May NAPM Meeting

NAPM Meet-ing

1

President’s Message

2

Speaker Bios 3

Board of Direc-tors

4

News from the Board

4-6

Welcome New Officers

7

Resume Tips 10-11

Mountain States Economy

12-15

2010 CPI Symposium

8-9

Photos... The Year at a Glance

16

http://www.napmutah.org

May 2010 Utah Purchasing News

Spring Has Sprung!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Central Utah Branch Luncheon Location: La Quinta Inn 1460 S University Avenue (exit 263) Provo, Utah 11:45 A.M. – 12:45 P.M. Speaker: Craig Passey Senior Strategic Sourcing Manage at BYU Topic: “Insulating Your Career” RSVP due Monday, May 10, 2010 by 5:00 p.m. through Cvent; Or contact Steve Mastin directly at stevemastin@gmail.com by 5:00 p.m. Monday, May 17th.

Thursday, May 13, 2010 Salt Lake City Pro-D & Dinner Location: Hilton Garden Inn 250 West 600 South, Salt Lake City 4:30 p.m.—Pro D Workshop Speaker: David Cherrington Topic: “Ethical Lapses” 5:30 p.m.—Dinner Meeting Swearing in of New Officers Volunteer Recognition GBA Award RSVP due Monday, May 10, 2010 by 5:00 p.m. through Cvent

May is a celebration! We can celebrate the won-derful Spring weather at our doorstep and we can also celebrate the elec-tion of our new officers! “Thank You” to all that stepped up to run for of-

fice! I’m confident that our newly elected officers will do a great job. The month of May is also a time to say “thank you” and to recognize all of the

members that helped make this year a success. I appreciate the many that volunteered this year, those in elected positions as well as others that par-ticipated in various com-mittees and project teams. Some of you have personally approached me or other board members to volunteer for next year.

President’s Message

Page 2 Purchasing Newsletter

That’s awesome! It really does take many of us doing a little bit to achieve the kind of successful, quality, and valuable organization that we now have. Thanks to all that attend the monthly meetings on a regular basis. You also are a life line of the organiza-tion. Audience participa-tion at the educational events and networking is a vital part of why we all come together! See you soon! Jerilyn K. Midthun, C.P.M.,

Page 3 Utah Purchasing Newsletter

Utah County Speaker— Craig Passey

Craig Passey, Sr. Strategic Sourcing Manager at Brigham Young Uni-versity and past president of the Rocky Mountain Region of the Na-tional Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP). In the past 32 years, Craig’s purchases have ranged from cadavers and carpet to pipe organs and procurement software. In addition to domestic purchasing, his background includes managing university travel for BYU and international procurement for the LDS Church. He holds a B.S. in financial planning, a minor in international relations, and speaks Japanese. Craig has spoken and written on a number of top-ics pertaining to personal development and management and is a

past recipient of NAEB’s “best professional perspective article.” His spouse Jody, a local voice teacher, and he have lived in Orem, Utah for 30 years and are the par-ents of three sons and have five grandchildren.

Mark your calendars for the 2nd Thursday or 3rd Wednesday of each month for the NAPM-Utah Pro D and dinner or luncheon

Pro-D Speaker—David J. Cherrington, SPHR

David taught at the University of Illinois in Champaign for four years before transferring to BYU in 1973. He also taught at the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1977 and BYU-Hawaii Campus in 1980. He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and the Academy of Management. He has served as President of the Personnel Association of Central Utah and as the National Director of Codification and Research for the Human Resource Certification Institute. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and served from 1989 to 1995 as a member of the national HRCI board of directors.

David Cherrington has written three textbooks with study guides and instructors’ manu-als accompanying them, including The Management of Human Resources and Organiza-tional Behavior. He is the author of two other books: Rearing Responsible Children and The Work Ethic: Working Values and Values that Work, and a coauthor of Moral Lead-ership and Ethical Decision Making. In addition, he is the coauthor of three reference books, including the Human Resource Certification Self-Study Program (6 Units), and two computerized training courses on ethics. He has authored or coauthored about 50 articles in professional journals and magazines. He is the coauthor of three independent study courses available on the Internet: Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, and Business Ethics. He was a member of an inter-disciplinary research team studying the causes of fraud and white-collar crime from 1978 to 1980 and has been active since then studying problems of dishonesty. His research has included extensive data analysis from questionnaires, qualitative research from interviews of convicts, and seminars with students and execu-tives. In 1986 he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. David is married to Marilyn Daines Cherrington and they are the parents of four chil-dren, all married, and fifteen grandchildren.

