A core part of the logistics technology renaissance that's occurred the past decade has been the recruitment of some of the brightest minds in software development, whether in product, engineering or leadership roles. While the broader goal of logistics technology is to create effective solutions for industry practitioners - the consumers - it's also vital to create an environment where the solutions producers feel energized about the challenge they are undertaking.
In that spirit, the Journal of Commerce team is introducing a new element at TPMTech this year - TPMTech DevCon - to provide a forum for developers, founders, CIOs and CTOs to engage in depth with one another on some of the core challenges they face. The format will be an open dialogue around five key thematic areas, with participants split into breakout groups to tackle each topic each.
The event will be led by Chris Machut, founder and CEO of Norfolk, VA-based Netarus. Chris' role will be to coordinate the event onsite, which will take place from 10 am-12:30 pm Feb. 24, with a follow-up session after lunch to discuss findings and next steps at 1:45 pm.
TPMTech DevCon structure:
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The grand goal is to foster relationships among the huge array of technology providers - both incumbents and upstarts - aiming to improve the way global logistics works. We hope to see you in Long Beach on Feb 24 for the first ever TPMTech DevCon. Please reach out to DevCon Chair Chris Machut at chris@netarus.com with any ideas for the DevCon or if you're interested in leading one of the discussions.
DevCon Chair
Christopher Machut is the founder and CEO of Netarus, LLC, a technology firm based in Norfolk, Virginia. A Virginia Tech Computer Engineering graduate, Chris started his career in systems engineering, quickly establishing himself by breaking down traditional barriers and optimizing workflows, making the statement "There has to be a better way!" a reality.
As his career progressed, Machut honed his skills in identifying major roadblocks and applying imaginative and alternative thinking to craft inventive, case-specific solutions. Machut now takes this skill set of identifying and solving critical areas of need to the next level as the leader of Netarus. With the help of his partners and employees, he built Netarus by focusing on specific high-impact industry problems and developing specialized technologies that effectively and reliably solve the targeted problem. Netarus specializes in the development of situational awareness and tracking platforms that make use of artificial intelligence, camera systems, machine learning, and remote software systems.
Machut is a tireless technology innovator, business strategist, and advocate for people. He is a seasoned engineer and serial entrepreneur dedicated to applying his decades of creative problem-solving experience to some of the industry's most pressing issues. Machut's primary focus is on developing situational awareness products to improve workplace safety and productivity. This includes his most recent passion which is to create a game-changing AI tracking tool that will allow supply chain companies to power their decision-making with consistent, timely, and reliable data.
His entrepreneurial spirit extends to assisting others on the path to success, having begun his own founder's journey early in his career and having already achieved many of the journey’s milestones. Machut is an active member of the tech community, serving as an advisor to several startups, sitting on the boards of several regional organizations, and hosting a podcast to share his business and technology insights. He also spends time mentoring young entrepreneurs, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with them in order to help them succeed in the tech and business industries.
He has demonstrated his instinctive ability to create custom solutions tailored to customer needs, manage teams, and implement processes that improve efficiency and performance throughout his career. Machut is a driven, innovative leader who is always looking for new and better ways to approach industry challenges with a forward-thinking approach and an eye on tomorrow's best technology.