Welcome to the ISM-Houston 2025 - 2026 Elections.
The nominee bios are below.
If you have received your email with your voting code and wish to vote, you can vote by clicking on the Vote button.
Candidate for Vice President
Rita Byrd
Vice President Nominee
With nearly 25 years of experience in supply chain and procurement, Rita Byrd has both benefited from and contributed to the ISM-Houston community. Throughout her career, she has seen firsthand the value the organization brings in professional development, networking, and mentorship, and remains committed to giving back by actively engaging and strengthening her leadership within the community.
Currently a Category Manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Rita leads a team focused on strategic sourcing for plant materials, optimizing procurement processes, driving cost efficiencies, and aligning with organizational goals. Previously, as a Regional Category Manager at Clariant Corporation, she led digital transformation efforts and sustainability assessments, achieving significant cost reductions and risk mitigations. Rita’s expertise also spans roles at Halliburton Energy Services and Hewlett-Packard, where she drove sourcing strategies and supplier performance improvements.
Rita holds an MBA in Management from Letourneau University and a BBA in Purchasing and Operations Management from The University of Toledo, along with advanced training in leadership, strategic sourcing, and negotiation.
Outside of work, Rita is passionate about giving back through church ministry and volunteer work with the Houston Rodeo. An avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys exploring different cultures and staying active. Committed to mentorship, Rita strives to create opportunities for others in the supply chain community and looks forward to further advancing ISM-Houston’s mission as Vice President.
Candidates For Local Director
Vote For Only One
Darren Rowan
Local Director Nominee:
Darren Rowan has been an active member of ISM-Houston since November 2023. Learning of the organization through Peter Jessop, Darren joined ISM-Houston with a primary objective to widen his professional network across the procurement community.
Realizing the value of ISM-Houston as a wonderful place to develop professional relationships within the community, he jumped at the opportunity to help organize the 2024 Golf Tournament at Black Horse as the Golf Chair as part of Ryan Johnsons team.
In June 2024, Darren assumed the position of Sponsorship chair, officially joining the ISM-Houston Board as a voting member. Not only was this an opportunity to give a little back to the organization, but it was also an opportunity to pull on his sales background to help drive forward ISM-Houston’s mission and help him achieve his goal of developing his professional personal network.
Darren was fortunate to be invited to participate in the 2024/2025 Leadership Development Forum program as one of two Board Members forum the current program year.
On a professional level, Darren has worked for over 20 years in recruitment. In 2005, he moved to Houston to take up the position of Global Account Manager for ExxonMobil, before moving into business development in the Energy, Oil and Gas marketplace. He has worked with many companies including ConocoPhillips, BHP Billiton, Chevron, as well as many EPC organizations such as AMEC/Foster Wheeler, Chiyoda, McDermott, Worley, Jacobs, Fluor and more.
Today, Darren is the Director of Workforce Solutions at TRS, where he delivers outsourced MSP and RPO solutions across the Energy, Renewables, Mining, Infrastructure and Manufacturing market sectors.
Uma Taylor
Local Director Nominee:
Uma Taylor has been on the Board Member and has been an integral part of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)-Houston chapter since 2023, working closely with Membership Chair Rita Byrd to achieve a remarkable 30% increase in membership numbers within a year. Her dedication and contributions to the organization have been invaluable, from recommending speakers for Professional Development Meetings (PDMs) to securing sponsors for various events and providing insightful feedback to the committee. Assisting the ISM board as a liaison between ISM Dallas and ISM New Jersey, Uma is currently collaborating on a local supply chain podcast, further expanding her network and expertise.
Uma Taylor is a catalyst for global trade innovation. In her current role as Business Development Manager at Meiborg 3PL, she led the development of a bonded facility and redefined operational protocols, fortifying client supply chains with unmatched reliability. A year prior, as National Account Manager & Warehouse Supervisor at Southwest Freight, she harmonized global logistics with U.S. Customs and Border Protection compliance, cementing her role as a linchpin between regulation and efficiency.
From 2011 to 2016, as a Commercial Specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, she empowered American exporters to secure international contracts and dismantled regulatory obstacles for U.S. businesses in Malaysia. Earlier, in the 2000s, she shaped Malaysia’s economic landscape as Assistant Director at the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority, overhauling cross-border licensing and Free Trade Zone frameworks to fuel the nation’s Industrial Master Plan.
As a current Board Member of the Institute of Supply Chain – Houston** and active member of the International Compliance Professional Association (ICPA) and International Transportation Management Association (ITMA), Uma blends decades of expertise with a bold vision: to craft borderless alliances that revolutionize trade efficiency and spark global growth. Her career is a testament to turning complexity into opportunity—one partnership at a time.