ProBiz, the biggest business trade show, conference and networking event of the year, is an experience that helps build entrepreneurship. Washingtonians are advised to make ProBiz a business priority.
ProBiz is a socioeconomic business networking activity at which businesspeople entrepreneurs and professionals meet and form business relationships. The expo that gives power to participating people toward recognizing, creating and acting on business opportunities. People involved in these type conferences, share information and hook up with partners for ventures.
This conference helps attendees target $10 billion in entrepreneurial opportunities in the National Capital Area.
ProBiz is presented by the National Business League, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County, and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County with participation from the U.S. Small Business Administration, D.C.’s Office of Contracting and Procurement, Montgomery County Procurement, D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Current and aspiring entrepreneurs endorse this type of information-gathering and networking as “empowering.”
Washington is one of a few areas in the country where business and procurement opportunities are expanding. In ProBiz programs, participants can build their base of procurements and contacts.
Malcolm Beech, director of ProBiz 2017, said the overall objective is “focusing on … potential for economic power.”
“This conference is a great opportunity to build relationships that will strengthen entrepreneurial capacity and capability in our communities.” Beech said. “We help you with earn the basics to strategic planning. ProBiz is where underserved entrepreneurs and professionals can get capital and services to start and expand businesses. To increase business opportunities necessitates meeting a variety of potential buyers, contractors, agency officials, bankers and technical assistance providers. If you are looking for business and procurement opportunities, check out ProBiz.”
ProBiz 17 features access to partners to pursue business partnerships with the federal government, prime contractors, and other small minority businesses. A Small Business Awards Luncheon will feature presentations to local business success stories.
Pedro Alfonso is chair and CEO of Dynamic Concepts, Inc., a $50 million-a-year firm. DCI is a project management, technology network infrastructure and utility construction enterprise that provides installation, project execution and products solutions and offers comprehensive end-to-end services and products with business partners such as Verizon, Motorola, Clark Construction, Turner Construction and Alcatel Lucent.
Towanda R. Livingston is Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s director of the Office of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion. WSSC is a nonprofit organization that provides safe drinking water and wastewater treatment for Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. WSSC’s SLMBE program is designed to ensure small, local and minority firms are afforded opportunities to participate in contracting opportunities in areas of architecture and engineering, construction, procurement and professional services.
Patricia A. Mitchell serves as executive vice president of strategic programs at Industrial Bank, as well as vice president and information security officer of Ibw Financial Corp. Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in design and merchandising from Drexel University and an MBA from Marymount University. While at Drexel she had cooperative programs at Neiman Marcus, Woodward & Lothrop. She now oversees all lending activities, branch banking centers and sales and marketing at the $45 billion bank.
Loretta Caldwell heads L.S. Caldwell & Associates (LSC), one of the foremost firms in the country specializing in the development, implementation and administration of Contracting, Employment and Community Awareness Compliance Programs.
Under her leadership, LSC is responsible for research, development and subsequent creation of Compliance Programs for corporations and municipalities that has resulted in billions of dollars in contract opportunities for local, small, minority, disadvantaged and woman-owned firms and employment opportunities for residents of affected communities.
Learn how to build your business, and its capacity, and how to get certified and establish teaming arrangements and sub-contracting. For matchmaking opportunities, register at www.probiznetwork.org.
The 15th ProBiz Entrepreneurial Conference convenes July 20, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Silver Spring Sheraton Hotel, 8777 Georgia Avenue.
William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via Busxchng@his.com.