Dear AZNIGP Members,
Well, we made it through Procurement Month and partied like the rock stars that we are! I hope you enjoyed being recognized for all the great things you do for your organizations throughout the year! And what do you know, Major League Baseball season in under way, too.
Our Chapter celebrated procurement month at the March 18th Career Seminar I. The State Procurement Administrator and the CEO of Local First Arizona were well received and presented important procurement information that will benefit all of us. I enjoyed meeting OLD friends and forging new relationships. No one understands more about what public procurement is all about better than us and WE are FAMILY. We “show up” for each other.
During the Career Seminar, Evan Karl, City of Mesa was named Manager of the Year and Danielle Hartke, Department of Child Safety was named Procurement Specialist of the Year. Well-deserved awards going to outstanding individuals. Their applications will be forwarded to National NIGP and they will be recognized internationally (Canada is included in NIGP) with a chance for both of them to win the same awards on a grander scale at the NIGP Forum in July in Denver. We are so proud to have them represent our Chapter!
Speaking of NIGP Forum, we awarded the following Forum scholarships by drawings at the Career Seminar and subsequent drawings described below:
Journeyman Scholarships
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Jeremiah Weiner – ADEQ
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Danielle Beasley – Valley Metro
1GPA Scholarships
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Melissa Gutierrez – AZDCS
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Julie Waller – AZDCS*
* Julie’s application was submitted by the deadline but was directed mistakenly to a spam email folder and was not included on the 18th drawing. Since we had one additional 1GPA scholarship, there was a separate drawing conducted that resulted in the award of this scholarship to Julie.
1st Timer Scholarship
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Lauren Zanotti – AZDCS
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LaTona Jones, Yavapai County*
*The Executive Board decided to combine the two unfilled $1,000 scholarships along with other savings to create a 2nd 1st Timer Scholarship opportunity. All the unsuccessful applicants from the March 18th First Timer drawing were invited back for a second drawing that resulted in the award to LaTona Jones.
$1,000 Scholarships*
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Megan Adams - AZDCS
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Bertha Arenas –AZDCS
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Tanya Wilson – AZDCS
*as noted above, the two unfilled $1,000 scholarships were combined to create an additional 1st Timer scholarship opportunity.
Congrats to ALL our winners and again thank you for representing our chapter at the NIGP Forum!
What a grand Procurement Month and here comes April 2025! Each year, our Chapter members participate in the annual Pat's Run that will be held Saturday April 12th and 20 of our bravest members will be representing us. Our Chapter is so about our Community! You can find out more info at:
Pat's Run-Pat Tillman Foundation.
Please visit our website for upcoming professional development opportunities in April and for all things AZNIGP. Our Webmaster, Heather Hodgman and her committee work hard to keep the communication hub of our Chapter up to date and relevant. So kudos to her and her team.
Finally, SAVE THE DATE for the upcoming Reverse Vendor Trade Show on May 19th at the Tempe Center for Arts on the beautiful shores of Tempe Town Lake. If you have not made a request to host a table, please go to our website to register or contact
Lisa Goodman and/or
Susan Holt for more information. Be sure to invite your vendors whether you can host a table or not. This is our chance to interact with our vendor community in a very positive way.
Please, please, please feel free to reach out to me with any question about our Chapter or just to ask me how my six grandkids are doing!
Thank you and may all your purchasing dreams come true…
Sincerely,
Bill Munch, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
AZNIGP 2025 President