Thor Osteboe

Thor’s thirty years of combined military and civilian leadership experience began as an officer in the United States Navy. Thor served as a naval aviator and later as an operational test pilot and test director, mission-qualified in all models of F-14 and F/A-18 tactical aircraft. His active / reserve military career successfully concluded after serving as the commanding officer for an unmanned aerial vehicle unit in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters in 2011.

Thor developed a deep understanding of Lean / Six-Sigma continuous improvement strategy, and team development as he progressed through increasing levels of leadership in multiple manufacturing and supply chain leadership positions at Visiontek LLC, Lithonia Lighting, and W.W. Grainger Inc.

In 2005, Thor’s took a position W.W. Grainger Inc. as the first lean six-sigma black belt in the supply chain operations division, leading strategic, cross-functional process improvements across multiple functions including finance, information technology, product development, merchandising, inventory planning, purchasing and branch / distribution operations. Thor was promoted and relocated into successive leadership positions at Grainger’s largest distribution center in Kansas City, MO. His final role was leading the distribution and fulfillment operation for Grainger Global Sourcing, Grainger’s internal and largest supplier for privately-branded product lines.

Thor came to Smarte Carte in late 2016, as the Senior Director for Central Operations and North American Retail Operations. He was promoted in early 2018 to Vice President, Airport and International Operations, with responsibility for the top thirty airports in North America, and International airports and additional lines of business in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Great Britain and Sweden.

Thor holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy, and an MBA with concentrations in finance, accounting, and econometrics and statistics from The Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.