Carolinas To Celebrate Supplier Diversity, Progress at Greenville, SC Conference August 9-11
August 4, 2010
GREENVILLE, SC – August 9-11, 2010 – Hundreds of minority businessowners, corporate executives and procurement professionals from acrossthe Carolinas will convene at The Hyatt Regency Greenville (S.C.) forthe 2010 Business Opportunity Conference (BOC), on August 9-11, 2010 celebrate progress, recognize achievements and build opportunities forsupplier diversity advancement in the Carolinas, organizers announcedtoday.
The BOC will open August 9 with a golf tournament at Verdae GreensGolf Course, followed by a BMW Ride-Along and opening reception at theBMW Zentrum. On Tuesday August 10th , there will be anexclusive CEO Breakfast that is expected to draw executives fromleading organizations across the Carolinas, including Boeing, Volvo,Denny’s, SCANA, Clemson, Enterprise Holdings, Progress Energy, Bank ofAmerica, Sonoco, Duke Energy, BMW, BI-LO, Wells Fargo, Michelin, MackTrucks, Merck, Food Lion, Turner Construction, Skanska, GE Healthcare,Milliken, Johnson Controls, SAS, First Citizens, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dell, Coca Cola, Shaw, Staples, Lockheed Martin, Time Warner, CompassGroup/Food Buy, Greenville Hospital System, Novant Health, Verizon, andGE Energy.
The CEO Breakfast will be followed by a Legislative Roundtablediscussion with public sector officials from both Carolinas, aPurchasing Panel of leading purchasing executives from across theCarolinas, and a Diversity University luncheon and training sessionsthat address the needs of purchasing professionals and minority business owners. An Awards Dinner to celebrate corporate and minority businessachievements will cap the evening.
On August 11th, a day-long tradeshow facilitating corporationsmeeting one-on-one with the minority suppliers will cap the conference,which is expected to attract nearly 1,000 attendees over its 3-dayspan.
The way to advancement will be leaders who understand that promoting and supporting the development of minority business enterprises (MBEs)not only helps the business community, but is essential to regionalcompetitiveness, said Ray Lattimore, CEO of Marketplace Staffing ofGreenville, and one of the host organizations for the Business Opportunity Conference. We all benefit when business owners and leaders from across theCarolinas come together to discuss how to continue increasingopportunities for minority-owned enterprises.
Minority suppliers are among the fastest-growing segment of today’sbusiness landscape. This year, America’s largest corporations will spend close to $100 billion to buy goods and services from minority-ownedbusinesses. We are hoping that the fine example of business and civicleadership set by our prominent corporate members and certified minority businesses will motivate other corporations and entrepreneurs to joinus in ensuring the success of our economy, said Robyn Hamilton,Carolinas MSDC president.
The cost to register for the Business Opportunity Conference rangesfrom full conference registration at $350 – $500 per person, whileindividual event registrations are $150. Registration for the BOC willbe on-site at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. For a complete listing of events, call (704) 549-1000 or visit www.carolinasmsdc.org.
Complimentary admission is available for media interested in covering the event by calling Leslie Kelson at (704) 549-1000.
The Carolinas MSDC
The Carolinas MSDC is a non-profit corporation chartered to enhance business opportunities for minority-owned companies byproviding support, through developing mutually beneficial networkingopportunities with corporate members and promoting minority businessdevelopment. Visit them on the web at www.carolinasmsdc.org
