Purchasing names new Editor-in-Chief

Staff -- Purchasing, 10/7/2004

This month we welcome Mike Verespej as the new Editor-in-Chief of PURCHASING magazine. Mike is a 35-year career journalist with extensive experience in covering business issues from the corporate boardroom right down to the manufacturing floor. After a 25-plus year stint with Industry Week, Mike took the helm at Frontline Solutions, a publication focusing on strategic supply chain management for competitive advantage. He'll fit right in here.

Mike joins PURCHASING at an exciting time for the sourcing and procurement functions. Nothing says it better than our Who's News column on page 25 of this issue:

• Chicago-based automotive supplier BorgWarner appoints John J. McGill to the newly created position of VP, global supply chain.
• Diversified healthcare company Schering-Plough recruits Richard R. Nabb for the newly created position of VP, global strategic sourcing.
• Constellation Brands promotes Dave Moynihan to the new position of senior VP, supply chain.
• Gerdau Ameristeel appoints Matthew Yeatman as its new VP of raw materials.
• Production Resource Group names Nancy Oram to the newly created position of VP, procurement.

All this high-level job creation in sourcing, procurement, and supply chain management is occurring against a backdrop of declining overall manufacturing employment—some 5% of manufacturing jobs were lost in 2003 and few, if any, have been regained despite the recovery in 2004. So, clearly, CEO's across the U.S. have big plans for creating shareholder value through improved sourcing and supply chain management.

Mike Verespej's new job is to help these new sourcing executives and others get it done by providing valuable, need-to-have information—through PURCHASING, Purchasing.com, PURCHASING's electronic newsletters, Webcasts, Purchasingdata.com, and other venues. You can help Mike meet his challenge (and yours) by messaging him c/o anne.millenporter@reedbusiness.com with answers to the following two questions: What's your number one job responsibility? And what external information do you most need to do your job well? Please include your name, job title, and other contact information. In the subject line please use: Message to Mike V.