L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge, LA
May 15 – 18, 2023
Information about the event:
The 18th Annual Business and Procurement Conference provides an opportunity for small business communities to network with larger companies and government agencies aimed at growing their businesses. Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension (SUAREC) has partnered with the MBDA to host this year’s conference along with Southern University Law Center, and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Southern University.
The small business community, especially minority business enterprises, woman-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) certified firms, HUBZone certified firms, and Veteran-Owned (including Service-Disabled Veteran owned) is invited to attend this event. The 2023 Conference will be unique in that many of the sessions and contracting opportunities made available are a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The $1.2 trillion appropriated in this bill is available to small business through procurement opportunities in federal, state, local, and even private businesses. Businesses don’t want to miss this opportunity to market their services and products to the various buyers. Nor do they want to miss this opportunity to network with other businesses in their industries for potential partnerships and other collaborations.
You’ll have an opportunity to meet with representatives from various agencies – local, state, federal, and private – to sell your products and services.
We’ll have staff from the small business community to assist you with completing your applications for the various certifications, e.g. 8A, DBE, EBR Fair Share, Hudson
You’ll have an opportunity to network with other business owners, industry leaders, and community leaders.
With more than 30 sessions being offered, you’ll gain valuable skills and insights to grow your business.
| General | Farmers | Small and Micro Businesses | Large MBE’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Chambers of Commerce to Grow your Business | Growing Micro-greens | Beginner’s Session on Small Business Funding | Listening Session: Policy Changes Needed in Lending |
| Financing Government Contracts | Resources for Farmers | Digital Marketing Ads | Legal Lens on Partnerships, Mergers, Acquisitions , & Joint Venture Agreements |
| Federal Contract Readiness | Overview of Contracting Assistance for Farmers | Developing Systems to Scale Your Business | Alternative Lending, Venture Capital, Factoring, and Equipment Loans |
| Taking Care of Yourself while Taking Care of Business | Cover Crops and other Efficiencies to Maximize Farm Profits | Library Resources to Grow Your Business | Pricing for Competition & Market Research |
| Impact of Personal Credit on Business Credit | SUSTA- Farmers and other Exporters | LED's Resources to Grow Your Small Business | Using the Resources at the LSBDCs to Grow Your Business |
| Doing Business with the Federal Government | Export Readiness | ||
| Doing Business with State of Louisiana | How to Develop Products | ||
| Doing Business with Port of New Orleans | |||
| Doing Business with BREC |
May 15, 2023 09:00 am
May 15, 2023 10:00 am
May 15, 2023 12:00 pm
Katara A. Williams, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement and External Relations
Edward ‘Ted’ James, Region 6 Administrator,
U.S. Small Business Administration
Welcome & Greetings
Orlando F. McMeans, Ph.D. Chancellor-Dean
Southern University Ag Center
Charletta “Charlie” Fortson, J.D., MBA, MSIT
Assistant Professor & Director of the Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
John Pierre, J.D.
Chancellor
Southern University Law Center
Michael Stubblefield, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor
Office of Research and Strategic Initiatives
Southern University and A&M College
Cynthia “Cindy” Carrier, Program Manager
Louisiana Apex Accelerator
Leslie Chambers, J.D.
Office of Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome
Special Presentation Honoring
Eual Hall and Rinaldi Jacobs, Sr. For Excellence In Service
May 15, 2023 12:00 pm
Krystal J. Brumfield, J.D., LL.M.
Chief Acquisition Officer
Associate Administrator
Office of Government-wide Policy
May 15, 2023 12:00 pm
Krystal J. Brumfield, J.D., LL.M.
Chief Acquisition Officer
Associate Administrator
Office of Government-wide Policy
May 15, 2023 01:00 pm
Danielle Viguerie Coco, Southern United States Trade Association
May 15, 2023 01:00 pm
Jo Ann Lawrence
Deputy District Director
Louisiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
May 15, 2023 01:00 pm
Charles Rice, JD
Community Liaison at the Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
May 15, 2023 02:00 pm
Get Certified with City of Baton Rouge/ Parish of East Baton Rouge
The City of Baton Rouge
May 15, 2023 03:00 pm
Jo Ann Lawrence
Deputy District Director
Louisiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
May 15, 2023 03:00 pm
David Lee
Business Development Officer
Evergreen Working Capital
Tyra Banks, MPA
Director of COVID Business Response Programs
Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
May 15, 2023 06:00 pm
Business Plan Bootcam
Tyra Banks, MPA Director of COVID Business Response Programs
Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
May 15, 2023 06:00 pm
Tatiana Bruce, Senior Program Manager
Louisiana Economic Development
May 16, 2023 08:00 am
May 16, 2023 09:00 am
May 16, 2023 09:00 am
JoAnn Lawrence Deputy District Director
Louisiana District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
Edward “Ted” James Region 6 Administrator
U.S. Small Business Administration
May 16, 2023 09:00 am
Terry G. Simmons, Jr.