Page 4 Purchasing Newsletter

News From the Board

I learned an interesting fact this past week; the IRS code includes a section on how to collect taxes fol-lowing a nuclear war. Without dispelling too much

political bias, given our current deficits, a historic and massive healthcare bill, our current chief’s apparent stance on foreign relations, and now a nuclear arms reduction pact, that specific portion of IRS code may come in handy. This past eighteen months of economic turmoil has really caused a need for companies to evaluate all aspects of their business. From disaster recovery and preparedness to operating at efficient levels, survival is eminent only for those who have adjusted to the circumstances surrounding them or pre-pared for them prior. Just like the IRS and companies which had plans pre-pared in the event of economic declines, individuals who prepare in advance may succeed regardless of circumstance. An interesting note I read by Bill Conerly, Ph.D. stated that back in Decem-ber 1982, a business manager with 25 years of experience had worked through five recessions. Now fast forward to December 2007. The next generation of business leaders, those again with 25 years of experience, had only managed through two recessions. Furthermore, those two recessions were two of the mildest of the post-World War II period. Now, in early 2010, the current generation of leaders has managed through one real doozy of a downturn, but that does NOT mean that they are reces-sion experts. It's worth spending some time reviewing your process for eco-nomic contingency planning. While the discussion points listed later are for individuals, it is worth the macro viewpoint as well within one’s current company and industry. Unemployment in the past year peaked at just over 10% in the United States. Utah was 9.7% this past month. The 35,300 number of jobs lost in nonagri-cultural jobs in Utah in 2009 impacted businesses and individuals alike. How we rise from the challenges of the past year may define ourselves more so than ever before. Rachel Zupek, from CareerBuilder.com provided 10 ways to get ahead. I have listed them here for your reference and added some viewpoints of my own. 1. Identify your area of interest. Hahn suggests making a list of your talents and interests and applying the list to the kinds of work you want to perform in your new job. If you're not sure, contact your human resource depart-ment -- most have tests that can help you identify what's most satisfying to

Blaine Moon NAPM-UT Treasurer

NAPM-UTAH Board Jerilyn K. Midthun, President David B. Stokes, Vice President Toni Johnson Secretary Blaine Moon, Treasurer Steve Mastin, Coordinator Tracey K. Stevens, Past President Board Members: Mike Bernard Cody Branz Tiffany Sorensen Donna Beaupre Robert Stipanovich Mary Louise Hughes Aaron Cameron, Communication John Carpenter, Certification Steven Cherecwich, Web Master Claudine Peterson, MemberRoster Douglas Simons, Education Mary Louise Hughes, Newsletter Claudine Peterson, Membership

We are on the Web!www.napmutah.org

If you wish to contribute an article, or items of interest, please submit material to Mary Louise Hughes at mlhughes@purchasing.utah.edu

