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Full News Story
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For Immediate Release
Thursday, August 5, 2004 |
www.RenewNYC.com |
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| Contact: |
Joanna Rose, Orysia Dmytrenko - LMDC |
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(212) 962-2300
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LMDC SPONSORS XI ANNUAL COMPETITIVE EDGE CONFERENCE
Component of On-going Efforts to Offer Opportunities for Minority and Women
Business to Get Involved In Rebuilding Lower Manhattan
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, in conjunction with other public
and private organizations, will sponsor the XI Annual Competitive Edge
Conference for Minority and Women Business Owners. This two day event will take
place on August 9, 2004 from 5:30 - 8:00 pm, and August 10, 2004 from 8:00 am –
6:15 pm at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Park City in Lower
Manhattan. This year's theme "IMAGINE...the Economic Reality," will focus on
helping firms enhance their business skills and access contracting
opportunities.
Governor George E. Pataki said, "This conference will help minority and women
owned businesses learn more about contracting opportunities in New York. I
encourage those firms that are interested in expanding their businesses to take
advantage of this exciting opportunity to meet with decision-makers of the
public and private sectors and explore ways to help rebuild Lower Manhattan."
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said, "The rebuilding of Lower Manhattan presents an
opportunity for New York City to show its strengths, and among them is our
network of minority and women owned businesses. This Administration through the
Department of Small Business Services is committed to ensuring Lower
Manhattan's small business community shapes the future of the downtown area and
I am confident that the XI Annual Competitive Edge Conference will enhance
opportunities and support the growth of Lower Manhattan."
The Conference will begin on Monday evening August 9, 2004 with a "Meet the
Sponsors" reception from 5:30–8:00 pm. The program will continue at 8:00 am on
August 10, 2004 with workshops scheduled throughout the day and will feature
the "4th Annual Marketplace" from 2:30-5:00 pm allowing participants an
opportunity to meet with major general contractors, key procurement
specialists, and government agency certification managers. A networking
reception from 5:15–6:15 pm will end the Conference.
Lower Manhattan Development Chairman John C. Whitehead said, "The Competitive
Edge Conference, now in its 11th year, continues to be a successful medium in
assisting the development of minority- and women-owned businesses--and at no
cost to participants. I applaud the efforts of the other organizations helping
to sponsor this important event, especially the State and City agencies and the
many private businesses who have adopted this conference as a way of helping
smaller businesses grow through the many available resources this conference
offers."
Kevin M. Rampe, LMDC President said, "For our rebuilding efforts downtown, the
inclusion of minority and women businesses is vital to helping create a
long-term pattern of minority and women business participation in large scale
construction and development projects. To that end, LMDC fully supports and
spearheads efforts to identify and assist minority and women business owners
and individual workers in their business and career endeavors."
LMDC is also collaborating with all of the agencies involved in the rebuilding
process, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York State Department of
Transportation, and Silverstein Properties to ensure that minorities and women
participate in the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. This Conference, the
"Opportunity Downtown: Women Working" event held at Pace University March 31,
2004 for minority and women owned businesses and the "Opportunity Downtown"
conference for minority- and women-owned businesses held in January are
examples of this effort.
Additional sponsors of the Competitive Edge Conference include: Dormitory
Authority State of New York, Empire State Development Corporation, Hudson River
Park Trust, Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority, Metropolitan
Transportation Authority, NYC Department of Education, NYC Health and Hospitals
Corporation, NYC Housing Authority, NYC Department of Small Business Services,
NYC School Construction Authority, NY Power Authority, The Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey Bovis Lend Lease, Crescent Consulting, Regional
Alliance for Small Contractors, Staten Island Economic Development Corp,
General Contractors, major contractors and developers, and other private
corporations that do business with these organizations. For more Conference
information, including registration please visit www.RenewNYC.com.
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