PUGET SOUND, Washington –
Darren Murphy, inventory management specialist at Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Puget Sound, Wash., has received the Global Distribution Excellence: Inventory Management Civilian Supervisor/Leader of the Year award for his stewardship through inventory accuracy.
As the distribution center’s inventory accuracy team, or IAT, lead and interim inventory accuracy officer, Murphy’s duties include scheduling and conducting of perpetual, random sampling and wall-to-wall inventories, in addition to location audits to ensure inventory integrity. He also provides inventory program oversight for the distribution center’s Bangor site.
According to distribution center commander Navy Cmdr. Mark Peace, Murphy planned and executed daily inventory operations, ensured all inventories were completed ahead of schedule, and maintained an accurate recordkeeping system. “His performance was phenomenal and his stewardship was beyond reproach,” said Peace.
In 2014, Murphy aggressively conducted 49 cyclic scheduled inventories and location audits for 14 retail mission support material shop stores consisting of approximately 68,000 line items valued in excess of $96 million in support of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard material inventory integrity. “Through his relentless efforts, all inventory accuracy rates were above Naval Supply Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command goals,” said Peace.
In preparation for audit readiness, Murphy established seven Standard Operating Procedures which streamlined inventory management processes and captured best practices, enhancing continuity and improving cross-functional training by 100 percent. He also generated a Causative Research and Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss tracking system which resulted in 100 percent accountability.
To ensure all his team members were cross-trained, Murphy designed on-the-job cross-functional and soft-skill training programs for four IAT members that influenced overall team performance, ownership and accountability leading to overall team cohesiveness. He also successfully realigned IAT functions during manning shortfalls, maintaining 100 percent inventory output.
“Mr. Murphy’s attention to detail, work ethic and sustained superior performance contributes significantly to our mission readiness and effectiveness,” concluded Peace.