Tag: CPPO

Professional Development

Are You a Buyer or a Procurement Professional?

When people typically think of the public procurement profession, they usually think of a single role– someone who actually does the purchasing of goods and services as a buyer. Often, that single title, buyer, is thought of as an interchangeable role with other, similarly sounding roles: procurement officer, purchasing agent, etc. However, it is important to note that although the titles are often used interchangeably, there are many noticeable differences between the actual functions of those roles.

Read more “Are You a Buyer or a Procurement Professional?”

NASPO Events & Education

A Day in the Life: Norma Hall

2019 Mazzone Award winner, Norma Hall and 2019 Mazzone Committee Chair, Monica WilkesDuring the Annual Conference we announce that year’s recipient of the Mazzone Award. The prestigious Mazzone Award recognizes the exemplary service of procurement officials to the public purchasing profession. Today we are catching up with Norma Hall, the 2019 Mazzone Award winner who discusses her career accomplishments and the importance of certification and giving back to the public procurement community. Her passion for public procurement was palpable throughout our interview and incredibly inspiring.
Norma Hall’s career in public procurement is the very definition of exemplary service to the state of South Carolina.  A NASPO member for 15 years, Norma has served on numerous boards and committees for almost every public procurement association. Norma is a multi-award-winning procurement professional with a dedicated mission of giving back to the profession that she cares for so much. Read more “A Day in the Life: Norma Hall”
NASPO Events & Education

A Day in the Life: Louise Terry

This week, NASPO’s own ProcurementU is providing another professional development opportunity by hosting  the State Training Training Coordinators Conference (STCC) in Madison, Wisconsin! The goal of STCC is to facilitate the sharing of materials and best practices between state trainers. During the three day conference, ProcurementU has an agenda full of opportunities to learn how to best leverage the training and education provided at the conference to advance state government in participants’ home states. Networking sessions, interactive general sessions, a keynote speaker, an emphasis on collaborative learning efforts and the sharing of resources are just a few things participants will engage in! To highlight the great work state training coordinators across the country do this week Pulse is highlighting the state training coordinator from Oklahoma and an active NASPO member, Louise Terry. 

Read more “A Day in the Life: Louise Terry”

Professional Development

Get Your Certification ON!

Public procurement professionals are the gatekeepers of taxpayer dollars and are held to a higher standard of conduct, excellence, and integrity. The continuous development of academic degrees related to procurement as well as national certifications are necessary to elevate the public procurement profession as a recognized and highly regarded career path. For procurement professionals who are interested in elevating their career, getting certified, and having fun along the way, where should they go? The answer is the UPPCC! Read more “Get Your Certification ON!”

NASPO Events & Education

A Day in the Life: Jessica Vieira

This week, we caught up with Wisconsin State Training Coordinator, Jessica Vieira. Jessica has a heart for service and a mind for training. Using her background in non-profit organizations, Jessica brings a refreshing view of training to the state employees of Wisconsin. Read below to find out more about this week’s featured Day in the Life interviewee!
Jessica Vieira has been Wisconsin’s State Training Coordinator since early 2017. Before this, she attended California Polytechnic State University on a full scholarship through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Gates Millennium Scholars Program and graduated in 2004 with a B.S. in Psychology. She later completed coursework toward a master’s in education with a focus in special education. She devoted the next decade of her life to working for a non-profit mental health organization, where she was responsible for providing mental health education, training, and recovery tools to those in her community. In addition, she partnered with various California agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol and local technical colleges, to provide mental health crisis trainings to all officers and many EMT-trainees along California’s central coast. In 2016, she decided to broaden her horizons and took an opportunity for a fresh start in Madison, Wisconsin.

Read more “A Day in the Life: Jessica Vieira”

Professional Development

Should I Get Certified?

Planning to take the CPPB or CPPO exams this fall? Wonder if the time and effort are worth it? NASPO is here to help!
If you are preparing to take the CPPB or CPPO exams check out the online prep courses available through NASPO. These courses are designed as a facilitated review of the UPPCC Body of Knowledge and can be accessed through the Procurement U Learning Management System (LMS).

The registration deadline for the fall courses is July 23.

Most professionals regularly ask themselves questions like, “How do I grow in my career?” or “How do I increase my credibility?” One of the most effective paths to achieving these goals is to obtain certification in your field. This is certainly the case in public procurement, where for decades certification has yielded benefits to the employee, their organization, and the profession as a whole.
For the employee achieving certification, benefits can include:

Read more “Should I Get Certified?”