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SPRING CONFERENCE WRAP-UP

BY DON HARRIS

Barkman, Eaton, Lambson, Pomeroy

Receive Best Practices Awards

Four AASBO members who demonstrated the
ability to think outside the box are winners of this
year’s Best Practices awards.
ey are:
• Gary Barkman, Procurement Specialist
Supervisor, Mesa Public Schools – Purchasing.
• Jack Eaton, Executive Director of Business
Services, Dysart Uni ed School District – Energy
E ciency.
• Barry Lambson, Director of Technology,
Holbrook Unified School District – Student Gary Barkman Jack Eaton Barry Lambson Steve Pomeroy
Engagement.
• Steve Pomeroy, Director of Facilities Management, Tempe When asked, Barkman gave helpful criticisms of the nominator’s
Elementary School District – Student Engagement. work and would volunteer to help implement the solutions time
e winners were announced at AASBO’s Spring Conference on and time again. “He was a team player who could always be counted
April 6 by Jim Migliorino, Deputy Superintendent of Business and on to put in more than his share of the work.”
Fiscal Services, Deer Valley Uni ed School District. Migliorino had Jack Eaton was named for having negotiated and approved
high praise for the winners and other nominees, but said he was the conversion of four 100,000 sq. . K-8 schools to interior and
a little disappointed with the relatively small number of AASBO exterior LED lighting. e nominator wrote that Eaton took
members who were submitted for the Best Practices award. advantage of APS incentives, and that the projects are anticipated
“I know there are a lot of good things going on in our to have a 3.5-year payback. e rst six months have resulted in an
districts, and I look forward to even more nominations next energy savings of 784,953 kWh’s and dollar savings of $32,478.19.
year,” he said. “Mr. Eaton is a ‘champion’ in energy savings means and
Each of the winners received a plaque and a $50 Visa gi card. methods,” the nominator wrote. “Twenty-four out of 26 district
Gary Barkman was nominated for his outstanding character sites are supported by solar production. e district received 15
and work ethic. “Mr. Barkman has never shown anything short of Energy Star recognitions in the past year. With an average score
admirable morals and ethics for the rules of procurement, helping of 91, these savings make funds available for other much-needed
fellow colleagues with questions, misunderstandings and advice,” projects around the district.”
the nominator wrote. e nominator noted that Barkman has taken Barry Lambson was selected for partnering with teachers to
leadership positions in organizations such as AASBO, GPPCS provide additional tutoring and intervention through incentivizing
(Greater Phoenix Purchasing Consortium of Schools) and NIGP attendance at study hall through a Geocaching Club. O en,
(National Institute for Public Procurement) in an attempt to make all a student needs to succeed is the right motivation. Lambson
procurement a more valuable asset to the public sector, and he understood this when he started his Geocaching Club at Holbrook
mentors within these organizations for school district procurement Junior High School as part of the district’s Power of All program,
professionals. which is built on the foundation that it takes a community to raise a
On a personal note, the nominator wrote: “During this last child. rough the Power of All program, employees who otherwise
year, Mr. Barkman was there to help me on many occasions with would not be directly involved in the educational activities of the
clari cations, advice, best practices and each and every time so district are invited to participate – employees such as the technology
very reliable. Mr. Barkman allowed me the opportunity to present director.
at conferences with him so I could learn to publicly speak and e nominator wrote that Lambson’s Geocaching Club “allows
start presenting on my own as the next generation of speakers, students to explore the community and surrounding countryside
and to improve my own practices within my own procurement through satellite led scavenger hunting.” Students’ access
department. He has taught me, mentored me, given me advice on coordinates to hidden caches from www.geocaching.com and
how to help others as well as educating me how to be a better
procurement professional.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

8 THE EDGE SUMMER 2018
THE EDGE |