Podcasts: The Best of Pennsylvania Procurement

Since launching Procurated in Pennsylvania in 2019, we have had the pleasure of talking to several thought-provoking leaders and great procurement minds, so we put together a list of our favorite PA-specific episodes for you to listen to.

Ep. 49 - Public Procurement in 2021 & Beyond with Jennifer Olzinger (Pittsburgh) and Trevor Day (Philadelphia)

On this episode of Decisions that Matter, Procurated CEO and Founder, David Yarkin, and co-host Bernadette Launi, sit down with two of the most innovative procurement leaders in Pennsylvania, Jennifer Olzinger, the Assistant Director and Procurement Manager for the City of Pittsburgh, and Trevor Day, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Philadelphia. They share their experiences working in public procurement in the age of COVID, and they tackle important topics like sustainability, social responsibility, the realities of working in centralized vs. decentralized governments, and much more.

Jeff Mandel is the Director of Procurement and Operations at the University of Bloomsburg, one of the fourteen higher education institutions that are part of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). On episode 45, we spoke with Jenny Doherty and Sharon Minnich about how they have transformed the procurement processes and capabilities within PASSHE over the last two years, and Jeff speaks to what that experience has been like as a member of PASSHE and a leader at one of the universities.

Starting in 2019, Jenny Doherty and Sharon Minnich have been on an incredible transformation journey. In this episode, they sat down with David to share how they reimagined Pennsylvania’s higher ed procurement administration to create a commodity-based central procurement organization serving all 14 universities across the Commonwealth.

On this episode of Decisions That Matter, hosts Alex Stonehouse and Bernadette Launi sat down with Jillian Dy to discuss her work at FoodCorps as the Director of Supply Chain Engagement. FoodCorps' mission involves bringing together local communities to connect kids to healthy food in school. Throughout this episode, Jillian does a great job of covering everything from the high-level policy topics that drive a lot of rules and outcomes, to the on-the-ground supply chain challenges involved in feeding and educating kids in school districts across the country.
Below is a list of resources that Jillian was generous enough to provide to support the information she shared during the episode in case you want more in-depth information:
- Reimagining School Cafeterias Report
- Full report on Creating Healthy School Environments and Key Takeaways from the FoodCorps and Tisch Center for Food, Policy, and Education Partnership
- FoodCorps Policy Vision
- reWorking Lunch report
- "Why are you still packing lunch for your kids?" was published in the New York Times just over a year ago by Jennifer Gaddisin.

Curt Topper, the current Pennsylvania Secretary of General Services, has ample experience in public service and procurement, having served as the Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of General Services for Procurement in the early 2000s. Curt Topper sat down with Procurated Founder & CEO, David Yarkin, to discuss the biggest topics across Pennsylvania, including the tremendous success of the state's cooperative contracting program COSTARS. The team at Procurated has had the pleasure of working closely with the COSTARS team to help buyers better understand vendor performance.

This episode is part 2 of a trilogy interview between Curt Topper and Procurated Founder & CEO, David Yarkin, to discuss the biggest Procurement topics across Pennsylvania. This episode covers the Commonwealth's emphasis on diversity & inclusion in the suppliers they are contracting with, and also within the workplace at DGS. Curt's thoughtful approach, from the overall vision down to the tactics required to make change happen, is truly insightful.

Curt Topper, the current Pennsylvania Secretary of General Services has ample experience in public service and procurement, having served as the Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of General Services for Procurement in the early 2000s. Curt Topper sat down with Procurated Founder & CEO, David Yarkin, to discuss the biggest topics across Pennsylvania, starting with the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Topper's thoughtful response about what has already happened, and what can be done to plan for the future, is helpful information for any procurement professional or government leader

For more episodes of the podcast, like and subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, Anchor,or your other favorite podcast platforms.

Alex Stonehouse

Published on Jul 22, 2021

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