Spendsetter
[ spend•set-er ]
noun.
A leader who upends the status quo, breaks convention, creates new paths, and inspires all of us.
#spendsetters
[ spend•set-er ]
noun.
A leader who upends the status quo, breaks convention, creates new paths, and inspires all of us.
#spendsetters
Featuring
Senior Director, Procurement and Contract Management
As the USO’s procurement leader, Rick is leading the historic organization’s digital transformation, with the goal of supporting the US troops faster than ever before.
The USO’s mission began in 1941, with the goal of boosting morale in troops deployed abroad through entertainment tours and care packages. The USO seeks to provide “a little piece of home” for soldiers facing some of the toughest conditions in the world.
Business spend management plays a significant role in how quickly food, furniture, and phone calls get delivered, and Rick saw a huge opportunity to move faster by taking the USO’s procurement processes from being entirely paper-based, to digital, modern, and community-driven.
Going from an entirely paper-based process to a cloud-based business spend management platform was a significant transition. But adapting to change is Rick’s speciality.
With a degree in community psychology and a personal history of moving with his family seven times before high school, Rick understood the impact of change and was committed to helping his company through the changes that come with digital transformation. It was a “no person left behind” approach that rang true to the USO spirit.
The proof of the success materialized in 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, and the USO’s mobile units were able to quickly get food to the US National Guard members working tirelessly in their rescue efforts. The troops were appreciative, and so was the president of the USO, who honored Rick’s team with the USO President’s Award.
Rick is ADAPTABLE, recognizing that change is inevitable, but doesn’t have to be painful. His mission to help the USO transition to modern processes mirrors the USO’s own commitment to helping soldiers through their transitions into duty and back out to civilian life. It’s exactly that kind of alignment that makes Rick an expert on creating change for the benefit of a greater cause.
Watch Rick's Spendsetter Story 
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We’ll be featuring a new leader in the BSM community each month.
