Above & Beyond Awards

 

Congratulations, 2026 Above & Beyond Award Winners!


2026 Above & Beyond Award Winners

Clement Cherian

Senior Buyer
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, IL

 

Clement is the Senior Buyer committed to excellence, “doing it best,” and setting high standards of service and leadership. He has earned a reputation for delivering top-tier service, professionalism, empathy, and approachability, and working with the National Institute of Governmental Procurement on multiple committees, including Access and Opportunity, and College Outreach.

Clement regularly takes on challenges with innovative solutions, as he recently solved a pressing issue that could have resulted in liability and reduced operational efficiency. By thinking outside the box and collaborating with key stakeholders, Clement presented a solution to resolve the issue before it could become a legal issue. Clement served as lead representing Procurement on the new Mentor-Protégé program, and on the Small Business program committee, regularly providing innovative solutions to challenges as they arise.

Clement volunteers with the NIGP, after becoming the first person within the MWRD-GC’s Acquisitions section to earn the NIGP-CPP certification. After successful completion, he then led training and best practices for all Buyers and Senior Buyers within his Agency. Additionally, Clement serves on the Access and Opportunity Committee and the College Outreach Committees, expanding the opportunities to learn about and become Procurement professionals, especially within underserved and underrepresented communities. In addition, Clement is earning his Doctorate in Business Administration, and volunteers with Feed My Starving Children, the Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, and his Church.

 

Nicole Fowler
Director of Strategic Procurement Services
Queen's University, Canada

 

Nicole Fowler, Director of Strategic Procurement Services at Queen’s University, demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation, and community impact, and a rare professional who not only manages a complex institutional portfolio with excellence but also dedicates herself to uplifting the procurement profession in Canada through training, mentorship, and conference leadership. Since joining Queen’s University, Nicole has transformed procurement from a back-office function into a strategic driver of the university’s mission. Her recent appointment as Director is a testament to her "above and beyond" approach.
 
In regards to promoting Diversity & Inclusion, she played a pivotal role in the WE-CAN Project, supported more than 1,000 female entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, including women in tech, Indigenous women, newcomer women to Canada, women from racialized minorities, rural women, and women under 40.

With process innovation, through the implementation of the acQuire procure to pay system and streamlined operations, the Queen’s acQuire team was invited to make a presentation at the Jaggaer company’s headquarters in North Carolina. The presentation, detailing the implementation process and successes, went so well that the Queen’s team was invited to create a webcast with the company’s media firm to help other program users around the world.

What truly sets Nicole apart is her commitment to "paying it forward." She is a speaker at major industry events, such as the Canadian Public Procurement Council (CPPC) Forum and Supply Chain Canada’s Leadership Series. Her session on Vendor Performance Management: Drive Better Value, Better Performance and Lower Costs reflect her ability to demystify complex supply chain concepts. She provides attendees with a 'VPM Toolkit'—ranging from engagement strategies to reporting scorecards—enabling other organizations to immediately improve their vendor oversight and drive better institutional value Her colleagues know her as a leader who treats every person with kindness and respect.

Mikerna Saintil
Procurement Agent
Village of Wellington, FL


In just one year, Mikerna Saintil delivered measurable procurement results while simultaneously shaping policy, mentoring professionals, and influencing public procurement at the local, state, and national levels. In her role as a Procurement Agent, she managed complex solicitations, strengthened internal controls through policy review and updates, and supported award-winning procurement programs. Her ability to balance compliance, stakeholder engagement, and service excellence resulted in improved efficiency, transparency, and trust in the procurement process.

Beyond her assigned responsibilities, Mikerna voluntarily assumed significant leadership and service roles across multiple professional organizations. She currently serves on the National Procurement Institute (NPI) Board of Directors, chairs the NPI Nominations and Scholarship Committee, and serves as a national evaluator for the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) Program. Through these roles, she directly contributes to national standards, peer recognition, and the professional development of procurement organizations across the country. She authored and submitted an original research proposal to the NIGP CARE Research Program titled “Agentic Artificial Intelligence and Public Procurement: Transforming, Automating, and Optimizing the Requisition-to-Closeout Lifecycle.” While the proposal could not be funded due to program funding limitations, it was formally reviewed and retained by NIGP for potential future sponsorship, underscoring the relevance and forward-looking nature of her work.

