Meet the COO Interview Series: Charles Mayfield

Welcome to the Meet the COO Interview Series by the Operations Council. Our new series interviews top operations executives from some of the most interesting companies and organizations in the world. Operations Council moderators focus on career tips, advice, and ultimately, “secrets to success”.

This interview features Charles Mayfield, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) the fourth-largest school district with 800+ sites, over 43K employees, and a $9B budget. Charles’ role involves Facilities, IT, Nutrition, Procurement, Safety/Security, and Transportation.

Prior roles included Executive Director/Chief Procurement Officer for CPS, and Assistant Director Procurement for the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), and 24-years in the United States Air Force.

Charles earned an MBA and Bachelor of Science- Business degrees from Southern Illinois University, along with executive education at Northwestern University and University of Chicago.

Charles serves on the board of the Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials (IAPPO), and is active with the Kindness Campaign, Children’s First Fund (CFF), the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS), and the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO).

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