WHILE THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR BOTH CHAMBER MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS, OUR SYSTEM REQUIRES YOU TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER AND CHOOSE THE "BILL ME" OPTION. YOU WILL NOT BE BILLED FOR THIS EVENT!

Download a registration form (PDF format)

Chestnut Room
Informational Sessions 8:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

7:00-7:45     Registration and Continental Breakfast
7:45-7:55     Welcome and Opening Comments
                   Madonna Chism Pinkard, Community Relations Director, WFMJ
8:00-8:50     Small Business Boot Camp: Developing A Business Plan 
                   James Rowlands, Regional Chamber REACH Program Director
9:00-9:50     Financial Statements, Tax, And How It Impacts Your Business And Loan Applications 
                   Edward C. Hopson, CBA, Real Estate Capital Partners, LLC
10:00-11:50 Ohio MBE/EDGE Certification Workshop 
                   Cathy Armstrong, EEO Officer, Ohio Department of Administrative Services

Luncheon – Ohio Room
12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Melinda Carter, Deputy Director and State EEO Coordinator
Ohio Department of Administrative Services, Equal Opportunity Division
Melinda Carter is responsible for ensuring equity, fairness and diversity in employment and procurement opportunities in Ohio’s state government. Formerly the Executive Director of the Equal Business Opportunity Commission in Columbus for over 12 years she is a frequent speaker and presenter. Melinda is passionate about the growth and development of minority-owned businesses and the protection and enforcement of civil rights.

Chestnut Room — Business Matchmaking
1:00-5:00 p.m.
Purchasing representatives from a variety of public and private businesses will be there to meet with prospective minority and female business vendors.

Vendor companies must be up, running and ready to fill customer orders. They must have been in business for at least one year and be owned, in majority share, by a woman or a minority population. To set up a 10-minute appointment with a prospective customer, contact Dorothy Boggio at (330) 744-2131 Ext. 25 or by email to Dorothy@regionalchamber.com. In the event of scheduling conflicts business owners will be able to leave marketing materials for those companies they cannot meet with personally.

FREE PARKING will be available at YSU's M-2 deck on the corner of Fifth Ave. and Lincoln Ave. and at all visitor "V" parking lots. For a YSU campus map, click here.