Alex Stark
- Senior Director, Marketing, Kane Is Able
Johns Creek
Integrated distribution, packaging, and transportation solutions for consumer goods companies.
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Articles by Alex Stark
Computer-guided dosing of multi-specific T-cell engagers
Abstract Patient-specific tumor heterogeneity limits the efficacy of conventional T-cell immunotherapies. We report MATCH, a modular split-antibody T-cell engager platform, and COMPASS, a computational framework that predicts individualized multi-specific therapy compositions. COMPASS integrates T-cell counts, tumor burden, and antigen expression (CD19, CD20, CD38) to identify dose combinations that maximize tumor cell killing while preserving T-cell viability.
Top Tens - Fantasy & SF: Top 10 Fantasy Books
“Fantasy isn’t just a jolly escape: It’s an escape, but into something far more extreme than reality, or normality. It’s where things are more beautiful and more wondrous and more terrifying.” – Terry Gilliam Exactly what it says on the tin – counting down my Top 10 Fantasy Books. In effect, it runs parallel to my Top 10 Literature list, albeit there is quite the fantasy overlap in that list, in that this is my top ten list of fantasy literature.
Mega-City Law: Top 10 Reasons Why Judge Dredd is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic
My first and true love in comics is not one of the ruling duopoly of DC and Marvel Comics, nor strictly speaking a superhero comic – although its main character is arguably as much of a ‘superhero’ as Batman – nor even an American comic, although it is set there, albeit drastically transformed in the twenty-second century.
How Integrating AI Into Our Ad Strategy Helped Us Triple Our Sales
New!Learn more It’s always hard to give up control as an entrepreneur, especially when there’s money on the line. But, I’ve found that in some regards, the more control I give up when it comes to the advertising strategy for my beauty brand, Ogee, the more success the business has seen. This has never been more apparent than when my team started integrating Meta’s Advantage+ shopping campaigns (ASC+) into our social media advertising strategy.
Catálogo de artículos de Lingüística en la Revista Paraguaya de Sociología (1964-2014)
Catálogo de artículos de Lingüística en la Revista Paraguaya de Sociología (1964-2014) Stark , Roberto H. [1] ; Stark , Alex [2] [1] Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias Humanas, Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Paraguay [2] Facultad de Filosofía, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay Localización: ÑEMITỸRÃ: Revista Multilingüe de Lengua, Sociedad y Educación, ISSN-e 2707-1642, ISSN 2707-1634, Vol. 5, Nº.
The US’ Democracy Problem
“Adults in a Room” is a series in collaboration with The Stimson Center’s Reimagining US Grand Strategy program. The series stems from the group’s monthly networking events that call on analysts to gather virtually and hash out a salient topic. This series aims to give you a peek into their Zoom room and a deep understanding of the issue at hand in less than the time it takes to sip your morning coffee without the jargon, acronyms, and stuffiness that often come with expertise.
Academic Perspective: Ukrainian Famine
Alex Stark E-InternationalRelations December 30, 2021 The Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, popularly known as the Holodomar (“murder by hunger”), defies traditional conceptions of the causes of famine, not least because scholars still do not agree on its causes. The majority of recent scholarship, led by Robert Conquest as well as Dana Dalrymple and others, has argued that the Ukraine Famine was a man-made catastrophe, caused by Stalin’s deliberately harsh procurement policy.
Give me some (warehouse) space
The industrial real estate market has changed dramatically in the last year. Today, it’s a seller’s market and power users of warehouse space, like large CPG companies, don’t have the same ability they once had to access the space they need at the rates and terms they desire. These companies need to take a more strategic, long-term approach to their industrial space requirements to make sure they have the space needed to support their companies’ growth requirements. How did we get here?
Why residential outdoor trips must not be a victim of Covid
I'm writing in support of residential outdoor learning, at a time when it urgently needs support. As a headteacher, it is the second paragraph of A Vision for Young People – published in February by Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) – that resonates with me most. It calls for an education “where every single young person has the right to progressive outdoor learning including the immersive, residential experiences”.
