Virginia Beach To
Host Free Minority
Business Conference

      A free conference designed to offer women and minority-owned firms information on doing business with the City of Virginia Beach will be held Thursday November 1, at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, beginning at 2 p.m.
      The  Virginia Beach Minority Business Council’s Ninth Annual Conference and Expo will be an opportunity for contractors, vendors and suppliers to meet and network with city departments and other local government agency purchasing professionals, learn more about procurement policies and bidding techniques, and find out about requirements for providing architectural, engineering and construction services, and providing small purchases, goods and services.

Herman Ross is set to speak at the conference.

    Speakers include Herman Ross, an advocate for small and emerging businesses, and Mayor Meyer E. Oberndorf. Ross is chairman of the board and chief financial officer of National Insurance Consultants, Inc. (NICI ), a firm he founded in Las Vegas in 1994. Through his “Get Your  Fair Share initiative, Ross has developed programs that bring minority organizations together to team as partners.
      The Minority Business Council is chaired by Prescott Sherrod, founder, president and CEO of PEMCCO, Inc., a Beach-based engineering and management service company. Sherrod also serves on the Virginia Beach development Authority.
       The 11-member MBC was established in 1995 by the Virginia Beach City Council to create an environment of business opportunities for minority and woman-owned businesses.
      As in the past, awards will be presented to the Minority Owned Business of the Year, the Women owned businesses of the Year and the Small business of the year. This year, the new Exceptional Achievement Medal will be presented to the city of Virginia Beach Employee.
      The Expo will open from 6:15 to 7 p.m.  and will feature a number of booths staffed by government personnel  providing information on specific goods and services they purchase.  The Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise will also be accepting applications for the SWAM Certifications program for small, women and minority owned businesses.
       Pre-registration is requested. For a registration form, please call (757) 385-4438. For more information  about the Minority Business Council, visit www.VBgov.com/mbc.

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