Melinda A. Walker, the Purchasing Manager for the City of Wichita, was selected as the 2005 Manager of the Year by the Kansas Association of Public Purchasing Professionals (KAPPP). Each year, the KAPPP Executive Board reviews nominations and selects a Purchasing Manager to honor exemplary service in the public purchasing field.
Melinda’s nomination letter included significant accomplishments of establishing e-Procurement, the Procurement Card Program, initiating monthly "How to Do Business with the City of Wichita" meetings and developing the Emerging Business Enterprise Program.
She has also testified before the State Senate on Bill 408 to increase bonding requirements from $40,000 to $100,000, enabling small businesses to compete on small construction projects.
Under Melinda’s direction, the City of Wichita also has received the Excellence in Procurement Award for 2005 from the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing For the City of Wichita.
Melinda, who has been a City employee since 1985 and Purchasing Manager since 1994, also serves as a board member of the Wichita Employee Retirement Board, a member of the Joint Investment Committee of the WER. She is a board member of the Kansas Minority Business Development Council.
"Her greatest leadership quality is that she cares about people," stated a nomination letter written by Melinda’s staff. "Melinda has an open door policy and is always willing to assist staff with problems and offer expert advice. She exemplifies excellence and integrity."
KAPPP, a professional organization for the public sector of purchasing in the State of Kansas, is a chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing.