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Page Siplon, executive director of the Georgia Centers of Innovation and architect of the globally recognized Georgia Logistics Summit, will leave his statewide post Jan. 15 to take a job in private industry in the Atlanta area.
Siplon, who made the announcement Tuesday in an email to industry colleagues, will become the CEO of Team One Logistics, an Alpharetta-based firm that designs and manages short- and long-term workforce logistics.
Siplon began his career in logistics as the first director of the Maritime Logistics Center, established in Savannah in 2004. The success of the center — later renamed the Center of Innovation for Logistics — provided the basis for what are now six Georgia centers of innovation, each focusing on an area of industry growth and expansion: agribusiness, aerospace, energy technology, life sciences and information technology, logistics and manufacturing.
In 2013, Siplon was tapped by the state department of economic development to lead all six centers.
Under Siplon’s leadership, the logistics center hosts the Annual Georgia Logistics Summit, which is the only industry driven, state-led event of its kind and size in the country. In 2014 in Atlanta, the summit’s sixth year, it hosted more than 2,300 public and private industry attendees from 38 states and 11 nations.
The logistics center also delivers multiple publications, including a detailed industry report and a “Logistics Market Snapshot” released every month and consumed by tens of thousands of logistics professionals around the world.
A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, Siplon has been active in the industry, recently recognized by DC Velocity Magazine as a “2012 Logistics Rainmaker” — one of the top 10 logistics professionals in the nation. He was named a “Pro to Know” by Supply & Demand Executive Magazine in 2014 and was selected by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Georgians” for both 2013 and 2014.
He has also served in various leadership roles at both the state and federal level. Siplon was appointed by the secretary of commerce to the National Supply Chain Competitiveness Advisory Committee, where he served as vice chairman. He was appointed fiduciary agent for all U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security port security grants awarded to Georgia, responsible for a total of more than $16 million in allocated funds.
On the state level, he served as the lead consultant on the Commission for New Georgia’s Freight and Logistics Task Force, and in March 2012 he helped the Georgia Department of Transportation publish the first comprehensive data-driven statewide freight and logistics action plan.
In that role, he led a private sector advisory committee with executives from such companies as UPS, Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, Delta Airlines, Georgia Pacific, CSX and Norfolk Southern.
The New York native earned a degree in advanced electronic systems from the Air Force College, completed multiple military leadership academies and received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering with a focus on digital signal processing from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“Page is a tremendous asset who has really put Georgia on the map as it relates to logistics and taking it to the next level,” said Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.
“His Center of Innovation for Logistics is always a part of our discussions when we’re looking at new prospects and also companies looking to expand because they have the answers to the problems companies are faced with.
“He will be sorely missed.”
For the next several months, Siplon will continue to commute between Savannah and Atlanta, which he’s been doing since taking over leadership of all six centers. His family will make the permanent move this summer when school is out.
He will remain involved in the final planning stages of the 2015 Georgia Logistics Summit, where he will serve again as master of ceremonies.
Although he’s had other opportunities, he said, nothing really struck a chord — until now.
“I really wasn’t looking for something else to do,” he said. “But when this position came around, it just seemed like a good fit. It gives me the opportunity to stay in Georgia and leverage the networks and relationships I have, which is good for me and the company.”
He said he’s confident the program won’t miss a beat when he leaves.
“While there is never a perfect time to make this sort of transition, I feel comfortable leaving the program and logistics center at a time when they are performing better than ever,” he said.
“I’m proud of the progress our six centers have made and the hard work our team puts into every minute of every day to help their industries connect, compete and grow. I know they will continue to make a noticeable impact for Georgia under their new leadership.”
Until a permanent replacement is named, John Moffatt, chief financial officer for the Georgia Department of Economic Development in Atlanta, will serve as the initial contact for all program-related matters. Associate director for logistics, Sandy Lake, will handle things on the Savannah end.
“You can rest assured the Center of Innovation for Logistics — and all the other centers — will continue to provide the same level of expertise, service and products people have come to expect from us,” Siplon said.