5/28/08 DMS Office of Supplier Diversity Sponsors Southwest Florida Regional Matchmaker Event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008
CONTACT: LINDA MCDONALD, (850) 921-5266
~Regional MatchMaker event provides valuable opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses in Southwest Florida to meet with state purchasing officers~
FORT MYERS-The Department of Management Services (DMS) Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) presents the 2008 Southwest Florida Regional MatchMaker on May 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Boy Scout Conference Center, 1801 Boy Scout Drive, Fort Myers. OSD holds several Regional MatchMaker workshops around the state to provide area minority business owners with practical advice on how to do business with the State of Florida. This event is co-sponsored by the Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center.
"Fort Myers is proud to support our area's minority business enterprises. These minority and women business owners symbolize entrepreneurial spirit that is key to our state's ongoing economic development," said Rep. Nicholas R. "Nick" Thompson, R-Fort Myers. "The Office of Supplier Diversity does great things to advance these businesses, and this MatchMaker event will bring them together with private and public buyers to build and nurture business relationships."
At the MatchMaker event, vendors can schedule 15-minute, one-on-one appointments in the afternoon with government and private buyers. The appointments give vendors a personal opportunity to market their businesses to targeted buyers.
"Nearly 33 percent of vendors registered with the state are minority business enterprises, and the Office of Supplier Diversity connects them with buyers from local and state government, as well as private enterprise," said DMS Secretary Linda H. South. "During the 2006-07 fiscal year, state government spent $1.1 billion with certified women- and minority-owned business enterprises."
During the event, Office of Supplier Diversity Director Torey Alston will discuss OSD's strategic plan, the 2010 Plan. It outlines how Florida can expand business and economic opportunities for women- and minority-owned business enterprises through additional outreach activities, automation of services and increased accountability.
"The Office of Supplier Diversity advocates for and supports minority businesses throughout the state," said Alston. "Regional MatchMaker workshops bring local vendors and local spenders together as the State of Florida works to advance minority- and women-owned businesses in Southwest Florida."
The Office of Supplier Diversity certifies 4,000 women- and minority-owned businesses in Florida and works to improve business and economic opportunities for them. To learn more about the Office of Supplier Diversity, call (850) 487-0915 or visit www.osd.dms.state.fl.us.
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