Veterans’ business summit seeks to nurture relationships, foster success
Oct. 25, 2023
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- 2 event will feature business resources, panel discussions
- Kendall Penn, secretary of Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, keynote speaker
- Registration available online
(374 words)
(Newsrooms: With flyer)
LITTLE ROCK — The Cooperative Extension Service is inviting military veteran business owners to learn about the many resources available to them at the sixth annual Arkansas Veterans’ Business Summit on Nov. 2.
The event is organized by the Arkansas APEX Accelerator, part of extension’s Community, Professional and Economic Development department. APEX Accelerator is part of a nationwide network dedicated to helping small businesses compete for government contracts at the local, state and national levels.
Tim Hicks, procurement counselor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the mission of both APEX Accelerator and the upcoming summit is to help veteran business owners take their operations to the next level.
“The bottom line is to have an event where veteran-owned businesses here in Arkansas will have full-time access to resource partners, be able to interact, ask questions and get the information they need to help their business be successful,” Hicks said.
He said that learning about the various registrations and certifications required to land government contracts are common obstacles for business owners.
“Most businesses, they’re either looking for financial resources or they’re looking for ways to grow their business, getting into government contracting,” Hicks said. “They’re trying to figure out what the first step is.”
The summit will be held at the Cooperative Extension Service Little Rock State Office. It will begin at 9 a.m. and last until noon. Attendance is free, and online registration is available. Although the event’s focus will be on veterans, any business owner is welcome to attend.
Retired Major General Kendall Penn, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, will be the keynote speaker at the event. There will also be three panel discussions, featuring resource partners, veterans and buyers from various levels of government. The event will also feature cybersecurity training for attendees.
“We’re trying to have all resource partners available in one place, so the veteran business owner has access to whatever they may need,” Hicks said. “We want to nurture relationships between business owners and available entrepreneurial support organizations.”
A 2021 survey found that veterans owned 9.1 percent of small businesses in the United States, generating some $1 trillion in annual receipts.
To learn more about Arkansas APEX Accelerator, e-mail apex@uada.edu or visit www.uaex.uada.edu/apex.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media Contact:
Ryan McGeeney
rmcgeeney@uada.edu
@Ryan_McG44
501-671-2120