The Soft Pitch

Most companies on their websites, in executive speeches and in marketing materials will somewhere make a statement that basically goes something like – “Our people make the difference.” –  “Employees are our most important asset.” —  “What makes us different is the quality of our people.” Same message, different words. Heads nod and reporters yawn.  So, I’m going to commitment the same sin and say “It’s all about our people.” But let me take it a step further and say what that means to me is that it’s about the expertise of specific individuals. Just as in the real world, a body of people is really a collection of individuals with varying levels of talent, expertise, knowledge, commitment, etc. Some catch our eye because they are particularly good at something.  I like to talk to these “experts” because I’ve learned they usually earned the recognition for a very good reason: they have a level of knowledge in a particular field that goes beyond what you would normally expect.  They have a lot to share and often make good speakers for industry events.

Here’s a couple I heard about recently that would make good subject matter experts:

Microsoft Names Dan Saniti Most Valuable Professional

Microsoft recently honored Avnet Field Applications Engineer Dan Saniti with its Most Valuable Professional, Windows Embedded award. Saniti is based in Minneapolis.

Microsoft most valuable professionals (MVPs) are recognized for sharing their high-quality, real-world expertise with its users and Microsoft. Saniti joins an elite group of just 85 Microsoft Windows Embedded MVPs across the world. He is the first Avnet employee to receive this honor.

To read Saniti’s MVP profile, visit Microsoft’s MVP site

Doris Gray Receives Contract Management Outstanding Fellow Award

Doris Gray, Avnet senior contracts manager, has been selected to receive the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) 2009 Outstanding Fellow Award.  The Outstanding Fellow designation is NCMA highest award that it grants its members.  This award is given to those few who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the field of contract management and to the NCMA.

The Outstanding Fellow Award recognizes Doris’ achievements through the years as a member of the Council of Fellows, which include Motorola’s CEO Award, and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award. For more details on her background, read the full announcement.

Avnet, Inc. Employee

Receives Contract Management Outstanding Fellow Award 

Doris Gray, Avnet senior contracts manager, has been selected to receive the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) 2009 Outstanding Fellow Award.  The Outstanding Fellow designation is NCMA highest award that it grants its members.  This award is given to those few who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the field of contract management and to the NCMA.

The Outstanding Fellow Award recognizes Doris’ achievements through the years as a member of the Council of Fellows, which include Motorola’s CEO Award, and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award. She has actively participated in NCMA throughout her career in the Pittsburgh, Orlando and Phoenix chapters by serving in various leadership roles. Doris has made contributions to NCMA at the national and local level by publishing articles in Contract Management magazine, serving as a mentor for the contract personnel, teaching at NCMA conferences and chapter meetings and participating on the Advocacy Committee.  Doris holds a B.A. Degree from Duke University and a Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School.  She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

This award will be presented to Doris Gray at the World Congress 2009 in Long Beach, California, April 5 – 8, 2009.  This event will also celebrate the Golden Anniversary of NCMA-50 years of excellence. Congratulations to Doris Gray!  For more information, call Global Contract Solutions, LLC @ 480-483-6921. 

About NCMA

Founded in 1959, NCMA is the world’s leading association in the field of contract management.  The organization is dedicated to the professional growth and educational advancement of procurement and acquisition personnel worldwide.  NCMA strives to serve and inform the profession and industry it represents and to offer opportunities for the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums.  For more information, visit www.ncmahq.org.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS