Procurement Sherpa currently working as a Public School Business Official in Houston, Texas. I am an award-winning procurement professional with over 43 years of extensive leadership experience in increasingly responsible administrative management positions with the US Military, State and Local Government, Academia, Corporate Business, and Public Education. I am a Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) through the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing and a Registered School Business Official (RSBO) through the Association of School Business Officials for Maryland and the District of Columbia. I'm also a Registered Texas School Business Administrator (RTSBA) through the Texas Association of School Business Officials. From July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007, I served as the President of the Association of School Business Officials of Maryland and the District of Columbia. I am a published author internationally, nationally and regionally as well as having also presented as a public speaker at regional and national conferences. I am a 1978 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration. I earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy University in 1991 and my MBA from the University of Houston - Clear Lake in 1997. Upon graduation from Stephen F. Austin I received my commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Field Artillery. I served 28 years as a commissioned officer in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve in various command and staff positions culminating in my assignment as a Senior Instructor with the United States Army Command & General Staff College. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in July 2006. My awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and Army Reserve Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters and the Army Parachutist Badge. I was awarded the Eagle Scout medal by the Boy Scouts of America.
I have ensured that our bid specifications and contract documents are designed to optimize the quality of goods and services while at the same time minimizing the financial risk. I strive to offer a fair and equitable bidding environment that encourages minority and small business participation in all contracts. I became the new Director of Procurement Services (Contracts, Purchasing, & Central Warehouse) for the Spring Branch Independent School District in March 2018. I came back to Texas in late 2015 to become the Procurement Officer at the Houston Independent School District. Before coming home to Houston I was with Baltimore County Public Schools from 2001 till 2015 as the Purchasing Manager. I’ve also worked for the Plano Independent School District, and the Clear Creek Independent School District. Over the last 25 plus years my business initiatives have returned over $75 million to the classroom to educate children. As well as awarded $1.7 billion in public contracts to MBE/WBE/SBE vendors.
In 2010 The BCPS Procurement Department was designated an ISO 9001:2008 certification. One of only a handful of school systems /districts worldwide to be so designated. While leading three different school district procurement Departments, BCPS in 2010 and again in 2013 and 2015; Houston ISD in 2016; and Spring Branch ISD in 2020 received the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award - OA4 now called the Quality Public Procurement Department (QPPD). Since 2005 - 2015 while at Baltimore County Public Schools and from 2016-2018 at HISD and now Spring Branch Independent School District 2019-2020 my Procurement Teams have been one of approximately 18 school districts nationally that has been the recipient each year of The National Purchasing Institute’s (NPI) Achievement of Excellence in Procurement.