Award-winning purchasing manager takes helm of Aurora's purchasing division

The City of Aurora is pleased to announce that Joan Schouten, CPIM, CPPB, has accepted the position of director of purchasing.

Schouten has been working in procurement in both the public and private sectors for more than 25 years and was recently named Professional Purchasing Manager of the Year by the Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials.

She has served the last 11 years at the city of Wheaton as its procurement officer, and has been active in the Midwest Association for Public Procurement for the last decade.

"I'm excited to contribute to the growth that is transforming the City of Aurora," Schouten said. "It is an honor to be part of Aurora's award-winning team in the finance department that has proven to be fiscally responsible and keenly astute. I look forward to bringing my experiences to the table while collaborating with an incredible group of dedicated professionals."

Schouten holds a bachelor's degree in organizational communication from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA in operations management from DePaul University of Chicago.

She is certified in production and inventory management from APICS, the premiere professional association for supply chain management. She's a Certified Professional Public Buyer, a certification program administered by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council.

In addition, Schouten has been an instructor for the Chicago Chapter of APICS, and has published and presented at several speaking engagements in the professional world of procurement.

Joan Schouten replaces Esther Phillips who recently retired after 20 years of service with the City of Aurora.