At the heart of The Prophets’ vision are “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes.” What are they? Find out, and see the future yourself. Click here

As 2025 wraps up, the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast looks back on its journey and shares thoughts about what’s next. Hosts Jan Griffiths, Jim Liegghio, and Terry Onica take a moment to celebrate the podcast’s impact, highlighting 15,000 downloads in over 20 countries, and look forward to their 100th episode in 2026, a milestone only a few podcasts achieve.

Jim encourages listeners to revisit past episodes to hear how industry leaders think, solve problems, and approach supply chain challenges. Terry shares her retirement from QAD after 23 years, celebrating a career spent promoting supply chain excellence and promising to continue contributing to projects she loves.

Jan confirms the podcast isn’t going anywhere. In 2026, it will return with a refreshed format and new energy. For now, listeners can check out past episodes, dive deeper into the content on the website, and follow along as the hosts continue sharing conversations that shape the automotive supply chain.

Featured on this episode:

Name: Jan Griffiths

Title: President and Founder, Gravitas Detroit

About: Jan is the architect of cultural change in the automotive industry. As the President & Founder of Gravitas Detroit, Jan brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for transforming company cultures. Additionally, she is the host of the Automotive Leaders Podcast, where she shares insightful conversations with industry visionaries. Jan is also the author of AutoCulture 2.0, a groundbreaking book that challenges the traditional leadership model prevalent in the automotive world. With her extensive experience and commitment to fostering positive change, Jan is at the forefront of revolutionizing the automotive landscape.

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: James “Jim” Liegghio

Title: Manager, Customer Experience & Engagement, Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)

About: Jim is a seasoned supply chain leader with over 25 years of experience, particularly in the automotive sector. His expertise spans a wide range of areas, from hands-on plant-level material and production control to high-level corporate logistics roles at major OEMs like FCA. He has navigated the complexities of international logistics, trade compliance, and cross-functional collaboration, gaining a global perspective that enhances his approach to supply chain management. He excels at working across departments to achieve strategic goals, with a strong focus on optimizing operations and fostering relationships. His work isn’t just about logistics; it’s about cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, community, and diversity. Throughout his career, Jim has remained committed to lifelong learning, driven by a genuine curiosity and a passion for leadership.

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: Terry Onica

Title: Director, Automotive at

At the heart of The Prophets’ vision are “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes.” What are they? Find out, and see the future yourself. Click here

This episode takes a break from our usual detailed discussions to reflect on the conversations that shaped the year for the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast.

Jan Griffiths, joined by co-hosts Jim Liegghio and Terry Onica, looks at why specific episodes stuck with them and what those moments reveal about where the automotive supply chain is heading.

Live podcasting quickly rises to the top, especially the Midwest User Group episodes. Hearing customers talk openly about what they deal with every day brought everything back to reality.

The hosts agree that these conversations stood out because they were raw, unscripted, and focused on real-life challenges rather than polished talking points.

From there, the focus shifts to the next generation of supply chain leaders. Episodes recorded at the GM Wayne State Case Competition and other student-focused events captured something rare: genuine excitement about supply chain careers.

Hearing students wrestle with real GM case studies and receive direct feedback from senior leaders reinforced why investing time in education and mentorship matters.

Jim then reflects on episodes centered on leadership under pressure, including Kyle Price from Caterpillar and Darrin Lucas from Nissan. Both talked about disruption as something you plan for, not something that throws you off balance.

Tariffs, volatility, aftersales pressure, none of it was treated as a crisis. The focus remained on preparation, trusting teams, and staying level-headed. The takeaway was simple but powerful. The way leaders respond sets the tone for everyone else.

For Jan, Kate Vitasek’s work on collaborative agreements stood out because it moved beyond talk and into how collaboration actually works. But with structure, accountability, and measurable business impact.

Ted Mabley’s data-driven discussion on RFQs exposed how outdated processes still slow the industry down and why technology only works when people are willing to rethink habits and silos.

The episode closes with a grounded reminder: AI, standards, and platforms matter, but they are not shortcuts. Progress depends on people, relationships, and the willingness to unlearn old ways of working.

With that perspective, the hosts wrap up 2025 grateful for the conversations, the community, and the momentum heading into the year ahead.

Featured on this episode:

Name: Terry Onica

Title: Director, Automotive at QAD

About: For two decades, Terry has been the automotive vertical director of this provider of manufacturing Enterprise Resource Planning software and supply chain solutions. Her career began in the supply chain in the late 1980s when she led a team to implement Electronic Data Interchange for all the Ford assembly and component plants.

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: Jan Griffiths

Title: President and Founder, Gravitas Detroit

About: Jan is the architect of cultural change in the automotive industry. As the President & Founder of Gravitas Detroit, Jan brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for transforming company cultures. Additionally, she is the host of the

At the heart of The Prophets’ vision are “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes.” What are they? Find out, and see the future yourself. Click here

Brand loyalty at Nissan isn’t earned during a sale. It’s earned later, when a driver needs a repair, and the part they need is already there. That moment shapes Darrin Lucas’s work. He leads after-sales supply chain operations across the Americas, making sure vehicles stay in service instead of sitting in a bay waiting for parts.

His team manages warranty support, service parts, and dealer inventory with one goal in mind: a repair should feel routine to the customer. The planning beneath it, however, is anything but routine. Instead of reacting to dealer requests, they work ahead of demand and stock items based on what they expect will be needed weeks from now.

To make those decisions earlier and with more accuracy, Nissan is moving past traditional forecasting habits. The company utilizes AI-driven predictions, real-time performance dashboards, and automation in its distribution centers to prepare the correct parts before customers arrive for service.

With better insight comes a different kind of supply chain partnership. Suppliers aren’t just shipping parts; they’re sharing data, adapting quickly, and helping Nissan support both production and service without sacrificing one for the other.

Dealers are also part of the strategy. Darrin talks about advisory boards where dealers give feedback, test ideas, and influence how inventory gets planned.

This helps Nissan prevent shortages before they occur, and it provides a clearer picture of what customers are actually experiencing in service bays, not just what spreadsheets predict.

Darrin’s own career mirrors the way Nissan wants the organization to work. He joined Nissan as a packaging engineer and moved into logistics, quality, and operations because leaders encouraged him to learn beyond his role. That gave him the perspective he uses today.

Now, he leads by giving his team the same space to grow, allowing people to learn, think independently, and solve problems without being controlled by every metric. When people understand the business, the KPIs follow.

Nissan views after-sales as an ongoing promise to customers who have already chosen the brand. It isn’t a backup to manufacturing or a response to breakdowns. It’s part of the relationship that continues long after the car leaves the showroom, earning loyalty through every mile the vehicle stays on the road.

Themes discussed in this episode:

• How stocking service parts weeks in advance prevents vehicles from sitting idle at the dealership
• The shift from outdated forecasting methods to AI-driven demand planning in automotive after-sales
• How automation in distribution centers speeds up service part delivery and reduces wait times
• Why suppliers must support both production and after-sales to meet customer repair expectations
• The increasing demand for OEM parts through e-commerce and how it disrupts traditional delivery models
• How proactive parts planning turns after-sales into a strategic advantage instead of a reaction to breakdowns
• The value of cross-functional experience in building leaders who understand the entire parts lifecycle
• The responsibility of after-sales supply chain teams to maintain customer confidence after the sale

Featured on this episode:

Name: Darrin Lucas

Title: Director, Aftersales Supply Chain Operations Americas at Nissan North America

About: Darrin is the Director of Aftersales Supply Chain Operations for the