NIGP Announces Next CEO Debbie Trueblood

Debbie Trueblood

NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP) has appointed Debbie Trueblood, MSW, FASAE, IOM, CAE as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective October 20, 2025. She will succeed Rick Grimm, NIGP-CPP, who retires at the end of the year.

Trueblood brings more than two decades of executive leadership in association management, specializing in growth, governance, ethics, inclusion, strategic planning, and innovation. She has served as Executive Director for six associations since 2002 and most recently served as Lead Consultant at Association Management Center (AMC), where she partnered with association CEOs and boards to drive mission-focused strategies, guide associations through transformative governance alignment, and integrate values-driven leadership. Her leadership experience includes working with numerous associations, including those with budgets exceeding $100 million.

She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and previously chaired ASAE’s Ethics Committee and Association Forum’s Welcoming Environment Committee.

About NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement

Since 1944, NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement has been developing, supporting, and promoting the public procurement profession through premier educational and research programs, professional support, technical services, and advocacy initiatives. With 31 staff, a $9 million annual budget, and a network of 18,500+ procurement professionals and 2,600+ agencies, NIGP is committed to elevating the profession through thought-leading content, agile leadership development, and customized career training. For more information visit www.nigp.org.

Sterling Martin

Sterling Martin (SM) is a leading specialty national search firm conducting chief executive-level searches for associations, nonprofits, and organizations across diverse specialties. SM has built an outstanding reputation by providing impeccable service to its clients and by placing exceptional talent. Based primarily in Washington, DC, SM has offices in New York, Chicago, and Orange County, CA.

Since founding the firm in 2006 with a mission to combine his search expertise with nonprofit board experience, David Martin now leads a highly experienced and diverse team, combining in-depth client analysis with the latest search technologies to create effective, personalized searches. Since the day he founded the firm, David has personally taken a leadership role with every search, for every client.

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