Candiss Kumar, CPSM
Candiss Kumar, CPSM, is a seasoned supply chain and strategic sourcing leader, professional speaker, and published author based in Jacksonville, Illinois. She currently serves as Wolters Kluwer Associate Director Strategic Sourcing and brings over 30 years of experience in supply chain management, including 29 years with Wolters Kluwer, a Fortune 500 organization. Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for driving operational efficiency, strengthening customer service, and aligning team performance with organizational and shareholder goals. In addition to her corporate leadership, she is the Principal Owner of International Kreative Family, LLC and holds a CPSM certification, reflecting her deep expertise and commitment to excellence in supply management.
At the corporate level, Candiss plays a key role in supporting executive decision-making through market studies, data analysis, vendor research, and budget evaluation across marketing, sales, and human resources divisions. Her work helps guide strategic direction and optimize global supply chain operations. One of her most defining career achievements came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when she led a global supply chain organization managing 28 active projects. During this time, she proactively prepared teams for remote operations before the shutdown, ensuring uninterrupted service to customers. She also helped coordinate critical employee support efforts by tracking impacted staff and families and assisting in the delivery of essential supplies, including oxygen and medical resources—an experience she describes as the most meaningful of her career.
Beyond her corporate accomplishments, Candiss is deeply passionate about public speaking, training, and mentorship. She is dedicated to empowering professionals—especially women in the field—through coaching, storytelling, and leadership development. Through her speaking engagements and entrepreneurial work, she draws on both her professional expertise and lived experiences to inspire growth, resilience, and confidence in others. As she looks toward the next chapter of her life, she remains focused on expanding her outreach and continuing to make a meaningful impact through education, mentorship, and advocacy.
• Certification, Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
• Certification, Marriage Ministry
• ChatGPT
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Communicating in the Language of Leadership
• Presenting to Senior Executives
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
• Grit: How Teams Persevere to Accomplish Great Goals
• Executive Leadership
• Confronting Bias: Thriving Across Our Differences
• Unconscious Bias
• Agile at Work: Building Your Agile Team
• Illinois College - BA, Political Science and Government
• University of Illinois Springfield - MA, Law
• Sourcing Industry Group Stellar Award (Lifetime Achievement Award)
• Colleague of the Year
• Star Award 2025
• Make a Difference Month (April) - family initiative donating to elderly care
• Homelessness
• Battered women
• And cancer foundations
• Proceeds from personal company and book go to charitable organizations
• Pay It Forward philosophy with focus on experiences over material possessions
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to grit and perseverance. Those are the two things that have gotten me through. You know, my work-life balance has not always been good, and it's been grit and determination to get things done, to fight for things. You've got to stand up sometimes. The other thing is, I didn't care about title and money all the time. I did my jobs because I loved my job, I loved what I did, and I didn't get caught up in title and money. Now I tell my daughter and her friends, and their generation, to get that work-life balance in. I tell them from lessons learned, I said, you have to be a hard worker, but don't lose yourself in your job. Work smarter, work hard, but don't lose yourself. I'm telling the next generation, be better than me.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received is don't go to work and just do your job. Go to work and be engaged in your job. Let people know who you are as a person, and become involved. It's not just about showing up and doing the work. You need to be passionate about what you're doing, engage with people, let them see who you are, and really involve yourself in what you do.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Know your worth. Always know your worth, and don't be afraid to stand up for your worth. And remember, you are not handcuffed to your job. I've mentored so many women in life, and they come to me unhappy about their jobs, complaining and complaining. The first thing I tell them is, are you handcuffed to your desk at work? And they say no, and I'm like, then leave. If you are not valued, and you think you are worth more than how you're being treated, leave. Bottom line. Know your worth. If you are not handcuffed, move on. That's your answer. Don't stay where you're not valued.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI is where we're going in the future, and you have got to continue with your education. I'm in the process of getting certified on various AI tools, and I'm actually giving a talk this coming June to CEOs about positioning their companies for AI. Some people are scared to death of it, while others are embracing it. That's one of the biggest challenges and opportunities within companies right now - the AI aspect of it. It's critical to stay current and help organizations understand how to leverage these new technologies.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
You have to achieve balance. It's very hard to do in a driven world, but you always have to remember, companies are not your family. Your family's your family. Do not become so absorbed in your work that you lose your identity as a person. At times, your company is going to have to make some tough decisions, and you may be one of those tough decisions that they have to let go. If you are so absorbed in your work and your identity has become your work, then if you are one of those tough decisions, what happens to you? So you've got to keep that balance, and don't lose yourself in your job.