Hello AZNIGP Members-
March is such a great month. Spring officially begins, the weather starts to warm, desert flowers bloom in vibrant, beautiful colors, Spring Training kicks off across the Valley, spring breaks happen, and St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. And of course, the most important highlight of March is the celebration of Procurement Month!!!!
We are excited to share that we have received and published Governor Hobbs’ official proclamation recognizing March as Procurement Month, along with our Chapter’s proclamation naming March 11th as Procurement Professional’s Day. Please share these proclamations with your senior management, Governing Boards, Councils and Commissions. We can’t wait to celebrate these proclamations with all of you at our upcoming March Career Seminar on the 17th at the Willow Conference Center. If you have not registered, please take a moment to do so.
We have an exciting agenda planned, including a session on the ins and outs of utilizing various price indexes, such as CPI, PPI and others. Bring your questions and real-world scenarios, as we have one of the leading experts from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, who will help us explore how these important indexes can be effectively used to manage and control costs.
We will also be announcing our Manager/Supervisor and Procurement Specialist of the Year Awards, along with awarding Forum Scholarships to Columbus, Ohio.
For those pursuing professional certification, the CPPO / CPPB review sessions begin on March 26th, Please visit our AZNIGP website to sign up for this helpful preparation program. We also have an upcoming three-day virtual professional development seminar on Construction Procurement beginning April 6th.
We had such an amazing time in Tucson a few weeks back attending the NIGP Leadership Summit in Tucson. The entire Executive Board attended along with many of our Chapter members who took advantage of the easy commute and exceptional leadership tracks offered. Diana Landeros and I attended the Academy session which is designed for Chapter leaders. This session was attended by Chapters all across the country and we captured many interesting ideas and concepts on how to further improve Chapter operations. We also shared many of our Chapter’s cutting edge practices which were very well received and reminded me once again that we are all part of a truly exceptional Chapter – one that is highly regarded among its peers.
In wrapping up this March message, I think it is so fitting that we have a dedicated month to celebrate and recognize our profession. I truly believe public procurement is one of the most demanding, challenging, and essential departmental functions within the organizations we serve. It takes an impressive combination of talents and skills, a strong belief in public service, and a laser focus to detail to perform this important work. I know of no other department that is tasked with such a diverse and interconnected mission.
We are an impactful group with a powerful mandate to ensure that every public dollar is maximized to the benefit of our organizations and the public we serve. And this is a mandate that we excel at.
So let’s take a moment to reflect in the well-deserved recognition that this month brings to each and every one of us. To that end, I would like to make a virtual toast – to all of you - the dedicated, the determined, the unwavering professionals who make up our amazing profession.
Cheers!!
Michael Greene, CPPO, C.P.M.
2026 Chapter President