For almost 26 years, National Association of Purchasing Management of the Lehigh Valley (NAPM-LV) has organized the Annual Ellery Royal Memorial Golf Tournament. It is the major fund raiser for NAPM-LV’s Carl F. Zipf Scholarship Fund. Since the early 1980s, NAPM-LV has awarded over $100,000 to college students pursuing higher education in the fields of purchasing and supply chain management. 

 In order to continue our efforts to support the Carl F. Zipf Scholarship Fund, we need your help and support.

 Attached is a brochure describing the Annual Ellery Royal Memorial Golf Tournament being held June 11, 2012 at Silver Creek Country Club. The Registration section of the brochure indicates the various ways in which you or your company could help. You may even ask your suppliers or customers to help. The ways include:

• Becoming a Tournament Sponsor or a Corporate Sponsor
• Gathering up a foursome for a day of camaraderie, great food, and excellent golf at the beautiful Silver Creek Country Club
• Joining us as an individual golfer
• Sponsoring a green or a tee (We will create a custom sign for you!)
• Donating an item significant to your company that could be used as a door-prize at the awards banquet. If you donate a gift item/certificate equaling a minimum of $50, we will advertise your company as a sponsor at the event.

 Please review and complete the attached brochure for the full list of ways in which you can support this worthy cause.   2012 NAPMLV GOLF

Please return by June 1,2012, to enable us to properly plan this event. Completed brochures can be RSVP’d via an email scanned document to Jkovacs@pplweb.com, or a fax to 610-774-6414; and then mail brochure & check to Attn: John Kovacs, PPL, Two North Ninth Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1179.

 Please call John Kovacs 610-509-0495, if you would like to discuss any details or if you have any questions. If we can’t answer them immediately, we will be sure to get back to you.

 Most of all, we hope to see you on the greens! It should be a very good time, and it’s for a very worth-while purpose. Thank you in advance for your time, consideration, and donation.

Jane Affa, 2012 Golf Chair Person

I love what the Governor of Minnesota proclaimed this month as follows:

“The purchasing, acquisitions, procurement, and materials management professions have a significant role in the quality of and efficiency of business and government throughout the United States.”

Isn’t that a great statement?

Obviously, at NAPMLV we agree. As a result, we have a great plan for Purchasing Month with the return of Dr. Soheila R. Lunney. Dr. Lunney is the President of Lunney Advisory Group LLC, and co-author of the book “The Procurement Game Plan: Winning Strategies & Techniques For Supply Management Professionals.” Please consider joining us on March 26, 2012 starting at 2:00 p.m. at Lehigh University’s Iacocca Hall. As the proclamation declares, “Purchasing and procurement operations range from departments of one to several thousand employees.” We think you’ll find something for all operations at this seminar. We look forward to see you!

For the full State of Minnesota Proclamation: http://mn.gov/governor/images/Purchasing_Month.pdf

To register for the event: http://napmlv.com/category/professional-development-meetings

On behalf of our membership and the Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to the leading source for supply management information in the Lehigh Valley.

Our vision is to be the Lehigh Valley leader in educational and networking opportunities for Supply Chain Management professionals and their employers. In order to accomplish this vision, we have to be focused, intentional, visible, credible, and committed to nine key goals. Resources are tighter than ever and employers expect dollars to be invested, not just spent, on educational opportunities that will benefit their organizations and create a real impact on the bottom line and long term health of the organization. As a result, the Board has to be focused and intentional about educational programming and the quality and format of networking opportunities.

The economy has placed a strain on all organizations, but this is particularly true of associations and other professional development organizations. In this environment, the visibility of the NAPM-LV is of paramount importance. Our efforts to build credibility as a leader on supply management topics and the visibility we create through a new relationship with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and a renewed focus on marketing through our web site and social media will have an immediate impact.

Further, we have to be committed, specifically, to the following goals:

• Increasing member awareness regarding Supply Chain Certification opportunities
• Providing ample opportunities for members to obtain CEU’s
• Providing current relevant topics of professional and organizational interest
• Providing opportunities for networking with other Supply Chain Management professionals
• Identifying opportunities to become engaged with Lehigh Valley businesses
• Making NAPM-LV more visible to the Lehigh Valley business community
• Reinforcing the use of ISM resources
• Increasing NAPM-LV membership by 10% each year
• Developing leadership sustainability at the Board and committee level

This is certainly ambitious, but not new to a profession known for setting ambitious supply chain goals and objectives. The impact you have on your organization is significant and vitally important. We hope to the same impact collectively, on your professional development and education.

If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. We are ready to serve.

Best Regards,

Mark R. Ironside