At the state level, Mikerna led the Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials’ Electronic Badging initiative, a first-of-its-kind program designed to modernize professional recognition and promote continuous professional development statewide. Nationally, she is a Certified Mentor with NIGP, a 2025 Procurement Specialist of the Year nominee, and an active contributor to professional education through committee service, conference presentations, and published articles with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in North America (CILTNA). Within a single year, while working full-time and serving in multiple volunteer leadership roles, she earned the CPPB and NIGP-CPP certifications. Through leadership, mentorship, innovation, and sustained service, Mikerna Saintil exemplifies the spirit of the NCPP Above & Beyond Award.

Jessica Barajas
Purchasing Supervisor
San Bernardino County, CA


As a Lead within the San Bernardino County Purchasing Department, Jessica Barajas has built a culture of growth, accountability, and professional development. She meets consistently with her team in one-on-one sessions focused on continuing education and career planning. Her participation in the County’s Management-Leadership Academy (MLA) mentorship program further demonstrates her commitment to developing future leaders. Her dedication to her team is evident not only in her structured mentorship but also in the respect and trust she has earned from both her colleagues and the departments she supports.

Jessica extends her impact beyond our department. She is actively involved with our local NIGP chapter and serves on the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) review team, helping evaluate submissions from agencies nationwide. Her involvement reflects her commitment to advancing excellence in public procurement. Internally, she also ensures our department’s work is recognized by managing award applications such as NACo and AEP submissions, elevating both our team and our County within the broader procurement community.

She co-captained the development and implementation of our New Hire Onboarding Program — a comprehensive six-week training framework that significantly improved how we prepare and support new procurement professionals. She also developed a Cooperative Procurement Checklist to simplify a complex and often confusing process for departments, drafted multiple Standard Operating Procedures for processes that previously lacked formal documentation, and created a general RFP schedule planning guide to help departments with better structured procurements. Jessica exemplifies professionalism, organization, and dedication to public service. She balances numerous responsibilities with positivity and integrity, consistently going above and beyond for her team and the County.

Angela Kostecki
Senior Buyer
Harris County, TX


Angela is a rising star within the Harris County Purchasing Department, Medical Services Division, consistently going above and beyond in her role. Over the past year, she has led several innovative and successful customer engagement initiatives. For example, she implemented a comprehensive purchasing email address as a single point of contact for anyone unsure where to direct their purchasing questions, ensuring inquiries are routed efficiently—a critical function in a large organization like ours.

Angela has also taken the initiative to launch a monthly "Purchasing Pulse Micro Training" series, where she facilitates discussions on current purchasing topics and other relevant tasks for departments. In addition, she has completely redesigned the intranet site for the Harris County Medical Purchasing Division, making it significantly more professional and user-friendly, which greatly assists staff in finding essential information.

One of Angela’s standout achievements is her leadership in cooperative purchasing. She has spearheaded the development of a comprehensive cooperative purchasing training program—not only for the division but for the entire Harris County Purchasing Department. This program, scheduled for launch in March 2026, includes an in-depth presentation and a detailed list of all cooperative contracts available for use by the Medical Division. Her efforts are streamlining processes for staff and making the cooperative purchasing experience more efficient and accessible.

Angela has also completed a successful workflow project, our Purchasing Roadmap, that outlines the steps for purchasing within Harris Health. Furthermore, she is a regular speaker at community events and monthly contractor diversity sessions, where she shares her expertise on vendor engagement at Harris Health. She has become a trusted resource for addressing purchasing issues and guiding colleagues to the right solutions within Harris Health. Her commitment continues to benefit both the department and the wider Harris Health organization.

Elizabeth Watts
Procurement Specialist
City of Englewood, CO

 

Elizabeth started with the City of Englewood in July 2024 with minimal procurement experience, and since starting, she has demonstrated outstanding leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to professional development, making a significant impact across multiple facets of the department. Her key achievements and contributions include:

