[Madison, New Jersey – May 11^th, 2023] On May 25th, from 8AM to 4PM, at Farleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, the NJ State Veterans Chamber of Commerce (NJSVCC) will host the Disabled Veteran and Veteran Business Summit which will bring together, in a single location, over 150 veteran owned businesses with government agencies and private companies that seek to procure with them. The summit will give employers and state agencies the opportunity to personally meet with veteran business owners (VOBs) and disabled veteran business owners (DVOBs) to learn of their capabilities and to discuss partnering on upcoming projects.

VOBs and DVOBs possess a wide range of skills, resources, and capabilities, from skilled trades and construction crafts, to technical, technological and consultation specialties. In a tight labor and hiring market, participating companies and agencies will be delighted to learn about the diverse range of VOB and DVOB enterprises, and how they can fill their needs and help with their own projects and business development.

The summit promises to be a brisk and busy day, with DVOBs and VOBs booths set up, prepared to meet up with a wide range of private companies, government agency leads and business associations to discuss prospects and opportunities. The day’s packed schedule will include panels, an awards presentation, and various speakers, including elected officials and state representatives, who will discuss the state’s support of veteran businesses.

An important priority of the summit will be to facilitate state enforcement of its own 3% set-aside law for disabled veteran businesses by contracting state agencies. To date, this set aside has not been rigorously enforced. This has left the noble goal of leveling the playing field for DVOBs an unfulfilled intention for the state.

For state agencies, vendors, companies with procurement diversity goals and anyone else interested in hiring, working with or meeting the VOBs and DVOBs on hand, click here to register and for additional information, including a full event schedule with a list of speakers and presenters: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/disabled-veteran-veteran-business-summit-tickets-611431316527

If you are a VOB or DVOB looking for expanded opportunities, it is not too late to register for the summit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/disabled-veteran-veteran-business-summit-tickets-611431316527

This event is crucial for the state’s veteran businesses. Compared to their non-veteran owned counterparts, veteran owned businesses suffer from poorly developed networks of partners, and affiliates, as well as lack of access to sufficient capital for their business endeavors. This makes the challenges faced by VOBs and DVOBs comparable to those faced by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and makes it difficult for them to fully participate in the free market system. On top of these disadvantages, VOBs have also been excluded from numerous past diversity goals worked into state and federal funding opportunities, including the aforementioned 3% set aside.

Several awards will be handed out at the event to several outstanding veteran owned businesses, as well as state agencies and organizations that have gone above and beyond in their support of veteran businesses:

Veteran Run Business over $3 Million – Patriot Shotcrete

Disabled Veteran Business over $3 Million – NJF Worldwide

Disabled Veteran Business under $3 Million – The Mobile Cigar Lounge

NJ State Agency who best support veteran businesses – NJEDA (NJ Economic Development Authority)

Collaborator of the Year Award – Luis De La Hoz from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ

Please join us at FDU on May 25th:

What: Disabled Veteran and Veteran Business Summit

Where: Farleigh Dickinson University, Ferguson Recreation Center, 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940

When: 8:00AM-4:00 PM

The event is hosted by the New Jersey State Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce (NJSVCC), a 501 C (6) nonprofit organization focused on veteran business advocacy, education, networking, procurement, and supplier diversity events, with the end goal of making New Jersey’s economy fairer to veteran owned businesses.

Event sponsors include the Bluepoint Wind, Johnson & Johnson, TD Bank, Provident Bank, NJ Resources, and logistical support from the NJ Small Business Development Center.

If you would like more information about this event or would just like more information on how to show support for veterans in general, please visit the New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce website at njveteranschamber.com or contact Jeff Cantor at jeff@njveteranschamber.com.