Building Future Leaders with Clayton Supply

Benjamin Green has always been curious.

Green, a senior at The Collegiate School of Memphis, often finds his mind wandering whenever he observes nearby objects. Instead of merely seeing a smart phone and buying it from a retailer, Green wants to know how the phone was made and how it worked its way through the supply chain to the store.

Green didn’t immediately realize that supply chain management provided the perfect outlet for that curiosity. Nor did he have any idea that his experiences at the University of Tennessee’s Supply Chain Management Camp, sponsored by Clayton Supply®, would steer him down a path towards a career in supply chain.

Built for Business

Green knew he wanted to pursue a career in business. In his own words, he “can’t really imagine doing anything else.”

As a junior, Green noticed that his classmates were struggling with a new AP macroeconomics course. It required a different type of thinking than his peers were used to and an unfamiliar set of fundamentals for understanding.

So Green researched ways he could help bridge the gap between early high school learning and the high-level economics classes that students can expect as they progress. He found an organization called Youth Economic Initiative (YEI), which helps students launch econ clubs at their schools.

After a Zoom meeting between Green and a YEI representative, Green started a chapter at The Collegiate School of Memphis. He said a majority of the club’s 30 members are freshmen and sophomores.

Green’s club participates in mock negotiations, Econ Jeopardy, and YEI-sponsored national competitions like EconBowl and EconOlympiad.

“We had a good amount of buy-in, mostly because the students knew me and I had to try to make it fun,” said Green. “If I were just doing basic sit-down discussions every class and we’re just learning about economics, it wouldn’t really be that attractive.”

A clear area of study within business wasn’t as quick to materialize, though. Green was initially interested in following in the footsteps of his mother, a professor at a Tennessee university, by studying accounting.

That was until an advisor at Green’s school told him about the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Camp at the University of Tennessee.

Summer with SCM

Green knew goods must be produced and transported, but he never gave the process much thought beyond that. As he investigated the SCM Camp, he started to realize how much supply chain aligns with his personal passions.

“One thing about supply chain that fits with me well is that you have to combine a bunch of different topics, or I guess you could say industries, with doing the job of supply chain,” said Green. “It requires a broad spectrum of knowledge, from history and politics to logistics and finance.”

During the camp, Green’s interest solidified when he got a first-hand look at supply chain through his experiences at Clayton Home Building Group®.

Green toured the Clayton home office, where he participated in mock negotiations. He saw supply chain in action at Clayton’s supply facilities in Morristown, TN and followed those materials to TRU White Pine, where they’re crafted into modern manufactured homes.

While visiting Clayton, Green struck a relationship with Brandon Burgess, who oversees the transportation of manufactured homes and logistical needs between facilities as Clayton Connect Director of Operations. The two stayed in contact after the camp ended.

Burgess was drawn to Green’s confidence, intellectual curiosity and genuine interest in supply chain management. He helped Green with his college application essays, serving as a sounding board for ideas as Green wrote through drafts and solutions.

“That’s why I do what I do every day,” said Burgess. “It’s the impact that you can have on people, whether you recognize it or not in that moment, even if it’s a small conversation.”

Green’s continued pursuit of mentorship serves as a reflection of Clayton’s purpose in its partnership with the University of Tennessee.

“Supply chain management has always been an area of interest to me because of its focus on connecting people,” said Matt Stites, President of Clayton Supply. “I was hopeful that meeting with the next generation would allow us to make a meaningful impact by demonstrating how we operate and the value of the work we do.”

Working Towards the Future

Green went through a rigorous application process for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Levine Scholars Program, a full-ride merit scholarship that covers all four years of tuition. He had to write six essays and visit the Charlotte campus for a round of in-person interviews.

He was on the way home from a Youth in Government event in Nashville, TN when he got his acceptance email. Green sent a message to Burgess sharing his accomplishment.

“When I got the notification on my phone, I was very excited,” said Green. “My parents were very excited too, because it’s a big relief not having to pay anything for college.”

The Levine Scholars Program pays for housing, meals, books and mandatory fees, in addition to its tuition coverage. It also provides students with civic engagement and study abroad grants.

Green is excited to continue his studies as an Operations and Supply Chain Management major while using the civic engagement grant to Do good in communities around North Carolina and East Tennessee that are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene.

“Going to college and going to class and getting a job, it’s not all about you,” said Green. “I feel like everybody has a role to contribute, where they can, to the community they’re in.”