  • Emerging Professionals Involvement: Actively engaged in mentoring and supporting emerging professionals in procurement, fostering knowledge sharing and growth within the organization.
  • Strategic Sourcing Leadership: Served as the implementation lead for the City's new strategic sourcing platform, ensuring a smooth rollout and improving efficiency in procurement processes.
  • Contracts and Solicitation Expertise: Demonstrates in depth knowledge of contracts and the solicitation process, ensuring compliance, clarity, and best value in all procurements.
  • Professional Recognition: Awarded the prestigious NIGP Career Development Scholarship, reflecting commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence.
  • Policy and Process Enhancements: Assisted in updating the PCard program and procurement policies; drafted various Standard Operating Procedures for department wide use.
  • Leadership and Communication: Presented the updated PCard Violations Matrix to the Leadership Team and co presented at the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) on how to do business with the City and upcoming projects.
  • Community and Interdepartmental Collaboration: Worked with the Greater Englewood Business Chamber and internal City departments to organize educational events for the local business community.
  • Emergency Preparedness: Participated in Emergency Management trainings to serve as a Procurement Unit backup, demonstrating readiness to support critical operations.
  • Special Projects: Assisted with Spring 2025 Auction activities and contributed to other department initiatives that improve efficiency and service delivery.
  • Professional Development: Attended numerous NIGP courses to continuously enhance knowledge and bring best practices to the City's procurement operations.
     
    Elizabeth consistently demonstrates initiative, expertise, and dedication, making them a standout procurement professional whose contributions positively impact both the department and the community. Her efforts in process improvement, professional development, and community engagement exemplify the qualities deserving recognition.

Phillip "Lew" Lewis
Deputy Contract Manager
Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife, WA


In March 2025, while still serving on active duty and transitioning from more than 23+ years of honorable service in the US Army, Phillip “Lew” Lewis began his civilian role as Contract Specialist with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). Mr. Lewis formally retired from military service on March 28, 2025, and was awarded the Distinguished Order of St. Martin by the Association of Quartermasters and the Honorable Order of St. Christopher by the U.S. Army Transportation Corps Association in recognition of his logistical contributions. He also earned the Master Demonstrated Logistician Designation from The International Society of Logistics (SOLE). While completing his military transition, he simultaneously assumed responsibility for managing more than 52 active federal and state-funded grants and contracts supporting Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) programs under the Puget Sound National Estuary Program.

In his WDFW role, Mr. Lewis provides procurement and contract administration support for EPA- and NOAA-funded restoration initiatives, ensuring compliance with federal assistance requirements under 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance for pass-through grants and subawards. His work supports watershed protection, habitat restoration, and Chinook salmon recovery efforts across the Puget Sound basin. He has played a key role in executing contracts for projects involving the identification and removal of derelict and abandoned vessels from Whidbey Island waterways—efforts funded through federal restoration programs that directly improved marine habitat quality, reduced navigational hazards, and mitigated sources of shoreline contamination impacting estuarine ecosystems. His contract execution, subrecipient monitoring, and scientific mission continuity across multiple restoration programs was recognized with the 2025 Steve Phelps Leadership in Science Award by WDFW. His contributions ensured timely agreement execution and regulatory compliance across complex, multi-partner conservation projects involving tribal, nonprofit, and local government stakeholders throughout the Puget Sound National Estuary Program.

Concurrently with these efforts, Mr. Lewis serves as a Subject Matter Expert on the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Education Task Force, assisting in the evaluation, testing, and improvement of procurement training and testing materials used nationwide. In 2026, he was elected to the WA-NIGP Board of Directors as Membership Secretary, where he continues to support membership growth and development of engagement processes for procurement professionals across Washington State. He also provides ongoing mentorship and transition support to fellow veterans by guiding them with resources and connections through the Veterans Employment Resource Group (VERG). This assists the veterans in navigating state and federal employment systems and accessing their earned benefits. Outside of his formal duties, Mr. Lewis applies his procurement expertise to support humanitarian and community-based initiatives through the Rotary Club of Olympia Capital Centennial. Mr. Lewis also founded Wandering Rougarou Art Studio, LLC, a small veteran-owned business focused on providing non-clinical art workshops designed to promote mental health awareness and support veterans and families experiencing anxiety, depression, and transition-related stress.

Victora Mirlocca
Procurement Services Manager
City of Mississauga, Canada


Victoria joined the City in 2023 as Manager of Procurement Services, bringing extensive expertise and prestigious designations, including CPPB and NIGP-CPP from the National Institute of Government Procurement, C.I.M. and C.Mgr. from the Canadian Institute of Management, and a Master’s Certificate in Municipal Leadership from York University’s Schulich School of Business. She currently serves as Chair of the Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA). Victoria's achievements include: 

  • Updated bylaws, policies, and procedures; developed standard operating procedures (SOPs) to streamline buyer processes; collaborated with Legal and business units to create an annual procurement plan for improved prioritization.
  • Supported implementation of a new end-to-end procurement solution, replacing outdated systems (SharePoint, e-procurement, electronic signatures, and ERP), which reduced repetitive and inefficient work for staff; backed rollout of a sustainability tool for stakeholders.
  • Developed new bid document templates for NRFP, RFP, RFPQ, RFT, and RFQ; created clear roles and responsibilities to streamline processes, enhance efficiencies, and reduce redundancies within Procurement Services.
  • Adapted policies and procedures to address changes under tariffs, BOBI, and BOA Bill 72 to ensure streamlined compliance.
  • Championed staff professional development by securing funding for designations, workshops, and maintenance credits.

