CoreTrust is a group purchasing organization (GPO) and cooperative that helps businesses reduce their indirect procurement costs (i.e., non-production supplies & services) by leveraging collective buying power. Pulse 2.0 interviewed CoreTrust CEO James Hallock to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
James Hallock’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Hallock said:
“Before joining CoreTrust, I worked at Sprint when wireless data was just starting to take off. My role focused on building a healthcare practice, and I quickly realized that if you want to sell into hospitals, you almost always have to go through group purchasing organizations (GPOs). That was my first exposure to group purchasing. In 2010, I joined CoreTrust to leverage that experience in aggregated buying. I came in early to help build out our commercial GPO team, and I’ve been fortunate to play a role in growing the business ever since. Today, I serve as CEO, guiding the company through its next phase of growth.”
“In my current role, I’m focused on leading CoreTrust’s strategic expansion, particularly into the public sector. That includes building and supporting our national team of consultants, developing and executing lead-agency initiatives, recruiting suppliers, and helping both agencies and suppliers navigate the bid process. I’m very hands-on in scopinhastg and running RFPs, making sure our approach delivers maximum value for our members while also being practical and scalable for suppliers.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Hallock reflected:
“My favorite thing about CoreTrust is being able to drive value for our two main stakeholders, members and suppliers. The value we drive comes in many forms––from cost or time savings for members to market share shift to suppliers. Doing this well ensures the strength of our business.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Hallock explained:
“At our core, CoreTrust is a group purchasing organization that leverages aggregated buying power to deliver savings. We offer more than 125 pre-negotiated supplier contracts across categories like corporate services, facilities, technology, HR, supply chain, and more.”
“In the public sector, our cooperative gives agencies a faster, more compliant way to buy. By working with a lead agency to competitively bid a contract once, we create a vehicle that any other agency can immediately use with confidence—saving them months of effort while ensuring full compliance.”
“We also provide a digital marketplace called CXP, which gives members easy access to curated supplier contracts and spend analytics. That means agencies and businesses not only benefit from negotiated pricing but also from insights that help them optimize budgets.”
“And importantly, we take on the heavy lifting of procurement—from RFP development through contract award. That’s a differentiator for us compared to other co-ops that often leave the burden with suppliers.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Hallock acknowledged:
“The public-sector procurement process can be incredibly complex and resource-intensive, which often slows down how quickly agencies can act on their priorities. That’s exactly where our model adds value. By carrying more of the RFP burden up front and putting compliant, ready-to-use contracts in place, we allow agencies to save significant time and effort while still maintaining full compliance.”
“For suppliers, our approach creates an efficient path to market. Instead of navigating dozens of separate RFPs across different jurisdictions, they gain access to a broad base of qualified buyers through one competitively bid contract. It’s a win-win that simplifies procurement and accelerates results for both sides.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Hallock noted:
“When I first entered this space, technology played a much smaller role in procurement. That’s changed dramatically. While I don’t believe technology will ever replace the relationships that sit at the heart of procurement, it’s certainly become an important enabler. My view is that tech should augment, not replace, the human side of procurement and we’re seeing that come to fruition in the ways these tools help organizations stretch their dollars further while still ensuring compliance and speed.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Hallock cited:
“One of our biggest milestones is a fairly recent one––launching our public-sector cooperative, which we announced at the 2025 NIGP Forum this summer. Partnering with lead agencies like Houston and Los Angeles marks an important step forward for us and signals strong demand in an underserved market.”
“Another milestone is the team we’ve built to support this expansion. We’ve brought on highly respected leaders like Brian Esposito (former Deputy Secretary for Procurement in Pennsylvania), Sean Carroll (former CPO of New York State), and Robert Zingelmann (former CFO of Region 4 ESC). Their experience brings instant credibility to our public sector offering and their guidance has proven critical.”
“Of course, I’m also proud of how far we’ve come in the commercial space. Today, we manage more than $8 billion in annual purchasing power and are trusted by over 3,700 businesses and government entities.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Hallock about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“We’re seeing strong early momentum in the public sector. For example, the City of Houston has been vocal about how being a CoreTrust lead agency has allowed their procurement team address compliance, staffing, and budget challenges. Meanwhile on the supplier side, Guy Benjamin, the CEO of Healthee, has shared that our model gives them immediate access to hundreds of qualified public-sector buyers through one compliant contract––something that would otherwise take years to build.”
“In the commercial sector, we’ve consistently delivered measurable savings to Fortune 1000 companies through our aggregated purchasing power. Market leading Private Equity Firms typically introduce new portfolio companies to CoreTrust to become members shortly after making acquisitions.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Hallock assessed:
“In the public sector, we’re targeting a $490 billion procurement market. And in the commercial sector, the procurement market is greater than $150 billion.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Hallock affirmed:
“Several things set us apart. First, when possible, we use a single-supplier sourcing strategy. Many co-ops multi-source categories, which can dilute value for suppliers and agencies alike. By sole-sourcing, we create stronger partnerships and deliver better pricing.”
“Second, we don’t just hand suppliers a contract and walk away. We actively carry more of the RFP burden than most co-ops, which makes the process easier and more credible for both sides. We also support suppliers with regional go-to-market strategies, helping them scale adoption of contracts.”
“Finally, we combine these relationship-driven elements with modern tools like our CXP marketplace and spend analytics. It’s that blend of human expertise and technology enablement that differentiates CoreTrust.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Hallock emphasized:
“Our goal is to be the market leader in group purchasing, not just in the private sector—where we already lead—but also across the public sector. In the near term, we’re focused on building out our cooperative membership base. Our target is to reach close to 3,000 public sector members by the end of the year. We’re also expanding our supplier pipeline across categories like technology, office supplies, and infrastructure services.”
“Longer term, our aim is to broaden our reach into new segments and continue proving the value of our model across industries. One recent example is our expansion into the UK, serving the needs of PE Firms and enterprises with local agreements.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? Hallock concluded:
“I’d emphasize that procurement isn’t just about running RFPs. Too often, procurement professionals see that as their primary role. But the real opportunity is in driving value and compliance for their organizations.”
“Our job at CoreTrust is to help them get there faster. When a contract is signed, the real value comes only when organizations change their behavior and actually use it. That’s why we focus not only on creating the contract but also on supporting adoption and compliance.”
