Retired Professor | J.B. Hunt Transport, Supply Chain Mgmt.
Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas
Prof. Kent is recently retired Director Supply Chain China Initiatives and a Clinical Professor in the Supply Chain Management Department in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. In addition to teaching supply chain courses, his responsibilities include multiple supply chain food safety research projects and cooperative academic programs throughout China. His current research includes global supply chain topics of Supply Chain Diplomacy and Free Trade Country and provides advice on both to the Vietnam Logistics Association and the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade.
He earned his Ph.D. in Logistics and Transportation from the University of Tennessee, MBA in International Management from the University of Dallas, and BS in Computer Science from Henderson State University. Prior to joining the faculty at University of Arkansas, he was a professor at Missouri State University for 17 years. He has over ten years of industry experience in various modes of transportation.
His industry experience included the development and implementation of information systems at Burlington Northern Motor Carriers, CSX Intermodal, and Sea-Land Service. While at Sea-Land, he was responsible for the implementation of inland transportation systems in North America, Europe, Japan, and China. Early in the 2020 at the height of the pandemic he led a volunteer temporary China to USA PPE supply chain project which procured $1M+ supplies for three hospital systems.
His research has been published in the Journal of Business Logistics, Transportation Journal, and International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management.