FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Linda Fast, agency procurement official and manager of procurement services at the University of Arkansas, was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Award for 2012 by the National Association of Educational Procurement.

The award is presented in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of higher education procurement. This award is given by the association and recognizes a member who has made outstanding contributions over an extended period of time, both to the association and to the procurement profession at large.

In accepting the award, Fast thanked the hardworking staff of the University of Arkansas for their energy and efforts on behalf of U of A procurement.

Fast joined the university as manager of procurement services in February 2009. Previously, she was director of procurement for NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, senior buyer for Winrock International, and also worked in the procurement operations at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Arkansas State University-Mountain Home.

Fast is a native of Pittsburg, Kan., and graduated from Arkansas State University-Mountain Home with the degree of associate of applied science in business technology management. She currently holds certification as a certified professional public officer and certified public purchasing buyer, one of only 2,000 in the nation. In addition, she graduated from the College Business Management Institute at the University of Kentucky, the National Association of Educational Procurement Senior Procurement Academy and the supervisor development program at the University of Arkansas.