WERC 2025 Insights from Tractor Supply’s Will Sparks

Written by Mike Huff on September 25, 2025. Posted in Podcasts.

Kevin chats with Will Sparks, President of WERC and Director of Operations Planning and Analysis at Tractor Supply Company, live from the WERC 2025 Conference in New Orleans. With 20 years of involvement in WERC, Sparks has seen the organization grow into the leading authority on warehouse education and research. He shares how the conference offers practitioner-driven content, why the collaborative format sets it apart from other industry events, and how Tractor Supply is experimenting with AI across its entire enterprise.

From tariffs to supply chain resilience, Sparks provides a candid look into both industry challenges and opportunities. His experience highlights how WERC continues to shape conversations inside the four walls of the warehouse while equipping leaders to face what’s next.

Building the WERC 2025 Experience

WERC’s conferences rely on members, volunteers, and a process that ensures the most relevant and pressing topics reach the stage. Sparks explains the pathway to leadership within WERC, which mirrors the collaborative spirit of the organization. “The content itself is crowdsourced from practitioners… if you have a good idea and you want to share your story with your peers, you can submit a proposal.” A dedicated content planning committee then reviews hundreds of submissions, curating the agenda around what matters most to warehouse professionals.

Sparks emphasizes that the event’s intimate scale is intentional: sessions are designed for connection, whether in lecture-style formats, peer-to-peer circles, or solution partner presentations. By blending structured programming with space for spontaneous conversations, WERC delivers a unique environment where leaders learn as much in sidebars over coffee as in the main sessions.

AI in the Warehouse: From Theory to Practice

Like many industries, warehousing is rapidly exploring how artificial intelligence can reshape operations. Sparks noted that AI was one of the most discussed topics at WERC 2025. “Some are a little bit further ahead than others, but not by much… all of us are kind of navigating this new world and these new tools.” At Tractor Supply, Sparks’ team uses a corporate license for ChatGPT to build custom GPTs and experiment with real-time applications, such as headset-based AI that helps store associates recommend products instantly.

The company created an “AI Champions” group to pilot use cases before scaling them enterprise-wide. Sparks stresses that treating AI as conversational rather than transactional unlocks its true value. Beyond tools, the WERC environment itself fosters practical learning—participants openly share what has worked, what hasn’t, and how to refine approaches in real time.

How Tractor Supply is Navigating Tariffs with Supply Chain Resilience

Macro-environmental challenges like navigating tariffs, shifting sourcing strategies, and economic pressures were also front and center at WERC. Sparks shared takeaways from a peer-to-peer session: “Number one by far was tariffs… these factors are impacting all of us in different ways, and it’s great to share.” At Tractor Supply, long planning cycles, import storage strategies, and a resilient product mix help buffer disruption. The company leans heavily on consumables, which Sparks describes as “not inflation proof or recession proof, but… pretty resistant.”

Lessons from COVID remain top of mind: being nimble and flexible is just as critical as optimizing for cost. For Sparks, resilience means planning for known seasonal peaks, staying conservative with discretionary inventory, and constantly re-forecasting. WERC’s role is to provide leaders with a trusted space to compare strategies, stress-test ideas, and prepare for the next inevitable disruption—whether tariffs, black swan events, or accelerating automation trends.

Key WERC 2025 Insights from Tractor Supply

WERC’s content is practitioner-driven, ensuring real-world relevance.
Peer-to-peer formats encourage candid discussion and shared problem-solving.
AI adoption is accelerating, with practical applications emerging in warehouses and retail.
Tariffs and macro pressures require flexible planning and diverse sourcing strategies.
Supply chain resilience now depends as much on adaptability as on cost optimization.

Listen to the episode below and leave your thoughts in the comments.