Purchasing Newsletter

you. “What's important to recognize is where your passions and strength lie and then to spend your time advancing them. Blindly following the upward path has lead some to find great dissatisfac-tion," Vince Thompson says, author of "Ignited: Managers! Light Up Your Company and Career for More Power, More Purpose and More Success." Recognizing individual strengths and then setting a path of growth on those characteristics and bolstering weakness is not always an easy task. After all, my perception of reality may com-pletely different than your perception. And again, my perception of who I am may be different than of the perception of those around me and who I interact with daily. Aligning my percep-tion with that of others of my strengths and weaknesses will allow one to align individual goals with other’s vantage points in mind. 2. Communicate your desires. Managers aren't mind-readers, so be explicit with your aspira-tions to move up, says Lisa Kojis, managing partner for staffing firm Princeton One. "Share your aspirations with your manager or superiors in the company, especially during review times so that management can help establish goals and benchmark for determining when is the right time to promote you." But... 3. Don't ask too soon. "You need to be a proven commodity at the job you were hired to do first," Kojis says. "Take on additional responsibilities if you can, without being asked and without receiving additional compensation for it." 4. Be a team player. Thompson suggests understanding the roles of the others on your team as much as possible. Kojis agrees, saying that you should explore other divisions in your par-ent company. "Be open to relocation for the next opportunity," she explains, "If your company is too bulky, go elsewhere or figure out what you will need to stand out." "Leadership must be based on goodwill. Goodwill does not mean posturing and, least of all, pandering to the mob. It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers. We are tired of leaders we fear, tired of leaders we love, and most tire of leader who let us take liberties with them. What we need for leaders are men [and women] of the heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away,” Admiral James B. Stockdale. 5. Network. Make a list of all the people you count on for success and make sure they believe in your ability to contribute, Thompson says. "If your teammates are rooting for you, that'll mean a lot," he says. "Start by building or restoring trust and then focus on ways that you can deliver them value." 6. Seek out a mentor. You can learn a lot from people who have mastered the career you aspire to, Hahn says. "Most successful people love to share their secrets for success and are willing to give advice, make introductions and assist an up-and-comer in the organization." I recently attended a one-day seminar in which ¾ of the day was spent on this topic alone. Both

Page 5 Purchasing Newsletter

News From the Board, Continued

being a coach and finding one to align your interests with. We don’t always like to hear the advice being asked for, but if we are willing to listen, evaluate, and act, we will grow. Balance this carefully, your mentor must be a trusted advisor and competent. Free ad-vice is usually worth that price. A true mentor will require a price, usually spent in growing the relationship through honesty and integrity. 7. Develop additional skills. Take inventory of what you can bring to the table and what new tools you'll need to acquire, Hahn says. You may need to take some in-house classes or get your master's degree. If your individual career goal is within the procurement path, certifications become in-valuable. CPSM designation is encouraged. Within my career, until a CPA certification was achieved, I was constantly trying to prove my worth and knowledge. Certification brings instant credibility. 8. Don't let money motivate you. Too often we judge things based solely on money and responsibility, Thompson says. "Think about how moving up enhances your skill set, makes you more valuable and affects your family and personal life," he says. Louis Rukeyser has an interesting point of view on this topic. He was the inventor of business news and was only able to sell his concept in the beginning to PBS. After years with PBS, they determined to move to another format with younger reporters. During his career, he had options to name his network. When asked about moving for money he stated, “If you say the word `economics' to the average person, it's pretty true that their eyelids get heavy, but if you say `money,' their eyes open up and their nostrils flare. I never regarded money as the focus of life; I have never in my life made a career decision for financial reasons," he says. "I learned the best way to keep money in perspective is to gain knowledge of how to handle it." 9. Ask for feedback. Know how your work is being evaluated and get your goals and evaluations in writing, Kojis say. 10. Do it again! Remember that this career change need not be your last, Hahn says. "Life is like a menu and you should sample many choices." The past two years as Treasurer for NAPM has been a growing experience for me. I have a long way to go still, but the organization has helped me in my career path and I have been the benefactor of networking and getting to know some excellent people. Stepping out of my comfort zone from an attendee to that of a volunteer has already paid dividends to me individually. I am not yet in the same position of the IRS, with a plan for about any imaginable force of destruction, but I am a step closer because of NAPM, Utah and the individuals I have associated with. A lot of the items recom-mended by Rachel Zupek can be achieved through networking and attending the monthly development meetings and taking advantage of the certification and education programs offered as a supplement to the membership benefits.

Page 6 Purchasing Newsletter News From the Board, Co ntinued

News From the Board, Continued

News From the Board, Continued

Purchasing Newsletter Page 7

KUDOS!

Welcome New Officers!

