What an incredible day in Walton County!😀
Our Central Gulf Coast Chapter of NIGP gathered in beautiful DeFuniak Springs on Wednesday, October 21, for our Fall Quarterly Chapter Meeting, and what a fantastic stop along Our Procurement Journey!🎃
From outstanding presentations and professional development to great conversations, delicious food, and a little fall fun, the day reminded us why coming together as a procurement community is so important. We learn from one another, celebrate our accomplishments, share our challenges, and continue building relationships that make our profession stronger.
A Warm Walton County Welcome!👋
A tremendous THANK YOU to Jason Cutshaw, Purchasing Director, and the entire Walton County team for hosting such a wonderful event!
We also want to extend a very special thank-you to Mr. Justin Missildine with the Walton County Fleet Department, 🚜🚛who graciously welcomed our chapter into their brand-new facility. The amazing space, complete with a custom fabricated conference table built from a county truck chassis complete with wheels, tires and lights! provided an outstanding setting for our gathering. We understand our chapter may have been the first conference hosted in the new building, and we were honored to be part of its beginning!
Justin, thank you for sharing your new space with us. We hope we made a great first impression and that you'll invite us back again!
Learning, Innovation, and Procurement Excellence
Our morning included chapter business, committee updates, introductions, and a President's Reflection on the importance of public service, especially during times of challenges and uncertainty.
We were also pleased to welcome Ian Deery with OpenGov, who shared insights into modernizing public procurement, improving purchasing processes, and the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence in our profession. Thank you, Ian and OpenGov, for supporting our chapter and contributing to our professional development!
One of the day's highlights was an inspiring presentation, "The Road to AEP: Your Journey to Procurement Excellence," presented by Walton County's award-winning procurement team:
Jason Cutshaw, Purchasing Director
Meghan Brown, Purchasing Manager
Rebekah Walden, Procurement Analyst
The team shared their journey toward earning the 2026 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) Award from the National Procurement Institute. From application strategies and documentation to teamwork and lessons learned, their presentation offered valuable encouragement and practical guidance for agencies considering their own journey toward national recognition.🎉 🏆
Congratulations again to Walton County on this outstanding achievement! Your success is an inspiration to our entire procurement community.
Good Food, Great Company!
Of course, no great chapter gathering is complete without a memorable lunch! 🥗🍪
A special thank-you to Walton County's Eagle Springs Restaurant for providing an absolutely delicious Italian lunch featuring pasta and Caesar salad. The food was amazing, and the opportunity to enjoy a meal together made the day even better!
Celebrating Connections and New Friends
We were also delighted to welcome Laura Grant of Escambia County BOCC as one of our newest chapter members! Welcome aboard, Laura! We are excited to have you joining us on this journey.
Our afternoon concluded with an open forum, shared ideas, appreciation, and inspiration, followed by a special giveaway generously provided by Walton County Tourism.
Congratulations to Spring Renton of Gulf Breeze, our lucky giveaway winner! And a big thank-you to Walton County Tourism for helping us end the day with an extra smile!
The Best Part of the Journey Is Who We Share It With
As we reflect on another successful chapter meeting, we are reminded that our chapter is about much more than meetings, agendas, and presentations. It's about people. It's about public servants helping public servants, sharing knowledge, encouraging one another, and building a stronger procurement profession across our Gulf Coast communities.
To our presenters, sponsors, hosts, chapter leadership, members, and guests: THANK YOU! Your participation, generosity, enthusiasm, and willingness to share are what make our chapter special.
And to our friends in Walton County, thank you for rolling out the welcome mat and making this another memorable destination along Our Procurement Journey.
A Little DeFuniak Springs History — Where Learning and Fellowship Come Together!
Did you know that DeFuniak Springs has a rich history of bringing people together for education, fellowship, and the exchange of ideas?
Beginning in 1885, the community became home to the Florida Chautauqua Assembly, attracting visitors from across the country to gather, learn, share knowledge, and build lasting connections.
That same spirit of education helped inspire the establishment of the Walton-DeFuniak Library in 1887, recognized as Florida's oldest continuously operating library housed in its original purpose-built building!
More than 140 years later, that wonderful tradition of learning and fellowship continues! What a fitting destination for our Central Gulf Coast Chapter of NIGP to gather, exchange ideas, celebrate accomplishments, and strengthen the friendships that make our procurement community so special.
Different centuries, same spirit — Learn, Connect, Grow, Make a Friend, and Share!
What a perfect stop along Our Procurement Journey, see you next time!
In service and with gratitude,
James