Jack T. Pitzer, Ph.D., CPPO: Why I have the CPPO

“I was just a wet-behind-the-ears Chief Procurement Officer in Iowa in the late 1970’s when a group of procurement professionals began asking me about seeking the CPPO. The arguments they gave me then are as valid today as then.”

“Procurement was not treated as a professional occupation. Professions were considered people that we dealt with daily — lawyers, accountants, engineers — who had degrees and certifications. We, on the other hand, were seen as merely paper pushers more than persons with ‘credentials.'”

“Fortunately, I listened to these visionaries, and I received my CPPO pin and certificate in 1984. I was immediately perceived differently by the comptroller’s and attorney general’s offices. I had ‘cred.'”

“In the 1990’s, I was searching for a new position. When I contacted the hiring officer, he told me: “I’m only talking to people with at least seven years of managerial experience and the CPPO.” I got the job and eventually retired from it.”

“Thousands of procurement professionals have proven their abilities by standing for the exams and qualifying.”

“For ascending management, there is no substitute for the CPPO and CPPB.”

Jack T. Pitzer, Ph.D., CPPO
Retired (formerly Chief Procurement Officer – City of Alexandria, VA)