Empowering Community College Professionals Through Regional Fall Forums

In close partnership with the host colleges, CollegeBuys successfully held two Fall Forums that provided valuable opportunities for education, networking, and shared learning. The first forum was held in the Northern region at Solano Community College on October 16, and the second forum took place in the Southern region at North Orange County Community College District (North Orange County CCD) on October 23. These events brought together community college professionals for focused sessions on purchasing, technology, and facilities.

District attendees at the Northern Fall Forum took notes as Sherman Wong from the Public Agency Law Group discussed requirements related to prevailing wage.

Highlights from the Northern Regional Fall Forum:
At Solano Community College, the forum featured a series of informative presentations addressing key topics and emerging trends:

“The Benefits of Mentorship” by Sharon Thygesen (California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO)) and Amy Sterry (Contra Costa CCD) introduced a new mentorship initiative in partnership with CAPPO, aimed at supporting professional growth across the community college system.
“Competitive Selection in Community College Procurement: Legal Requirements and Best Practices” by Deidree Sakai (Dannis Woliver Kelley (DWK)) provided insights into effective procurement strategies for projects requiring competitive selection.
“SaaS Contract Terms and Conditions” by Chris Fallon (Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW)) explored critical considerations in software agreements.
“Public Works Prevailing Wage Rates” by Sherman Wong (Public Agency Law Group) delivered a detailed overview of compliance requirements and best practices for projects invoking prevailing wage requirements.
“Legislative Update” by Kyle Hyland (School Services of California) shared timely updates on policy developments.
“CollegeBuys Update” by Jorge Burwick (Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC)) offered a programmatic overview and future outlook for our request for proposal (RFP) roadmap.

The Northern Regional Forum welcomed 28 participants from 11 districts. Vice President of Finance and Administration Susan Wheet opened the event with warm remarks, setting the tone for a day of meaningful engagement. Attendees enjoyed breakfast and lunch provided by the Solano Community College catering team. The forum highlighted the broader commitment to advancing community college initiatives and was made possible with the support of our sponsors—CDW-G, Enterprise, iParq, Medical Shipment, and Waxie.

District attendees at the Southern Fall Forum engaged with Reid Shannon from DWK as he reviewed best practices around competitive selection.

Highlights from the Southern Regional Fall Forum:

At North Orange County CCD, the forum mirrored the Northern event with a lineup of engaging presentations on important topics:

“Competitive Selection in Community College Procurement: Legal Requirements and Best Practices” by Reid Shannon (DWK) addressed procurement best practices.
“SaaS Contract Terms and Conditions” by Chris Fallon (LCW) returned to share his expertise with Southern attendees.
“The Benefits of Mentorship” by Lisa Marroquin (CAPPO) and Angelic Davis (Mt. San Antonio CCD) announced a mentorship initiative and discussed the benefits of joining such a program.
“Construction Contracts and Insurance” by Terry Tao (Tao Rossini, APC) provided guidance on managing construction-related risks.
“Legislative Update” by Rebekah Kalleen from the Community College Facility Coalition (CCFC) delivered a comprehensive policy briefing.
“CollegeBuys Update” by Jorge Burwick (FoundationCCC) closed the session with program updates and future initiatives.

The Southern Regional Forum welcomed 36 professionals from 14 districts. Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Fred Williams opened the event with a warm welcome. The forum was made possible through the support of our sponsors—CDW-G, Enterprise, iParq, KYA, and Waxie.

The strong participation and engaging content at both forums reflect a shared commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in the field. Together, these forums exemplify the dedication of CollegeBuys and all of our presenters in fostering professional growth, collaboration, and innovation across California Community Colleges.