Darrell Edwards

Darrell Edwards is an assistant professor of practice in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee. Prior to joining the UT faculty, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at La-Z-Boy Incorporated, the nation’s largest producer of reclining chairs and one of the nation’s largest providers of home furnishings.

Edwards has over three decades of deep global operations and supply chain experience, delivering significant value within consumer product industries. Edwards was a named executive officer (NEO) who led the global operations and supply chain for La-Z-Boy Incorporated’s Branded Business totaling in excess of 9,000 employees.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Correct Craft Corporation in Orlando, Florida, and Rival Holdings in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Moreover, Edwards has been recognized as an award-winning global leader, having led numerous business units to achieve national and global recognition for operational excellence. His interests are focused in leadership, business strategy, executive coaching, team building, and process innovation. He is a frequent guest speaker at various national forums, and authored articles in several business trade publications.

Edwards holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the Fox School of Business at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and a master’s degree in global management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona.