Happy Spring Chapter Members!
May Membership Meeting. Please join us on Friday, May 22nd, 2026, for our Chapter Membership Meeting: Join us for Dr. Brian Robinson; Deputy City Manager, Palm Bay presenting “How to Maintain Motivation in Uncertain Times”. (1 contact hour). Price is $15 in-person, including box lunch, and $0.00 virtual attendance. The Chapter Membership Meeting and presentation is 12:00 PM (lunch in-person), 12:30 PM meeting, and presentation at 1PM. Register at May 22, 2026 Membership Meeting and Presentation - Events - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP.
Special Thank you. Thank you to David Nash who presented “Critical Thinking – A Critical Skill” and “Surely We Can Trust the Boss, Can’t We?” at our Chapter Spring Workshop. We enjoyed the presentations as well has his humor!
Procurement Month. Send us your pictures showing how your agency celebrated Procurement Month for our May Newsletter!
Reverse Trade Show. Don’t forget! Join us on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Orlando Theme Park Resort!!!
- Event Registration: Registrations for vendors, agencies, and the room raffle survey are located at Home - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP on the home page.
- Rooms: Scholarship points can be used for hotel rooms the day before and night of the event! A room raffle is on our website for Chapter Full Members that are registered for RTS full day and live 25 miles from the hotel location. The survey closes on August 31, 2026.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Contact Damaris Nazario if you would like to volunteer for RTS!There are virtual opportunities before the event and in-person opportunities on the day of the event.
- Marketing Materials: Sample emails, a flyer, and QR codes will be sent out to the membership.Please use them to market for your vendors to attend.
Awards. Congratulations to the Central Florida Chapter of NIGP award recipients:
- Buyer of the Year – Patrice Hauser, Orange County Government
- Manager of the Year – Alina Hernandez Fernandez, Orange County Government
- Volunteer of the Year – Milli Medina, Orange County Government
Thank you for your service to your agencies, the profession, and the Chapter!
Mentoring. If you are interested in being a mentor or a mentee, please contact Chair Fatima Calkins at fatimacalkins@yahoo.com. Do you have questions or answers on procurement or Chapter matters? This is a great opportunity to build a relationship with another member! We are looking for both mentors and mentees.
Participation Scholarship. The log is available. If you applied for 2025 scholarship points, your points are calculated at $2.63 each. These funds may be used for your professional development!
Pro-D Opportunities Scholarships. Congratulations to our scholarship winners!
NIGP FORUM (In-Person)
- Arima Santana, Seminole State College
- Debbie Feingold, City of Palm Bay
- Lisa Keseker, School District of Osceola County
- Melisa B. Vergara, Orange County Government
- Michael Hall, Orange City Florida
- Ramsey Jimenez, City of Clermont
NIGP FORUM (Virtual)
- Anabel Gates, City of Clermont
- Daniel Gutierrez, Osceola County BOCC
- Donald Gaskins, Osceola County BOCC
- Jenna Bullard, City of Clermont
Engagement. As we prepare for opportunities ahead in 2026, I encourage you to reflect on your talents and strengths and consider how you might contribute to our chapter’s success through roles such as committee chair, committee member, or RTS volunteer. We have important work to accomplish this year, and active participation from our members will make a meaningful difference. If you’re interested in getting involved, please reach out to me or any board member. Help us make 2026 a fantastic year for our Chapter!
Thank you!
Luis A Aviles, CPPO, CPPB, FCCM
2026-2028 President
president@cfcnigp.org