Real Talks by River Logic

Aaron Berg breaks down how River Logic’s value chain optimization (VCO) engine models the full spectrum of operational and financial variables—from manufacturing constraints to supplier contracts and dynamic market conditions. Unlike traditional models that rely on static costs, VCO captures how costs evolve as decisions change—giving leaders real-time insight into the true financial impact of production shifts, sourcing strategies, and capacity adjustments. It’s the engine behind smarter, more adaptive planning.

Aaron Berg highlights how shifting global tariffs are forcing companies to rethink their entire value chain strategies. With international production, sourcing flexibility, and layered tariff schedules, simple cost assumptions no longer cut it. River Logic’s value chain optimization platform enables leaders to model complex what-if scenarios—like staging production across borders—to find the most cost-effective, compliant path forward. In a world of trade uncertainty, adaptability is everything.

In this episode, Aaron Berg reframes tariff disruptions as a strategic opportunity. With River Logic’s value chain optimization solution, companies can quickly model shifts in sourcing, manufacturing, and make-vs-buy decisions to gain a competitive edge. Whether it’s reshoring production or pivoting in response to new trade policies, VCO helps businesses react fast—and capitalize on change instead of scrambling to catch up.

In this episode, Aaron Berg explores how River Logic’s value chain optimization platform empowers businesses to stay agile amid real-world disruptions—from global tariffs to port delays, weather events, and shifting demand. By simulating the financial and operational impact of supply chain decisions in real time, companies can rethink sourcing, pricing, and production strategies to protect profitability—even when the unexpected hits.

Aaron Berg dives into the practical power of value chain optimization, spotlighting real-world use cases that drive measurable impact—from network design and manufacturing strategy to strategic sourcing and customer-level profitability. He highlights how River Logic’s VCO solution enables smarter decisions around capital investments, sustainability planning, and last-mile delivery by combining operational and financial modeling. The result? A more agile, more profitable enterprise equipped to optimize for growth, efficiency, and resilience.

Aaron Berg illustrates how River Logic’s value chain optimization (VCO) solution transforms strategic decision-making—from plant closures to market expansion. Instead of waiting weeks for spreadsheet-driven analysis, leaders can now simulate complex what-if scenarios in real time. Whether evaluating new customer opportunities or restructuring operations, VCO delivers fast, financially grounded answers that align with both growth and profitability goals.

In this episode, Aaron Berg breaks down how value chain optimization (VCO) extends beyond traditional supply chain models by integrating operational decisions with real financial impacts. He explains how VCO enables companies to rapidly simulate “what-if” scenarios—like onboarding new customers, shifting production, or adjusting sourcing contracts—while understanding profitability at every level. From strategic sourcing to sustainability and last-mile delivery, VCO empowers decision-makers to act faster, smarter, and with full visibility into both cost and outcome.

In a compelling dialogue, Carlos Centurion of RiverLogic and Pierre Mallet from Accenture dissect the evolution of supply chain management amidst global disruptions like COVID-19, highlighting a shift from traditional forecasting to dynamic planning transformations. Despite the challenges of deploying complex planning software, they stress the importance of a streamlined approach for enhanced efficiency. Pierre outlines a concise five-step strategy for overhauling supply chain planning, emphasizing the crucial role of understanding business intricacies, segmenting demand, and leveraging advanced forecasting. This strategy is supported by RiverLogic's nimble solutions, which facilitate quick adaptation to business needs and enable scenario planning with artificial intelligence. Their conversation underscores the essential shift towards simplified, technology-enabled planning methods to ensure resilience and operational success in today's volatile business landscape.

In this engaging podcast, Carlos Centurion, President of River Logic, sits down with Lee Devasier, Vice President of Logistics and Network Strategy at Pitney Bowes, to delve into the intricacies of mastering value chain optimization and the ongoing business transformation journey.Pitney Bowes, a global commerce company, embarked on this transformation eight years ago, triggered by an acquisition that brought an existing parcel processing network into focus. The discussion revolves around key questions: Are facilities in the right locations? Are they the right size? Does the network connectivity meet the necessary criteria for cost control and service expectations?Lee highlights the crucial role of a detailed digital representation of Pitney Bowes' value chain, which includes thirteen facilities, third-party transportation, and decision-making processes for insourcing versus outsourcing. This model empowers them to optimize the network, leading to the closure of legacy facilities and a central node, resulting in increased profitability.

According to Aaron Berg, River Logic's VP of Strategy, a Digital Planning Twin is essentially a comprehensive model that encapsulates the entire value chain of a business. Within this model, intricate details about the capabilities and constraints of the business are defined, spanning from manufacturing options to operational capacities. The core essence of this model lies in its ability to answer critical questions about optimal production strategies. For instance, it can suggest the most efficient way to manufacture products to maximize profits or minimize costs based on the provided data. The ultimate goal is to craft a well-informed plan that aligns with the capabilities of the business while meeting predefined objectives.