Founder & President
Orange Strategy
May 16, 2023 10:00 am
Irene Coates, Vizion Salon
Dezmion Barrow, Premier Landscapes
Chisolu Isiadinso, Forever A Dreamher
Derrick Smith, Luxury Landscape
Zonda Barnes, BodiFX
May 16, 2023 10:00 am
Mark Samuels, Southern Region Minority Supplier Development Council
Alvin-O Williams, Southern Region Minority Supplier Development Council
May 16, 2023 12:00 pm
Charletta “Charlie” Fortson, JD, MBA, MSIT
Assistant Professor & Director of the Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
Presentation by The Folgers Coffee Company
Words of Wisdom Raymond A. Jetson, MetroMorphosis
May 16, 2023 12:00 pm
Craig Stevens, Genesis 360
May 16, 2023 01:00 pm
DeWayne Williams, Mac Enterprise Consulting
J. Gaudet, Founder of Rizen, Inc.
May 16, 2023 01:00 pm
Erin Butler, US Commercial Service
MBDA-CS New Orleans Export Bootcamp-05.16.23-Agenda.docx
MBDA-CS New Orleans Export Bootcamp-05.16.23-Agenda.pdf
May 16, 2023 01:00 pm
Stephanie Elwood, Growing Healthy Coordinator
Southern University Ag Center – Cooperative Extension Program
May 16, 2023 03:00 pm
May 16, 2023 03:00 pm
JoAnn Lawrence, Small Business Administration
May 16, 2023 03:00 pm
Peter Mars, Prudential
May 16, 2023 06:00 pm
Opening Remarks
Ted James, US Small Business Administration
Kenyatta Sparks, SJB Group
May 17, 2023 08:00 am
May 17, 2023 09:00 am
Stephanie R. Hartman, Director
Small Business Services, Louisiana Economic Development
Carla Holland Bryan Greenwood, State Director
Louisiana Small Business Development Center
Ada Womack- Bell
Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern University
Opening Keynote
Janea Jamison Regional Advocate
Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy
May 17, 2023 09:00 am
Janea Jamison
Regional Advocate
Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy
May 17, 2023 10:00 am
Various Financial Institutions Including:
b1 Foundation
Pelican State Credit Union
Hope Credit Union
Chase Bank
May 17, 2023 11:00 am
Kelly A Raney, Louisiana Economic Development
May 17, 2023 11:00 am
File for SBA certifications with live technical assistance. Including:
May 17, 2023 12:00 pm
Krystle J. Allen, PhD, Southern University Ag Center
May 17, 2023 12:00 pm
Shalaya T. Morissette (she/her)
Chief, Minority Business and Workforce Division
Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
U.S. Department of Energy
May 17, 2023 01:00 pm
May 17, 2023 01:00 pm
Christopher Cassagne, Louisiana Economic Development
May 17, 2023 01:00 pm
Burnell Muse, Program Trainer, Louisiana Small Farms
May 17, 2023 01:00 pm
East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness
Governor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness
FEMA
May 17, 2023 03:00 pm
Camile Campbell, Travis Lewis, Jill Tucker, Kendra Hardnett
May 17, 2023 03:00 pm
Enid Jesse
HIBU
May 17, 2023 03:00 pm
May 17, 2023 03:00 pm
Gayle Young
Laughter in Your Belly
May 17, 2023 03:00 pm
Laci Melancon
Coastal Technical Assistance Center (CTAC)
May 17, 2023 06:00 pm
Orhan McMillan
May 17, 2023 06:00 pm
Travis Lewis, Travis Lewis Insurance Group
May 17, 2023 06:00 pm
Angela Bruns, Southern University Financial READ Program
May 18, 2023 08:00 am
May 18, 2023 09:00 am
De’Shoin York, Ph.D.
Vice-Chancellor, Extension and Outreach
Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension- Cooperative Extension Program
Charletta “Charlie” Fortson, JD, MBA, MSIT
Assistant Professor & Director of the Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
Ken Naquin, Louisiana Associated General Contractors
May 18, 2023 09:00 am
Keynote: Whey McGrew
Director of Business Programs, US Department of Agriculture
May 18, 2023 10:00 am
LaKesha Hart, Louisiana Division of Administration
May 18, 2023 10:00 am
Hosted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metro Baton Rouge Chapter
May 18, 2023 11:00 am
Travis Lewis
Gallagher Insurance
May 18, 2023 11:00 am
LaKeisha Robichaux,
Chief of Minds
May 18, 2023 12:00 pm
Gayle Young, J.D.
Laughter in Your Belly
May 18, 2023 12:00 pm
Tyra Banks, MPA
Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
May 18, 2023 01:00 pm
Paul Narcisse,
Interim Purchasing Director
May 18, 2023 01:00 pm
North Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce
Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce
Louisiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
May 18, 2023 01:00 pm
Peter Mars, Prudential
Tranell Montague, Toco
June Lyle, Primerica
Olivette Lewis, Aflac
May 18, 2023 03:00 pm
Colleen Broussard-Perry,
Federal Government Contracting Specialist
APEX Accelerators, Formerly Louisiana PTAC
May 18, 2023 03:00 pm
Tyra Banks, MPA
May 18, 2023 03:00 pm
Lakeisha Robichaux, CEO
Chief of Minds
May 18, 2023 06:00 pm
Tyra Banks, MPA Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
May 18, 2023 08:00 pm
Sponsors
Louisiana Associated General Contractors
U.S. Department of Energy
Louisiana Minority Business Development Agency
Louisiana Economic Development
Hope Credit Union
Jacobs Engineering
Louisiana State University
Entergy
SJB Group DBE Supportive Services
Terry Simmons & Company
Orange Strategy
