Ivy Tech alumnus manages fleet maintenance for seven states

BLOOMINGTON – Ivy Tech Community College alumnus Bobby Jeanette graduated with an Associate of Science in Supply Chain Management/Logistics in December 2015, which allowed him to advance in his career at Estes Express Lines. Jeanette began his career at Estes as a shop manager, working between Greenwood, Ind. and Charlotte, NC while residing in Martinsville, Ind. for nearly 17 years. In August 2015, he was promoted to District Fleet Maintenance Manager for the Estes Southeast region when he was one semester away from completing his associate degree.

“In my role as a district manager I am responsible for maintaining the equipment for 21 terminals covering seven states in the Southeast,” said Jeanette. “Within my district I am also responsible for 9 shops and one parts distribution center.”

Jeanette accomplished his degree and promotion while managing his full-time job and balancing family life. He and his wife, Andrea, have been married since high school for 23 years and have two teenage children.

“I averaged 55 hours a week at work and maintained a full-time student status; some of the coursework was completed while sitting in an airport or hotel room,” he said. “This was possible because Ivy Tech provided some of the classes online.”

Ivy Tech Bloomington’s Supply Chain Management program is offered completely online, while some face-to-face general education classes may be required.

Jeanette is now using his expertise to improve the areas he oversees.

“Being promoted to District Manager I see as an opportunity to teach others what I have learned over the years,” he said. “With much success, we have been applying the methods of scheduling and staffing that I learned while at Ivy Tech.”

“Ivy Tech’s Supply Chain Management program offers an in-depth look at the processes involved in the supply chain including transportation and inventory control,” he continued. “They cover everything from simple terminology to complex formulas. Ivy Tech provided the opportunity to learn new ways of structuring work processes and work flows to increase production with less effort. The Operation Management and Lean Production courses are very beneficial.”

In Bloomington, Supply Chain Management and Logistics is the fifth most in-demand job, according to Burning Glass Technologies job market data. The number of Supply Chain Management job postings for positions requiring a post-secondary credential follows closely behind nursing, practical nursing, industrial apprenticeship, and business operations.

After graduation, Jeanette continued his education and earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from IUPUI.

“I found the program at Ivy Tech to be on a par with the education I received at IUPUI,” said Jeanette. “The faculty at Ivy Tech are very easy to work with, all the way from the department head, Nancy Frost, to the adjunct professor that taught finite math.”

In the fall of 2016, Jeanette and his family moved to Charlotte to be closer to the facilities he oversees. Jeanette has now been employed by Estes Express Lines for a total of 18 years.

For information about Ivy Tech degree and certificate options in supply chain management/logistics, visit ivytech.edu/supplychain. For information about how to apply to Ivy Tech, visit ivytech.edu/applynow.