Alabama State University News August 31, 2012 ASU Hosts Conference for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses By Deonshay Danson Veteran business owners from around the River Region came to the Dunn-Oliver Acadome Banquet Room on the campus of Alabama State University on Thursday, August 30 to attend the Veterans Supplier Diversity Procedures Conference and Matchmaker 2012. The conference, themed "Driving for Success: Making the Connections," was sponsored by the College of Business Administration's (COBA) Small Business Development Center at ASU, along with Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. The event featured speakers from various industries and areas, including insurance, state and local government, banking and the US. Department of Veteran Affairs. Col. Deborah Scott-Thomas, USAF (retired), a 1974 graduate of COBA and the president and CEO of Data Solutions & Technology Incorporated, presented the keynote address for the conference. Thomas shared her own personal story as a veteran and business owner, highlighting methods and strategies such as teamwork, networking, utilizing veteran resources and creating partnerships with companies that are interested in working with veteran-owned businesses. She also shared her company's motto: "Your success is my success, my success is your success." "This was a great opportunity for me to share some of my experiences on how to become a successful entrepreneur," Thomas said. "As our veterans return home it is very important that they feel supported and empowered to start their own businesses and create their own success." Thomas Taylor, procurement specialist at the Small Business Development Center and coordinator of the conference, was proud to offer this opportunity for veterans who own their own businesses and for those who wish to pursue entrepreneurship. "This is a first-of-its-kind, free event where veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses can learn, exchange ideas, network and market their products and services to supplier diversity corporations, federal government agencies and prime contractors," Thomas said. "They're [veterans and other attendees] here because they want to show that they're an advocate not only for veteran-owned small businesses, but for small businesses as a whole." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.