Orr has since continued to be involved with the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering, through recruitment with the Industrial Roundtable and Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers. As a PepsiCo representative, he has sponsored IE 431 capstone projects, serving as a mentor for Purdue industrial engineers. Orr has also given numerous presentations to students, advising them on their path to success and excellence. 

 

From playing on the Purdue Men’s Club Basketball Team and serving as president of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Orr has since earned his Master of Applied Science in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and became the Director of Capital and Parts at PepsiCo. During his time at PepsiCo, he has been involved in North America operations, engaging with C-level executives within the business, and among global suppliers. As the leader of engineering strategies and fleet asset design, Tony Orr’s role in PepsiCo extends far across the scope of Industrial Engineering. He has been responsible for capital management and highly-exposed project management, including the launch of Tesla Semis in the PepsiCo fleet.

 

What does it take to achieve this level of success?

For Tony Orr, it was the pursuit of mastery, trust, reputation, and impact extending far beyond himself. “I use professional and academic achievement as platforms to develop others and advance collective growth. Grounded in a lifelong growth mindset, I seek opportunities that simultaneously strengthen confidence, leadership capability, and meaningful contribution” says Orr.

 

In his time at MIT, Orr was able to strengthen his leadership skills by leading diverse teams through complex tasks. His experience there reinforced a systems-oriented mindset anchored in rigorous technical analysis and clear linkage to real-world impacts. When it came to that real-world impact, Orr found that MIT’s innovation approach was practical in its balance between quality deliverables and risk profiling of the solution, to ensure all potential problems were identified before seeking a resolution. 

 

His decision to pursue graduate school was greatly shaped by his persistence towards continual development; a mindset he acquired from Purdue University. An emphasis on collaboration, academics, and extracurriculars all honed the perfect environment for student effort to translate into professional impact. As a recipient of the Supply Chain Excellence Award at Purdue, Orr found that the greatest value in both personal and professional development came from persistent time and effort. Orr highlights the various resources he utilized during his time at campus, from the strong alumni network to an unwavering investment and commitment to student education.