According to Aaron Berg, VP of River Logic Strategy, the Digital Planning Twin, specifically within River Logic's system, is distinguished by its meticulous cost modeling approach. In crafting a comprehensive plan for production volume, a key concern is predicting the resultant financial outcomes. This necessitates a detailed breakdown of costs into their essential drivers within the business structure. Rather than providing a fixed cost, this approach involves specifying raw materials, considering procurement options, and accounting for various cost implications tied to different vendors. Additionally, it encompasses production-related costs like electricity, packaging, and labor, with a nuanced understanding of labor costs tied to specific work centers and production throughput. The result is a tool that not only forecasts costs accurately but also offers insights into optimizing shifts, overtime, and inventory, ensuring economic fidelity in planning and decision-making.

River Logic's VP of Strategy, Aaron Berg, discusses the beneficial features of their own Digital Planning Twin.Digital Planning Twins offer a comprehensive view of business operations, combining high fidelity representations of the value chain, including both operational and financial components.The consideration of financial impacts and profitability is a crucial aspect, guiding strategic decisions. Detailed product cost analysis, encompassing variables like raw materials, is undertaken in various scenarios, ensuring a deeper understanding beyond average production costs. Financial intricacies such as payment terms and depreciation are seamlessly integrated into the production process, enhancing accuracy. By optimizing business options and evaluating myriad possibilities, these planning twins empower organizations to make informed, goal-oriented decisions, aligning plans with their capabilities and maximizing profits.

Creating a value proposition for sustainability means more than crafting a statement; it’s a commitment to change from the top down.Are businesses effectively aligning sustainability initiatives with their core value chains to optimize operations and contribute to a sustainable future?In the fast-evolving landscape of modern businesses, sustainability has emerged as a critical concern. With increasing awareness and environmental regulations, companies feel compelled to adopt sustainable practices. Still, the value proposition for sustainability must align with a company’s vision and core tenets. Otherwise, it’s nothing more than inspiring words.In this episode of RealTalks by River Logic, host Michelle Dawn Mooney explores the strategies of integrating sustainability within business value chains with her guest, Aaron Berg, the Vice President of Strategy for River Logic. Berg possesses two decades of expertise in decision support, digital planning, and mathematical optimization. He played a pivotal role in shaping River Logic's trajectory and has been a leader in the field of sustainability.Mooney and Berg’s discussion includes:• Understanding the importance of sustainability in today's business landscape• Aligning sustainability initiatives with the value chain strategy for maximum impact• The role of technology in enhancing sustainability efforts within the value chain

In today's volatile business landscape, finance leaders are continuously seeking innovative strategies to navigate uncertainty and make informed decisions. Carlos Centurion, the President of River Logic, sat down with Supply Chain Vice President at Eco Material Technologies, Terese Hunwick, to uncover how they have utilized eco-material and digital twin technology to support robust what-if analysis on the financial front. The insights we gained shed light on a transformative approach that is revolutionizing financial decision-making.RiverLogic's integration of eco-material and digital twin capabilities has been instrumental in empowering finance leaders to conduct comprehensive what-if scenario analysis. Carlos Centurion, President at RiverLogic, sheds light on their process, highlighting its simplicity and effectiveness.Through the utilization of a digital twin, RiverLogic runs simulations for the next 24 months on a monthly basis. This allows them to stay proactive and respond swiftly to emerging situations or potential disruptions on the horizon. When a scenario arises that demands evaluation of its financial impacts, RiverLogic performs a sensitivity analysis tailored to the specific situation. In fact, they often run multiple sensitivities within a month to quantify the potential effects accurately.This agile and data-driven approach equips finance teams with the necessary insights to communicate the financial implications of various scenarios to stakeholders effectively. By leveraging the power of eco-material and digital twin technology, RiverLogic ensures that finance leaders can make informed decisions with a clear understanding of the potential outcomes.The integration of eco-material and digital twin technology marks a significant milestone in financial analysis. Finance leaders can now navigate the complex and volatile environment with confidence, armed with a comprehensive understanding of the financial impacts of different scenarios. This empowers them to communicate effectively, align strategies, and make well-informed decisions that drive sustainable business growth.RiverLogic's innovative approach serves as a testament to the transformative power of eco-material and digital twin technology in supporting what-if analysis on the financial side. By leveraging this advanced methodology, finance leaders can anticipate challenges, assess potential risks, and proactively explore opportunities, ultimately leading to improved financial performance and resilience.In conclusion, the integration of eco-material and digital twin technology has revolutionized the way finance leaders approach what-if analysis. RiverLogic's forward-thinking strategy enables them to run simulations, conduct sensitivity analyses, and effectively communicate the financial impacts of various scenarios to stakeholders. By harnessing the potential of these cutting-edge tools, finance leaders can navigate uncertainty, drive informed decision-making, and secure a prosperous future for their organizations.

