Since joining Lincoln Financial Group in Fort Wayne, Indiana, nearly 20 years ago, Brock Dutton has built a reputation as an innovative thinker and collaborative partner who is continually on the lookout for better ways of working.

As assistant vice president for procurement strategic sourcing, Dutton is responsible for LFG’s CW program, consulting and financial print sourcing. He took over responsibility for the CW program six years ago during a restructuring of the procurement and strategic sourcing operations. By the end of 2019, spend being managed through the program had doubled to $87 million from $42 million over four years.

One of his biggest challenges was the integration of the company’s strategic IT partners into LFG’s CW structure. “Over the course of more than a year, I had to work closely with our business partners and senior leadership so we could get our contingent workers classified appropriately. But now our suppliers are operating under the same structure and it makes all the difference.”

Early in the Covid-19 crisis, Dutton saw a shift in CW management, as workers were moved to virtual and remote work. He reports that the change was seamless across the company. As resources have been reallocated in response to changing priorities, the CW program has adjusted in size to meet demand.

Despite the challenges, Dutton sees a promising new model emerging. “Even before Covid-19, there had been a move to embrace and use more remote resources,” he says. “It gives us better access to a larger talent pool and lets us focus on finding the best talent available anywhere, versus what’s best in our small geographic location.”