NIGP Buy Weekly - 08/22/2007 (Plain Text Version)

View Graphical Version | Search back issues

William B. Irish Awarded NIGP's 2007 Top Honor

William B. Irish, FNIGP, CPPO, C.P.M.
2001 NIGP President
City Purchasing Agent
City of Baltimore Purchase Bureau, MD
received the Albert H. Hall Memorial Award during the 2007 NIGP Annual Forum.

One of the primary missions of NIGP is to encourage and recognize excellence in public procurement and the highest recognition of all is the Albert H. Hall Award - named for NIGP's founder and its first Executive Vice President.

Despite his modest personality, Bill is literally a who’s who among the public procurement profession. Just like Bill's rich heritage, which can be traced back to the early days of the New World, he thrives on stability and purpose by establishing roots at a single location and making a huge difference in quality.

Here are just a few examples:

•  Before serving a local government as its purchasing agent for twenty
   plus years, Bill also served the nation.

•  Before purchasing co-ops gained momentum as a suitable alternative to
   individual agency bidding, he was instrumental in establishing both a
   cooperative purchasing council and a local piggyback program. 

•  Before professional development was a buzz-word, Bill joined the
   NIGP instructor team, led the Education Committee, and was actively
   involved in the certification programs of the UPPCC. 
 
•  Before joining the NIGP Board in the mid-1990s, where he participated in
   no less than 14 national committees and councils and served as chair
   of four of them, Bill demonstrated thoughtful and deliberate leadership
   on the chapter level.

•  Before preference legislation became commonplace in our profession, Bill
   was a proponent of set-asides.  He set aside his master’s degree studies
   in order to dedicate more time to NIGP.  

•  Before leaving the NIGP Board, Bill's ten-year odyssey towards national
   prominence afforded him the opportunity to lead as president of his
   beloved institution. 

•  Before it was re-named the Pennsylvania Public Purchasing Association, Bill
   was responsible for chartering his cherished Delaware Valley Chapter of
   Southeastern Pennsylvania as NIGP’s 38th chapter and served as its President.

•  Never one to be lead down a primrose path, Bill retired from Northampton
   County, Pennsylvania after 25 years of dedicated service only to follow in
   the footsteps of other great NIGP leaders who graced the City Hall of Baltimore
   in years past. Sitting in the Chair once occupied by such giants as
   Stan Zemansky and Ella Pierce is a daunting task – but Bill Irish brings to
   this office the same intelligence, steadiness, and gentleness that have
   always personified his career.

And although Bill is a virtual who’s who in our profession, he is most proud
of who he is as a father to Christy and Nate, a devoted husband to Linda for
38 years, and a treasured friend to all who know him.

Carrie Rawn Receives The Anne Deatherage Meritorious Service Award

In 2005, NIGP established the Anne Deatherage Meritorious Service Award - named in honor of NIGP's Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Anne Deatherage, who served the Institute in a variety of leadership capacitites from 1972 to 2005. 

This special award is given to current public purchasing officials, retired or former public purchasing officials, NIGP staff members, and individuals in the private sector who have dedicated their career to advancing the public purchasing profession. 

Among Anne's greatest achievements was the annual Forum and Products Exposition.  As an educational showcase, Anne insured the Institute's success by producing an event where professionals learned, networked, and developed life-long personal friendships.  Anne's legacy has continued through new leaders on the NIGP team that emulate her enthusiasm and commitment to the public procurement profession through quality conferences.   

                Carrie Rawn, CMP, NIGP Director for Meetings and Events
                   Recipent of the Anne Deatherage Meritorious Award. 
                            
   (Shown from left to right:  Carrie Rawn, Anne Deatherage, Darin Matthews).

In 2001, Anne saw a special quality in Carrie, who was yearning to leave the hotel catering business and wanted an opportunity to develop her meeting planning skilss.  Carrie moved quickly through the ranks of NIGP, earned her Certified Meeting Planner designation, and now leads an incredible team as NIGP's Director for Meetings and Events. 

Carrie's can-do attitude and infectious laughter shine through every thing she does and have earned her the 2007 Anne Deatherage Meritorious Service award.

