32 image of corey billington taken with hp PhotoSmart 912 digital camera supply chain management  How does someone apply their rather obscure interests in real options theory and perfect market dynamics, to solving a basic business challenge at hp? Corey Billington did it. He wanted to help hp figure out a better way to manage the supply chain risks inherent with volatile technology markets, so he assembled a team and built TradingHubs.com, a prototype online exchange that enables hp and its partners to buy and sell excess parts and inventory in an auction environment. (Today, TradingHubs.com is at the heart of hp’s contribution to eHITEX (now Converge.com), the Internet marketplace founded in June 1999 to serve the supply chain needs of the high-tech community.) Corey’s team is on a roll. Through their pioneering work, they’ve created a way for hp to save up to 30 percent in inventory costs. They also reinvented the hp product distribution packaging process, sav- ing the company $35 million this year.