Victoria’s leadership has elevated Procurement Services and strengthened partnerships across departments. Under her guidance, the City expanded its cooperative purchasing policy to include leading groups such as the Canadian Collaborative Procurement Initiative, Canoe Procurement Group, LAS AMO Business Services, OECM, and Sourcewell, enabling efficient piggyback procurements. Working with Victoria has been a privilege. Her deep knowledge, servant leadership, and commitment to mentoring have been pivotal in my professional growth and have inspired me to contribute to shaping the field.

Annette West
Senior Purchasing Administrator
Johnson County, KS


As a Senior Purchasing Administrator for Johnson County, Kansas, Annette West operates at the intersection of public policy, fiscal stewardship, and community impact, ensuring that regional systems function efficiently and transparently. Annette embodies a "Go for the Gold" mindset, moving beyond simple transactions to provide visionary leadership. Annette led the redesign of a complex solicitation for a long vacant, historically significant County property that had resisted prior market efforts. By strengthening the scope, evaluation framework, and vendor engagement strategy, she helped achieve a successful sale that eliminated ongoing taxpayer costs, preserved community character, and returned a dormant asset to productive use.

 Annette has co-led Johnson County’s Reverse Vendor Fair, engaging 156 companies across approximately 65 service categories. Notably, 63.5% of attendees had never previously done business with the County, reflecting the event’s success in broadening access to government contracting and strengthening opportunities. Perhaps Annette’s most enduring contribution is her investment in people. Within the County, she is a constant source of encouragement, fostering a culture of continuous learning that helped the team secure the NPI Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award.

 Beyond her County role, I've witnessed her "Go for the Gold" spirit in statewide leadership through her service on the Executive Board of the Kansas Association for Public Procurement Professionals (KAPPP). She supports the organization’s scholarship program, created a nationally recognized professional newsletter, and contributed to the organization earning the NIGP Bronze Performance Seal. She doesn't just hold a seat on the Executive Board; she actively lifts up the next generation of leaders. Annette has become a vital mentor to other chapter leaders, sharing her wisdom on governance and engagement to help chapters across the region thrive. To know Annette is to witness a genuine heart for service! She truly builds bridges to connect public policy to real community impact. 

Semira Araya
Inclusive Procurement Outreach Coordinator
City of Long Beach, CA

 

The City of Long Beach has transformed the way public dollars create opportunities. Through the nationally recognized Extreme Procurement Makeover and the Equity in Contracting Initiative, the City is removing long standing barriers in procurement and building a system where local, small, and diverse businesses can meaningfully participate in public contracting.  In 2024, Semira Araya was hired as the Inclusive Procurement Outreach Coordinator. 

In 2025 alone, Semira coordinated attendance at 46 community events, aiming to meet vendors where they are—at business summits, cultural district gatherings, and local workshops. She has door to door outreach in Cambodia Town, North Long Beach, and the LGBTQ+ Cultural District to ensure that historically underrepresented business owners received direct support. In addition to the in-person outreach, Semira has made procurement more approachable by showcasing the people behind the process (our procurement team) through 82 social media posts, generating 166,142 impressions, 5,829 engagements, and 2,506 clicks. These posts included team introductions, award announcements, and vendor success stories that help first time vendors see themselves in the process. She has also used social media to highlight upcoming procurements to the vendor community, and we have seen a huge increase in small business participating since the media campaign began.

Semira has been pivotal in strengthening the local business ecosystem, producing significant and measurable outcomes. In the past year 206 new local businesses and non-profits have registered in the Long Beach procurement system bringing the overall total to 925. We have had more local first-time vendors being awarded contracts than the City has ever seen. 

Diane Loomis
Procurement Manager
Cecil College, MD


As Procurement Manager, Diane Loomis serves on several committees at the College and on various Procurement organizations (MPPA, NAEP, MCCPCO, etc.), serving as in leadership roles and volunteering for several Procurement conferences. Believing in the mission of the College, Diane is proud to volunteer for the College's Foundation events (Golf Tournament, Gala and Little Black Dress events) and student related events.

