Read Center for Distribution Research & Education
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or to learn more about our programs:
The Thomas and Joan Read Center is dedicated to driving innovation and advancing operational excellence within the distribution and manufacturing sectors. Through our Industry Consortia, we bring together leading organizations, associations, and subject matter experts to collaborate on solving complex challenges and advancing industry-wide solutions. Our consortia offer a unique opportunity for companies to participate in cost-effective, high-quality research and development initiatives that directly impact their business operations. The primary objective of our Industry Consortia is to foster collaborative research that addresses critical issues faced by distribution industries.
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected] or contact us for more information.
AI for Industrial Distribution (AI4ID)
The AI4ID Consortium bridges academic research and industry to advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in industrial distribution. Led by Dr. Lee Allison and Dr. Malini Natarajarathinam, AI4ID provides vendor-neutral education, tools, and strategies to help distributors assess AI technologies and make informed decisions. Members gain access to workshops, company-specific insights, and collaborative research aimed at transforming data into actionable intelligence for inventory management, customer engagement, and operational excellence. With annual membership, organizations receive tailored recommendations and early exposure to cutting-edge AI applications designed for the distribution sector.
The Merger and Acquisition Council Consortium (MAC) helps organizations master the Merger and Acquisition (M&A) lifecycle by delivering research-driven insights, practical tools, and hands-on education. Led by Alonso Fierro, MAC provides members with tailored resources for both investment and divestment strategies, expert-led workshops, one-on-one company meetings, and actionable playbooks to drive operational efficiency, strategic alignment, and value capture. Through a collaborative network of industry leaders, academics, and professionals, MAC equips teams to close key skill gaps, foster sustainable growth, and extract maximum value from their transactions—all while benefiting from cost-effective, high-quality expertise.
The Marketing Excellence Consortium (MEC) brings together industry leaders and Texas A&M faculty to advance marketing excellence through research and collaboration. Led by Co-Directors Dr. Lee Allison and Dr. Maria Rouziou, MEC focuses on analyzing current marketing practices, developing evidence-based recommendations, and sharing best practices to elevate marketing performance. Members participate in biannual meetings, support research initiatives, and receive tailored reports with actionable insights to strengthen their marketing strategies and programs.
The Technical Sales Career Paths Consortium (PATH) unites industry leaders and Texas A&M faculty to advance technical sales recruiting and career development. Led by Dr. Willy Bolander, PATH conducts evidence-based research, shares best practices, and provides members with insights and recommendations to strengthen their recruiting efforts. Member organizations collaborate through biannual meetings, and financial support of research projects, all aimed at shaping the future of technical sales talent development in the U.S. and beyond.
The Industrial Distribution Program at Texas A&M University will form the Talent Development Council to identify and advance talent best practices, practical methods, and applied tools for Distributors to implement. The Talent Development Council will act as a best practice sharing, learning and networking forum for distributors from various channels. Each year, the Council will focus on one talent area.
The Council for Research on Distributor Best Practices conducted its 2014 consortium on Optimizing Human Capital Development. Following the very successful Optimizing Channel Compensation and Optimizing Growth and Market Share consortia, this initiative conducted research to develop practical methodologies and tools to optimize recruiting, training and retaining human capital. A two-day educational session was developed based on the resulting knowledge, methodology and tools.
After many years of research by both firms and individuals, a “best” approach is now known for almost every imaginable distributor activity. Though each best practice and their projected impact on financial statements has been analyzed in isolation, no one has yet attempted to implement all relevant best practices and determine their effects on the firm’s ROI and net profit. This program and the research behind it aim to help you become that perfect distributor – to see just how profitable a well-educated and well-equipped distributor can be.
This Consortium will research pricing strategy and variables designed to include break even analysis, price elasticity, price thresholds, product life cycle pricing and price sensitivity. Scientific pricing decision making is one potential focus area for profitable revenue management. Profitability depends equally as much on pricing as it does cost control.
Marketing is an underdeveloped science for most distributors. Few distributors seem to have a consistent, well thought out message that tells who they are and what makes them different from their competition. Consortium members will participate directly in the research and gain a better understanding of the findings. The full report will be issued to each consortium member with all analysis performed on the firm itself with the firm’s data.
The consortium is focused on important business topics for interested wholesale distribution companies of all sizes and across all lines of trade. This consortium will be pioneering research-driven education programs on the topic of Optimizing Distributor Growth and Market Share.
Even though many distributors may be somewhat familiar with these concepts and may utilize them to some extent, understanding and implementing a holistic approach to date has been achieved by only a select few. The development of tools that will enhance the scientific decision making capabilities and implementation procedures of firms will be the primary focus of the consortium. The consortium members will receive results, methodology and tools developed during this pioneering research in Optimizing Channel Compensation.
Current needs and trends in wholesale-distribution are pointing towards analytics. It will no longer be optional for a firm to invest in analytics. The consortium set-up (cross-industry collaboration and individual workshops) is designed for the very purpose of understanding industry-wide challenges and firm-specific opportunities. This Research Consortium will be beneficial to Wholesaler-Distributors and Manufacturers who go to market through Distributors.
A research team from Texas A&M University will analyze growth opportunities with consortium members to determine how to optimize ROI in value add services. Supply Chain impacting factors will be included in the analysis along with best practices in Supply Chain Management to determine the ROI impact of differing strategies.
