Gretchen Vance, CPSM

Examiner
DISC Type : cs

Vice President Procurement at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries

Sierra Madre, California, United States

Overview

Gretchen Vance is the Vice President of Procurement at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries, where she has progressed through several roles. A Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), she is focused on balancing people, process, and technology and is currently pursuing her MBA.

Outside of her corporate role, Gretchen is dedicated to continuous learning, currently undertaking an MBA journey to further her expertise. Her professional philosophy extends to practical, everyday applications, such as applying supply chain principles to community-oriented projects to maximize efficiency and revenue.

She once applied her professional supply chain skills to create an efficient, revenue-producing Little League Snack Bar.

Personality Overview

Unexpressive

Tough To Convince

Late Adopter

They are heavily focused on quality and prefer doing things the right way, even if it takes time.  They tend to be clear about their needs and limitations and are unlikely to promise too much. They do not like taking risks at all and go for proven options in the end.

Topics They Care About

Holistic Supply Chain
Believes success requires a critical balance between people, process, and technology, understanding both lean and agile principles for organizational value.
Strategic Procurement
Her career progression from Sr. Buyer to VP showcases deep expertise in vendor management, competitive bidding, and contract negotiation.
Continuous Learning
Actively enhancing her expertise by pursuing an MBA, which complements her supply chain bachelor's degree and certificate from UCLA Extension.

Media Appearances

Gretchen has no verified media appearances

Work History

10-2022
Vice President Procurement at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries
11-2018 - 9-2023
Vice President Purchasing at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries
7-2009 - 11-2018
Sr. Buyer at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries

Education

5-2020 - 5-2023
Bachelor of Supply Chain from Los Angeles Pacific University
2011 - 2013
Certificate In Supply Chain Management from UCLA Extension

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 16 Location : Sierra Madre, California, United States Job Level : Senior Designation : Vice President Procurement at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries
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Insights For Selling To Gretchen

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Ask them which other stakeholders would be important for this purchase decision
  • First of all, focus on building their confidence by sharing examples, case studies etc.
  • Be firm in your communication and stay in control

DONT's

  • Don't be very accepting if that is your natural style, stay firm
  • Don't rely on relationship building even if they act pleasantly
  • Don't use phrases like 'do not worry', 'i promise' etc.

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Gretchen is

  • Proof of usage by others in the industry, case studies showing ROI are likely to work the best with them.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Gretchen

  • Often, they don't say no, or keep going about it in circles.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Gretchen move?

  • They are some of the slowest movers and take their time reaching decisions.
  • Can Gretchen take some risk or not?

  • They have very low acceptance of risk even if they do not say it directly.

You And Gretchen

Personality Compatibility


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