President David B. Stokes

Vice President Anna Worthington

Treasurer Garth Slater

Immediate Past-President Jerilyn Midthun

New Board Members

Claudine Peterson

Chad Barrett

Susan Fowler

May 6-7, 2010 - Weber State University Ogden, Utah Register Now WE'RE PROUD TO PRESENT THIS SPECIAL GROUP OF PIONEERS THESE EXPERTS DON'T JUST TALK IMPROVEMENT, THEY'VE DONE IT!!

Dr. Peter Senge, One of Business Reviews 24 most influential business systems thinkers The Next Industrial Imperative Author of The Fifth Discipline, Dr. Senge will receive a Fox Award for Lifetime contributions to Continuous Improvement. The audience will have a rare opportunity to hear Dr. Senge give his impressions on the current state of the economy and the necessary steps for responsible recov-ery. Robert E. Fox, Renowned Management Expert The Long Levers For Improvements & The Metrics That Should Guide Them The Co-author of The Race, Blue Light! and more, will talk about how significant improvements can be achieved, and quickly, using the right tools. However, the strategy used to guide the use of those tools must direct them to be applied to the long levers that exist in all systems. Dr. Russ Pirasteh, Creator of TLS, Author of Continuous Improvement Trio Using TLS is a Recipe For Success - Unlimited Profitability! Russ is a pioneer in the creation and application of TLS, a three pronged approach using TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma in a synergistic application for improvement. Dr. Pirasteh is the former Director of Operations Excellence & Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) for Sanmina-SCI Corporation where he conducted significant studies on the effectiveness of the predominant improvement methods. The results of these studies were published and garnered significant attention from the CPI community. Bill Webb, CPI Implementer-Autoliv Converting our Facility to the Toyota Production System w/Toyota's Help Working as a continuous improvement expert, Mr. Webb had the privilege of spending three years under the tutelage of a high-level implementation expert from Toyota Motors. During this time he had an opportunity, not many in the Continuous improvement community get, to convert a facility to the Toyota Production System (TPS) while working with the people that created TPS (Lean). The creation of the Autoliv Production System was the end result, which transformed this Utah facility to a world-class operation that rivals any Toy-ota facility for productivity. Dee Jacob, Co-Author, Velocity: combining lean six sigma and the theory of constraints to achieve breakthrough performance Velocity: It's Not Just a Book, It's a Path to Success As a manager at Procter & Gamble for 18 years, Ms. Jacob further developed Production TOC applications in the areas of chemical processing and high speed packaging for P&G all over the world. A world re-nowned expert in Critical Chain Project Management, and the Thinking Processes, she is the chief architect of AGI's Lead-ership Strategy Process, SDAIS deployment models and VELOCITY Approach for the integration of Lean Six Sigma and TOC.

Kent Kettell, US Navy(retired), awarded for CPI Applied to Ship Building Maintaining Continuity of CPI Amid Change of Leadership With 13 yrs experience leading quality and performance improvements, CDR Kettell has participated in long term successes as the leadership teams established processes to ensure that the improvements maintained their momentum. It is from these experiences that he will share what leaders can do to create a system of processes engendering lasting results.

2010 CPI Symposium

CASE STUDIES Dr. Doretta Gordon, Southwest Research Institute CASE STUDY - Hill Air Force Base Almost every organization has in-house experts who are easily identifiable and whose tacit wisdom is critical to the organization's success. What happens to the organization when that expert retires or moves on? How can organizations mitigate the impact of expert knowledge loss? Dr. Gordon and her team have created a procedural model that guides organizations in how to capture this valuable expertise. Mark Rader, US Army-Ft. Rucker/L3 Communications CASE STUDY - US Army Mark Rader is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with Army Fleet Support LLC, a joint venture of L-3 Communications and Helicopter Support Company Inc., at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Mark's team applied TLS to maintenance operations achieving, and sustaining, dramatic results. Dr. Diane Kelly, Professor University of Utah CASE STUDY - University of Utah Medical Center Diane Kelly combines 29 years working in health care organizations with a broad based educational background. Among her areas of expertise are quality and performance excellence in healthcare delivery and international management development. Dr. Kelly also served as a mem-ber of the board of examiners for the Baldrige National Quality Program. She will relate her experiences applying cutting-edge project management techniques to nursing operations Kristen Cox, Executive Director, Utah Division of Workforce Services CASE STUDY - Utah DWS In 1998 Ms. Cox moved to Baltimore to become Assistant Director of Governmental Affairs for the national organization for disabilities. In 2001 she was appointed by President Bush as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Administration in the United States Depart-ment of Education. See how Kris and her team used systems thinking tools to solve issues facing her agency, such as increased workload amid budget cuts. Don Blohm, COO, Mity-Lite CASE STUDY - Mity Lite

Mity Lite - A story of Transformation w/Basic CPI Tools.

