Customers and partners feature prominently among recipients of this year’s NAEP National Awards.

 

Research Triangle, NC, April 27, 2021 – Users and customers of JAGGAER software once again figured strongly among this year’s National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) honorees. Seventeen user institutions, individuals and partners received awards recognizing noteworthy accomplishments in procurement in this, the NAEP’s centennial year, including the NAEP Centennial Award, the Award for Innovation in Higher Education, the Award for Excellence in Procurement, and award for the promotion of sustainability and supplier diversity.

JAGGAER CEO Jim Bureau was among those congratulating the honorees on their success and the NAEP on its centenary. He said, “Here at JAGGAER we are intensely proud of our relationship with the educational procurement community, which dates back to our foundation a quarter century ago. This past year has been an extremely difficult one for procurement professionals in the United States education sector, but they have risen to the challenge and those named by NAEP in this year’s awards are especially deserving of recognition.”

“Over the past 25 years we have witnessed how procurement has become an increasingly strategic function in our nation’s higher education institutions. NAEP has played a key role in this evolution with its amazing efforts to promote community, knowledge sharing and networking. The Association has also significantly raised the profile of procurement professionals among leaders of the educational establishment.”

As part of its Centennial Celebration NAEP invited applicants to submit an essay, video or graphic virtual presentation setting out their vision for procurement in the next 100 years. The winner of the new NAEP Centennial Award was Nester Komolafe, Contracts Coordinator, University of Illinois at Chicago. “I would like to extend my personal congratulations to Nester, who is a true global thought leader in procurement,” Jim Bureau said.

JAGGAER customer Arizona State University, and Shonna Hughes, Director of Procurement Operations and Shared Services at the University of Colorado, also a JAGGAER customer, were winners of the PULSE Award for Innovation in Higher Education Procurement. The PULSE Award recognizes institutions or individuals whose innovative practices, creative processes, and commitment to continuous improvement exemplify the strategic value of higher education procurement. Arizona State University, ranked “#1 in the U.S. for innovation,” has won many accolades, including the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute 12 years in a row.

Florida State University won the NAEP 2021 Award for Excellence in Procurement. It’s eProcurement portal, SpearMart, is hosted by JAGGAER. FSU is also a many-time winner of the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from National Procurement Institute.

Individuals at longstanding JAGGAER partner E&I Cooperative Services, the USA’s largest member-owned, non-profit purchasing cooperative serving the needs of education, also picked up two awards: Tom Fitzgerald won the 2021 NAEP Impact Award and Casey Laurienzo the 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award.

JAGGAER congratulates the following customers (institutions and individuals) who won NAEP awards in 2021:

2021 NAEP Centennial Award
Nester Komolafe, University of Illinois at Chicago

2021 PULSE Award for Innovation in Higher Education Procurement
Arizona State University Procurement
Shonna Hughes, University of Colorado

2021 Brian Yeoman Sustainable Procurement Award
Jamon Hill, Arizona State University

2021 Eddie H. Jackson Supplier Diversity Award
Veronica F. Cook, University of Connecticut
Theresa Robinson Harris, University of San Diego
Ernest Webster, University of Georgia

2021 Bert C. Ahrens Achievement Award
Steve Mack, Drexel University

2021 Award for Excellence in Procurement
Florida State University

2021 Distinguished Service Award
Bruce Cherrin, University of New Mexico

2021 Neil D. Markee Communicator of the Year Award
Nichol Luoma, Arizona State University

2021 Volunteer of the Year Award
Eric Dickey, University of North Florida

2021 Young Professional in Procurement Award
Amy Lehnhoff, University of North Florida
Erin Losado, UC Davis
Allyson Taylor, Arizona State University

JAGGAER also congratulates the following individuals at its partner organization, E&I Cooperative Services:

2021 NAEP Impact Award
Tom Fitzgerald

2021 Volunteer of the Year Award
Casey Laurienzo

Find out more about JAGGAER’s solutions for education here.

 

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About NAEP

Since the 1920s, NAEP has been the non-profit professional Association primarily dedicated to serving higher education purchasing officers in the U.S. and Canada. NAEP’s mission is to facilitate the development, exchange and practice of effective and ethical procurement principles and techniques within higher education and associated communities, through continuing education, networking, public information and advocacy. Members of the Association founded the E&I Cooperative Service as an important benefit of NAEP Membership. Currently, over 800 colleges and universities are Members. NAEP is a Member-focused Association providing progressive knowledge management in strategic sourcing, supply chain, materials and logistics for procurement professionals. NAEP provides professional development and networking opportunities regionally and nationally. These meetings, workshops and seminars provide knowledge transfer in procurement ranging from beginning to advanced professionals and are conducted throughout the year and across the nation.

 

About JAGGAER: Procurement Simplified

We drive customer value for buyers and sellers through our global connected network served by offices located in the Americas, APAC, Asia and EMEA. JAGGAER develops and provides comprehensive source-to-settle SaaS-based solutions, including advanced Spend Analytics, Category Management, Supplier Management, Sourcing, Contracts, eProcurement, Invoicing, Supply Chain Management and Inventory Management. These all reside on a single platform, JAGGAER ONE. JAGGAER has pioneered spend management solutions for more than 25 years and continues to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and stakeholders in all industry sectors, public services and academia.

 

MEDIA CONTACT
Abigail Holmes
Corporate Ink for JAGGAER
jaggaer@corporateink.com
+1 617.969.9192