I am nominating Robert Baxter for employee of the month. I have worked with Robert for the last several years. His insight and experience from working at the CIA has been very helpful in the procurement process. Robert has great stories from prior jobs that he uses as examples to improve efficiency and processes within the Procurement process. One example is “The surgery was a success, but the patient is dead.” This is an example of following all the policies/rules/legislation to exactness with success, but not achieving the goal. Procurement has guidelines to work within. Not everything is black and white. This can be frustrating to individuals. Robert takes the time to listen to their concerns and explains the whys of the process. He also looks for opportunities for process improvements to remove bottlenecks. A few examples of these are helping to create the online P-card reconciliation portal, updated the Procurement policy and simplification of the Procurement process. Robert is a great mentor to those he interacts with. Robert looks at issues objectively. This approach allows Procurement to truly function in a fair and transparent manner with departments and vendors. Robert represents the mission statement for Procurement, which is “ To enable County Departments to achieve their goals through innovative and exceptional support.” These are a few reasons why I feel Robert deserves employee of the Month.

I am writing to nominate Robert Baxter, our esteemed County Purchasing Manager, for the Employee of the Month award. Having served Utah County with unwavering dedication for many years, his contributions over the past two years have been particularly monumental in transforming our purchasing processes and policies. Robert has been the driving force behind launching comprehensive purchasing training across the county. This initiative has not only enhanced the capabilities of our staff but has also standardized our procedures to ensure a cohesive approach to purchasing. His foresight in seeking out and integrating innovative resources and processes has been instrumental in assisting all departments with their purchasing needs, thereby optimizing operations county-wide. His relentless pursuit of efficiency and continuous improvement is commendable. Under his leadership, we have experienced many significant advancements. Some recent examples include a major overhaul and simplification of our purchasing policy and the development of a web-based p-card reconciliation portal. These accomplishments have removed inefficiencies and given employees the tools they need to be successful and efficient. Beyond his professional contributions, Robert has a significant and positive influence on our organizational culture with his willingness to share his hobbies and talents. He is a quick-witted history buff who helps us keep it light with jokes, puns, and well timed reminders of historical facts and ironies. Robert is also a skilled bagpiper, delighting us with spirited performances every St. Patrick’s Day, dressing up for Halloween, and actively participating in county and office activities, fostering a supportive and light hearted culture. Robert embodies the qualities of a dedicated public servant and is a true asset to Utah County. His work not only reflects his professional excellence but also his genuine commitment to the betterment of our community and the enhancement of our workplace environment. For these reasons, I believe Robert deserves the recognition of Employee of the Month. His contributions have made a lasting impact on our county, setting a high standard for excellence, dedication, and community spirit. Thank you for considering my nomination.

I would like to nominate Robert Baxter for Employee of the Month. I could list off some of his background (the rest, he could tell us but then he would have to kill us), his funny traits, his “smarts” especially when playing Chronology, his many talents which we know includes playing the Bagpipes, but most of all his business acumen.

Robert is a consummate professional. When dealing with our own checkbooks, we might say what is a penny here or there if we don’t balance. Not Robert. We can be confident that Robert’s goal is balanced books and getting the best value for county funds. With the assistance of IT/IS, he has made excellent progress with the P-Card Portal. It is so much easier than trying to reconcile charges on the Wells Fargo website.

Robert writes and publishes Requests for Proposals, Requests for Information, and Requests for qualifications and tracks them all from creation to award.

Robert has been instrumental in updating several of our County policies – which has made interpreting the policies so much easier for the masses.

It has been my privilege to work with Robert for the past 3 years and I look forward to several more.