 [return to top]

Forum Highlights: Over 1,200 Procurement Pros Gather in Hartford

The 62nd Annual NIGP Forum and Products Exposition was a rousing success as the country's top procurement professionals gathered in Hartford, Connecticut to "Insure Your Success in New England's Rising Star" – the inspirational theme for the conference's educational and networking program. 

During the four-day journey, August 4 - August 8, purchasers took a development journey that included 42 workshops, networking sessions, plenary presentations, a general session and the products exposition.  Each day spotlighted nationally recognized speakers focusing on leadership, integrity, and issues directly influencing public procurement.

The impressive roster included:

•  Dr. Steve Kelman from Harvard Business School discussing "Unleashing
   Change in the Public Sector"

•  Commander Scott Waddle, Retired, USN sharing his personal story of
   national attention and hard decisions in a presentation entitled
   "Failure is Not Final"

•  Deirdre Lee, Director of Management and Chief Acquisition Officer,
   FEMA addressing current events

•  Rob Stevenson, an internationally known speaker and author with an
   energizing session "Going from Ordinary to Extraordinary"

In these times of social responsibility and green initiatives, 'green workshops' were also featured each day as well as a special Plenary Session, "The Best Things in Life are Green," where attendees heard first-hand what environmental choices and projects colleagues are facing.  The conference also featured a fascinating workshop - "PREP - Are You Ready?" — led by leaders of NIGP's newest knowledge community, PREP (Procurement's Response to Emergency Preparedness).

Other Forum highlights included a kickoff production by the “The Water Coolers,” a New York-based music and comedy group that had everyone in the audience rolling with laughter as well as a traditional New England Clam Bake with incredible eats and a breathtaking view of the Connecticut River. 

However, nothing tells a story quite like pictures!






Photography by Pam McComb.  Available on cd for $30 at PMcPod@aol.com. [return to top]

Robin J. Zee Presidential Citation for Best Practices Award Recipients

Best Practices Award - Customer Focus

•  City of Knoxville, Tennessee
•  Knox County, Tennessee
•  Knoxville Airport Authority
•  Knoxville Public Building Authority
•  Knoxville Utility Board
•  University of Tennessee

Best Practices Award - Strategic Planning

•  East Bay Municipal Utility District, California

NIGP Innovations Award - Process Management

•  District School Board of Niagara, Ontario
 [return to top]

Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award Recipients

During the past year, 14 public agencies championed the challenge of achieving a rigorous body of standards established for the public procurement profession and achieved NIGP's Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award. 

                                              

•  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Procurement Services, North Carolina
•  City of Glendale, Arizona
•  City of McKinney, Texas
•  City of Virginia Beach, Virginia
•  Commissioners of Public Works, City of Charleston, South Carolina
•  Douglas County School District, Colorado
•  Escambia County, Florida
•  Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, Florida
•  Humber College of Applied Arts & Technology, Ontario, Canada
•  Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Georgia
•  Mohave Education Services Cooperative, Arizona
•  Osceola County, Florida
•  Polk County, Florida
•  Polk County Sheriff's Office, Florida
•  Town of Blacksburg, Virginia

Achievement of OA⁴ accreditation is realized upon successful completion of an agency self-evaluation process that assesses performance in 12 key functional areas.  Obtaining OA⁴ accreditation is a prerequisite to qualifying for the pinnacle agency accreditation public procurement, the Pareto Award of Excellence. [return to top]

Education Essential: Protests and Disputes

What's a Buyer To Do?

In recent years there has been a paradigm shift and suppliers are no longer reluctant to exercise their right to protest.  Therefore, procurement officials must take proactive steps to reduce protests and disputes as well as be effectively reactive when protests do occur. 

NIGP and Rob Rickard, CPPO, OPBC, offer this one-day seminar which examines proactive tactics such as:

•  How to reduce the probability of a protest and
•  How to prepare a solicitation that will withstand a protest

Protests and Disputes:  What's a Buyer To Do? also provides professionals with tools for the effective handling of protests that include:

•  Identifying types of protests and how to respond to each type
•  Dealing with emotions
•  Formal responses to a protest
•  How to resolve a protest at the lowest possible level

This seminar will help you handle protests in a positive and professional way.  Protests and Disputes:  What's a Buyer to Do?    

