When Alexes Hernandez moved from New Mexico to Colorado Springs, college was the plan. She didn’t expect to also become a business owner with a growing online following. But with support from UCCS entrepreneurship resources, her product now reaches thousands across TikTok and Instagram. Hernandez’s story is part of the recently published CU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Impact Report for 2024-25. Alongside facts and figures demonstrating the power of CU’s innovation engine, the report features several profiles of student entrepreneurs across the four campuses.
As CU’s chief procurement officer, Ed Mills oversees purchasing, contracting, strategic sourcing, travel, expenses, data analytics and technology for the university, which he likens to operating a handful of small cities. “Each (campus and system administration) needs supplies, services and support to function,” he said. “My team makes sure those things are there, on time and at scale, in support of each one’s mission.” Mills shares his thoughts on what constitutes good procurement, how CU works to strengthen Colorado businesses and the next frontier in his field.
