Educational Procurement Journal - September 2007 - (Page 4) LETTER F RO M T HE CE O The Value of the Purchasing Professional Doreen Murner CEO, NAEP 5523 Research Park Drive Baltimore, MD 21228 Phone: (443) 543-5540 Fax: (443) 543-5550 Web Site: www.naepnet.org 2006-2007 Editorial Board Educating campus administration about the value Procurement delivers is essential, and it’s accomplished through a variety of means. Most recently at the July 2007 NACUBO Annual Meeting, we conducted a poster session entitled “Procurement: A Tradition of Value and Innovation,” which can be viewed on our Web site at www.naepnet.org. The objective of that activity was to specifically highlight schools and members that are valuable players on their campus teams, in ways exclusive to a Procurement skill set. NAEP is very involved with key associations such as APPA, SCUP, NACUBO, ACUHO-I and NIGP. We communicate on a regular basis with these organizations and take a leadership role on high-profile issues like sustainability with our participation in HEASC – the Higher Education Associations’ Sustainability Consortium. The members who attended our recent Sustainability Institute had access to Arizona State University’s incredible Decision Theatre to build a sustainability model for all of our members to communicate back to their campuses. NAEP has taken a leadership role in the creation of the NCPPC – The National Council of Public Procurement and Contracting – along with six key public sector associations serving the public procurement and contracting profession. This National Council is the vehicle for bringing the seven associations – NIGP, NPI, NASPO, NCMA, CAPPO, FAPPO and NAEP – together to develop partnerships and programs that benefit their respective association members while influencing and promoting the value and recognition of the profession. So as an association we are communicating. As a profession we are contributing. And our campus administration is learning just how valuable our role is to their bottom line. Let’s keep moving it forward. Co-Chairs Cory Harms Iowa State University clharms@iastate.edu Michael A. Chmielewski, C.P.M. Law School Admission Council mchmielewski@lsac.org Associate Editor Burr Millsap, CPA, M.B.A. University of Oklahoma burr-millsap@ouhsc.edu Members Linda Collins University of California lcollins@ucsd.edu John Klopp University of Iowa john-klopp@uiowa.edu Martha (Marty) Newman, CPPB University of Maryland-College Park menewman@umd.edu Craig Passey Brigham Young University craigpassey@byu.edu Valerie Rhodes-Sorrelle, M.P.A., C.P.M., A.P.P. Grand Valley State University rhodesv@gvsu.edu Victoria R. Windley University of Delaware tory@udel.edu W ell, summer’s almost over and our attention is once again on the start of a new school year. This issue of the Journal is focused on learning and communicating. So, let’s talk about… talking. “Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.“ Judith Martin, Miss Manners Last year, one of our members, Linda Collins from UC San Diego, conducted a survey on how effectively we talk to our campus administration for an article she was writing for the Journal. She issued the challenge to our membership to take a brief questionnaire to their business officers to get a reading on how well Procurement understands the expectations and business objectives of their administration. The number of respondents was disappointing – moreover, it pointed to a challenge we have in the profession – being comfortable stepping out of the back office and into a leadership role. How can we expect those who can determine the future of the profession on campus to be aware of the value and innovation that Procurement brings to the team if we don’t tell them? We need to stop simply pushing information out and start opening a channel that enables a meaningful, ongoing dialog with our campus customers and administration – a dialog that ebbs and flows with the currents of business on campus. A conversation that keeps us dynamically involved and recognized for the unique skill set that only we bring to the team. “To succeed as a team is to hold all of the members accountable for their expertise.“ Mitchell Caplan, CEO, E*Trade Group Inc. E&I Liaison Sabra Schell E&I Cooperative Purchasing sschell@eandi.org NAEP Staff Doreen Murner / Chief Executive Officer dmurner@naepnet.org Katie Adair / Financial Services Associate kadair@naepnet.org Jacqueline Harget / Financial Services Associate jharget@naepnet.org Marc Kendig / Web & Electronic Communication Specialist mkendig@naepnet.org Neil D. Markee / Purchasing Link, Editor-in-Chief nmarkee@naepnet.org Paul Ravenscroft / Director, Finance & Admin. pravenscroft@naepnet.org Barbara Torre / Community Resources Manager btorre@naepnet.org Toni Valenti / Director, Member Communications and Marketing tvalenti@naepnet.org Brian Yeoman / Director, Professional Development byeoman@naepnet.org As an association, we’ve been working toward paving the way for our members to have those conversations. A clear focus on elevating the awareness of Procurement’s value has been our lodestar in almost every activity we undertake on behalf of our members. Educating Higher Education Help us to tell your story, and give yourself and Procurement deserved recognition. Send us your ideas, articles and thoughts. Contact JournalEditor@naepnet.org. 4 EDUCATIONAL PROCUREMENT JOURNAL September 2007 http://www.naepnet.org http://www.naepnet.org
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