Editor’s Note: On November 8 & 9, 2017, a select group of Chief Procurement Officers and other business leaders will come together at the Harvard Club in Boston’s Back Bay for the CPO Rising 2017 Summit, an executive symposium brought to you by Ardent Partners. The unparalleled speaker panel will highlight procurement-led innovation within the enterprise and across the supply chain as they discuss the topics that transform operations. Click to take advantage of early-bird registration (ends August 31).

Hernandez-Lane Appointed CPO of Metro Nashville

On July 5, Michelle Hernandez-Lane began a new role as Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, replacing Jeff Gossage as CPO. Hernandez-Lane had been Metro Nashville’s Chief Diversity Officer, but was recommended by Metro Finance Director, Talia Lomax-O’dneal, to take the procurement reins. Hernandez-Lane will serve in the Metro Finance Department and oversee bidding, contracting, and procurement activities. She has served Metro Nashville for 16 years in various operational, financial, and diversity leadership roles. Hernandez-lane earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science from Fisk University and her Master of Science in Public Service Management from Cumberland University.

Thune Becomes Goodyear’s Newest CPO

Late last month, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. announced that they had named Maureen Thune as its newest CPO. Thune will oversee all raw materials sourcing and procurement, as well as equipment, supplies, and services for the company across the globe. She previously served as Vice President of Internal Auditing, and has been with Goodyear since 2009 in several accounting and auditing leadership roles. Prior to joining Goodyear, Thune was the Chief Financial Officer at a furniture retailer. She earned her Bachelor’s in Accounting from Ohio State University.

CPO, Barry Swanson, Leaves Kansas for Kentucky

After working at the University of Kansas (or “KU”) for nearly two decades, Barry Swanson has left his alma mater and his executive leadership roles there to become the CPO for the University of Kentucky, effective June 2017. Swanson had served as the Associate Vice Provost for Campus Operations and the CPO for KU before leaving for UK. In his new role, Swanson will oversee campus purchasing. The move caps a thirty year procurement career for Swanson — of which nearly 20 years were spent at KU. He earned Bachelor’s Degrees in History and Political Science at KU and a JD from Washburn University.

DHS Contractors Praise Department for Taking Risks, Despite FLASH Cancelation

Last week, eight out of 11 federal contractors that would have won contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent a rare letter of support to DHS Chief Procurement Officer, Soraya Correa, praising her for her willingness to innovate and take risks in a generally risk-averse business environment. In May, Ms. Correa and her office cancelled what was known as the Flexible Agile Support for the Homeland, or “FLASH,” contract vehicle. The $1.5 billion procurement program experienced contractor protests and its credibility and fidelity were undermined when DHS’s own Office of General Counsel conceded that some employees had altered key documents. Despite it all, eight out of 11 of the contractors that stood to benefit from FLASH praised Ms. Correa and her staff for breaking with the status quo in government contracting, and encouraged them to press on. FLASH had been developed in the DHS Procurement Innovation Lab as a way to more efficiently contract with small businesses in an agile manner.

Craig School of Business Now Offering a Supply Chain Management Degree

Missouri Western State University (aka, “Missouri Western”), Craig School of Business is now offering a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a focus on Supply Chain Management. In fact, the degree program has been around since last fall but has apparently received little fanfare. Undergraduate students interested in a career in supply and supply chain management can expect to learn about the full range of the discipline, from the manufacturer to the consumer, and all of its sub-disciplines. Demand planning, procurement, supplier quality management, logistics, and inventory management are just some of the sub-disciplines called out in the program.

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