March 12-13, UAB SBDC Hosts Procurement and Business Opportunities Conference

Condense several weeks of sales and marketing calls into two days of multi-company networking Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at the Seventh Annual Business Opportunities Conference and Exhibits. The event, presented by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Business and Small Business Development Center (SBDC), will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. March 12 and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 13 in the Hill Auditorium and Great Hall in Hill University Center, 1400 University Blvd. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

March 3, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Condense several weeks of sales and marketing calls into two days of multi-company networking Wednesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 13, at the Seventh Annual Business Opportunities Conference and Exhibits. The event,   presented by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Business and Small Business Development Center (SBDC), will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. March 12 and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 13 in the Hill Auditorium and Great Hall in Hill University Center, 1400 University Blvd.  Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The conference includes more than 45 presenters and exhibits from major purchasers from across the country and is designed to educate and assist small, minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and service disabled veteran-owned businesses  expand their marketing and purchasing opportunities. Cost for exhibitor booths begins at $150, which includes one conference registration. Cost per individual attendee is $85. To register, call 205-934-6760.

Guest speakers include representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Warner Robbins Air Force Base; Mayer Electric Supply Co. Inc., BE&K; U.S. Corps of Engineers, Mobile; Anniston Army Depot; Burr & Forman LLP, and more. Topics include marketing, legal issues for small businesses, and building a successful business.

On Thursday, a special panel of representatives from large companies, government agencies and small businesses will discuss discuss breaking down the barriers or how to get in the door and stay there.

Representatives from presenting companies and other entities, including technology companies, municipalities and other government agencies, will be on hand to answer questions at exhibitor booths.

A matchmaker event enabling attendees to meet individually with at least three purchasers from exhibitors or presenters is 10-11:55 a.m. Thursday, March 13. To participate in the matchmaker event, pre-registration is required.

In addition to the UAB School of Business and SBDC, other presenters include UAB Procurement Technical Assistance Program, UAB Department of Marketing and Industrial Distribution, UAB Procurement and Supplier Diversity and SCORE.

The event is sponsored by Birmingham Water Works, Mercedes-Benz, Alabama Small Business Development Consortium, Alabama Power Co., CBS-42, Birmingham Business Resource Center, B.L. Harbert International, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, City of Birmingham, Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, UAB School of Business, Burr & Forman, Birmingham Business Resource Center, Foundation Capital and BE&K Government Group.