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 Maj. Gen. 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.
