I joined OECM in 2015 as a co-op student while completing my MBA, and I immediately felt welcomed by the culture and people here. At the time, OECM had around 25-30 employees, and it has been incredible to watch the organization grow to more than double in size over the past 10 years. After graduation, I was fortunate to return full-time as a sourcing analyst, and over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to grow through several roles, from BI analyst to my current position as BI senior manager.
One thing I remember clearly from the early days was how exciting it was whenever a new CSA was signed. Back then, when we received a new CSA, we would ring a bell in the office so everyone could celebrate together. Today, OECM can receive 10+ CSAs in a single day, which really shows how much the organization has grown and the impact it now has across the public sector.
I also remember working on some of my first reports before all 116 education sector customers were actively participating in the Marketplace. Within a relatively short time, we achieved full participation across Ontario’s education sector and continued to grow from just over 200 customers to more than 1,000 today, while collaborative spend increased from approximately $100 million annually to more than $800 million since I joined. In the early days, most reporting was done manually in spreadsheets, while today Power BI and automation tools have streamlined nearly all of our recurring reports and dashboards.
I’ve had the privilege of working under both John and Jim’s leadership, and I truly appreciate the vision and dedication that helped OECM achieve so many milestones over the years. OECM has always felt like a warm and supportive family to me, and I’m proud to have grown alongside the organization throughout this journey.