                                              Presented By
                                            
                                Robin (Rob) Rickard, CPPO, OPBC   
                                           Purchasing Manager   
                                      Oregon Secretary of State   

Rob is presenting Protests and Disputes:  What's a Buyer To Do? on September 13 in Columbia, SC, hosted by the Sourth Carolina Association of Governmental Purchasing Officials Chapter of NIGP.  Register Today.  Any chapter or agency that wishes to request this course should complete the Seminar Request Form. 

  [return to top]

Special Tribute: Memories of Harold Vaughan

By Darin Matthews, CPPO, C.P.M., NIGP Board of Directors

It was with sadness that I read the news of Harold Vaughan’s recent passing. He left us on June 13, 2007 and even at age 82, I still expected the guy to live forever. He was such a fixture in public procurement here in Oregon. He retired in 1988, but his impact to so many in the profession lasts much longer. In times of mourning, I find it helpful to remember the good times, so that is what I would like to share with the NIGP membership.

Distinguished Background
Harold’s background is impressive. After serving as class president at Freeport High School in Illinois, he served in the US Navy before earning his Bachelor’s degree in 1949. He gained a reputation as a shrewd businessman in the private sector, where he served in key management roles for Honeywell and Newell Manufacturing. Harold jumped to the public sector in 1976 and served as purchasing director for the City of Portland until his retirement in 1988.

He served on the NIGP Board of Directors and was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, the Institute’s second highest honor. Instrumental in establishing the Oregon-based chapters of NIGP, Harold served in leadership roles for both the Columbia and Oregon Public Purchasing Association chapters of NIGP, and remained active even in retirement. In 1999, OPPA established a lifetime service award in his honor, and the Harold F. Vaughan Service Award is still bestowed annually. I served as Chapter President the year we gave Harold the first such award, and for one of the few times in his life he was speechless!

Harold would have been so proud of the national chapter awards garnered this year by the Oregon chapters (large and mid-size chapters of the year for 2007).

Nervous CPPO Candidate
Back in 1992 I sat for my Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) oral assessment. Since there were very few CPPO’s in the region then, Harold almost always sat on the panel. Mine was no exception. Being fairly new to public purchasing (and only 28), I have to say I was very intimidated sitting across from Harold. I mean, he was “The Man” in purchasing, and even as a redneck from Springfield, I knew that much.

The question was something like, “what are elements of a successful bid” and I remember answering the best I could. After listing the few things I could think of, I made the mistake of adding “and things like that”. Of course, Harold was not happy with that response, so he tossed his pencil on the table and sternly said, “Things like that? Are you serious? I wanna know what things!”  While I trembled in my tasseled loafers then, I later laughed about it with him.

Differences in Public and Private Sectors?
There was an up and coming purchasing agent for the City of Tualatin that emerged on the Oregon procurement scene about the same time I did, Jeff Baer. Recently Jeff was telling me about meeting Harold back in the 1980’s at an OPPA workshop. When Jeff told him that he didn’t see a lot of difference between public and private purchasing, Harold leaned over to another veteran purchaser and said, “This snot-nosed kid doesn’t know much.” That was just his way of reaching out, because the very next day he provided Jeff with a copy of a purchasing manual and an open offer to share with him the nuances of public procurement. Jeff took him up on that many times and today holds the position formerly held by Harold (Director of the Portland Bureau of Purchases).

The Last Supper
The last time I saw Harold was at a Columbia Chapter event a couple of years ago. Our annual holiday luncheon and fundraiser was graced by his presence. He looked great and was as sharp as ever. We chatted quite a bit about life in the government and life in general. He was enjoying his retirement and highly recommended it to us “young guns”. I had been elected as an officer of NIGP and was on my way to becoming President, which he was fully aware of. He put his hand on my shoulder and said how proud he was of me. I don’t think a colleague has ever said something to me that meant so much.

Then he added, “Now go get me some coffee.”

Mr. Vaughan, you will be dearly missed.   

