Jim Hourigan

Jim Hourigan is the Chief Operating Officer of BuildDirect, an e-commerce pioneer based in Vancouver, Canada that specializes in the online distribution of building materials and home products. Building upon a strong early foundation with A. H. Robins and A.C. Nielsen, Jim's leadership quickly advanced him into executive positions with a series of consumer and medical device companies that includes Inviro Medical, Medline, and London International. Jim's educational credentials include an MBA from the University of Dallas, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York, and certification through executive education programs at INSEAD University in Paris and Ashridge Business School in London. In addition, he's attained CIRM certification through APICS and is the holder of multiple patents related to manufacturing and product design. Jim speaks regularly on leadership and global supply chains and co-authored the book "The Castle" about the challenges/opportunities created by modern ERP business systems. Jim serves on the FedEx Advisory Board; he was appointed in January 2015. The board meets to discuss industry trends, supply chain networks, operations research and business opportunities for FedEx. Jim is active in the community and is the Chairman of the Board for Kids up Front Canada a charitable organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax that provides access to arts, culture, sports and recreation for underprivileged kids who otherwise would not have the opportunity. Jim serves on the BC Technology Industry Association - COO Council - BCTIA is a not-for-profit organization that supports the development, growth, and advancement of technology companies in British Columbia.