February 11, 2000
Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 energy services company nationally recognized for its achievements in workforce and supplier diversity, will give small-business owners a chance to explore contracting opportunities as part of its co-sponsorship of the Southern California Regional Purchasing Council's 31st Annual "Minority Business Opportunity Day" Trade Fair (MBOD 2000). The event will be held at the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center Feb. 16-17, 2000.
The MBOD 2000 Trade Fair will bring together representatives of major corporations and thousands of minority suppliers to discuss purchasing opportunities. The seminars and workshops will shed light on how to do business with majority companies, trends in purchasing and new opportunities for e-commerce.
Visitors to the Sempra Energy booth can learn more about the company's Diverse Business Enterprise (DBE) program, which helps small, minority-, women- and service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses participate in purchasing and contracting activities on a competitive-bid basis. Over the last six years, Sempra Energy has spent more than $700 million with these businesses.
Recently, Sempra Energy signed its largest-ever contract with a minority supplier - a $40 million, three-year agreement with Torrance, Calif.-based ACT-1 Personnel Services.
"We believe that supplier diversity is a smart business strategy that makes us a stronger competitor, more closely allied to our customers," said Shawn Farrar, DBE manager for Sempra Energy. "We encourage small-business owners from all over California to attend the MBOD Trade Fair and learn about exciting contracting opportunities with major companies like ours."
Sempra Energy also is the exclusive sponsor of the enterprise Awards Reception Feb. 16, at which several corporations will recognize the achievements of minority business "star suppliers." Five companies that supply goods and services to Sempra Energy also will be present to discuss their experiences contracting with a Fortune 500 company.
Sempra Energy's diversity programs have been nationally recognized. The company was the top-ranked Southern California firm on Fortune mag-azine's 1999 list of "Best Companies for Asians, Blacks and Hispanics." Sempra Energy —which was ranked No. 4 overall— was recognized for its achievements in hiring, promoting and valuing the contributions of minorities, as well as for its commitment to minority contracting.
For more information on MBOD Trade Fair, call (213) 380-7114 or (714) 750-1083.
For more information on Sempra Energy's Diverse Business Enterprises program, call 1-800-325-5966.
Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 12,000 employees and revenues of $5.5 billion. Through its seven principal subsidiaries—Southern California Gas Company, San Diego Gas & Electric, Sempra Energy Solutions, Sempra Energy Trading, Sempra Energy International, Sempra Energy Resources and Sempra energy Financial—Sempra Energy serves more than 9 million customers in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Return
to Frontpage