USF hosting Supplier Diversity Day for minority-owned businesses

Times staff

TAMPA — About 100 Tampa Bay-area businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans are expected to participate in a large Supplier Diversity Day event on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa today (Oct. 6).

Held in the Marshall Student Center, the all-day program will bring together the region's business community with key purchasers from the USF System, aiming to build new relationships, provide better insights into the university's procurement process and offer tips for how to successfully compete for business opportunities at USF.

The event is part of the USF System's recently expanded efforts to enhance supplier diversity. In April, USF hired an experienced leader in the field, assistant vice president Terrie Daniel, to oversee the Supplier Diversity Program. Since her arrival, a new website was launched to provide business owners with an easy-to-use resource to learn about opportunities within the USF System, participate in upcoming events and connect directly with the program's leadership.

Daniel has also implemented training programs for university employees to further educate them on best practices for involving minority, woman and veteran-owned businesses in the procurement of goods and supplies, construction, professional services and other contracts.

Participants will be welcomed by the university leadership team at 9:30 a.m. Information sessions and a panel discussion will follow. The sessions will address the function of the Supplier Diversity Program; how to do business with the university; and allow participants to meet the decision-makers.

For more information, go to tinyurl.com/ybh4cah8.