There have been times in Michelle Kaufman’s life when she pondered why she shouldn’t, or couldn’t, do something. Two moments in the life of Supplies Network’s vice president of IT clearly illustrate that one’s initial impulse may need to be revisited.
While attending Goshen College in the early 1990s, Kaufman was a computer science major. While growing up, she never really had an affinity for technology, but she excelled at mathematics and entered Goshen as a math major. She took Programming I and fell in love with the practical problem solving aspect, which steered her toward computer science.
However, Kaufman’s faith and upbringing gave her pause; as much as she loved computer science, it was not a field of service. Thus, she made the difficult choice to switch from computer science to nursing.
“When my computer science advisor got wind of this, he called me in and convinced me that we need good, honest people in all fields and that even if my major wasn’t a traditional field of service, I could still contribute to the world,” said Kaufman, a 2020 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “I switched back to computer science, and I’ve felt very fortunate for the organizations I’ve worked for during my career.”
A second turning point came later in her career with Supplies Network, when she was in charge of software development. Kaufman’s manager approached her about taking over the whole department, but lacking experience in the operations/infrastructure side of IT, she felt she wasn’t fully qualified for the job and rejected the offer out of hand.
Kaufman wondered if she’d made the right choice, so one evening she jotted down ideas about how she would run the department and make decisions in that role. It quickly occurred to Kaufman that she was up to the task. Within a couple of months, she was calling the shots, and “I’ve never looked back.”
Will to Lead
A book Kaufman later read, “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” provided perspective in her career approach. “I realized that I reacted to that opportunity as many women would,” she said. “I didn’t go for it initially because I didn’t feel totally qualified. Statistically, men don’t feel the same inhibition. I encourage other women faced with an opportunity to go for it!”
A member of the Supplies Network team since 1999 (she consulted for the company while with Cornerstone Solutions Group), Kaufman was promoted to vice president of information technology in 2013 and has oversight for all IT software development, technology infrastructure and support. IT is not seen as a cost center at Supplies Network, but behind Kaufman’s guidance, it has become a valuable point of differentiation for the company.
Kaufman relishes her work from both an executive and a technical standpoint. “As an executive, I get the most satisfaction out of providing an environment in which my people can thrive and be happy,” she said. “Hiring well so we have smart, self-motivated people is the most critical thing one can do as an executive.
“As a technical person, I get the most satisfaction out of optimizing the use of data in our organization. Getting the right data in front of the right people is a make-or-break differentiator for successful companies today.”
The 2019 campaign proved an exciting one for Kaufman and Supplies Network, as the company added robotics from 6 River Systems to its first distribution center. The massive undertaking saw a number of employees travel on-site to Pennsylvania in preparation for going live, and they logged long hours on the warehouse floor to make it a reality.
“It was a real bonding experience and 6 River said they had never seen an executive team so willing to jump in and get their hands dirty helping out in a warehouse,” she said. “It was really satisfying.”
Keeping Pace
Moving forward, Kaufman seeks to create a strong culture in her department and enable team members to stay current and marketable in technology. That will provide a sense of career security and pave the path to a healthy work/life balance. After all, the journey to IT competency is long and calls for constant improvement and education.
“IT is a field where you can never rest on your laurels,” she observed. “You need to keep learning and stay open to new ideas. The status quo has to be questioned, even when that is uncomfortable. There is always room to improve.”
Kaufman and her husband, Mike, have been married for 25 years. They have one college-bound child and a second in high school. She is active in her community, chairing the board of a non-profit organization, in addition to her work with the church. A competitive jigsaw puzzle builder, one of the items on Kaufman’s bucket list is to someday compete in the world championships in Spain.
