By Rachael Kvapil
Angela Ott, purchasing supervisor for Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA), knows the ins and outs of procuring necessities for the utility. Every day, her department provides support to those who consistently maintain and improve GVEA’s operations in Interior Alaska. Though her position works behind the scenes, her department endeavors tirelessly to make sure the purchasing process is smooth and completed in a timely manner.
Angela began working for GVEA in 2014. She worked on the front line as a member service representative until 2017 when she moved to the purchasing department. Through the years, she has progressed through the department to her current position as purchasing supervisor. Angela says there is nothing routine or mundane about purchasing. Her department is responsible for procuring all materials, equipment, services, and supplies used by GVEA in addition to managing other business processes, such as contracting, negotiating, logistics, compliance, and outage support.
“Every day presents unique challenges or situations and I love to collaborate and problem solve,” says Angela. “We deal with every department companywide, which gives us the opportunity to build relationships both internally and externally. It’s a really rewarding aspect of my work.
Angela says the most satisfying points in her career have come from moments where she has made a positive impact on the company and the people she works with. Opportunities to contribute to GVEA in this way have increased since the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, her department sourced and delivered a large percentage of materials in a 30 to 60-day timeframe. She says this hasn’t been the case since the start of the pandemic. A lot of lead times, even for standard inventory items, have at least doubled due to supply shortages and shipping delays. To counter this, Angela says GVEA has expanded and diversified its vendor selection to help with lead times and further strengthen relationships with its current vendors.
“The pandemic has been 1 of the biggest challenges I have faced in my current position,” Angela says.
Though there are many visible jobs at GVEA, such as member services, line workers, engineers, and dispatch, Angela says purchasing is an equally rewarding and challenging career field. She says those considering this line of work need to fully understand the role of purchasing and how it impacts the entire organization. She also emphasized the importance of good communication skills, as her department is in constant communication with vendors, end users, colleagues, etc., and good communication can save a lot of time and money.
Angela is a proud 4th-generation Alaskan who was born and raised in Fairbanks. She feels fortunate to have parents who raised her in a well-rounded environment. Growing up, her summer breaks were spent at the family gold mine and winters were dedicated to outside activities as much as possible. And much like then, she continues to stay active and enjoys all that Interior Alaska has to offer. During her free time, she cooks, snowboards, travels, participates in sports, and spends time with her children, family and friends.