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Vandenberg helps small business owners ‘Grow Their Business’
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 30th Space Wing gave small businesses the opportunity to market their goods to the Air Force at the 'Grow Your Business' conference in the Pacific Coast Club March 19 and 20.
The two-day conference gave business owners opportunities to meet and market with government purchase card holders and to network with federal agencies, prime contractors and other small businesses.
During the event, speakers from both the government and major government prime contractors discussed business opportunities, vendor selection criteria, and provided insights on what it takes to be successful and how to avoid common mistakes.
The event also offered networking opportunities with federal agencies and prime contractors including General Dynamics, Raytheon, Anxiter, Tremco Roofing, Wyle Labs and the Boeing Company.
Guests include the Air Force Director of Small Business Programs, Ronald Poussard, who arrived from the Pentagon to share the Air Force vision of small business involvement in supporting the war fighters in the Global War on Terror.
"Vandenberg is a special place when is comes to small business," he said. "It's a benchmark program."
On average, of all the contracting dollars spent by Vandenberg, more than 90% of that spending goes to small businesses. The Air Force standard is 16% according to Mr. Poussard.
The event was coordinated by Dee Perry, the Vandenberg small business program director.
"I feel really good about how things went," she said. "I feel like the small businesses got valuable information and quality networking time."
Approximately 200 small businesses and 75 vendors attended the event. All told, over 300 people attended to conference according to Perry.