ASC X12 Creates New Supply Chain Subcommittee.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 Steering Committee is pleased to announce the creation of a new Subcommittee encompassing the Supply Chain. The new Subcommittee was approved by the membership and merges two subcommittees, Materials Management and Procurement & Distribution. This new Subcommittee is chaired by Debra Cimbala, Customer Communications, Remington Arms Company. Rita Laur, Manager, Standards Development, Electronic Commerce Council of Canada serves as Vice Chair.

The Supply Chain Subcommittee designs, develops and maintains standards for existing and new business requirements relating to supply chain. Supply chain encompasses the entire business process, starting with the acquisition of raw materials through to the product end user. Specifically the included areas of this new subcommittee are: inventory management; materials management; planning and coordination of distribution; procurement; product data; sourcing; and, warehousing. Finance and transportation areas of the supply chain are significantly complex requiring standalone subcommittees to design, develop and maintain standards within ASC X12. The new Supply Chain subcommittee actively pursues integration and coordination with other areas including, but not limited to finance, transportation; insurance (property and casualty; life and annuity; healthcare), or any other functional areas.

"The Supply Chain process has evolved significantly over the years, we look forward in addressing these new business procedures relative to the development and maintenance of EDI and XML messaging. One of the most pressing needs of the membership of our X12 Supply Chain subcommittee is 'global' standardization. We are very excited to work with the international standards community in global standards development," said Cimbala. "We encourage companies to come and participate in our efforts in the achievement of these common global goals and objectives."

Ms. Cimbala has 17 years of experience in standards development and supply chain management. This experience spans various industries such as the metals industry, health care and consumer product goods. Throughout her career, Debra has specialized in conceptualizing business needs and formulating standard technical solutions to these needs while appreciating the unique characteristics of a particular industry. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education and a Master of Arts in Clinical Studies. Ms. Cimbala is also co-vice-chair of the Convergence and Outreach Task Group, a Special Task Group to the X12 Steering Committee.

Rita Laur has been involved over the last 20+ plus years in retail and specifically to developing standards for the last 5 years with the Electronic Commerce Council of Canada (GS1 Canada). Active in numerous standards organization representing the Canadian Standards Requirements such as the Canadian e-Commerce Committee, Canadian VICS EDI Work Group, UCC XRG (Uniform Code Council X12 Requirements Group) XRG Publications Group. On the Global front, Rita is a Member of the GSMP ITRG (Global Standard Management Process - Information Technical Requirements Group). On the Global Foodservice/Food Retail Industry Requirements Team she is the Co-Chair and actively participates in other Working Groups to develop National, North American and Global Standards.

Additionally, the following individuals were elected to the following positions within the Supply Chain Subcommittee:

--Secretary, Jackie Kimble of J.C. Penney

--Technical Assessment (TAS) representative, Mark Buttschau of John Deere

--TAS alternate, Rita Laur of Electronic Commerce Council of Canada (ECCC) GS1 Canada

--Procedures and Review Board (PRB) representative, Steven Rosenberg of the Uniform Code Council

--PRB alternate is Fred Leuders of Caterpillar

Learn more about the initiatives of the X12M Supply Chain Subcommittee of ASC X12, visit www.x12.org or email [e-mail].

About Accredited Standards Committee X12

The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12, accredited by the American National Standards Institute and comprised of cross-industry representation, develops robust e-business exchange standards in X12 electronic data interchange (EDI) and XML formats that interact with a multitude of e-business technologies and serve as a premier tool for integrating electronic applications. Through standards-setting and active participation in emerging and technically relevant initiatives, ASC X12 facilitates the effective exchange of electronic information. Propelling global e-business, ASC X12 is an active contributor to the United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT), an international standard relating to the exchange of goods and services. To learn more about ASC X12, visit www.X12.org or call 703-970-4480.