Happy New Year!
Join us on January 31, 2025, for our Chapter Membership Meeting and a Specification Writing Presentation by Carrie Roberts, Purchasing Director, Pasco County, FL. The Chapter Membership Meeting and presentation is available in-person and virtually. Register on our website www.cfcnigp.org.
Committee Boot Camp. Would you like to take a small step leading the chapter forward? Join us for an in-person Committee Boot Camp on January 31, 2025, before the Chapter Membership Meeting (10 AM). This event will introduce you to engagement opportunities and allow you to network with other chapter volunteers. Register on our website www.cfcnigp.org and email me to have lunch on us this day! I’ll register you for in-person lunch at the Chapter Membership Meeting and a Specification Writing Presentation by Carrie Roberts, Purchasing Director, Pasco County, FL. The Chapter Membership Meeting and presentation is available in-person and virtually.
Membership. Our Membership is on an annual basis and begins on January 1 of each year. Current members have received emails to renew your membership. Please renew your membership to participate in our professional development, scholarship program, study groups, mentoring program, and networking opportunities. As we embark into the 2025 membership year, we will continue development of programs and opportunities to support you, our membership. If you are new to the profession, we hope that you will consider joining our association. Please reach out to us directly to see how membership can benefit you. Membership is limited to Public Procurement professionals and students.
Buyer of the Year and Manager of the Year. Our Buyer of the Year and Manager of the Year program is occurring now. Applications are on our website under Member Resources, Document Library, Member Awards. This program is a peer or self-nomination of a current chapter member acknowledging contributions during 2023-2024 to their entity, NIGP or the profession, and our Chapter. Nominations are due by January 31, 2025 to president@cfcnigp.org with nomination acceptance due by February 16, 2025. This is a great opportunity to celebrate accomplishments! Awardees receive recognition in the profession, a plaque, and 100 scholarship dollars.
Scholarship Application. A Scholarship Application for 2024 is available on our website under Member Resources, Scholarships. Signed applications and backup documentation is due by January 31, 2025 to scholarship@cfcnigp.org. Please send all documents in one file. Late applications are not accepted. 2024 scholarship points will be added to your accounts by March 2025.
CPPB/CPPO Group Spring 2025 Session. The Spring Session will start on Thursday, January 23, 2025, and run through May 1, 2025. The testing window is May 1 – 15 per the UPPCC website. Meetings are virtually on Thursdays from 11:00am – 12:00pm EST. There will not be a meeting on Thursday, February 20, 2025, due to NIGP Leadership Summit. The group will have a total of 14 meetings during the Spring session. Register (only once for all meetings) on our website www.cfcnigp.org.
Pro-D Scholarship Program. Opportunities will be posted on our website soon. Even if you won an opportunity last year, you may apply this year. For the Pro-D Scholarship program, you need to be an ACTIVE member to participate. An ACTIVE member is a member who meets, at a minimum, one (1) of the following criteria in the preceding year (the last 12 months):
- Attends at least two (2) chapter meetings a year (meetings can be in-person or virtual).
- Attends at least one (1) chapter meeting and one (1) chapter event (e.g. Family Day, Spring Workshop, Fall Workshop, etc.)
- Attends the Reverse Trade Show for the entire day. Half day attendance does not qualify.
- Serves on a committee, task force, episodic committee, etc.
- Writes an article for the chapter newsletter.
Mentoring. Our Mentoring Program is to provide an opportunity for Mentees and Mentors to engage one-on-one to acquire 'real world' guidance and offers a unique opportunity for both the mentors and mentees to make a personal contribution to the professional development and share their experiences. Are you interested in becoming a mentor or mentee? Contact Mentoring Chair Fatima Calkins at fcalkins@goaa.org or 407-825-2044.
Reverse Trade Show. Thank you again to ALL who participated in our Reverse Trade Show! We had an amazing turnout of agencies, volunteers, vendors, and sponsors. This event funds our scholarship programs for you! Join us on Friday, November 7, 2025 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld!!! Scholarship points can be used! Be on the lookout for room giveaways in the coming months!
Community Service Initiative. Our 2024 Community Service Initiative for Ronald McDonald House was a success! Chapter Members donated $947.99, and the Chapter provided an additional $4,000 for a total of $4,947.99. Thank you for supporting families with children undergoing medical treatment in Orlando this year!
Engagement. I want to encourage members to evaluate your talents and strengths and identify if there are any committees or task forces opportunities that you would be willing to volunteer for in 2025. Committee chair, member, and RTS positions are available. We have much work to do as a chapter this year and we can benefit from having active volunteers.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or one of the other board members with any questions you might have. The Chapter’s 2025 Board of Directors consists of myself (President), Chris Coghill (Vice President), Sean Hynes (Treasurer), James (Nick) Canjar (Secretary), and Damaris Nazario (Presidential Advisor). Let’s make this year a fantastic year for your Chapter!
May your New Year be full of hope, joy, and laughter!
Tabatha Freedman, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
President
president@cfcnigp.org