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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Partners have announced that its 11th annual Palm Beach Partner’s Business Matchmaker Conference & Expo will take place on Friday, September 22 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Cohen Pavilion.

The Palm Beach Partners is a coalition of city, county, state and non-profit agencies aligned to maximize economic development opportunities for small businesses throughout the South Florida region.

The group includes: South Florida Water Management District, Palm Beach County Office of Small Business Assistance, Palm Beach International Airport, Palm Tran, School District of Palm Beach County, City of West Palm Beach, City of Riviera Beach, TED Center and Paragon Florida, Inc.

The daylong event will feature a selection of topical workshops, One-on-one matchmaker appointments with key decision makers, and exhibits.

The keynote speaker is Ann McNeill, president/CEO of one of South Florida’s few African American female-owned construction companies, McNeill Construction. The evening will culminate with a networking reception.

This year’s theme, “Charting the Course: Navigating Business Connections,” underscores the hosts intent to create a cross-county forum whereby small, women, minority-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises (SBE, M/WBE, DBE) from Monroe to St. Lucie Counties can generate region-wide opportunities at a single gathering.

“The goal of the 2017 Palm Beach Matchmaker Conference & Expo is to stimulate economic opportunity and job growth for South Florida’s Entrepreneurs,” said Laura Beebe, Deputy Director of Airports Business Affairs at Palm Beach County Department of Airports. “We’ve created an event that benefits the region’s top corporate, government, small businesses and non-profits to do business together.”

The fee to participate in the conference is $75 per person. Register at www.pbmatchmaker.com or by mailing checks payable to The TED Center, 401 W. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444.

To become a sponsor, contact LB Limited & Associates at 561-833-8080 or blewislb@bellsouth.net.

The City of West Palm Beach Procurement Department offers opportunities for all suppliers, including small businesses. It values business relationships and strives to promote fair and equitable treatment of all suppliers.

To learn more about its procurement opportunities in the area of goods and services, construction and professional services, call 561-822-2100 or visit www.wpb.org/procurement.