Be kind. Be careful. Be yourself.
The other day, we received a message on KANE’s Facebook page. It was from someone who had been driving his car behind a KANE truck for several miles and was commenting on the words on the back of every KANE trailer: “Be kind. Be careful. Be yourself.” His comment: “The last few months have been heavy for me. Somehow, reading those words over and over made me feel calmer.” We get similar comments about the trailer message about once a month.
Managing 3PL Relationships: Look for Intangible Benefits
The choice and effectiveness of your 3PL relationships have an enormous impact on your company’s profitability and its reputation with your customers. We find that the factors that lead shippers to seek out 3PLs in the first place – things like freight capacity, experience in an industry, expertise with a particular service – often are not the reasons that companies choose and stay with a 3PL provider. It’s more the intangible benefits, beyond service and cost, that make the biggest impression.
Maximizing Logistics Outsourcing Benefits: What Shippers Can Do
A good third-party logistics partner (3PL) can add millions of dollars in value beyond the cost of the service. But the extent of that value is significantly influenced by the actions of the outsourcing company and how it manages the relationship. This article offers 5 things shippers can do to maximize the benefits of logistics outsourcing. Is the logistics outsourcing relationship strategic or tactical? Let’s examine two types of relationships: tactical and strategic.
What to Look for in Food Logistics Companies
If you manage distribution for a food manufacturer, distributor or retailer, you’re concerned not only with shipping accurate, on-time orders, but also with cold chain management, regulatory compliance, food safety, and other specialized logistics challenges. Those concerns are magnified if you outsource any portion of your operations to outside food logistics companies, since you need to closely monitor these operations.
Streamline Packaging by Integrating with Product Distribution
Specific consumer products all look pretty much the same as they roll off the manufacturing line. But to satisfy the various ways retailers want to sell products and consumers want to receive them, these products are bundled, wrapped, sealed, tied and packed into dozens of different configurations for final sale. This is called secondary packaging and it’s very expensive for manufacturers to constantly adapt their production lines to create this multitude of packaging configurations.
It’s Valentine’s Day: Are You Still in Love with Your 3PL?
Marriages and logistics partnerships all start with an assumption of a happy ending. But it doesn’t always work out that way – in either case. Why do 3PL outsourcing relationships fail? A lot of the top reasons parallel what we hear in divorce courts. If any of the following reasons feel familiar to you, it might be time to ask yourself, “Are we with the right 3PL partner?” “You’ve changed.” People change over the course of a marriage and that affects relationships.
Is Your 3PL in the News? What for?
Third party logistics companies (3PLs) are often in the news these days – but for reasons quite different than they were 10 years ago. This thought occurred to me while I was skimming recent news items in some of the top logistics industry trade publications. I decided to start counting and classifying the types of stories about specific 3PLs. Close to 75% were related to either acquisitions, financial performance, lawsuits or problems with labor contracts.
Why You Should Move Secondary Packaging Closer to the Consumer
Much of the cost and complexity in CPG supply chains happen post manufacturing. Think about it. You might have one product – a potato chip – that gets packaged in dozens of ways. Historically, this final packaging has been handled as a discrete supply chain function by contract packaging companies.
10 Tips to Improve Logistics Workforce Management
Other than inventory, your logistics workforce is the largest expense in your distribution centers, eating up 50–70% of the warehousing budget. It’s why managing and reducing labor-related expenses is a top priority for just about every logistics executive. At Kane Logistics, we’re proud that our associate retention levels with our top 10 customers is 80.2%, compared to the industry average of 53.9% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
10 Tips to Improve Logistics Workforce Management
Other than inventory, your logistics workforce is the largest expense in your distribution centers, eating up 50–70% of the warehousing budget. It’s why managing and reducing labor-related expenses is a top priority for just about every logistics executive. At Kane Logistics, we’re proud that our associate retention levels with our top 10 customers is 80.2%, compared to the industry average of 53.9% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
War at Home: The Rising Threat of Domestic Political Violence
As 2020 drew to a close, we and our partners at Over Zero prepared for what we knew would be a challenging 2021. Where many commentators proclaimed success in getting through Election Day without violence, we watched with growing alarm as public figures called the integrity of the electoral process itself into question.
