CTL Director Awarded Top Logistics Prize in Spain
Yossi Sheffi acknowledged by Government of Aragon for work in Zaragoza, Spain 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., October 5, 2006 –  MIT Professor Yossi Sheffi has been awarded one of Spain’s top honors in the area of logistics - the PLAZA 2006 Award presented by the Government of Aragon in Spain.  The President of Aragon Marcelino Iglesias Ricou presented the award to Dr. Sheffi at a special ceremony held in Zaragoza, Spain on October 5, 2006. 

The President said that Professor Sheffi, the director of the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, was selected for this prestigious honor because of his leadership in establishing the MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics Program and the contribution of this program to the economic development of Aragon.

Established in 2003, the MIT-Zaragoza program is a unique research and education partnership among the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL), the University of Zaragoza, the government of Aragón, industry partners, and the PLAZA logistics park in Zaragoza, Spain.  It allows researchers from MIT and the Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC) to experiment with new logistics processes, concepts and technologies and to move research findings quickly into practice.  In addition, MIT-Zaragoza offers graduate and executive education in logistics and supply chain management to students from around the world.

“When the Government of Aragon decided to turn Zaragoza into a logistics hub, we looked for the best partner, and that was the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics.  The Center’s Director Yossi Sheffi has been instrumental in helping transform Aragon and its business sector into a logistics leader, and helping us prepare for the future by generating some the best logistics professionals,” said Javier Velasco, Aragon’s Minister of Public Works, Urban Development and Transportation, during the award ceremony.

Upon accepting his award, Dr. Sheffi thanked the Government not only for the honor of receiving the PLAZA 2006 award, but also for the opportunity to be part of the program’s development.   “It has been amazing to see the progress of Aragon, Zaragoza, and PLAZA.  The MIT-Zaragoza International Logistics program is an example of how academia, industry and government can successfully work together to enhance economic development.   I want to thank the Government of Aragon for giving me the chance to participate in such an innovative partnership, and I look forward to even greater accomplishments as this program continues into the future.” 

Dr. Sheffi is the second recipient of the PLAZA Award.  The first award was given last year to Juan Carlos Rodríguez Cebrián, the general manager of INDITEX, parent company of retailer Zara, for establishing the company’s main logistics operations center in Zaragoza, Spain.


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