Registration Now Open for Marketplace 2007 October 10-11 at Ho-Chunk

Commerce employee Anne Thundercloud (on right) will bring a troupe of Native American dancers to entertain at this year's Marketplace minority business conference in Wisconsin Dells October 11.

Recognizing and promoting the achievements of the state's minority-owned businesses is the focus of "Marketplace 2007", the 26th Annual Governor's Conference on Minority Business Development, which will be held on October 10-11, 2007 at the Ho-Chunk Casino Hotel & Convention Center in Baraboo.

"Marketplace 2007 is a great opportunity for businesses to learn how to increase access to capital,” said Commerce Secretary Mary P. Burke. “It’s also a wonderful showcase for their unique products and services to government procurement officers and corporate buyers."

This year’s keynote speaker is Dave Anderson, founder of Famous Dave’s of America. Famous Dave’s is recognized as one of the hottest restaurant concepts in America by Nation’s Restaurant News. A native of Wisconsin, Anderson is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Band of Ojibwa and Choctaw Nations.

Participants at Marketplace will have the opportunity, among other things, to: learn to prepare business plans; gather ideas to help with grant and loan processes; meet with members of the financial community including government supported and commercial lenders, angel investors and investment bankers and have great networking opportunities with minority vendors and representatives from business and resource agencies.

For more information about "Marketplace 2007" contact Gianna Taylor at the Bureau of Minority Business Development, 201 W. Washington Ave., 5th floor, P.O. Box 7970, Madison, WI 53707. Phone: (608) 267-9550; Fax: (608) 264-6151; E-mail: MBD@commerce.state.wi.us.

Registration is $45 for the entire conference which includes the Governor’s Awards Luncheon. To register, go to the Marketplace website – http://marketplace.wi.gov/.

-- Tony Hozeny