Paul J. Brennan serves as Director of Purchasing for Rockland County, where he oversees procurement operations, contract administration, purchasing policy, and strategic sourcing for county departments. A nationally recognized leader in public procurement, he has more than two decades of experience and was awarded NIGP's prestigious Albert H. Hall Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the profession. Brennan is also a Fellow of NIGP (FNIGP) and has played a significant role in advancing ethical, transparent, and innovative public purchasing practices throughout New York State.
Paul J. Brennan, FNIGP, CPPO
Director of Purchasing
Rockland County
Tricia Wise is the Purchasing Director for Chemung County, where she leads procurement services for both Chemung County and the City of Elmira through a shared-services purchasing department. She oversees competitive bidding, requests for proposals, contract administration, and supplier engagement while promoting efficiency, transparency, and integrity in public procurement. Wise holds the NIGP-CPP, CPPO, and CPPB professional certifications, reflecting her expertise and commitment to excellence in the public purchasing profession.
Tricia Wise, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
Purchasing Director
Chemung County
Ed (Edward) M. Jordan serves as Director of Purchasing for Ulster County's Department of General Services. He oversees all aspects of county procurement, including competitive bidding, contract management, vendor relations, and purchasing policy. Jordan is responsible for ensuring that taxpayer funds are spent efficiently and transparently while maintaining ethical and compliant procurement practices. Under his leadership, the department supports county agencies and local municipalities through centralized purchasing services and cooperative procurement initiatives.
Ed Jordan
Director of Purchasing
Ulster County
Valerie Bollinger serves as General Manager of Empire Procure Connect, New York State's cooperative procurement program. An attorney and certified public procurement professional, she oversees the organization's strategic direction, cooperative contracting initiatives, and member services. With extensive experience in public procurement, legal compliance, and government contracting, Bollinger works with municipalities, school districts, and other public agencies to expand access to compliant, cost-effective cooperative purchasing solutions while promoting best practices across the procurement community.
Valerie Bollinger, J.D., CPPO, CPPB
General Manager
Empire Procure Connect
Karen Storm is the Local Government Account Manager for Empire Procure Connect, where she partners with municipalities, counties, school districts, and other public entities throughout New York State. She assists agencies in leveraging cooperative contracts to streamline purchasing, reduce procurement timelines, and maximize value. As a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Storm brings extensive knowledge of public procurement and focuses on building strong relationships while helping organizations navigate compliant and efficient purchasing solutions.
Karen Storm, CPPB
Local Government Account Manager
Empire Procure Connect
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