The College has very limited food options (vending and bookstore), so Diane created a Food Truck program to meet these challenges. The program consists of having Food Trucks on campus during the semesters and provides Food Truck Vouchers to students to help pay for their meals. The voucher program helps subsidize the Food Truck vendors. Diane is very involved with the Green-initiatives at the College. She created an Earth Day Shred Event/Farmers Market the is open to staff, students and the public. The event is attended by over 300 people and brings awareness throughout the community through her developed relationships with local farmers, vendors, and government agencies to make this event a huge success.

Conducting the College's physical inventory always presented a difficult challenge. Diane recently implemented a new Inventory software which includes RFID technology. In addition to the Inventory software conversion, the college recently converted to a new ERP system. The implementation of Procurement was over a very short timeframe (3 months). In addition to writing process manuals, Diane wrote training manuals for both requesters and approvers and provided on-line trainings. This process has been a challenge and required many overtime hours, but the system is much more efficient and user-friendly. 

Jeannie Wong
Administrative Officer
Miami-Dade County, FL

 

Jeannie Wong’s forward-thinking and innovative mindset has earned her high recognition with her ability to implement new ideas, create impressive graphic designs, solve problems or improve processes using free or relatively low-cost technology is commendable. In April 2025, the Strategic Procurement Department launched the Miami-Dade County - Certificate in Public Procurement (MDC-CPP), a six-module, in-person, instructor-led course that focuses on the fundamentals of public procurement, the legislative framework, procurement methods, procurement planning, sourcing and contract administration. Jeannie was instrumental in this project, creating graphic designs for the training materials, including a participant guide with over 326 pages. Using a new application, participants receive their examination scores in seconds. As of January 30, 2025, 259 participants have successfully completed the MDC-CPP.

To ensure that the County’s diverse vendor community is aware of its procurement programs, process, contracting opportunities and eSupplier portal, Jeannie has worked with the County’s Communications and Information Technology team to create instructional videos on YouTube in four languages: English, Spanish, Creole and Chinese. Annually, she coordinates a vendor outreach event with the Asian American community on “How to Do Business with the County.” The presentation for the event is translated into Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese, to promote mutual understanding and dialogue.
 
The County’s procurement professionals are required to conduct vendor compliance/due diligence using a 28-item checklist prior to the award, renewal or extension of each contract. The manual process of documenting and time-stamping the websites for each item on the checklist was time-consuming and administratively burdensome, taking up to one hour to complete. By streamlining and automation, Jeannie has helped to decrease the processing time for this activity by approximately 75%. The new application greatly reduces the process steps with the number of clicks to complete the checklist reduced from 360 to 90.

City of Richmond, VA


The City of Richmond Department of Procurement Services is transforming into a model of innovation, accountability, and professional excellence under the leadership of Director Rene Almaraz. In FY25, the department processed over 30,000 procurements and with a total spend of more than $350 million while implementing structural improvements designed to modernize how a city procurement office operates. Major success stories include the successful OpenGov implementation that expanded agency autonomy and transparency, and the ongoing transition to electronic bonds to reduce administrative burden and modernize contractor engagement. The department created a formal onboarding program, launched citywide annual procurement training, and is investing in education through the department’s new instructional designer. These accomplishments contributed to Richmond earning the national Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award for the second consecutive year and the Virginia Association of Governmental Procurement Leading Light Award.

What sets Richmond apart is a deliberate, Director-driven strategy to build institutional capacity through targeted hiring and professional investment. Under Rene’s leadership, the department added a Business Relationship Manager to strengthen partnerships with contractors and the business community through supplier events and workshops; an instructional designer to professionalize internal and agency training; a Project Manager to improve reporting and operational efficiency; a P-Card Manager and P-Card Management Analyst to strengthen analytics and oversight; two technical writers to elevate the quality of statements of work; and a Strategic Contract Management team dedicated to auditing and continuous improvement. These hires are not incremental; they represent a structural redesign of how procurement supports the City. Combined with supplier outreach initiatives, prevailing wage training, digital workflow reforms, and expanded performance metrics, the Richmond team demonstrates a rare commitment to continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and ethical stewardship. The department’s work strengthens public trust, builds professional capacity, and creates a scalable model for modern municipal procurement. As a unified team operating with integrity, innovation, and leadership, the City of Richmond exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond.

