City’s Purchasing Director Earns Top Procurement Certification

COLUMBIA, SC – December 11, 2008 – City of Columbia Purchasing Director Kenneth Wiggins recently was awarded the Certified Public Purchasing Officer credential by the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council. The coveted certification recognizes excellence in mastery of purchasing procedures and polices enhancing procurement efficiency, cost and risk management and eliminating wasteful processes.  

“Receiving this certification is consistent with the City’s efforts to ensure public dollars are spent in a manner consistent with openness, fairness, and transparency,” said Wiggins. 

To date, 1,656 purchasing professionals have achieved the CPPO designation.

Unlike most purchasing-related certification programs, the Council requires substantial work experience in public purchasing complemented by formal training courses specifically in procurement, as well as formal education.