CollegeBuys Hosts 15th Annual Purchasing Conference
The FoundationCCC CollegeBuys program recently hosted its 15th Annual California Community Colleges Purchasing Conference on April 3-5 in San Diego. This venue brought together community college procurement professionals from across the state to learn and discuss the latest trends and best practices in procurement for higher education institutions as well as collaborate with peers, industry leaders, and corporate partners in an effort to propel the profession forward.
The three-day conference offered a dynamic and engaging platform for participants to exchange ideas, learn from experts, and explore innovative solutions for existing and emerging procurement challenges. The conference featured workshops and panel discussions on various topics, including strategic procurement, cybersecurity and vendor risk management, solar net metering, diversity and inclusion, and legal and policy updates. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions, gain practical insights, and network with their peers, fostering collaboration and building new partnerships.
This year’s keynote speaker was Majd Askar, a former purchasing professional who received the Southern Procurement Professional of the Year award in 2017. She discussed her inspiring career trajectory which led to her current position as Vice President of Business Services at Moreno Valley College. Other speakers included those with CCLC, SPURR, Collegium Strategies, Murdoch, Walrath & Holmes, Public Agency Law Group, Tao Rossini, APC, and the Foundation, alongside procurement professionals from a multitude of California’s community college districts. CollegeBuys is grateful to the presenters for their time and effort in creating unique and informative content for the conference. All CCC Purchasing Conference presentations are available to view here.
The conference also celebrated exceptional work by recognizing this year’s awardees of the Procurement Professional of the Year award, presented to Kim Carillo of Los Rios Community College District (Northern region) and April Marin of College of the Canyons (Southern region). The Procurement Professional of the Year awards, one each for the Northern and Southern California regions, highlight exemplary service in the California Community Colleges procurement field and are nominated, selected, and awarded by peers throughout each region. Additionally, ODP presented this year’s Green Award to Cerritos Community College District for demonstrating the highest percentage of sustainable procurement among all the California Community Colleges through the ODP contract.
The CollegeBuys team appreciates the participation of system procurement leaders in advancing procurement excellence in higher education statewide. Save the date for the 2024 CCC Purchasing Conference scheduled to take place April 8-10 at the Catamaran!
To see photos from the event, click here.
