GS1 US Names Kraig Adams VP, Blockchain

GS1 US has appointed Kraig Adams VP, blockchain. In this newly created role, Adams will bolster the organization’s strategic partnerships with leaders exploring distributed ledger technology, including blockchain, across various industries, among them foodservice, retail grocery, apparel, general merchandise and health care. He and his team will encourage the use of GS1 Standards for systems interoperability and better data quality, two foundational aspects of a successful blockchain implementation.

Adams joins the GS1 US team a year after the launch of the GS1 US Blockchain Discussion Group, a cross-industry collaboration to identify challenges with blockchain implementation and investigate opportunities to leverage GS1 Standards with blockchain.

Adams brings extensive manufacturing, supply chain, sales and customer development expertise to his latest position, having spent more than a quarter-century with Coca-Cola North America, most recently as VP of national foodservice distribution, in which capacity he oversaw a robust foodservice distribution and operations network.

In previous roles at Coca-Cola, including those of VP of customer solutions and director of collaborative customer capabilities, Adams worked with business teams to boost efficiencies through data synchronization, product identification and bar code technology. Among other industry activities, he sat on the executive leadership committee for the Foodservice GS1 US Standards Initiative in 2018 and 2019.

“As a transformative technology that could potentially improve trading partner relationships and business processes, blockchain has become top of mind for GS1 US members,” said Siobhan O’Bara, SVP, community engagement at Ewing, N.J.-based GS1 US. “After collaborating with Kraig for many years over the course of his tenure with Coca-Cola, we have confidence that he is the right leader to help industry understand the complexities of blockchain implementation and achieve alignment on GS1 Standards for improved interoperability.”

More information on how GS1 Standards support blockchain technology is available online.

GS1 US, a member of GS1 global, is a not-for-profit information standards organization that facilitates industry collaboration to help improve supply chain visibility and efficiency through the use of GS1 Standards, the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world.