Supplying the front lines in the fight against COVID-19

Alex Annan’s first job out of college has not only been the perfect fit for the Bloomsburg University supply chain management graduate, it’s positioned him to be among the key players in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And that’s exactly where he wants to be.

“Cardinal Health’s commitment to fulfilling the needs of patients and doctors across the world was very rewarding to me,” says Annan ′19, ′20M, who started at Cardinal Health as a supply chain specialist in July while finishing his Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree requirements. “I believed starting my career at an organization that was known for their supply chain capabilities would help me become a more well-rounded professional.”

Cardinal Health, Inc. is regarded as a leader in providing health care solutions, services and products to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics across the country. The multinational company has headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, and Dublin, Ireland.

Annan says he’s part of a large team that’s responsible for ensuring medical devices and prescription drugs stored at the company’s Swedesboro, N.J., Distribution Center are being delivered to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics at the right place, right time, and in the correct amount.

Since March, according to Annan, Cardinal Health has been on the front lines doing its part fighting against COVID-19 by supplying numerous healthcare facilities in the northeast region with essential supplies like gloves, face masks, surgical gowns, prescription drugs and many other important supplies that help doctors and physicians provide aid to COVID and non-COVID patients.

This process — now being played out in real-time — was a foundation of study for Annan as an undergraduate in the AACSB-accredited Zeigler College of Business.

“The curriculum focused on a broad array of topics in supply chain management that gave me exposure and knowledge I use in my everyday tasks,” Annan says. “Topics like lean six sigma, fundamentals of operations management, and logistics are all things I was taught at Bloom that I now use to do my work. The professors also did a great job in giving my peers and I real-world examples and helping us understand the leadership skills needed to excel in a business environment.”

Adding in his motivation to lead and inspire change, Annan felt it was a fitting next step to pursue an M.B.A. after earning his bachelor’s degree.

“I believe by educating myself and enhancing my leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, I’ll be fully equipped to be able to lead a group of people to make changes in the world through business,” says Annan, who also played four years on the Huskies football team as a linebacker, three as a PSAC Scholar Athlete. “Currently, I’m using all the skills and knowledge I gained from BU to be able to be a part of an organization that’s helping to fight a global pandemic that’s affected our way of life.”