UVAFinance Welcomes Heather Hite as Senior Sourcing Specialist

Heather and her husband Todd

Heather Hite has recently rejoined the UVAFinance team this July as Senior Sourcing Specialist. With over 15 years of experience in procurement and a true passion for helping others, Hite is the perfect addition to UVAFinance.

Hite is from the Shenandoah Valley area and a James Madison University graduate. She majored in Marketing, but her first post-graduate job with Ferguson enterprises offered her a glance into the world of procurement, which she found to be fulfilling and rewarding. Hite said she followed a “natural progression” from Ferguson to higher education, and from 2008 to 2022, she was a member of PSDS as a buyer specialist, where she focused on Facilities Management and IT procurements.

Before her return to UVA PSDS, she worked for Mary Baldwin University in the role of Manager of Purchasing, Contracts, and Risk Management. There, she implemented a universal electronic contract repository. Following her time at Mary Baldwin, Hite spent two years at the Virginia Department of Social Services as a Senior Procurement Officer. During that time, she facilitated the distribution of TANF (temporary assistance to needy families) funds, and worked as the lead eVA Security Officer.

The Hites

When the new eVA system went up, Hite both developed and executed a virtual eVA user Help Desk that would offer assistance to users with questions regarding the new system. Hite holds a multitude of acclaims, including a CUPO (Certified University Purchasing Officer), a VCA (Virginia Contracting Associate) certification, as well as a VCO (Virginia Contracting Officer) certification.

As someone who had previously worked at UVAFinance, Hite had always loved what the university stood for, and as UVAFinance grew, she says she “truly loved their mission statement.” Hite also noted that UVAFinance has “excelled in how they have presented themselves as a collaborative partner to the university.” Additionally, Hite enjoyed the people-oriented aspect of her job at UVAFinance, and she acknowledged that procurement and supplier services has done an excellent job collaborating with and providing services to people. She also loves the changes made since her previous time at UVAFinance, specifically the implementation of Workday and utilization of Salesforce.

Hite says her true interest in finance and procurement started at UVA, where she felt a sense of pride in how she was able to offer her purchasing experience and actively saw what had been purchased around Grounds. Of her job in Procurement, Hite says she loves how “UVA is like a little town, and [she] loves learning about the different facilities and departments that make up the university.” 

The Hite's cute pup Hazel

As Senior Sourcing Specialist, Hite will be focused in the Facilities Management realm within Procurement. She looks forward to collaborating with others on how to strategically source solutions for departments and provide the best value for the University. Hite says she will also focus on furnishings and deliveries, as there is a higher turnover in domains like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, maintenance contracts, etc. Hite appropriately calls it the “nuts and bolts that keep the university going.” She’ll also be working to make sure tools and parts are available at the university when things need to be fixed, and in the winter, snow removal for student safety will be another focus of hers (“that is, if we get any snow!”).

In her free time, Hite enjoys spending time with her husband Todd, who is also member of UVAFinance as claims adjuster for the Office of Property and Liability Risk Management, her two children, and their English Bulldog puppy, Hazel, who makes sure they stay busy (“the puppy stage is not for the weak!”). You can most often find her outside with her husband and pup, watching her kids play sports or going for family hikes and walks. Whether it’s hot or cold, you can be sure to spot the Hite family out and enjoying the outdoors. Hite also loves being an active member of her church, serving on the committee of her local credit union, and watching sports, specifically the Baltimore Orioles.