things work,” he recounted.

This perspective has propelled his success in the defense and aerospace industries over the past 15 years, at workplaces like Boeing, where he fell in love with procurement, Raytheon, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and now Davidson, where he serves as Vice President of Supply Chain Analytics.

Supply chain is both his expertise and passion.

“A single screw or a single bolt can stop the production line and put people at risk,” said Harwood. “Data-driven supply chains are the catalyst for speed, agility, and mission success.”

That same passion extends beyond Davidson.

Chuck is also an Adjunct Professor of Supply Chain Management at The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s College of Business, where he teaches transportation and logistics courses and brings real-world insights from the defense industry into the classroom.

In June, he was named Outstanding Part-Time Undergraduate Faculty, an honor that recognized his ability to bridge theory and practice while inspiring the next generation of supply chain professionals.

“The opportunity to bring real-world experience into the classroom—to connect theory with actual application, to mentor students as they go on their journeys—it’s amazing to me,” Harwood said. “I don’t take that privilege for granted.”

In his role at Davidson, that same spirit of mentorship and innovation continues. Over the past several months, Harwood and his team have leveraged a large language model to build a new supply chain analytics platform called SCALE, unifying data and delivering predictive insights. It’s expected to lead to speedier decision-making and cost savings.

“SCALE provides clarity and confidence,” Harwood said, describing the platform as an important piece of a larger puzzle. “Supply chain plays a critical role in getting all the components and capabilities fielded to protect our nation as a whole.”

National defense is a calling he’s proud to support—and one that hits close to home. The VP is a father to three children, who are ages 16, 12, and nine—the same age Harwood was when he started working.

“My kids give me a purpose,” he said. “It’s very much—this isn’t just for me. It’s not just the paycheck. It’s the mission.”