Building Community and Culture in Supply Chain Leadership with Brent Hagan — The Manufacturers Network

In this episode of The Manufacturers Network Podcast, host Lisa Ryan sits down with Brent Hagan, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Lob, to explore what it really means to lead with impact: in business, in culture, and in community.

With experience at Amazon, Deliver, Eaton, and Lob, Brent brings a rare perspective on how to scale operations without losing the human connection. He shares stories from massive fulfillment centers to small-town manufacturing plants, where leadership goes far beyond efficiency metrics. From creating bus routes for workers to strengthening local schools, Brent’s approach shows that true supply chain success isn’t just operational, it’s personal.

What You’ll Learn:

How leaders can leave the communities they enter better than they found them
The balance between autonomy, accountability, and culture on the shop floor
Why technology should simplify, not replace, human problem-solving
The biggest mistakes companies make during mergers and acquisitions—and how to avoid them
How small and mid-sized manufacturers can use digital tools without losing their people-first approach
Why something as simple as a whiteboard can outperform high-tech dashboards

Key Quote: “You don’t need a building full of Harvard MBAs. You need people who say, ‘This is what we tried, here’s what we learned, and here’s what we’ll do next.’” — Brent Hagan

About Brent Hagan: Brent Hagan is the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Lob, where he leads logistics, supply chain, and operations strategy for a platform powering billions of personalized mail pieces. With leadership experience at Amazon, Deliver, and Eaton, Brent specializes in bridging traditional operations with technology-driven innovation—while keeping people and community at the heart of every strategy.

Connect with Brent:

LinkedIn: Brent Hagan

Connect with Lisa:

Website: LisaRyanSpeaks.com

LinkedIn: Lisa Ryan, CSP

Listen now to learn how to build a culture that scales and a company that leaves every place it touches better than before.