                              
               Darin Matthews, Harold Vaughan, Rick Grimm, NIGP CEO

  [return to top]

Welcome New Members: July 2007

Agency Members

Arkansas Department of Community Correction
Cindy Ward 
Little Rock, AR

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office
Nicole Ory 
Lake Charles, LA

City of Atlanta- DOA - P & D
Mary Eady, CPPO
College Park, GA

City of Douglas
John Alvarez 
Douglas, AZ

City of Douglas
Jerald Guthrie 
Douglas, GA

City of Riverton
Craig Calvert, C.P.M.
Riverton, UT

Daytona Beach Community College
Janet Parish 
Daytona Beach, FL

District of Columbia Retirement Board
Yolanda Smith 
Washington, DC

East Central Technical College
Gregory Nelson 
Fitzgerald, GA

Education Professional Standards Board
Gary Freeland 
Frankfort, KY

Forsyth County School System
James Richardson 
Cumming, GA

Housatonic Community College
Patricia Kurowski 
Bridgeport, CT

Manassas City Public Schools
Dave Schauer
Manassas, VA

Minnesota Veterans Home
Chris Marquette 
Minneapolis, MN

Missouri State Water Patrol
Pamela Haslag
Jefferson City, MO

New Orleans Aviation Board
William Jude Dannel
New Orleans, LA

Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management
Marsha Reeder
Oklahoma City, OK

Pinellas County School Board
Linda Balcombe CPPO, CPPB
Largo, FL

Virginia Department of Transportation - Lexington
Pamela Sprouse, CPPB
Staunton, VA

Whatcom County
Eric Schlehuber
Bellingham, WA

Individual Members

Pavel Rusinov, CPPB
Brooklyn, NY

Linda VanKerckhove
Brooklyn, NY


Retired Members

Lynette Singleton, CPPO, C.P.M.
Navajo Dam, NM

 [return to top]

UPPCC Special Recognition: 2007 Fully Certified Agencies

In 2007, 46 public entities championed the value of professionalism by
ensuring that 100 percent of their professional purchasing and contracting
staff achieved and retained their CPPO and CPPB designations.  

 100 Percent Certified Agencies
   
•  Alexandria City Public Schools, Virginia

•  Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia

•  Birmingham Water Works Board, Alabama

•  Cabarrus County, North Carolina

•  Cherry Creek School Dist. 5, Colorado

•  City of Ames, Iowa*

•  City of Chandler, Arizona

•  City of Colorado Springs, Colorado

•  City of Fort Collins, Colorado

•  City of Goodyear, Arizona*

•  City of Miami, Florida*

•  City of Naperville, Illinois*

•  City of Olathe, Kansas

•  City of Owensboro, Kentucky

•  City of Red Wing, Minnesota

•  City of Surprise, Arizona

•  City of Tarpon Springs, Florida

•  Columbia Metropolitan Airport, South Carolina

•  Commissioners of Public Works of the City of Charleston, South Carolina

•  County of York, Virginia

•  El Paso County, Colorado*

•  Florence-Darlington Technical College, South Carolina

•  Florida Department of State

•  Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education

•  Town of Longboat Key, Florida

•  Highlands County, Florida

•  Larimer County, Colorado

•  Livingston County, Michigan

•  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

•  Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District, Florida

•  Martin County, Florida

•  Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges

•  Ohio Department of Aging

•  Polk Community College, Florida

•  South Carolina Department of Transportation

•  Southampton Public Schools, New York

•  Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool

•  Texas Racing Commission

•  Town of Silver City, New Mexico

•  Township of Franklin, New Jersey

•  Unified Purchasing Cooperative of Ohio River Valley, Ohio

•  University of Victoria, British Columbia

•  Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Virginia

•  Warren County, Mississippi

•  Washington County, Oregon*

•  Yavapai Community College, Arizona

________________________________

* Sterling Agency Award Recipient

  [return to top]

UPPCC Certifications: July 2007

Congratulations to the following individuals for successfully completing the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) certification requirements!

New CPPOs   

 

Michigan
Michael McElgunn, CPPO
Assistant Purchasing Agent
Detroit Public Library

Ontario
Angela Boakes, CPPO
Purchasing Manager
City of Hamilton

Opportunity to Receive Two Recertification Points

Have Your Article Published In The Source

The September/October issue of The Source will concentrate on the important topic of "Emergency Management".  If you have a white paper, article, or experience you would like to share with fellow purchasing professionals, please submit your article to Cathie Patin via email at cpatin@nigp.org no later than Friday, September 14.

We look forward to your submissions. 

  [return to top]