TxPPA Quarterly News
Volume 1 Issue 1
January 2014
In This Issue
Presidents Message
TxPPA Fall Conference Summary
Quick Links
Executive Board
Donna Riley, CPPB  
President
Denton County

Charles Oberrender, CPPB
Vice President
Texas Association of Community Colleges

David Setzer, CPSM, C.P.M, CWE
Secretary
Workforce, NCTCG

Richard Bennett , CPPB
Treasurer
City of Pasadena

Sandy Bradley , CPPO, CPPB 
Immediate Past President
City of Burleson
Member Forum
Do you have Questions? 

Check out the TxPPA Member Forum on txppa.org.  Since the new website launched the Forum contains 165 topics with related discussions.

Recent activity includes:
  • Bid Bond Recovery
  • Internal Surveys
  • Travel Policy Samples
  • On-Call Materials Testing, Geotechnical and Subsurface Utility exploration
  • Local Government Code
  • RFP - Elevator Replacement
  • Bid/Proposal  Distribution
  • & MORE
2014 Presidents Message

Happy New Year!  

 

What a way to start off the New Year, coming in as the TxPPA president following Sandy Bradley. Sandy has set very high standards for this organization and I will make every attempt and effort to meet those standards. It does not seem possible that we are making our way into our 7th year as TxPPA. This organization has had the best in leaders and leadership starting with Jack Beacham, Cheryl Turney, Kay Foster, Mark Vechione and as I just mentioned Sandy Bradley. These leaders along with every member of TxPPA are the reasons we have become a very strong and successful group of Purchasing Professionals. Collin Powell said " There are no secrets to success; don't waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those from whom you work, and persistence." I think this group echoes his every word.

 

The Board is in the process of recruiting for volunteers for Committee Chairs and Committee Members. If you would "love to volunteer" please let me know and we will put you to work (fun and rewarding, sometimes). A Call for Volunteers was recently sent out via email, please get involved. You are only committing to one year at a time.

 

After 4 years and more than 50 hours of research and discussion by TxPPA members we are ready to move to the next step in making the Texas Unified Procurement Code a reality.  The Board of Directors will be posting an RFP to hire a consultant to create a document based on what members have discussed in these last few years.  Once that document is complete the real work will begin by getting support from Legislators and other Associations.  We will be asking members to speak to their Legislators asking for support and sponsors to take the Code forward.  It is our goal to have something to be presented at the 2015 Legislative session.

 

We have established the dates for our two conferences, the first one will be the Summer Momentum at the beautiful La Torretta Resort and Spa in Montgomery, Texas, June 25-June 27, 2014 (for a sneak preview go to www.latorrettalakeresort.com). Our Fall Conference will be held in fabulous Fort Worth, Texas on November 5- November 7, 2014. The programs are being put in place and as always these conferences will be well worth attending. Also, TxPPA offers six scholarships per year and an email blast will be sent out to all members with the deadline information and application soon.

 

If any of our members would like to present a topic at one of our conferences please step up and let us know. We are always looking for member speakers and would love to hear from you.

 

I would like to encourage everyone to upload your picture in our member directory. It is a simple process (refer to the Quick Links for instructions).

 

This will be an exciting year and I hope everyone has a great 2014. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Summer Momentum in June.

 

 

Sincerely,

TxPPA President

Donna Riley, CPPB

Denton County

   

TxPPA Fall Conference ReCap

TxPPA 2013 Fall Conference Takes In Abilene and the Old West

 

Early November meant great fall weather as TxPPA headed west to Abilene for the 2013 Fall Conference.  The MCM Elegante Hotel played host to the conference and almost 100 TxPPA attendees and sponsors gathered for education, training, networking and fun.

 

The conference education continued to address hot topics and subjects that TxPPA members had requested to be a part of future conference programs. 
The sessions included topics such as;
Fixed Assets, Specification Writing, Procurement Fraud and Avoiding Politics, Violations & Protests, and much more  Attendees were also able to hear an update on the Texas UPC Code, which is almost complete!
 
The conference offered almost 15 hours of continuing education credits.

 

Entertainment included dinner provided by a live, working Chuck Wagon, and featured an excellent chicken fried steak dinner and all the fixins!  The conference attendees were then treated to live music by Prairie Divas & the Outlaw! 

 

Plan now & Save the Date to be at the 2014 Summer Conference, June 25 - 27, 2014 at the La Torreta Resort in Conroe, just north of Houston.