Smart Software CEO to Speak at National Transit Conference on Achieving Inventory Optimization and Cost-Cutting Mandates - Charles Smart to Discuss Metro-North Railroad at the 2011 APTA Conference

    BELMONT, MA, September 30, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Charles N. Smart, president and CEO of Smart Software will speak at the 2011 Annual Conference of the American Public Transportation Association on October 3rd, in New Orleans. Mr. Smart, an expert in supply chain forecasting and planning, will speak during a session entitled "Achieving the materials management mandate: optimize inventories, lower inventory investments, and improve service." Specifically he will discuss how Metro-North Railroad, the second largest commuter rail system in North America, improved its demand forecasting and inventory optimization process for service/spare parts. He will describe how they accomplished this by implementing Smart Software's SmartForecasts demand forecasting, planning, and inventory optimization solution, including its patented technology for forecasting intermittent demand, to achieve the "materials management mandate".

Like every type of business today, transit systems face challenges that are forcing them to better manage scarce resources and reduce costs, while still maintaining or improving service. As a result of economic conditions and shrinking of state aid in 2008 and 2009, the materials management group at Metro-North Railroad received a mandate to reduce its spending on service/spare parts and other material items. Mr. Smart will discuss ways that, in response to the mandate, Metro-North embarked on a successful program to standardize and improve its forecasting and inventory planning processes, facilitate the flow of information between materials management and the agency's planning systems, and realize its service level goals at a lower cost.

Joining Mr. Smart as a co-author of this presentation is Richard Price, chief material officer, Metro-North Railroad, New York City, NY. Also presenting at the session will be Ted Montoya, executive officer, Material Management, and Bob New, executive officer, Procurement Management, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles, CA. Jim Garban, associate partner, IBM Global Business Services, will also speak.

About Charles N. Smart
Charles N. Smart is president and CEO of Smart Software, Inc., Belmont, Massachusetts, a firm that develops and markets supply chain planning solutions for demand forecasting, demand planning, and inventory optimization. He is an expert in demand forecasting and planning, and has co-developed several forecasting innovations, including an award-winning, patented technology for Intermittent Demand Forecasting.

Mr. Smart has published articles in a variety of trade publications and professional journals. He has also spoken on demand management and inventory planning topics at numerous national and regional conferences. He holds the B.A. and M.A. degrees in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University and the M.B.A. in Finance and Economics from MIT's Sloan School of Management.

SmartForecasts is a registered trademark of Smart Software, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Public Relations Contact:
John Comando, NeedhamGroup
781-559-8061
[email protected]

Smart Software, Inc., Four Hill Road, Belmont, MA 02478 Tel:617-489-2743 Fax:617-489-2748 www.smartcorp.com

About Smart Software, Inc.
Founded in 1984, Smart Software, Inc. is a leader in providing businesses with enterprise-wide demand forecasting, planning and inventory optimization solutions. Smart Software's flagship product, SmartForecasts, has thousands of users worldwide, including customers at mid-market enterprises and Fortune 500 companies. Customers with significant service and spare parts requirements include Metro-North Railroad, Montreal Transit, Prevost Parts (Volvo Bus), Motor Coach Industries, Otis Elevator, Disneyland Resorts, General Electric and Siemens. SmartForecasts gives demand planners the tools to handle sales seasonality, promotions, new and aging products, multi-dimensional hierarchies, and intermittently demanded service parts and capital goods items. It also provides inventory managers with accurate estimates of the optimal inventory and safety stock required to meet future orders and achieve desired service levels. Smart Software is headquartered in Belmont, Massachusetts. Visit its at www.smartcorp.com .

For more information, please contact Gregory Hartunian at Smart Software at 1-800-762-7899 or [email protected] .

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