Gus Pagonis Speaker Biography
Retired Three-Star General and Bestselling Author of Moving Mountains: Lessons in Leadership and Logistics From the Gulf War
When it comes to expertise in logistics and overall leadership in management of very complex projects and organizations, few people are better qualified than William “Gus” Pagonis, retired three-star U.S. Army Lieutenant General. General Pagonis is widely recognized for his logistical achievements particularly during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After successfully masterminding logistics for the Gulf War and winning high praise from General Norman Schwarzkopf, Pagonis left the Army in 1993 and was elected Executive Vice President of Logistics for Sears, Roebuck and Co. As head of the Sears Logistics Group, he functions as the single point of contact for all Sears’ logistics and is responsible for Vendor Relations, Distribution, Transportation, Home Deliveries, Outlet Stores, International Logistics and the integration of Information Technology to cement it altogether. In addition, he is the President of Sears Logistics Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears.
Retirement
Sears-dismissed as a dinosaur only a few years ago, with its earnings and customer base swindling-has suddenly become a star of the retailing universe. Pagonis has been one of the key players in the turnaround of Sears. He explains, ‘The secret of logistics is never losing sight of who the customer is.’
United States Army
Gus has proven himself as a leader within the United States Army as the chief logistician during the Gulf War and today, in the corporate world, he continues to set new standards for logistics leadership. As he says, ‘I think Corporate America is waking up to logistics as the last frontier. It’ s the place where people can really maneuver to get a competitive edge.’
Leadership
Leadership is nothing more than the art of influencing others to achieve desired results. Yet, this simple procedure of influencing seems to be dying art. The country is always searching for leaders in government and the corporate world to take organizations and individuals to new heights. Pagonis will discuss this leadership shortfall and will offer leadership practices and management techniques he has employed in his careers that achieved desired results for organizations he has led.
Leadership
Pagonis discusses two models he has developed to promote corporate success by tapping the last business frontier- Logistics & Leadership. His ‘Logistics Pentagon and Three Star Leadership Models’– will provide real world solutions that have been successful in military and corporate worlds. Solid proven logistics concepts and down to earth leadership techniques that you can select for your particular leadership style will be discussed in his ‘Leadership Tool Kit’.
Book
Mr. Pagonis is author of Moving Mountains: Lessons in Leadership and Logistics From the Gulf War, published by the Harvard Business School Press. A polished raconteur with a good sense of humor, Gus Pagonis will draw from his amazing experiences and speak about leadership and logistics and how he has successfully transferred what he learned in the military to the corporate world.
Sears
Pagonis retired from Sears in July 2004 and was selected Chairman of the Board of RailAmerica, Inc. (World’ s largest Short Line Railroad) and will continue as the Chairman of the DBB (Defense Business Board under direction for Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld).
Epiphany
Gen. Pagonis is Chairman Emeritus of Epiphany, having stepped down as Chairman in 2018 after serving seven years in the position. He served a vital role in developing Epiphany into a player in the water treatment industry using his extensive expertise in logistics, management, and leadership.
Gus Pagonis Speaking Topics
Lessons in Leadership
Leadership speaker William Pagonis discusses how he has parlayed the expertise he has acquired in the military in the boardroom. He reminds audiences, “The secret of logistics is never to lose sight of who the customer is,” and he posits that logistics is corporate America’s “last frontier.
Leadership In The Supply Chain
William Pagonis discusses the Supply Chain – the last frontier for cost take-out and a way to provide better customer service. This presentation discusses the overall supply chain concept and its tailored implements and demonstrates leadership and management techniques that are successful in both the military and civilian life.
Leadership in Religion
General Pagonis presents management tools and techniques to accomplish results in these areas: • Clergy must recruit volunteers who must be motivated and provided direction to have a successful program. • Counseling is one of the biggest time consuming efforts of any leaders in any religious field, and General Pagonis will discuss techniques on how to accomplish this effectively. • Communication is needed both up and down the chain of command. Effective communication is difficult to do but can be developed. • Good leaders in all disciplines are trained not born.
Gus Pagonis Books
