The Unified Group hosted our first ever Virtual Purchasing Forum, consisting of 2 sessions across two weeks, bringing together 25 attendees which included Purchasing Managers and Specialists, Inventory Control Specialists, Project Managers, and others. Attendees shared practical strategies on topics ranging from managing vendor relationships, improving internal processes, and exploring best practices across the board.

“Getting to hear that others are facing the same challenges, learning about new approaches to familiar situations, being able to relate to the perspective someone is sharing, and being able to provide suggestions or solutions that will hopefully help someone else was really engaging and exciting,” said Sarah Rockwell of Blauch Brothers. 

We started off our first session with the topic of Managing Vendor Representative and Manufacturer Relationships. We had Rocket Omiatek of Intech Mechanical, Sarah Rockwell of Blauch Brothers, and AJ Urbanek of VHV Company share their perspective on expectations and strategies regarding this topic. We then had Kevin Pickett with Environmental Systems, Inc. and Dorian Gibson with General Sheet Metal present their internal purchasing processes. We wrapped up our first session with a biggest challenge breakout and a group discussion on navigating tariff related price increases.

“I have learned that all companies struggle with processes, and that's okay. We can share, listen, and learn from each other then bring back to our own teams,” stated AJ Urbanek of VHV Company. 

Attendees returned energized and ready to carry the momentum into our second and final session of the forum. To kick us off, we had Kojo with us, which is a platform to control spend, source smarter and requisition faster, who walked us through their offerings. Kayla Martin from Air Controls then shared her perspective, highlighting how they’re using Kojo and the benefits it brings to their purchasing process. We then shifted into Project Management and Material Planning with presentations from Megan McGlashing with Environmental Systems and Kayla Martin with Air Controls. Other topics of the session included Shipping, Receiving, and Tracking Processes along with Invoicing.

“A highlight was realizing that all these companies face the same general issues and just seeing others' problem-solving strategies can help one develop their own strategies to solve a specific problem,” stated Jack Panther of Harvey W. Hottel.

Overall, our first Virtual Purchasing Forum was a great success. The sessions sparked valuable conversations, fresh perspectives, and new opportunities for collaboration among members. Participants walked away with practical takeaways and ideas they can apply within their own businesses.

Upcoming Forums include Construction, Safety, and Design/Build! If you are interested in learning more about attending a meeting or becoming a member of The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at [email protected].