Richard Pennington, J.D., CPPO, C.P.M. is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel who began his career flying B-52s and ended it as a judge advocate specializing in federal procurement. He was a Colorado state purchasing director and director of the Colorado division of finance and procurement, where SCOPE was born as a continuous improvement model. He later served as counsel in the Denver government contracts department of McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP.

After two years consulting, researching, and writing Seeing Excellence,

Richard returned to the practice of law in April 2013 as General Counsel for WSCA-NASPO Cooperative Purchasing Organization LLC. WSCA-NASPO is the nonprofit subsidiary of the National Association of State Procurement Officials that supports cooperative purchasing by the states and the consortium known as the Western States Contracting Alliance.

Richard teaches for NIGP and writes for Government Procurement and Contract Management magazines. His articles and blogs also can be found on the websites of American City & County and the Colorado Bar Association.

Richard is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, the University of Denver College of Law, and The George Washington University (Government Procurement Law). In 2005, he was selected as Manager of the Year by the Colorado State Managers Association. He was the 2009 recipient of NASPO’s Giulio Mazzone Distinguished Service Award. Richard lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife Maggie.

Richard primarily teaches for the national associations highlighted in Seeing Excellence. If you are interested in knowing more about Seeing Excellence, where it can be purchased, and how the ideas in the book evolve, please visit www.seeingexcellence.com.