It’s Valentine’s Day: Are You Still in Love with Your 3PL?
Marriages and logistics partnerships all start with an assumption of a happy ending. But it doesn’t always work out that way – in either case. Why do 3PL outsourcing relationships fail? A lot of the top reasons parallel what we hear in divorce courts. If any of the following reasons feel familiar to you, it might be time to ask yourself, “Are we with the right 3PL partner?” “You’ve changed.” People change over the course of a marriage and that affects relationships.
Is Your 3PL in the News? What for?
Third party logistics companies (3PLs) are often in the news these days – but for reasons quite different than they were 10 years ago. This thought occurred to me while I was skimming recent news items in some of the top logistics industry trade publications. I decided to start counting and classifying the types of stories about specific 3PLs. Close to 75% were related to either acquisitions, financial performance, lawsuits or problems with labor contracts.
Why You Should Move Secondary Packaging Closer to the Consumer
Much of the cost and complexity in CPG supply chains happen post manufacturing. Think about it. You might have one product – a potato chip – that gets packaged in dozens of ways. Historically, this final packaging has been handled as a discrete supply chain function by contract packaging companies.
The KANE story - in the style of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
It’s the evening of Christmas day. I’ve retreated to my home office after enjoying an outstanding day filled with family, great food, and the sharing of presents. Being a supply chain wonk, I’ve already pondered the Christmas magic of how all these goodies find their way to their final destinations. Yes Virginia, it is all about logistics. That’s not what I’m thinking about, however.
Flexibility AND Scalability: A Scarce Combination Among 3PLs
Check out the marketing claims of many third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and you’ll see the words “flexible” and “scalable” used regularly, and often together. The fact is, most are good at one or the other, but not both. If we define flexible logistics as the ability and willingness to quickly adapt to market- or customer-driven changes, it’s often the smaller providers that are best able to do this.
Happy CX Day
What did you do to celebrate CX Day earlier this month? Wait…what?! You’ve never heard of it? CX, of course, is short for Customer Experience. CX Day celebrates those customers. You know, the people who keep the lights on. The day itself moves around a bit, making it hard to get traction for this particular celebration. Last year, CX Day was October 2nd. I remember it because I was in Nashville at an industry event giving a presentation on dealing with customer complaints.
Are you happy with your company's logistics performance
Are you happy with your logistics performance? A pretty simple question that calls for a yes or no answer. Unfortunately, among us logistics types, our operations and engineering brains rely on formulas, not feelings, to provide the answer. But do you really need data points from 101 different logistics KPIs to suggest if you’re happy with the performance of your 3PL or your own logistics team? When the answer to the happiness question is “no,” these metrics are invariably below par.
What’s Wrong with Continuous Improvement Programs in Logistics?
Lip Service. According to Merriam-Webster, it’s a belief “expressed in words but not backed by deeds.” There’s a lot of that going on when it comes to programs for continuous improvement in logistics. Some companies do quite a good job presenting the image of a quality-driven operation. But too often the banners, slogans and award certificates – the eye candy – don’t translate into real cultural change. That’s what continuous improvement is, really. A culture, not a program. Culture can’t be created.
AIB Standards: What are they and why are they important?
AIB International, formerly the American Institute for Baking, was founded in 1919 to “put science to work for bakers.” Since then, AIB has grown into one of the world’s foremost training organizations on food safety, setting AIB standards for quality and safety. In the warehousing and logistics industry, we hear of AIB mostly in the context of warehouse inspections.
The ROI of Logistics Safety Programs
Every logistics operation will say safety programs are a priority. But many such claims are lip service only. Safety solutions, over and above OSHA-mandated programs, cost money – for training, equipment and software. Many companies struggle to invest money in things that might happen. A good metaphor is preventative medicine. According to the Centers for Disease Control, preventable chronic diseases account for 75% of the nation’s healthcare spending.
