Conference Brings Together State Vendors with Government Spenders

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Management Services’ Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) will once again host the annual Florida MatchMaker Conference & Trade Show this month, Nov. 16-18, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

This year’s theme is "Paving the Way: Jobs, Growth & Economic Revitalization in the Sunshine State,” and keynote speakers include Ken Lawson, Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation; Ret. Army Col. Mike Prendergast, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs; and Commissioner Ronald Brisé with the Florida Public Service Commission.

“The State of Florida actively works with small business owners to help drive economic growth and job development in Florida,” said Jack Miles, Secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS). “The MatchMaker conference brings together job creators and purchasing officials and helps foster more accountability and efficiency in the procurement process.”

Less than two weeks away, the 2011 AT&T Florida MatchMaker Conference & Trade Show is the premier business conference to connect minority, women and service-disabled veteran business owners; contractors; diversity managers; purchasing agents; government officials; state agencies; university and community college representatives.

The event will feature 18 workshops designed to help grow Florida’s small and minority-owned businesses, including Doing Business with State Agencies – Changing Trends of State Procurement, Doing Business with Florida Utility Companies, Bidding and Estimating, MyFloridaMarketPlace: Maximizing Vendor Marketing Efforts to Florida State Agencies, and Economic Gardening.

“In addition to our workshops, MatchMaker 2011 will again host its popular one-on-one sessions, where vendors can schedule individual meetings with agency purchasing staff to answer questions related to doing business with the State of Florida and its signature, comprehensive trade show, which offers yet another opportunity for businesses and state agency purchasers to discuss and explore business opportunities,” said Anthony Garcia, Director of Departmental Purchasing for DMS.

For more information, or to register, visit www.FLMatchMaker.com or call (850) 487-0915. Follow MatchMaker on Twitter or Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates, or for updates via text message, text “Follow FLAMatchMaker” to 40404 from a mobile device. Standard rates apply.

Registration Open For Annual MatchMaker Conference in Orlando [

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