Her Story
About Kathryn
Kathryn Rippee serves as Director of Government Accounts, Local Government at SourceWell, where she oversees a team of 20 focused on account management, business development, and sales for cities and counties across the country. She has spent just over two years in this position after advancing from an associate director role shortly after being hired. With a total of 18 years in procurement, cooperative purchasing, and government accounts, Rippee began her career in sales and marketing before joining a small consulting firm. There she progressed through roles in business development and contract management to become Chief Operating Officer, helping the company grow from three to 24 employees after landing key state contracts such as with the Texas Department of Agriculture and providing training on federal regulations. A marketing major, she is a member of NIGP, the National Institute of Government Purchasing, and serves as chairperson of the development committee on the Board of Trustees for Holy Comfort Episcopal School. Rippee is based in Tallahassee, Florida.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kathryn
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Take any opportunity given to you. I was a marketing major and now I'm a director of basically sales and business development. Take every opportunity to learn, whether a special project or sitting in on a meeting. Own your presence and be confident in your expertise and skills.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Procurement is evolving from a one-man show behind closed doors to being under a lot of scrutiny. Assisting agencies is harder due to scrutiny but it's a huge growth opportunity because cooperative purchasing saves time and money as agencies do more with less.
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