To strengthen its presence in facility design and automation, PLG Consulting has appointed an industry veteran to lead a new practice focused on operational excellence through advanced facility design and automation solutions.
CHICAGO, Illinois, Apr. 2, 2025/ — PLG Consulting, a Chicago-based leading logistics and supply chain consulting firm for the industrial economy, today announced the appointment of Candy Mitchell as its new Managing Director—Facility Design and Automation practice. The new practice area represents a strategic expansion of PLG’s capabilities in facility automation, process excellence, and operational transformation.
For over 20 years, PLG Consulting has been at the forefront of helping senior executives from the world’s largest shippers, transportation companies, and private equity firms to solve their most complex logistics and supply chain solutions. With the addition of the Facility Design and Automation Practice, PLG expands its offerings to meet growing demand for operational excellence through advanced facility design and automation solutions.
“I’m excited to join PLG Consulting to lead this new practice area,” says Mitchell. “With the accelerating pace of automation adoption across industries, there’s a tremendous opportunity to help clients optimize their operations through innovative solutions. My experience implementing large-scale automation projects and driving process excellence initiatives will enable us to deliver significant value to PLG’s clients as they navigate complex organizational transformations.”
Mitchell brings over 35 years of experience in process excellence, warehouse automation, and global operations management across diverse sectors, including distribution, manufacturing, aerospace, and technology. Prior to joining PLG, she served as Vice President of Advanced Operations, Health and Safety at WESCO, where she created and led the Advanced Operations function globally. She established automation strategies and implemented solutions that delivered significant cost savings and operational improvements, driving $28M in productivity for 2023 and over $50M in 2024. Under her leadership, her team executed 65 facility consolidations and new sites in two years while implementing advanced automation solutions that increased picks/hour from 24 to over 120.
Previously, Mitchell held senior leadership positions at Honeywell as Senior Director of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, at Jabil as Director of Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, and at Schneider Electric as VP of Buildings Customer Satisfaction and Quality. Her expertise in data analytics and AI led to recognition with a CIO Top 100 Award for developing a unique Citizen Data Science Program at Jabil.
PLG Consulting’s CEO, Graham Brisben, says, “We are delighted to welcome Candy to PLG to lead our new Facility Design & Automation Practice. Her deep expertise in warehouse automation, process excellence, and data-driven operations will be invaluable to our clients as they navigate complex operational transformations. Candy’s proven track record of implementing innovative automation solutions and driving significant productivity improvements makes her the ideal person to lead this strategic practice area as we expand our services.”
In her new role as Managing Director—Facility Design & Automation Practice, Mitchell will be responsible for driving revenue growth, overseeing project delivery, and serving as a subject matter expert in facility design, warehouse automation, and process excellence. She will also play a crucial role in developing and nurturing client and partner relationships, providing strategic insights, and contributing to the firm’s overall direction.
The new Facility Design & Automation Practice offers comprehensive services to clients seeking to transform their operations, including:
- Layout Design & Optimization: Intelligent facility design that maximizes space and workflow efficiency
- Automation Analysis & Solution: Strategic automation implementation that balances technology investment with measurable performance gains
- Smart Facility & Digitization: Enhanced facility performance through smart technology integration
- Utilization & Asset Management: Strategic asset deployment and space optimization
- Program Management & Execution: Expert guidance for successful implementation
- Productivity Capture & Continuous Improvement: Data-driven performance analysis
These services have demonstrated significant results for clients, including 40% productivity gains from automated systems, 35% reduction in operating costs, 35% improvement in space utilization, 25% decrease in labor dependencies, and 3–5-year ROI on automation investments.
Mitchell holds a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri. She is a Certified Black Belt / Lean Expert, demonstrating her commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
About PLG Consulting
For over 20 years, PLG Consulting has delivered customized and practical solutions for the industrial economy. Over 200 of the world’s most admired shippers, transportation service providers, and private equity firms trust PLG Consulting to help solve their complex logistics and supply chain challenges. To achieve client results, PLG Consulting employs over 60 real-world industry veterans, including logistics and supply chain strategists, operations experts, information and data analysts, and project managers.
PLG Consulting welcomes Candy to the team. To connect directly with Candy Mitchell, please visit her LinkedIn profile.