Are you happy (logistically speaking)?
Are you happy with your logistics performance? A pretty simple question that calls for a yes or no answer. Unfortunately, among us logistics types, our operations and engineering brains rely on formulas, not feelings, to provide the answer. But do you really need data points from 101 different logistics KPIs to suggest if you’re happy with the performance of your 3PL or your own logistics team? When the answer to the happiness question is “no,” these metrics are invariably below par.
Distribution Network Optimization: Modeling Tools Won’t Give You the Answer
Distribution network optimization has become a white-hot topic these days as “the Amazon effect” leads businesses to evaluate how quickly they can get products to customers. Warehouse optimization modeling exercises examine the upside of being closer to customers versus the downside of carrying more inventory in more locations.
Customer Service in Logistics Needs a Shift in Focus
Listen. React. Listen. React. Listen. React. These two words summarize the day of many customer service representatives (CSRs) across the world. These two words summarize the day of many customer service representatives (CSRs) across the world. In third party logistics, CSRs are perhaps the most important people in the organization since they have the most frequent and direct contact with customers. Customers contact them with questions or problems and they respond.
Are You Happy (logistically speaking)?
In logistics, we measure just about everything. If it moves, we measure how fast. If it sits, we measure how long. If it costs money, we measure how much. But do we ever measure happy? Not often, if at all. And that’s too bad. Happy is an under-rated metric. We do, however, measure satisfied. We rely on data points from 101 different KPIs to tell us how to feel about logistics performance. This data measures customer satisfaction in logistics based on achievement of a certain performance level.
10 Strategies to Reduce CPG Logistics Costs
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies face a constant battle for market share and retail shelf space. Price points are a key weapon in this battle and, increasingly, companies rely on lean CPG logistics operations to provide a cost advantage. How is your company responding to this challenge? With incremental improvements to existing distribution processes? Or, are you exploring logistics strategies that alter current processes and the way you work with retail customers?
5 Ways to Get Max Benefit from Your Logistics Service Provider
The bar has been raised on logistics performance. Retail customers want perfect orders (expect a fine if they’re not perfect), and they want them faster and delivered within tighter and tighter time windows. As a logistics manager, the spotlight is shining brighter on you and, by extension, your logistics service providers (3PLs). You want and need your 3PLs to be great. But, ironically, achieving that result may have as much to do with how hard and how smart you work, as your 3PL.
Kane is Able Announces Investment by Harkness Capital Partners
Third-party logistics provider Kane Is Able, Inc. announced today that affiliates of Harkness Capital Partners have agreed to make an investment into the company in support of KANE’s growth strategy of expanding its services and national presence. “Operationally, 2018 was an outstanding year,” said Michael Gardner, President and CEO of Kane Is Able.
Tackling the Logistics Industry Talent Gap from the Inside Out
There’s a talent gap in logistics today and companies are dealing with it in different ways. For KANE, that’s meant placing more emphasis than ever on hiring logistics workers from within. Recently, we caught up with KANE’s VP of Human Resources, Amy Wren, to discuss the subject. Q: How bad is the talent gap in logistics? A: I’ve read estimates that suggest that, in the near future, there could be as many as 9 slots to fill for every graduate with supply chain skills.
Utah Football Recruiting: What to Watch for Ahead of National Signing Day
The traditional National Signing Day for college football is a week from Wednesday on February 6, 2019. The Utes do not plan to sign a huge class this year due to the large senior class in the 2019 season (though some transfers might allow them to bring in a few more players). We will take a look at where their class stands as of today and what players they might try to target to close out the 2019 class.
Bad Moon Rising: Cameron Rising to Transfer to Utah
Quarterback Cameron Rising announced this afternoon on his Twitter account that he will transfer to the Utah Utes. Rising, a four-star recruit coming out of Newberry Park High School in Newberry Park, Calif., originally signed with the Texas Longhorns in the 2018 recruiting class (the same recruiting class where Utah signed Jack Tuttle), but after one year in Austin, he decided to look for a change of scenery.
