Rick Grimm has served as NIGP’s Chief Executive Officer for 24 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Florida International University. He served county governments and public school districts for 23 years, including over 12 years in the leadership of the public procurement function, before joining the NIGP team in 1998.

As NIGP continues to develop,support and promote public procurement, Rick’s recent priority is a competency-based talent development program that guides professionals on which learning and credentials are most relevant to their current roles and future career aspirations. The program provides a learning blueprint for the professional while aiding public entities in talent retention and succession planning. Twenty-three standard procurement titles have been mapped to Pathways – NIGP’s customized, modular learning that integrates with credentialing options. Today, professionals can choose between five certificate programs,three specializations and a leadership-based NIGP Certified Procurement Professional designation. The NIGP-CPP targets seasoned public procurement leaders who seek high-level competencies.Since the launch of the new certification program in August 2020, the Institute has certified almost 830 public procurement leaders.