UF Annual Small Business Conference & Trade Fair

Curtis A. Reynolds, Vice President for Business Affairs & Economic Development

We are inviting the campus community to join us for the 21st Annual Small Business Conference & Trade Fair. The event is being hosted by the University of Florida’s Small Business & Vendor Diversity Relations Division. It will be held at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on March 22, 2012 from 9 am to 4 pm.

There are a number of ways the UF community may participate and help make this a successful event including:

• By having an exhibit table at the trade fair where UF representatives will have the opportunity to network and speak with businesses attending the event;
• By participating in our one-on-one sessions where vendors register for 15-minute appointments to speak one-on-one with UF staff to learn about opportunities to do business with our campus; and
• By coming out and walking the trade fair floor to network with the various businesses and agencies that will be exhibiting or attending the event.

We are asking for your support to encourage employees from each of your areas to participate in the trade fair. We appreciate your assistance in helping to get the campus community to attend and speak with the businesses about potential opportunities to do business with UF.

UF Departments and Academic Units exhibit free of charge at the event.

General admission to attend the event and parking is free.

The UF Campus Cab will be available to transport UF employees who have prearranged rides to and from the Hilton. Persons wishing to utilize the cab services may do so by calling 392-RIDE (392-7433) at least 24 hours in advance to schedule their pickup and return. The Shuttle Service will also be making scheduled trips, to and from the Hilton for persons wishing to attend the trade fair, at these scheduled pickup/dropoff locations:

At the Quarter Hour:
Health Science Center (parking lot east of HPNP Building)

At the Half Hour:
Criser Hall area (parking lot in front of Criser Hall off Union Road)

At Forty-Five Minutes on the Hour:
O’Connell Center (Stadium Road across from Gator Corner’s Dining Facility)

At each O’clock on the Hour:
Dropoff/Departing Hilton UF Conference Center (In Circular Drive – On the East Side of Building)

For additional information or questions about participating in the trade fair, please contact the UF Small Business & Vendor Diversity Relations Division at (352) 392-0380 or via e-mail to Darlean Manning at dmanning@ufl.edu or Faylene Welcome, fwelcom@ufl.edu or visit our website at www.sbvdr.admin.ufl.edu.

Thanks so much for your support and participation.