MHI (Material Handling Institute) 2016 “Face of Supply Chain” top-three national finalist Clint King takes his marketing platform and trademark mission “Speed –Precision – Supply Chain” to the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) where he’ll make his national series debut in Friday night’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Through the backing of J&L Wire, King will drive the No. 15 B.J. McLeod Motorsports Ford Mustang in the 25th race of the season. With the backing, King will have the opportunity to use NASCAR as a recruiting avenue for the Supply Chain & Logistics Industry.
“There is no other stage larger than NASCAR that provides us with an opportunity to promote our awareness platform,” says King.
Due to the rapid growth in the e-commerce industry, the Supply Chain & Logistics Industry is starving for talent. By 2018 an estimated 1.4 million new supply chain workers will be needed. According to Fortune.com “The Logistics Industry has a recruiting problem. It’s huge, making up 8.5% of the GDP, and growing fast. But to most job seekers, it’s misunderstood – or invisible”.
While turning his fast laps in the NASCAR’s second-highest division, King will utilize his race to promote “Supply Chain, Logistics & Material Handling Education Awareness.” The platform is targeted toward the younger generation to increase awareness about the large number of jobs that currently exist and are being created daily in these industries.
King is currently working with a leading trade association in an effort to get more companies involved with this national campaign and plans to use Friday night’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race, as well as potentially other races as the catalyst for this message.
Common with young drivers in the sport, King is already helping to bridge the gap between students and a career in the Supply Chain & Logistics industry by taking time to talk with students at career fairs and High Schools. He is a Board Member and advisor to Yadkin Valley Career Academy near Lexington, North Carolina assisting students with career opportunities in the Supply Chain and Global Logistics Industry.
Recently, on Sept. 1, King visited High Point Central High School in High Point, North Carolina speaking to an estimated 250 seniors about jobs in the Supply Chain & Logistics Industry. “The students identify with me because of my age and the career path I took right out of high school into the material handling industry,” added King.
Like so many young race car drivers, King has always had aspirations of driving at the upper levels of NASCAR and now that desire will be fulfilled.
Climbing through the ranks of racing in textbook style, driving at almost every level of stock car racing, winning races and championships. His highest level of racing came at the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards where he earned two poles, four top-fives and eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts driving for the potent Venturini Motorsports.
Then in his late teens, he was at the point where talent without sufficient financial support would not allow him to advance his racing career to the next level. While shouldering his racing career for the time being, he took a job in the Material Handling Industry working for Warehouse Design, Inc. and now the 21-year-old has become one of the most respected and recognized young professionals in his field.
He started at the entry level installing equipment and now designs and sells highly integrated material handling systems helping companies to achieve optimum space utilization and throughput in their warehouses and distribution centers.
General Manager of J&L Wire Gary Hyde recognized these unique talents and never hesitated when given the opportunity to support Clint and his platform.
“He is such a great role model and one that completely understands our product and the desperate situation our industry is in with regards to filling job vacancies,” said Hyde. “He is the perfect fit for corporate branding and spokesperson for our industry.
“Like me, he is hands-on and a person that people can identify with. People engage with him when he is speaking and that is exactly what we need to promote our products and industry.”
J&L Wire just recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Walterboro, SC and knows the value of motorsports marketing.
“There is no other sport that has the level of brand loyalty than that of NASCAR and we plan to use that loyalty to continue the growth of our sales,” added Hyde. “The potential for at track B2B is unlike any other marketing avenue we have experienced.”
As for the race, King knows what he wants to accomplish.
“It’s because of a lot of work that I have the opportunity to race again,” added King. “I want to go to Richmond, be smart, be competitive and finish the race. I have a job to do not only on the track, but off the track as well and I’m more focused than I’ve ever been in my racing career.”
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