About Strategic Business Services

Strategic Business Services (SBS) provides advisory support in the areas of contracting, purchasing, enterprise risk management and real estate. The Assistant Vice President (AVP-SBS) serves as Chief Procurement/Contracting Officer, Risk Manager and Real Estate Director. This position reports to the Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance.

SBS functions are critical to the furtherance of traditional and emerging institutional business objectives. By integrating the typically discrete functions of contracting and purchasing, risk management and real estate services, SBS is situated to deliver strategic support for Cal Poly's growing suite of entrepreneurial initiatives including public-private partnerships, off-campus real estate dealings, on-campus commercial and research activity as well as various collaborative/strategic purchasing efforts with public and private partners.

All SBS services are rendered through the lens of the University's evolving enterprise risk management program (ERM). As the University increasingly ventures beyond traditional business models, careful consideration must be paid to institutional risk tolerance. To this end, the AVP-SBS is uniquely positioned to promote top-down adoption of ERM-based business decision support methodologies from project due diligence through execution.

Under the direction of the AVP-SBS, the SBS staff also administers traditional transactional functions. The procurement unit manages purchasing and contracting for all university departments and operations consisting of $50 - $100 million dollars in annual spend, including public works. The real estate unit manages university leases (e.g. cell transmitter sites, commercial vendors, off-site leases, auxiliary leases) and assists with due diligence on proposed real property acquisitions and gifts. The risk management unit oversees insurance, claims, risk assessment and other risk transfer mechanisms.

Contact Information

Dru Zachmeyer
Assistant Vice President, Strategic Business Services
805-756-6473
dzachmey@calpoly.edu

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