Press Release

April 6, 2006
Contact: Jerry Carey
Phone: (856) 566-6171
careyge@umdnj.edu

UMDNJ Opens South Jersey Office to Encourage Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Participation

STRATFORD— The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has opened a new branch of its Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development on its Stratford campus. This program will assist small, minority, veteran and women-owned business in the South Jersey area take advantage of the business opportunities available within the university.

"We established this program on our Newark campus 20 years ago and we've had incredible success helping small businesses to establish solid business relationships with UMDNJ," said Ernestine Watson, assistant vice-president of the UMDNJ-Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development. "The university's presence is growing rapidly in South Jersey, and we want to do all that we can to make it easier for small businesses - particularly those owned by veterans, women and minorities - to do business with us."

The UMDNJ-Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development oversees the university's spending as it relates to opportunities for vendors through a vendor diversity program. The office ensures compliance with university policies and procedures regarding set-aside opportunities and sponsors, and supports programs to increase vendor awareness of the program. The office also provides small and minority-owned businesses help securing state certifications and with other matters so they develop lasting business relations that enable them to become long term sources of supply products and services to the university.

More information about the opportunities for small businesses is available on the UMDNJ Web site at www.umdnj.edu/supplierdiversity or by calling the Office of Supplier Diversity and Vendor Development in Stratford (856-566-2741) or in Newark (973-972-6288.