Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's director of procurement and contracts is a new member of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing board of directors.
Don Buffum recently was elected to represent members in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
With headquarters in Herndon, Va., the organization (www.nigp.org.) works to advocate best practices, ethical values and public service in the profession. Its more than 16,000 members are located throughout the United States, Canada and overseas.
Prior to joining MSU in 2007, Buffum was purchasing director for the State of Mississippi. A University of Washington graduate, he received a master's degree in business administration from Mississippi College and holds public purchasing officer accreditation with the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council.
"Don's active role in the country's leading public purchasing organization illustrates MSU's commitment to integrity, leadership and good stewardship of public funds and property," said Michael J. "Mike" McGrevey, the land-grant institution's vice president for finance and administration. "We are extremely proud of Don's achievement."
Buffum's career includes a number of honors, among them the Roy Saye Award as the state's most outstanding public purchasing official and the Guilio Mazzone Distinguished Service Award, highest honor of the National Association of State Procurement Officials.
He is an active member of several other professional organizations, including the National Association of State Purchasing Officials and Mississippi Association of Governmental Purchasing and Property Agents