2008 was a landmark year for Procurement Services buying staff, as Senior Campus Buyers  worked diligently for their Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) designations. The C.P.M. is the professional accreditation awarded by the Institute of  Supply Management (ISM), the leading national professional organization for procurement and supply management professionals. Seven buyers and the entire procurement management staff have attained this goal, while others are at various stages of completing the program, which involves passing  four intensive exams. Other requirements for certification include years of professional procurement experience and a college degree.

Congratulations are due to Marc Buchalter, Kathryn Gourley-Wight, Jim Keenan, Cheryl Klos-Montalbano, Stacey Templeman, and Jeanette Witt for achieving certification in 2008; Roberta Spalding had received her certification previously.

Upon reaching this distinguished certification, some of the buyers have offered the following reflections:

“The CPM exams are challenging but also invigorating. I felt that my competence as a procurement professional had been validated after passing the exams. The process of studying for the exams helped me examine and reconsider how I could implement some best practices in order to improve my performance and address recurring procedural issues.” ~ Stacy Templeman, Senior Campus Buyer, Athletics

“Seeing C.P.M. after a UC Buyer’s name… is a very good indicator that you’ll be dealing with a professional. Given the sometimes tortured syntax of the exams, this requires not only knowledge, but patience and dedication. A Buyer who has attained certification has demonstrated a basic level of understanding and experience, the determination to acquire specialized knowledge and a willingness to complete the additional steps to be certified.” ~Cheryl Klos-Montalbano, Senior Campus Buyer

“The entire process of pursuing my CPM reintroduced me to my profession. Studying for the CPM helped me organize my informal knowledge of procurement law into a better and more formal framework.” ~Marc Buchalter, Senior Campus Buyer