Starting a Food-Based Business

Virginia Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce an excellent opportunity for food-based business entrepreneurs . . .

Starting a Food-Based Business

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Spencer-Penn Centre, Alumni Hall

475 Spencer-Penn Road, Spencer, VA 24165


The conference is free, but registration is required.

To Register: Contact the Henry County Virginia Cooperative Extension office at 276-634-4650 or e-mail Donna Draper ddraper@vt.edu

The program (see below) will provide you with a list of topics and speakers. Please share this invitation with other entrepreneurs.

8:45 a.m. Welcome...................................... Mark Stroud, City Council, City of Martinsville

Debra Buchanan, Henry County Board of Supervisors

Mary Jordan, Spencer-Penn Centre



9:00 a.m. An Entrepreneur’s Perspective...................... Paul Hooper, Hooper Foods, LLC



9:15 a.m. VDACS: Helping Small Business.............................................. Bud Anderson

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services



10:00 a.m. Health Department Regulations Governing a Food Establishments

Sharon Ortiz-Garcia, MPH, West Piedmont Health Department



10:45 a.m. Break



11:00 a.m. Business Planning for a Small, Food-Based Venture

· Lisa Fultz, Martinsville-Henry County EDC FastTrac Entrepreneurship Program

· Tiffany Underwood, Executive Director, West Piedmont Business Development Center

· Ben Bowman, Director, Culinary Arts Program, Patrick Henry Community College

· Robert Donnan, Community Development Consultant, EDC



11:45 a.m. Taking a Product from Recipe to Retail: Resources for Small, Value-Added Food Product Development

Joell Eifert, Laboratory Specialist Senior Virginia Tech Food Science and Technology



12:30 p.m. Lunch sponsored by

Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation



1:15 p.m. Marketing Resources for Small & Micro Food Ventures

................................................................................................. Theresa Nartea

Marketing & Agribusiness Extension Specialist

Virginia Cooperative Extension

2:00 p.m. Panel of Success

Derrick Beverly and Darla Main Scheider



3:00 p.m. Tour of Spencer-Penn Community Kitchen