As 2024 draws to a close, we bid farewell to Joe Andreu, who is completing an 18-year journey with the University of California. With 14 years at UCLA as Associate Director of Campus Purchasing and the last four years as Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) at UC Riverside, Joe’s dual perspective as the only UC CPO with leadership experience at both a large and a small UC campus has informed and benefitted systemwide decisions and the UC Procurement landscape.
Joe's career is rooted in 40 years of expertise in purchasing and supply chain management and bolstered by lifetime C.P.M. and A.P.P. certifications from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Joe is recognized for his leadership in cost-saving initiatives, process improvements, large-scale system implementations, and overseeing complex higher education and research procurement needs in two different UC university environments.
Joe's early career
Joe first started out in aerospace and environmental engineering. He began his procurement career as a buyer at Rockwell International working on the B-1 program, and then Ducommun Inc., a smaller aerospace parts producer for the space shuttle program. Later, he became the western region purchasing manager for Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), managing $820 million in annual spend and a staff of 18. At CSC, he managed outsourced IT procurement for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, migrated 17 Asian countries to a shared procurement platform, and restructured purchasing from a commodity-based approach to a client-based approach, significantly improving customer service.
Joe joins UC
Joining UCLA in 2007, Joe managed a team of 18 and supervised purchasing activities across essential areas like transactional purchasing, research, food and beverage, and federal subcontracts, with annual expenditures nearing $425 million. Joe can be proud of his UCLA accomplishments; his drive to standardize and streamline procurement policies and practices fostered enhanced service delivery to campus departments and across the system. Thinking back on being recruited for the UCLA role, Joe amusingly recalls initially declining to interview due to the infamous 405 freeway traffic, but later he reconsidered, and cites it as his most pivotal career decision.
In 2021, Joe took on the role of Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) at UC Riverside, guiding the procurement organization through a time of growth and change. In his capacity as CPO, Joe designed and implemented a new procurement system and worked tirelessly with campus departments to improve and stabilize procurement and business services. He also collaborated closely with the UC Office of the President and other UC campuses, contributing to a more unified approach to systemwide procurement. Supporting UCR’s diverse, inclusive, and globally focused community has been inspirational, and Joe is proud to have served Riverside as it came to be ranked in the top 15 best public universities nationally, second for social mobility, and known for pioneering research that addresses California's particular challenges.
Escape from Cuba and lasting life lessons
Born in Cuba, Joe and his family escaped to Spain during the Cuban revolution, eventually landing in California. Joe brings a distinctive perspective and resilience to his work, shaped by these unique life experiences and the strong values and ethics instilled in him at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine universities. Additionally, Joe’s career journey from an entry-level purchasing assistant to CPO has helped him foster an environment of mutual respect among his staff, proving that leadership with empathy can make all the difference. He is grateful for both the strong support from upper management and the collaboration and support of his staff at both campus locations, two things that have greatly contributed to his success.
Joe’s departure marks the end of an era, but his legacy of excellence, dedication, and heart lives on. We extend our deepest congratulations on his retirement and our gratitude for his contributions, knowing his unique perspectives will have a lasting effect on UC Procurement’s success.