WATERFORD, Mich., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakland County Business Services and the Southern Oakland County Branch of the NAACP will host their 7th annual minority procurement event entitled Bid & Brunch on October 22, 2008. It will be held at the Shenandoah Country Club, located at 5600 Walnut Road in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The event is from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The keynote address, to be given by Sarah J. Bates, president of New Technology Steel, is scheduled during lunchtime between 12 noon and 1 p.m.

Traditionally, this event has provided procurement and other useful information, networking and encouragement to minority and women business owners throughout the state. It has drawn more than 200 participants in past years and has been successful and well attended. "However, this year the planning committee took a new approach and created a matchmaking forum for business owners to get face-to-face with the entities that are looking to do business with them now," says Lola Are, senior business development rep-business consultant for the Oakland County Business Center. Representatives from corporations, government, municipalities and educational institutions are expected to attend.

Southern Oakland County NAACP Branch President James Ralph explained, "In the past, guest speakers presented material to the audience and answered questions. This year, business owners attending will know in advance which companies want to meet with them and they'll get time in front of those companies. We expect this to be an outstanding opportunity for minority and women business owners to actually make the contacts that they need to bid on and win contracts," explained Ralph. "That alone can change lives."

An opportunity like this, coupled with words of wisdom from keynote speaker Bates, owner of one of the largest minority-owned steel companies in the country, will surely make this year's event meaningful for all in attendance. Bates, an African-American female, will share her story of her rise to success and impart advice and guidance to others hoping to follow in her footsteps.

Information and tickets are available at: http://www.oakgov.com/peds/calendar/bidandbreakfastwithoc.html, or call 248-858-0783 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

    Contact: Delora Hall Tyler, APR
    First Media Group
    248-354-8705 (Ofc.)
    248-755-6512 (Cell)

SOURCE Oakland County Business Services; SOC NAACP