News Release

  Annual Business Event Helps Veteran-, Women-, and Minority-Owned Businesses

 Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker and the City of Wilmington’s Office of Economic Development (Office of Small and Minority Business Enterprises) are pleased to announce the schedule of events for the 2011 Mega BizFest—an annual business conference that invites policy-makers, corporations, governments, business leaders and small businesses to gather and explore strategies for improving prospects for women-, veteran-, and minority-owned businesses. Held October 6, the event is co-sponsored by a consortium of organizations dedicated to assisting small business owners.

"The success of small businesses is key to weathering today’s challenging economic climate," said Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker. "Mega BizFest is our way of helping all business owners be a part of the new Wilmington that is emerging from the old—where growth and prosperity is available to all and everyone is given the opportunity and direction to succeed."

Mega BizFest will be held on October 6^{th from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel – The Belle, which is located at 1612 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle Delaware. The Conference will focus on three needs as identified by surveys from small business owners: access to capital; access to the supply chain; and access to technology. This year’s event also features, for the first time, the Lender’s Match, where small businesses can meet one on one with representatives from government, the private sector, corporations and the banking industry to discuss purchasing and procurement opportunities. Finally, the conference includes the chance for business owners to meet with business coaches and compete in the Elevator Pitch contest.}

The 2011 Conference has partnered with Constant Contact, a powerhouse organization providing an integrated solution for marketing and building relationships using online technology. "Technology has created a new forum for communicating with customers," said David Yunghans, Regional Development Director, Constant Contact. "Businesses are in need of optimizing their social networks and gaining tools that help with building and increasing customer relationships."

On October 6, organizers will announce the winners of the 7th Annual Mega BizFest Business Plan Competition, in which aspiring and existing entrepreneurs competed for up to $10,000 in prize money and business support services for their small businesses. Additional awards will be presented to the Outstanding DBE of the Year, the Outstanding Corporation of the Year, the Prime Contractor of the Year and the U.S. Small Business Administration MEDWEEK Awards Winner. The evening will culminate to a B2B Networking reception where business relationships can continue to develop with smooth R & B sounds of "TO THE MAX" band. Mega BizFest provides for a one-stop business event for ALL businesses and entrepreneurial minded persons seeking working capital, business support services and strategies and solutions to increase the effectiveness of marketing and promoting a business.

Mega BizFest is sponsored by the City of Wilmington, Delmarva Power/PEPCO Holdings, AstraZeneca, WHA, SKANSKA, Powell Insurance Agency, ABC of Delaware, MBEIC, and Constant Contact.

The full registration for Mega BizFest is $99; most of the initiatives are priced individually to provide flexibility for business owners. For a full schedule of events as well as registration information, please visit  ^{www.megabizfest.com or call 302-576-2121.}

September 19, 2011