Rate My Professor Don Maier

Don Maier is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Supply Chain Management at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Haslam College of Business. He earned a Ph.D. in Organization Development in 2004 and an M.S. in Management and Organization Behavior in 1996 from Benedictine University, along with a B.A. in Political Science in 1989 from the University of St. Francis. Before entering academia full-time, Maier held key roles in logistics and supply chain management at companies including FedEx, Office Depot, Penske Logistics, Monsanto, and Merisant. He played a pivotal role in the strategic design and leadership of international logistics operations across North and Central America. At Merisant, he managed the development of a total productive manufacturing quality culture, incorporating 5S and lean principles.

Maier launched his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, rising to the rank of professor at two institutions. He contributed to public service as a member of the Will County Health Department’s Emergency Response Team, where he designed and managed pharmaceutical distribution during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak. Additionally, he served on the Will County Center for Economic Development’s logistics advisory board, helping position Joliet as a major Midwest logistics hub. Over nine years, Maier acted as dean for the Maine Maritime Academy and California Maritime Academy. As the founding dean of the School of Maritime Transportation, Logistics, & Management at California State University Maritime Academy, he oversaw programs in marine transportation, international logistics, and naval science. His expertise centers on global supply chain logistics, with a focus on maritime operations and the networks required to transport goods by sea. Maier serves as associate director of education for the International Association of Maritime Port Executives and holds positions on advisory boards for IAMPE and the Containerization & Intermodal Institute. He has appeared in media such as CNN, ABC-San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle, and delivered keynote addresses for the American Association of Port Authorities, Marine Insurance Association of Seattle, and others.