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The Booker T. Washington Economic Summit will be held at Tuskegee University from September 26 through 28, 2012. The conference promotes private enterprise and uses the historical and philosophical perspectives of Booker T. Washington to focus on present day economic conditions.
Contract procurement opportunities for economic development in small towns, through the lens of broadband development, will be a major focus this year. The conference will focus on resources and technical assistance available at federal, regional and local levels. This technical assistance event can be a critical tool for effective business and economic development.
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We will also use this conference to build the capacity of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), their partnering community based organizations and agencies, their faculty members who want to develop high tech intellectual property into business enterprises and, elected officials from rural communities. This conference also takes into account the linkages to regional, national and global markets. We will highlight success stories of businesses, business programs and legislative initiatives as necessary conditions for economic development. We will examine best practices, programs and policies using broadband as a sample industry. Participants will also exhibit success stories and model business programs for new opportunities and take advantage of network expanding activities.
Additionally, a round table discussion for farmers will be held to present to farmers information about business models for cooperatively marketing their fruit and vegetable crops. One model focuses on farmers as producers and operators of a marketing business and the second model is a value added re-seller’s cooperative. Speakers will cover topics including: membership, organization, value added systems, sales, record-keeping and organizational issues.
Conference participants are expected from the minority business sector, community-based organizations, government, HBCUs and other universities interested in learning more about procurement and development funding opportunities. The growth of individual businesses, small towns and rural communities is our goal.
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