A career’s worth of learning: Why Rick Crane keeps coming back to ISM
Rick Crane entered sourcing with leadership experience, a maintenance background and a willingness to learn. He also knew there were parts of the profession his daily work alone would never teach him.
His career began in the military, where he served for about seven years and left as a captain. Maintenance management roles followed. When a recruiter approached him about a sourcing position, the opportunity connected with work he had already found interesting: sourcing projects related to maintenance.
The move gave Rick a new professional direction. To develop a broader understanding of the field, he began taking coursework toward his CPSM certification in 2009. That was also how he connected with ISM–Twin Cities.
He wanted to fill gaps in his technical knowledge while gaining experience on the job. Through that learning, he encountered subjects such as Incoterms and requirements related to government contracting that were outside his everyday responsibilities. The exposure helped him understand more of what a sourcing role could involve.
Today, Rick leads a team of five sourcing professionals on nVent’s Enterprise team. Their work includes supplier relationships, contracting, negotiation and lifecycle management for products and services that support the business, such as IT, human resources and factory services.
His connection to ISM continues to center on learning. He attends annual conferences and discussion opportunities, drawing value from a range of topics that includes foundational sourcing knowledge and current issues. His participation averages roughly once a quarter, showing how professional development can remain part of a busy working life.
The network adds another dimension. Rick values exposure to suppliers and solutions beyond those he already knows, along with a view into the broader professional marketplace. Conversations and connections help him understand hiring trends and opportunities across the field.
His curiosity also extends to what comes next. Artificial intelligence is an area he wants to understand more deeply, including how it could affect both sourcing professionals and the sales teams across the negotiating table. He sees future-focused education as an important area for continued development.
That interest reflects a lesson from his own career: expertise needs ongoing attention. A credential can help build a foundation, and new responsibilities and technologies create reasons to keep learning long afterward.
As Rick puts it, “the value is played out over the entire span of your career.”
His experience shows how membership can serve professionals who arrive through different paths. For Rick, ISM has provided a place to broaden his knowledge, connect with others and continue developing as the work changes.
Find a topic that expands your perspective. Explore professional development opportunities through ISM–Twin Cities: https://twincities.ismworld.org/about/chapter-overview