President’s Letter

Members and teammates,

I am honored to serve as your President and lead the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). In the coming years, my vision is to re-vitalize our focus on professional development events, networking opportunities, and member outreach. Through various strategic initiatives, we will equip our members with the tools and knowledge to excel in the contract management profession.

Since it was chartered on September 14, 1976 as a 501 c (6) Non‐Profit, the Rhode Island Chapter has implemented the mission of the national organization: providing resources to advance the profession and related acquisitions communities. Our Chapter is unique in that the majority of its members are concentrated on a single sector: Defense. Maintaining the standard for the contract management in this area requires a special focus on ethics, a basis continuous learning, and a willingness to adapt to the challenges of our profession. The Rhode Island Chapter is dedicated to these principles and staying at the forefront of the industry’s standards, while improving the experiences of its members and partners.

While situations in the past few years hampered our ability to deliver meaningful, engaging events, I – with our Board of Directors – am working to change that. In concert with our government teammates, the Rhode Island Chapter will continue to execute our premier annual events: the Ocean State Workshop and Industry Days. Through these events and others, our team will strive to provide exciting programs, speakers, and training events as a testament to our focus on professional development and improving our mutual connections.

Your insights and active participation are invaluable, as the Rhode Island Chapter seeks to serve the desires and implement the good ideas of its members. Providing (or creating) programs and services to help individuals enter and progress in the field is a vital part successful outreach. Our leaders and members are all volunteers, and we are keen to adopt and implement concepts you may have.

Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of leading this organization and community of professionals. If you are not a member, please consider joining our Chapter or connecting with us on LinkedIn. Keep an eye out for our events, and I look forward to seeing you out there.

Alexander Hayden

President, NCMA – Rhode Island Chapter