City of Toronto, Canada


Under the guidance of Geneviève Sharkey, CPO, the City of Toronto's Procurement team of approximately 170 procurement professionals are driving large-scale transformation initiatives to modernize and strengthen the City’s procurement practices. The team has gone far beyond the transactional nature of purchasing by embedding social, environmental and Inclusion programs into the city’s economic strategy. They have proactively identified and mentored diverse suppliers, including Indigenous-owned businesses and social enterprises. By empowering her team, they are deeply committed to ensuring procurement processes are transparent, inclusive, and supportive of diverse supplier participation, a commitment that is especially important as the City of Toronto co-developed its first-ever First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Procurement Policy. Programs like these lower barriers and create new economic opportunities for businesses through City contracts. Their dedication ensures that tax dollars are spent with purpose. Acquiring necessary goods while simultaneously tackling community needs and promoting inclusion.

Internally, the team has fostered a culture of growth. Senior members such as Sabrina Dipietro, have dedicated hundreds of hours to mentoring all layers of their team, encouraging professional certification, and creating a welcoming, collaborative environment. This "leadership from every seat" approach has allowed the team to take on an increased volume of complex procurement without compromising on quality or compliance. The City of Toronto team has been a vocal advocate for cooperative procurement and group purchasing organization contracts, recognizing that collaboration strengthens all public sector teams. They have shared their frameworks and best practices with surrounding municipalities, helping smaller agencies achieve the same efficiencies and social outcomes that Toronto has pioneered.

The City of Toronto’s Procurement Team exemplifies the "Above & Beyond" spirit. They are not just "processing paper"; they are strategic partners in building a more resilient and equitable city.

University of South Florida, FL


The University of South Florida Procurement and Payment Services team's work reflects innovation, leadership, collaboration, and a deep commitment to service that has produced lasting organizational impact across the university. One of the most compelling examples is their ability to tackle complex, cross functional challenges with practical and forward-thinking solutions. In partnership with Internal Fleet Services, the team designed and implemented a new workflow for vehicle purchases that centralized documentation, improved compliance, and leveraged institutional buying power while still preserving departmental autonomy. This effort not only reduced risk and inefficiencies, but also laid the foundation for a more standardized and sustainable vehicle fleet across campus. That same strategic mindset was applied to off-campus real estate leasing. Working closely with the Internal Real Estate team, Procurement and Payment Services developed a new request and review process that prioritizes the use of existing on campus space before pursuing external leases. When off campus space is necessary, procurement now brings market expertise and negotiation support to the table, resulting in more favorable terms and better long term outcomes for the university. This shift fundamentally changed how the institution approaches space planning and lease negotiations.

Innovation has been a hallmark of the team’s work this year. Procurement and Payment Services launched Bull Promos by Consolidus through a cooperative contract, creating a centralized e procurement punch out store for branded promotional and marketing materials. This initiative strengthened brand adherence, improved compliance, and streamlined ordering for departments and student organizations alike, while ensuring best value and appropriate oversight of logo use. The team also led the university’s first managed print services implementation in partnership with Xerox. This initiative is optimizing device fleets across three campuses, reducing unnecessary equipment, improving sustainability, and centralizing billing for the first time. It represents a significant operational transformation that will deliver long term financial and environmental benefits.

Internally, the team has invested heavily in strengthening controls, analytics, and professional growth. They launched a new in house developed expense module for PCard reconciliation that improves oversight and accelerates review and reconciliation timelines. They implemented a new commodity code matrix and adopted advanced analytics tools to support spend dashboards and category management, enabling more data driven decision making. Five team members earned Florida Certified Contract Manager certifications, reinforcing the team’s technical expertise and commitment to professional excellence. Staff members presented at three national conferences, hosted a national webinar, and had an additional abstract accepted for an upcoming national procurement conference. Internally, the team rewrote all job titles and descriptions to establish clear career ladders, align roles with modern procurement practices, and intentionally move the organization from a transactional model to a strategic one. This work has strengthened morale, clarified expectations, and created meaningful growth opportunities for staff. Finally, the team continues to serve the broader community through its annual Supplier Expo, now entering its third year. This event brings together more than 300 university and community participants and provides suppliers, including small and diverse businesses, with meaningful access to campus stakeholders. Its continued success reflects the team’s commitment to outreach, education, and relationship building.