Hello AZNIGP Members-
It all started with a gentle nudge from Bill Munch, fast forward a year, and Volia! - I am your new AZNIGP Chapter President.
I am very grateful for that “nudge,” as I have truly enjoyed contributing to our long-decorated and highly esteemed Chapter, and I am excited to lead this organization in 2026. It is such an honor for me to be in a position to work with and serve a group of professionals for whom I have the utmost respect and admiration for, and who unflinchingly take on the difficult work of our profession. Thank you for allowing me to be your President. I look forward to a fun, productive, and rewarding year with all of you. I am also excited to be serving with such an accomplished Executive Board that includes Bill Munch as our Immediate Past President, Jesse Atoigue as our returning Treasurer and newly electees Vice President Diana Landeros, and Secretary Marisa Lucero.
I have a number of goals for the coming year. My first goal is to ensure we successfully deliver our two major events - the Reverse Trade Show and our Regional Conference. We are evaluating the potential to relocate these events to new venues and exploring ways to increase the value that they generate for our members and vendors. I also want to continue growing our membership locally and throughout northern Arizona. Our Chapter represents procurement professionals across a wide and diverse region, and I believe we are strongest when every voice is heard and every colleague feels connected. I also plan to focus on the growing trend related to the many new people who have joined our profession. We are seeing so much growth in this area, and I look forward to working with our Young Professionals Committee, led by Xavier Perez and Sage Brenner, to ensure those individuals feel welcomed and valued. The beating heart of our Chapter lies within the professional development opportunities we provide our members, whether through webinars, seminars, conferences or insightful speakers who attend and present at our events. I want to strongly support our committees that are tasked with this important work.
So, let’s get ready for the coming year!! We are going to kick things off with a Chapter Training Meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. A key part of this virtual meeting will be a presentation from Diana Landeros and Marisa Lucero on the amazing scholarship opportunities available this year. We have nearly doubled the number of available National Forum scholarships and significantly increased our General Scholarship budget. And just when you think it can’t get any better….it does!!! We just received word that 1GPA has generously offered to fund two (2) scholarships to the NIGP Leadership Summit (Impact learning tract) being held this year in Tucson, AZ on February 19 – 21. We will be sending out separate information on how to apply for these scholarships so please stay tuned for that announcement. We will be conducting a drawing at the January 13th Chapter Training meeting to announce the two winners for the NIGP Leadership Summit scholarships. You do not want to miss this meeting!
Another topic of discussion will be the application process for nominating a colleague for the distinguished Manager of the Year and Procurement Specialist of the Year awards. Please visit our AZNIPG website to download the applications and nominate someone. And don’t forget, we happily accept self-nominations too. Applications are due to Diana Landeros no later than Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
I encourage all of us to set some professional goals for the coming year. Think about how you can improve your overall skills and knowledge and then consider how your Chapter can help you achieve those goals. Please take an active role in the Chapter - attend an event, volunteer for a committee, start working on your certification. share your expertise as a mentor or simply reach out and make a connection with a fellow member. The strength of our Chapter comes from the dedication, passion, and involvement of its members.
Let me wrap up my first monthly message by sharing one more goal that I have for the coming year. That goal is to celebrate each and every one of you – the people who have made public procurement their career choice and who do the hard work each and every day to meet the high demands of our profession. Even after a long career, I am still amazed by the interconnectedness of our work within the organizations we serve. Procurement is literally everywhere, and that is the key reason why I chose the catchphrase “All Roads Lead to Procurement” as a key theme for 2026.
I am honored to be part of this profession and this Chapter, and I look forward to an exciting and rewarding year with all of you.
Sincerely,
Michael Greene, CPPO, C.P.M
2026 AZNIGP Chapter President