Last week, while I was in Shanghai, attending the IBF Forecasting Conference, I learned of the death of Dick Clark. Dick, the Demand Planning Global Process Owner at Procter & Gamble, was always one of my favorite interviews for my reports. Not only was he smart and insightful, but he was also a fighter. He fought for demand planning excellence, and after many years of a heroic fight of brain and lung cancer, Dick slipped away last Sunday following a heart attack.  He leaves a network of trained global planners within the Procter & Gamble system that will carry on his legacy.

Remembering a Legacy

Five years ago, in an interview, Dick and I spoke of China and the barriers to building a team of planners in the explosive economy. At that time, I had just returned from Shanghai and was disappointed to not find more planning talent at the supply chain events. Dick had just finished training all of the P&G regions on forecasting and had spent months on the road with his in-country teams. We shared notes. We talked about what makes good global planning, and how to best use regional observations. It was one of my favorite discussions with Dick, and it was especially poignant as I watched a group of 60 planners register for the IBF certification/conference. ( I could not find a planner at a conference five years ago.)
Coming back from China, I wanted to talk to Dick about my observations. I wanted to share that while I could not find planners at conferences five years ago, that I was very impressed with the quality, focus and intent of the planners that came to the IBF conference. I felt that I witnessed a focus on planning that was not possible five years ago. I wanted to thank him for his service to improve the practice of forecasting. Unfortunately, this will not be possible. Instead, I hung my head and spent an hour walking outside thinking about what I learned from Dick Clark.

What I learned from Dick

Dick was very giving and always prepared for my interviews. He never turned down an opportunity. Here are some of my key takeaways from the many discussions:
A good forecast is used: My first analyst report was “What Makes a Good Forecast”. While other practicioners spoke of numbers, models and technologies, Dick took a much more pragmatic approach. In his opinion, the best forecasts are used. He was working to improve consistency in the data, reliability in reporting and simplicity in data representation.
Organizational change is slow, be patient: He had been at this for over twenty years. We spoke of bias and error and the need for organizational alignment. His caution was that success comes in inches not miles. He believe that with the consolidation of major manufacturers that the evolution of great demand planning practices required a slow and consistent focus. He believed one of the most important attributes for his team was patience.
 Forecasting teams must be trained: Dick was a stickler for training. What I thought should be obvious, Dick explained was not so obvious, especially in emerging economies. He believed that the teams should be trained in region and that it was his role to slowly build the skills. He dedicated his life to this legacy.
Look for new ways to do things: Dick was one of the earliest adopters of Advanced Planning Systems (APS) and he was always scouting for new technologies. He had the courage to push the adoption of what was then a little known technology provider, Terra Technology, and he was confident to invest in co-development with a small, and emerging technology vendor. He understood that it was harder to do co-development with large technology providers, and was willing to take risks.
Give back to the practice: In the years that he fought cancer with radiation and chemotherapy, I frequently ran into Dick on the speaker circuit. While many would have withdrawn to heal, Dick continued to give. I watched him give a speech last December with a disfigured face and slurred speech from radiation. At break, I asked about his treatment if he was ok to travel. He commented that he was not ready to die. He fought. He gave, and he believed.
Supply chain management practices are maturing in China. Most of the planners that came to the event were from major corporations that had been mentored by the Dick Clark’s of their organization. Thank-you Dick, and all of the other early pioneers that paved the way for global supply chains.  I want to say thanks for all that you did.
Dick, may you rest in peace. I will miss you.