In this Special Edition, Food Safety Matters spoke to two supply chain experts about COVID-19 and what it means for every level of the global food industry.

John G. Keogh is a strategist, advisor, and management science researcher with 30 years of executive leadership roles as director, vice president, and senior vice president in global supply chain management, information technology, technology consulting, and supply chain standards. Currently, he is managing principal at Toronto-based, niche advisory, and research firm Shantalla Inc. He holds a post-graduate diploma in Management, an MBA in Management and a Master of Science in Business and Management Research in Transparency and Trust in the Food Chain. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on transparency and trust in global food chains at Henley Business School, University of Reading, using the lenses of agency theory, signaling theory, and transactional cost theory.

Carl or ’’C.J.” Unis is a Systems Engineer with expertise in Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government, devolution, infrastructure, supply chain logistics and emergency management. He has a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. C.J. was formerly the critical infrastructure protection program manager for the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He has served as a federal agent in the capacity of providing classified transportation for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration— Office of Secure Transportation, as well as holding numerous positions for the U.S. Marine Corps in the capacity of performing internal embassy, dignitary, motor transport specialist and classified material security duties.

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In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to John and C.J. about:

• Opinions on whether or not the current coronavirus outbreak was a foreseeable event
• How the consequences of the food industry's lack of digitization is panning out amid the outbreak
• Issues within the global supply chain, ingredient sourcing, and what could happen if the effects of COVID-19 are long-lasting
• What leadership really looks like at a time like this
• How the government and food industry are initiating change in parts of Canada
• Disruptions and unintended consequences the food industry is having to deal with
• The food industry's road to recovery

Resources
Breaking Boundaries to Avoid a Food System Crisis (February/March 2020)