Major Sponsors:

Don't be left out--only weeks left for early registration!

Register Today!(Early Registration $575)

Held at Weber State University, the CPI Symposium supported by WSU and run by adjunct faculty, a committee of private/public industry, and full-time faculty.

Purchasing Newsletter Page 10

Resume Tips: Five Ways to Grab Employers' Attention With today's level of competition for good jobs your resume has got only one chance to make a great first impression. To be considered for interviews your resume must have that special something that grabs the reader's attention and motivates them to call you. Here are five strategies for transforming a blah document into a WOW resume that will get employers calling you. 1. Keep your focus clear and to the point. The first thing potential employers need to know is what you do and the posi-tion you are interested in. In the past job seekers have used an objective state-ment at the top of their resume to indicate their employment interest. With the lightning speed scanning approach that recruiters take in viewing resumes, a wordy, vague objective statement taking up three or more lines of text just doesn't get the job done. In most cases they don't get read. Instead, write a short, direct professional summery that clearly illustrates your career focus. Your statement should include your profession, how long you've done it and your particular areas of expertise. Something to the effect of: Senior purchasing professions with 10 years' procurement expertise in: strate-gic sourcing, contract negotiation, financial analysis, strategic planning, leader-ship, contract law and process improvement. Remember, your resume is not an historical tell-all. To keep your focus clear

make sure that everything following in your resume relates to your fo-cus. Leave off extraneous details. 2. Stuff your resume with key words. The more key words you use the more frequently your resume will show up in online searches like LinkedIn, The Ladders and Career-Builder, etc.. Additionally, employer resume data bases also use key words to query for qualifying candidates. Without appropriate key

words your resume will be electronically ignored. Without key words, your resume is being shot off into a black void each time you submit it. A good way to make sure your resume is full of key words is to check it against job postings. Use as many of the key words found in the responsibili-

Resume Tips...

Purchasing Newsletter Page 11

ties and qualifications sections of job postings. As much as you can, match up your terminology with what you find in job postings. 3. Keep your resume reader-friendly. Nothing gets ignored like a resume full of lengthy blocks of text. No one has time to read through that much information. Resume screeners need to be able to absorb your information quickly. Leave out extraneous details so that key facts show up easily. Separate blocks of text into smaller easy-to-digest snippets of information. Use white space to separate bullet points so that each stand out. Be sure that your font size is readable: nothing smaller than 11 point. 4. Include plenty of accomplishments. If you want to stand out from the crowd you must include accomplishments throughout your resume. Write accomplishments that show how you solve universal problems such as saving time, cutting costs, improving performance and increasing customer satisfaction. Your accomplishments should stand out on your resume in bullets separate from your responsibilities. Don't make the common mistake of combining responsibilities and accomplishments in a long list of bullets. List your responsibilities in a small block of text and your ac-complishments in bullet form following. 5. Get your best information on page one. It's true, if you can't grab their attention on page one they won't stick it out to find out the wonderful things you've got on page two or three. This presents a problem for those who experienced their most productive work five or more years back. The solution is to use the hybrid resume format that allows you to create a highlight of accomplishments section at the top of page one of your resume. This area of your resume is reserved for the best examples of your work. The accomplishments you include should illustrate the key transferable skills needed for the position you are interested in. Don't delay in implementing these resume changes. Employers are waiting for you with opportunities for a better career and a better life. Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach Read more career tips and see sample resumes at: www.AlpaAdvantage.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resume Tips…, Continued

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mountain States Economy

Page 12 Purchasing Newsletter

Mountain States Economies to Grow in Months Ahead:

Higher Inflation in Pipeline March survey results at a glance: • Business conditions index climbs above growth neutral for sixth straight month. • Inflation gauge indicates significant inflation at wholesale level. • Firms added jobs in the region. • Export orders strengthened significantly over last two months. For Immediate Release: April 1, 2010

Denver, CO – For a sixth straight month, the overall index for the Mountain

States region, a leading economic indicator for the three-state area, moved above

growth neutral 50.0.

