Terry McKee, the procurement director for Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), has been named the recipient of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing’s (NIGP) 2022 Distinguished Service Award.
Terry McKee
Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation
McKee, who has served KCDC for 17 years and has 34 total years of experience, earned the recognition for his longtime contributions to the public procurement profession. He has been a contributing author for several NIGP Global Best Practices and other publications and served on numerous NIGP committees and NIGP’s consulting team since its inception in 1995.
Originally formed in 1944, the NIGP develops, supports and promotes public procurement professionals through educational and research programs, technical services and advocacy initiatives. The organization has more than 16,000 individual members, along with more than 3,000 agency members and 70-plus chapters.
“Terry is indispensable for our overall organization and specifically the procurement team,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “His expertise, ethics and extensive industry knowledge position KCDC perfectly when it comes to navigating state and federal contracts. We are very fortunate to have Terry on our staff.”
McKee also serves in volunteer roles for the East Tennessee Purchasing Association (ETPA) and Tennessee Association of Public Purchasing (TAPP) and has mentored hundreds of procurement professionals throughout his career. Under his leadership, ETPA established multiple programs, including awards that recognize deserving procurement professionals.
“This NIGP award is a credit to everyone I have served with at KCDC and in procurement and purchasing during my career,” McKee said. “It is an industry of professionals who help each other every day. I want to thank Ben Bentley, the entire KCDC team and our Board of Commissioners for the leadership and support.”
McKee earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee in 2016 and was subsequently named a fellow of UT’s Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) program for his contributions to the profession and to the MPPA program.
This is the third time McKee has been recognized by NIGP. He earned the Procurement Manager of the Year Award in 2017 and the Spirit Award in 2013, which is given to public purchasing professionals who have played a significant role in shaping the organization.