KANE 2018 - Year in Review
As a new year begins, we wanted to reflect briefly on the year just passed. Here's a look back on some of the prominent accomplishments at Kane Is Able in 2018. Drove industry-leading performance in safety The first tenet of our KANE Code – Keep safety first – is the cornerstone of our customer-centric philosophy.
Recapping Early Signing Day for Utah Football
For some schools, the first day of the early signing period saw them mostly fill out their class. For the Utah Utes, they are taking a similar approach to last year and not signing their full class yet. Utah announced 12 signings, eight from the 2019 class, three returned missionaries from the 2016 class, and one graduate transfer, former Penn State linebacker Manny Bowen. Utah certainly has space to add some more players, and they have four 2019 commits who did not sign.
Pac-12 Picks: Pac-12 Championship Game
We actually have two Pac-12 games this week. The Big Game between the California Golden Bears and the Stanford Cardinal will take place tomorrow after it was delayed due to the terrible wildfires in California. We will pick that one first before we dive in depth to the Pac-12 Championship Game between the No. 17 Utah Utes and No. 11 Washington Huskies.
Logistics Saves Lives: Support ALAN and Partners on Giving Tuesday, 2018
#GivingTuesday is November 27th. It’s a global giving movement and you’ll (hopefully) see a good deal of coverage from many different, worthy organizations. As a fellow logistician though, I’m asking for you to think about the supply chain – your supply chain and how it affects the flow of goods and services. ALAN, the American Logistics Aid Network, was established in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to assist those battered by that deadly storm.
Pac-12 Game to Watch Week 13: The Apple Cup
Each week I highlight a few Pac-12 games to watch that have an impact on the Utah Utes’ season. With Utah clinching the Pac-12 South last week with their win over the Colorado Buffaloes and the Arizona State Sun Devils’ loss to the Oregon Ducks, the only game that matters this week is the 111th Apple Cup. No. 16 Washington Huskies at No. 8 Washington State Cougars - 6:30 p.m. MT FOX The No. 8 Washington State Cougars host the No. 16 Washington Huskies today with a ton on the line.
Former Penn State LB Manny Bowen Commits to Utah
The Utah Utes football team got an early Thanksgiving gift when former Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Manny Bowen announced his commitment to transfer to Utah for his final season. Bowen sat out of his senior season at Penn State to focus on academics. He will graduate in December and is eligible to play immediately at Utah. He will be on campus for spring football at Utah.
3 Pac-12 Games to Watch Week 10
With a full slate of Pac-12 games this week, let’s look at which games Utah Utes fans should watch. We are in November, and there are many important games this week that will shape the Pac-12 division races down the stretch. Chip Kelly makes his return to Autzen Stadium when his UCLA Bruins take on his former team, the Oregon Ducks, that game almost made the list, but I honestly think UCLA will get crushed.
Utah and their November struggles, will this year be different?
It is well known that the Utah Utes have struggled in the month of November since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Utah is in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 South, holding a one game advantage in the loss column over every team in the Pac-12 South. However, Utah has to face possibly their biggest rival in their final three Pac-12 games: November. The Utes are just 13-15 in games in the final month of the regular season.
Utah’s Uniform against USC
It is the homecoming game for the Utah Utes when the host the USC Trojans today. Utah will continue their tradition of wearing their “Neo-Throwback” uniform that started in 2015. I still really like these uniforms, I think it is a great look. But, We have now seen them four times, so they are not as fresh as when they debuted in 2015. It might be interesting to see Utah introduce a new “throwback” uniform for homecoming in 2019 just to change things up.
Pac-12 Games to Watch: Week 8
Every Pac-12 team is in action this week. This year might have the most parity in the Pac-12 since the Utah Utes and Colorado Buffaloes joined in 2011. At the halfway point, there are seven teams that could realistically still win the Pac-12 North or South. In the North, The Oregon Ducks, Stanford Cardinal, Washington Huskies, and Washington State Cougars all only have one conference loss in the Pac-12 North.
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