The overall index, or Business Conditions Index, for March dipped to a

healthy 56.6 from February’s 58.6. The index is pointing to improving economic

conditions for the three-state region composed of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming in

the months ahead.

The March employment index slipped to 53.9 from 54.7 in Febru-

ary. “While the region has yet to record overall and significant positive job growth

according to government data, surveys over the past several months indicate that

the region experienced slight positive job growth for the first quarter of 2010,”

Goss Institute for Economic Research Director Dr. Ernie Goss said today. The

Goss Institute conducts the monthly survey for Supply Management Institutes in

the three states comprising the Mountain States region. Goss also directs Creigh-

ton University’s Economic Forecasting Group and is the Jack A. MacAllister Chair

in Regional Economics (http://www.ernestgoss.com/aboutus.html).

The region’s manufacturing and value-added services sectors are experi-

encing very strong business activity. I expect this increase in activity to extend

over to the rest of the regional economy in the months ahead. As indicated in

earlier reports, I expect the region to record overall job growth for the first quarter

of 2010. However, job additions for the first quarter will be muted as firms con-

tinue to take a cautious approach to hiring. For the next six months, 21 percent of

“, I expect the

region to record

overall job

growth for the

first quarter of

2010. However,

job additions

for the first

quarter will be

muted…”

Page 13

Mountain States Economy (continued)

the firms reported that they

planned to add workers, and

an equal 21 percent indicated

that they expected lay-

offs. The remaining 58 per-

cent anticipate no change in

employment levels for the

next six months.

Rebounding prices

have accompanied the re-

gional economic improve-

ments. The prices-paid in-

dex, which tracks the cost of

raw materials and supplies,

expanded to 70.7 from Febru-

ary’s 68.5 and January’s

70.9. This is the ninth time in

the past ten months that the

regional inflation gauge has

climbed above growth neu-

tral. “While we have yet to

experience rising inflationary

pressures at the consumer

level, record-low interest rates

from the Federal Reserve,

combined with the stimulative

federal government spending,

are creating price bubbles in

various commodities and will

ultimately contribute to infla-

tionary pressures at the con-

sumer level above the Fed’s

goal of 1.75 percent to 2 per-

cent. To combat this trend, I ex-

pect the Fed to raise the federal

funds rate by 0.25 percent be-

fore the end of the second quar-

ter of this year,” said Goss.

Looking ahead six

months, economic optimism,

captured by the March confi-

dence index, dipped slightly to a

still strong 60.3 from February’s

62.8. “Record low interest rates,

a stabilizing job market, and re-

cent declines in the nation’s un-

employment rate buoyed the

economic optimism of supply

managers in the Mountain

States region,” said Goss.

Trade numbers improved

significantly for March as new

export orders advanced to 57.3

from 54.0 in February and 47.5

in January. March imports ex-

panded to 52.2 from February’s

51.6 and January’s

47.9. “Despite the recent appre-

ciation in the value of the dollar,

making U.S. goods less price

competitive abroad, I expect

exports to be an important in-

gredient of the regional eco-

nomic recovery in the months

ahead,” said Goss.

As another measure of

economic confidence, supply

managers in the three-state

region added to inventories of

raw materials and supplies for

the month. The March inven-

tory index slipped to 56.1 from

February’s 58.4. “This is the

fourth straight month that we

have recorded inventory re-

stocking after more than one

year of inventory reductions,”

said Goss.

Other components of

the March Business Conditions

Index were new orders at 58.6,

down from 61.7 in February;

production or sales at 59.6,

down from 62.4; and delivery

lead time at 54.7, down from

56.0.