Main Points of Conversation:Understanding the concept of a digital planning twin and its role in connecting decisions from strategy to tactics across the entire value chain.Real-world applications and success stories of using a digital planning twin in business, focusing on the example of Eco Material Technologies.The benefits of a digital planning twin, including improved profitability, optimized partnerships, and enhanced forecasting capabilities.Guest Bio: John Barclay is the National Truck Transportation Director for Eco Material Technologies, an industry-leading company specializing in coal combustion products. With extensive experience in supply chain management, John has played a crucial role in implementing the digital planning twin at Eco Material Technologies, leading to significant improvements in decision-making processes.SEO Key Phrase: "Digital planning twin in business"SEO Tags: Digital planning twin, decision-making processes, optimization, sustainable growth, Eco Material Technologies

RiverLogic's revolutionary approach allows partners to focus on essential questions, eliminating the arduous search for answers. By automating heavy lifting, the platform empowers quick exploration of numerous scenarios, transforming data into a powerful communication tool. Philip delves into the immense value RiverLogic brings to consulting projects, commoditizing the best answers and delivering flexible solutions tailored to each client's unique objectives.Philip highlights the platform's technical value in building repeatable projects, boasting a flexible modeling structure driven by data representation. With closed-loop planning, businesses can make interconnected decisions, bridging the gap between strategic, medium-term, and operational choices. RiverLogic's mission is clear - to empower organizations with realistic insights for informed decisions that drive success.Join us in this insightful conversation as we unravel the boundless potential of RiverLogic in making connected decisions a reality for businesses worldwide.SEO Key Phrase: RiverLogic's Data-Driven DecisionsSEO Tags: prescriptive analytics, supply chain, business transformation, innovation, data-driven decisions.

As businesses face rapid changes in the industry landscape, the significance of network optimization and data-driven decisions has become paramount. In today's volatile market, companies seek innovative solutions to maximize growth, optimize margins, and identify new market opportunities. Eco Material Technologies, a rising force in the materials industry, shares their transformation journey driven by network optimization, financial integration, and advanced tools.On this episode of RealTalks, Carlos Centurion sits down with Terese Hunwick, the VP of Supply Chain at Eco Material Technologies. Terese shares insights into their transformative journey using network optimization and digital planning twins to maximize growth, optimize margins, and make data-driven decisions. This episode explores their successful implementation of sales and operations planning (SNOP) with a backbone of network optimization, leveraging RiverLogic's advanced tools.Main Points of Conversation:Leveraging Network Optimization: Terese's journey of integrating network optimization to address market challenges and plan product distribution more efficiently.Financial Integration for Improved Decision-Making: How EMT combines operational and financial data to quantify the impacts of decisions on profitability and margins.Future Roadmap: Exploring the expansion of scope, incorporating financial constraints, and planning a five-year strategy with advanced tools for capital projects and improved financial planning.Guest Bio:Terese Hunwick, VP of Supply Chain at Eco Material Technologies, brings over two decades of experience in transportation, logistics, and bulk materials. With a background in public accounting and finance, she joined the company with a mandate to implement sales and operations planning, leveraging RiverLogic's network optimization tool. Terese plays a key role in driving data-driven decision-making, maximizing growth, and optimizing margins for Eco Material Technologies.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities can be a game-changer. We sat down with Carlos Centurion, President at River Logic, and Terese Hunwick, Supply Chain Vice President at Eco Material Technologies, to explore their process for finding, quantifying, and making decisions around new market opportunities. What we discovered was a revolutionary approach that is simplifying and accelerating the expansion of businesses.According to Carlos Centurion, the process has become remarkably streamlined compared to previous methods. With the advancements in technology and data analytics, businesses can now conduct a high-level study of a potential market by analyzing transportation rates, pricing, and performing a desktop review. This allows them to gauge the impact of entering that market on their overall business.Terese Hunwick provides a compelling example of how this approach has led to exceptional profitability. By leveraging this powerful tool, her company identified and entered a previously untapped market. Astonishingly, the profitability of this new market is six times higher than the lowest-performing market for the same product. This highlights the immense potential and transformative impact that advanced market analysis can have on a business.The ability to quickly evaluate and assess a market's viability and potential profitability provides companies with a competitive edge. By leveraging data-driven insights and comprehensive analysis, businesses can make informed decisions and seize lucrative opportunities with confidence and speed.The process outlined by Carlos Centurion and Terese Hunwick showcases the power of advanced market analysis in driving business growth and expansion. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies and analytical tools, companies can uncover untapped potential, maximize profitability, and stay ahead of the competition in an ever-evolving marketplace.It's clear that the days of cumbersome market research and speculation are long gone. With this revolutionary approach, businesses can now embark on new ventures armed with actionable data, enabling them to make strategic decisions and unlock unprecedented growth.In conclusion, the process of finding, quantifying, and making decisions around new market opportunities has been transformed by advanced market analysis. Carlos Centurion and Terese Hunwick have unveiled a powerful tool that empowers businesses to evaluate markets swiftly and open up untapped potential. By harnessing the potential of technology, data analytics, and comprehensive market research, companies can propel themselves into new realms of profitability and success.