Today small distributors are facing unprecedented difficulties in technology, human resources and investment. Technology continues to change at a rapid pace, becoming less costly, and spurring innovation in operational efficiency as well as sales and marketing at distribution firms of all sizes. This consortia will identify a set of best practices for optimizing small distributors’ resource (human and asset) utilization and profitability.
A team of professional researchers from Texas A&M’s Global Supply Chain Laboratory and Talent Incubator Program will work with consortium members to analyze growth opportunities and identify ways to optimize the sales process using digital tools. The analysis will also incorporate best practices in this area.
The Thomas and Joan Read Center for Distribution Research and Education is the premiere university distribution research center in the world. We contribute to the knowledge that educates our students in the world-famous Texas A&M Industrial Distribution Program. The Read Center is responsible for creating and codifying knowledge for our undergraduate, graduate and professional development students and industry partners seeking solutions that drive competitive advantage.
The Read Center collaborates with two research arms: the Global Supply Chain Laboratory (GSCL) and the Talent Incubator Program (TIP).
The GSCL has published its knowledge set through our alliance with the National Association of Wholesaler Distributors (NAW), the largest distribution association and a key partner to the Read Center.
The Read Center also offers programs for specialists through our open enrollment programs and custom programs, built specifically for our industry partners based on assessment studies of their operations.
The Read Center establishes and runs industry consortia every year to conduct research and develop research driven educational programs.
Texas A&M University will soon complete construction of the RELLIS Campus, which will serve as the new center of research and education for the fields of engineering and industrial distribution.
Over the years, The Read Center has formed partnerships with multiple companies and organizations.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (979) 847-8941
Educational Background
Ph.D. in Educational Human Resource Development, Texas A&M University, 2016
M.S. in Industrial Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2001
B.E. in Production Engineering, University of Madras, 1998
Research Interests
Talent / Competency Assessment & Development
Training Design, Development & Implementation
Distribution Management & Leadership
Organization Development
Sales & Marketing Optimization
Profitability & Performance Management
About
Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam is an Instructional Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Master of Industrial Distribution at the Department of Engineering Technology & Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Industrial Distribution and manages the Master of Industrial Distribution (MID) program, one of the largest distance education graduate programs at Texas A&M University. He has developed and implemented mobile learning solution with iPad, eBooks and educational apps for the MID program – first of its kind at Texas A&M University for working professionals in distance education graduate program.
He has more than 20 years of experience in teaching, applied research, academic program management and business development. For more than 15 years he has worked with the Global Supply Chain Laboratory at Texas A&M University on applied industry consulting projects, consortia and professional development programs for more than 100 industrial manufacturers and distributors. He has published in academic journals and industry publications. His research areas include distribution management & leadership, talent / competency assessment & development, training design, development & implementation, distribution sales & marketing development and profitability & performance management.
Dr. Nagarathnam holds a Ph.D. in Educational Human Resource Development and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. He also holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Production Engineering from University of Madras, India.
Phone: (979) 845-3146
Email: [email protected]
Education
Ph.D., Maritime Sciences and Technology, Kobe Maritime University, Japan, 2005.
MS in Transportation and Information Systems Engineering, Kobe University, Japan, 2000.
BA in International Affairs, University of Las Americas, (UDLA), 1995.
Areas of Interest
Distribution Best Practices
Supply Chain Management
Distribution Profitability
Global Distribution
Growth and Market Share
Strategy Planning and Implementation
Supplier Relationship Management
Operational Excellence
Sales and Marketing Optimization
Digital Transformation
About
Dr. Rodriguez Silva is the Director of the Talent Incubator Program (TIP) where she educates and train students for industry project development and execution. She is also the Director of the Global Supply Chain Laboratory (GSCL) where she applies best practices in distribution business processes. Both organizations are research pillars to the Thomas and Joan Read Center for Distribution Research and Education. Dr. Esther Rodriguez Silva also collaborates in the Industrial Distribution Program at Texas A&M University, where she conducts applied research and industry projects.
Dr. Rodriguez Silva has extensive international business practice with strong technical background and management disciplines. She collaborates with recognized institutions on supply chain management and participates in the implementation of strategic initiatives related to distributor-supplier channel alignment, digital transformation, operational excellence, strategy implementation and business integration for key industry partners.
At the Talent Incubator Program, Dr. Rodriguez Silva has led over 190 projects, more than 120 companies have sponsored projects, and has worked with hundreds of distributors and over 320 undergraduate researchers in applied learning projects across several lines of trade, and generating and expanding the knowledge base the Read Center delivers to the undergraduates, graduates and professional executives through their continued education programs. In her capacity of Director of the Global Supply Chain Lab, Dr. Rodriguez Silva has managed industry projects in the area of operations, distribution profitability, value added services, supply chain management and within industry Consortia.
Among some of her previous expertise Dr. Rodriguez Silva coordinated projects for the InterAmerican Development Bank, the Department of Transportation, and contributed in the Maritime Security Act at US Congress. Dr. Rodriguez Silva has participated in several public/private initiatives to integrate the supply chain and optimizing intermodal terminals and increasing ports capacity.
Dr. Rodriguez Silva has a history of success providing leadership, visionary planning and overall value to the organizations where she has collaborated. Dr. Rodriguez Silva is member of international organizations and has several publications in Journals with topics related to distributor competitiveness.
Dr. Rodriguez Silva holds a MS in Transportation and Information Systems Engineering and a PhD in Maritime Sciences and Technology from Kobe University, Japan.