The Institute for Supply

Management, formerly the

Purchasing Management As-

sociation, has been formally

Purchasing Newsletter

surveying its member-

ship since 1931 to

gauge business condi-

tions

(www.ism.ws). The

Goss Institute uses the

same methodology as

the national sur-

vey. The overall index,

referred to as the Busi-

ness Conditions Index,

ranges between 0 and

100. An index greater

than 50 indicates an

expansionary economy

over the course of the

next three to six

months.

The Creighton

Economic Forecasting

Group has conducted

the monthly survey of

supply managers in

Colorado, Utah, and

Wyoming since 1994 to

produce leading eco-

nomic indicators of the

Mountain States re-

gion. The Goss Insti-

tute assumed operation

of the survey in August

of 2008, working with

NAPM-Utah

(www.napmutah.org)

and NAPM-Western

Wyoming (http://

www.ism.ws/sites/

westwyoming/

index.htm).

Colo-

rado: For a sixth

straight month, the

state’s leading eco-

nomic indicator rose

above 50.0. The March

index, based upon a

survey of supply manag-

ers in the state, slipped

to 57.0 from February’s

58.8. Components of

the overall index for

March were new orders

at 58.2, production or

sales at 61.2, delivery

lead time at 57.2, inven-

tories at 54.3, and em-

ployment at

54.2. “When the gov-

ernment releases March

employment data, I ex-

pect it to show that

Colorado added jobs for

the first quarter of

2010. Based on our

surveys over the past

several months, Colo-

rado will continue to add

jobs, albeit at a slow

pace, for the second

quarter of 2010. Even

as the state adds jobs, I

expect the state’s unem-

ployment rate to remain

above seven percent for

the remainder of 2010,”

said Goss.

Utah: The state’s

Business Conditions

Index, a leading eco-

nomic indicator, once

again climbed above

growth neutral

50.0. Based on the

monthly survey of the

membership of NAPM-

Utah

(www.napmutah.org),

the overall index inched

upward to 55.9 from

55.8 in Febru-

ary. Components of the

overall index for March

were new orders at

Mountain States Economy (continued)

Page 14

For more Information Contact:

Ernie Goss Ph.D. (303) 226-5882

ernieg@creighton.edu www.ernestgoss.com

Rob Robinson (402) 312-4636

info@ernestgoss,com

Utah Purchasing Newsletter

59.5, production or sales at 60.6, delivery lead time at 51.1, inventories at

57.1, and employment at 51.1. “When the government releases March employment

data, I expect it to show that Utah’s level of employment was virtually unchanged

for the first quarter of 2010. Based on our surveys over the past several months,

Utah will add jobs, albeit at a slow pace, for the second quarter of 2010. Even as

the state adds jobs, I expect the state’s unemployment rate to remain above 6.5

percent for the remainder of 2010,” said Goss.

Wyoming: The state’s leading economic indicator climbed above growth

neutral for a fifth straight month. The Wyoming Business Conditions Index for

March slumped to a still healthy 57.5 from 65.0 in February. Supported by NAPM-

Western Wyoming (http://www.ism.ws/sites/westwyoming/index.htm), surveys over

the past several months indicate that the state’s economy is on the road to recov-

ery. Components of the overall index for March were new orders at 56.9, produc-

tion or sales at 57.9, delivery lead time at 54.3, inventories at 58.7, and employment

at 59.6. “When the government releases March employment data, I expect it to

show that Wyoming employment levels remained flat for the first quarter of

2010. Based on our surveys over the past several months, Wyoming will add jobs,

albeit at a slow pace, for the second quarter of 2010. Even as the state adds jobs, I

expect the state’s unemployment rate to remain above seven percent for the re-

mainder of 2010,” said Goss.

Follow Goss on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/erniegoss For historical data and forecasts, visit our website at: www.ernestgoss.com or www.outlook-economic.com www.twitter.com/erniegoss

Mountain States Economy (continued)

Page 15 Utah Purchasing Newsletter

The year at a glance...

Page 16 Utah Purchasing Newsletter