Mayfield, Rester earn CPPO certification
Jennifer Mayfield and Jay Rester
Two Mississippi State University purchasing managers in the Office of Procurement and Contracts recently earned the Certified Public Purchasing Officer designation.
Jennifer Mayfield and Jay Rester are the university's newest CPPOs, along with Don Buffum, MSU director of the procurement and contracts who also serves as president of NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement.
Buffum said the recent certifications represent a significant accomplishment among the staff members. MSU is now the only state agency that includes three CPPOs, he said.
"Jennifer and Jay continue to do a great job of working with the departments across campus to maximize the value of every dollar spent," he said.
"They work with their departments by helping to determine the end goal and then assisting them in determining the best way to get the products and services they need while maintaining the accountability that is so necessary when expending public funds."
The designation, awarded by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council, reflects established standards and competencies for those engaged in government procurement and attests to the designees' abilities to obtain maximum value for taxpayer dollars.
Mayfield, a Starkville native and 2000 MSU business administration graduate, has worked for the university office since she began as a student worker. Working her way up the ranks for the past 20 years, Mayfield has experience with accounts payable, procurement card management and other purchasing roles. She has been in her current role for about 10 years.
Rester, a Greenville native and 1988 MSU banking and finance graduate, joined the staff in 2006 after working for Citizens National Bank of Meridian and National Bank of Commerce in Starkville.
Rester explained that he and Mayfield have parallel responsibilities divided to serve various campus units. He said their goals include helping people get what they need as well as ensuring that all purchases meet state guidelines. He said purchases include all types of supplies and services, noting that the office also has oversight over most university contracts.
He and Mayfield agreed the intensive studies required to prepare for the CPPO exam has given them even more confidence in fulfilling their duties.
"This is a certification that is recognized nationally in our profession," Mayfield said. "And in Mississippi if you have a certain percentage of certified professionals, then your office becomes a certified purchasing office in the eyes of the state. It allows us an additional level of clearance regarding purchasing regulations."
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Allison Matthews | Public Affairs
