SUNY Canton SBDC Links Small Businesses with Government, College and Industry at Matchmaker Event

CANTON, NY (10/19/2015)(readMedia)-- Small business owners can expand their customer base and learn how to sell their goods and services to local governments, colleges, large businesses and industries at the SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center's (SBDC) St. Lawrence County Contracting Matchmaker event.

The Matchmaker will run from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Oct. 26, in the Richard W. Miller Woodcock Conference Suites.

Matchmaking is like speed dating. Businesses sign up for 10-minute meetings with purchasing officers and have that short time to network and share marketing materials and to find out about the products and services available and needed. When time is up, the business moves to the next agency.

"Our goal is to educate agencies about what is available locally and help businesses secure a contract to sell to public and private entities," said SBDC Director Dale A. Rice. "Previous Matchmaker events have resulted in many successful connections."

About a dozen agencies will be participating this year, including:

  • Clarkson University
  • Canton-Potsdam Hospital
  • Potsdam Specialty Paper Inc.
  • St. Lawrence University
  • SUNY Canton
  • SUNY Potsdam
  • SeaComm Federal Credit Union
  • United Helpers

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce will be cohosting the Matchmaker with sponsorship from Workforce Development Institute, Development Authority of the North Country (DANC), North Country Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency. The hosting agencies will also be participating in the match sessions.

The event costs $10 for small businesses and preregistered participants will be given priority scheduling. The Matchmaker is free for purchasing officers who preregister.

For more information about the Matchmaker, call the SBDC at (315) 386-7312, email sbdc@canton.edu, or visit www.canton.edu/sbdc.

About the Small Business Development Center

The SUNY Canton SBDC offers free direct counseling and a wide range of management and technical assistance services. Small business advisors help start-up companies develop business plans, assist existing businesses prepare to expand or offer industry specific resources. Business planning services are provided free of charge. It is one of 1,000 Small Business Development Centers to provide no-cost business consulting and training to more than a million existing and startup small businesses each year, creating and retaining 156,000 jobs.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 10 exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 14 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III.

-www.canton.edu-