SBEDF Announces First ‘Small Business Matters’ Summit
CHALMETTE, LA – The St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is proud to announce a new, one-day experience for small business owners and employees looking to become aware of and leverage future opportunities in the pipeline for St. Bernard Parish: Small Business Matters. The program will include a dynamic lineup of local partners and speakers, from business consultants to workforce developers, all looking to help bring St. Bernard and regional small businesses into a future period of growth and prosperity.
As St. Bernard Parish looks ahead to a period of economic development projects and potential, local leaders see it as crucial to ensure local businesses and residents have the resources and education needed to benefit. “SBEDF prides itself on creating a strong, healthy business climate in our parish,” said Meaghan McCormack, Executive Director of SBEDF. “We see it as our duty to ensure the businesses that make up our community are not only informed of what the future may look like but also positioned to bid on the opportunities that come with large economic development projects. Our Small Business Matters Summit gives us a direct avenue to begin achieving this outcome.”
The Small Business Matters Summit includes a plethora of speakers from throughout Greater New Orleans with experience in a variety of subject matters. The schedule includes:
CHECK IN – 12:30-1:00 PM
OPENING COMMENTS – 1:00 PM
ST. BERNARD’S ECONOMY – Meaghan McCormack (SBEDF)
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT – Dr. Tina Tinney (Nunez Community College)
LEVERAGING YOUR NETWORK – Lisa Borne Kott (St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce)
CREATING YOUR PLAN WITH RESEARCH – Carmen Sunda (Louisiana Small Business Development Center)
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PROJECTS – Klassi Duncan (Urban League of Louisiana)
BREAK – 3:00-3:15 PM
HOW TO SPEAK BANK – John Zollinger (Home Bank)
POSITIONING YOUR COMPANY FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH – Hermione Malone (GoBe)
RECRUIT, TRAIN, RETAIN – Jennifer Barnett (Tri Parish Works)
CLOSING COMMENTS – Kerri Callais (St. Bernard Parish Council) – 4:30 PM
NETWORKING – 5:00-6:00 PM
“Each speaker has been selected due to the specific impact they have on small businesses throughout the region,” added Rachel Nunez, SBEDF Board Member. Nunez, who played a crucial role in planning the event, added that she “cannot wait to see the cohesion and opportunity this summit is able to create for St. Bernard’s business community.”
The Small Business Matters Summit will take place on Thursday, July 22nd at Nunez Community College’s Arts, Science, and Technology Building located at 3710 Paris Rd in Chalmette. The event will run from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM and conclude with an hour for networking. Light snacks and refreshments will be included.
Registration is free and required for attendance. You can confirm your attendance now here.
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About St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation
St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, sbedf.org.