Name: Elaine Baker Title: Purchasing Manager
Tell us more about yourself.
I was born and raised in Washington County. My mom still lives in the house I grew up in. As a kid, I dreamt of going to art school in New York City. That dream came true when I attended Parsons School of Design. Ultimately, I decided that a career in art wasn’t for me, but drawing and painting are still a big part of my life. Another passion for me is swing dancing. If you haven’t tried it, you should!
What led you to work for the City of Hillsboro?
In the late 1990s, I found my calling working in local government. I started as a buyer at Multnomah County and eventually became procurement director at Portland Public Schools before joining the City of Hillsboro in 2014. I love how my work connects me to what’s happening in Hillsboro.
What is it like to spend a day doing your job?
I talk to many people throughout the day. One minute the topic is purchasing equipment at the water treatment plant and the next it’s discussing structures for our new housing shelter. I love the variety. There are many state and federal laws to follow when spending taxpayer dollars. Our core Purchasing team is small. Most of our time is spent smoothing the path for others at the City who are doing the purchasing. The best part of my job is crafting a good RFP (Request for Proposals). An RFP is a detailed request to suppliers asking them to respond to our higher dollar value purchasing needs.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing plans come to fruition. For example, during the past five years, I have helped make the purchases for the City’s high-speed fiber optic network, HiLight. It has been fascinating to watch HiLight start as an idea and now it’s being built out as a residential and commercial fiber-to-the-premise network. Globally and nationally, there is such inequity when it comes to internet access. I’m proud that our city jumped in to help bridge that gap in our local community. It is rewarding to be able to say that I have been a part of that work.
How does your job directly benefit Hillsboro community members?
In 2022, the City Council passed a policy launching our Supplier Diversity Program. This program aims to increase our spending with local minority-owned and women-owned businesses, as well as service-disabled veteran owned businesses and emerging small businesses. In September 2021, we hired Danny Morato as our first supplier diversity administrator. In 2023, we will be kicking this program off with our department supplier diversity plans, as well as implementing software and training to support the program.
What is a personal favorite of your in Hillsboro?
I love Downtown Hillsboro! My personal favorites include Insomnia Coffee, Colours Art, and Piccolo Mondo Toys. The perfect Saturday includes picking up some new supplies at Colours Art and heading to Insomnia to draw.
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