[nfbmi-talk] National Randolph Sheppard Conference

Fred Wurtzel f.wurtzel at comcast.net
Thu Dec 10 03:17:12 UTC 2009


Partnership puts progress ahead of politics: Brings business, leadership,
advocacy, support and training to Randolph-Sheppard. 

 

Rehabilitation Services Administration to serve as key sponsor for National
Training and Leadership Conference, June 9-12, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in
Crystal City, Virginia. 

 

For many years, the National Association of Blind Merchants has been proud
to present Business Leadership and Superior Training (BLAST) to educate and
empower blind entrepreneurs and our many agency and private sector partners.
Kevan Worley, President of the National Association of Blind Merchants,
recently said, "By any measure, BLAST has been the acknowledged leader,
bringing timely and transformative training to our field. In 2010, we look
forward to the next level of enlightenment, instruction and empowerment and
we are proud and excited to support this new transitional training event." 

 

The Rehabilitation Services Administration, working closely with the
National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, National Federation of the
Blind, National Association of Blind Merchants, and other stakeholders, are
finalizing plans for the Randolph-Sheppard National Training and Leadership
Conference, in Crystal City, Virginia, June 9-12, 2010. According to Nicky
Gacos, First Vice President of the National Association of Blind Merchants,
who has been serving on the planning committee, "The planning team has
worked to make sure that many of the most powerful, educational and
networking elements of BLAST will continue, while ensuring the involvement
of others." Nicky explains, "We of NABM have always believed that a
conference which is national in scope, bringing all segments of the
Randolph-Sheppard and blind business development community together, is the
only real way to ensure cutting edge instruction for all. This process,
underwritten with significant funding from RSA, will help raise program
expectations and the profile of our program." "Holding this conference in
Washington, DC, the seat of government, also makes a great deal of sense,"
Gacos said. 

 

The conference agenda currently being developed calls for a schedule of
events, training sessions, receptions and tradeshow to follow a schedule
very similar to what has become the traditional BLAST schedule; however, the
ability for the Rehabilitation Services Administration to utilize its
authority and contacts within federal agencies, will likely result in
additional reach, potentially bringing greater recognition of the
Randolph-Sheppard priority among government officials. Moreover, direct
funding from the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the United States
Department of Education will provide for stipends which will assist more
State Licensing Agency personnel and licensed blind vendors to be able to
afford to attend the Randolph-Sheppard National Training and Leadership
Conference. 

 

Secretary of the National Association of Blind Merchants, Kim Williams,
said, "This might turn out to be a dream conference. Many in our field have
worked hard to get all the groups to work together. That has certainly been
important to the National Association of Blind Merchants. We know that many
of our constituents are concerned that NABM has thrown our full support
behind this national training conference, rather than having our traditional
BLAST event, but we think moving in this direction will ensure that the most
positive elements of BLAST will continue and will likely bring even more
stakeholders to the table so they too can take advantage of education and
networking under a larger umbrella, including RSA, and NCSAB." According to
Mrs. Williams, "it really has been a pleasure to serve on the planning
committee with Terry Smith, Director of Services for the Blind of Tennessee,
Suzanne Mitchell, the Randolph-Sheppard specialist for RSA, Dr. Tom Finch of
RSA, and others. I think we have all learned from the national conference
held in the early 90's and the one held in 2000. Moreover, we are bringing
lessons learned and positive energy from the BLAST conferences held over the
past decade to this process." 

 

The National Association of Blind Merchants email box and the weekly
merchant message line have been inundated in recent weeks with questions
about the 2010 BLAST. We have answered these queries by saying that the
National Association of Blind Merchants is putting our energy, experience
and imagination to work in a collaborative effort with RSA, NCSAB and some
of our traditional sponsors and supporters to create a new, dynamic event
which has the real potential to reach a broader audience. Building on the
successes of the Blind Entrepreneurs Alliance, it has been the contention of
the National Association of Blind Merchants that groups with common
interests should be able to work together for the collective good without
compromising some of their specific or distinctive political or
philosophical principles. Certainly, the Randolph-Sheppard National Training
and Leadership Conference will allow us to take advantage of an economy of
scale. With the support of some of our traditional suppliers and sponsors, a
non-partisan educational climate, the institutional support and funding from
RSA, and even greater participation from state agencies, more individuals
will be able to take part and there will likely be a broader array of
presentations from government and private sector. The stipends to be
provided and the economics of scale (understood by most business people) may
make it possible for those dealing with severe economic challenges, budget
limitations and travel freezes to be able to participate. Moreover, more
hearts and heads working in collaboration to face the serious challenges we
face in Randolph-Sheppard, the greater the possibility exists that we will
literally be able to transform Randolph-Sheppard in a way which will bring
better services, greater opportunity, increased energy, and new
non-traditional business development for blind and vision impaired
Americans.

 

Plans currently call for blind entrepreneurs interested in taking part in
the Blind Entrepreneurs Alliance (BEA) Capitol Hill activities to arrive in
Crystal City on Tuesday evening, June 8, 2010. Wednesday morning, the 9th,
BEA members will be briefed on current legislative issues and then head to
Capitol Hill to educate members of Congress to the issues on
Randolph-Sheppard challenges and opportunities. This portion of the
Washington fly-in experience has no official linkage to, or funding from,
the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It will, however, make it
possible for more blind vendors to participate in our annual Washington
fly-in. They can then remain for the Randolph Sheppard National Training and
Leadership Conference. 

 

Plans currently call for training and education sessions to begin Wednesday
afternoon and evening reception. Dynamic educational programs on Thursday
and Friday. Planning committee member, Nicky Gacos, explains, "Although the
actual BLAST conference will be on hiatus for 2010, we are working to
provide a dynamic tradeshow to be integrated into this national conference
on Thursday afternoon. Our constituents have told us this is important to
them. They demand it, the Randolph-Sheppard community deserves it, and we
are proud to take the lead to develop it." 

 

The amount of dollars provided by the RSA grant and method of distributing
these dollars to the states to assist SLA officials and blind vendors has
not yet been finalized. Certainly not every SLA official or blind vendor can
be funded; it is the NABM's position that many of those who typically attend
BLAST will make every effort to use personal funds or secure other dollars
as we support the first Randolph Sheppard National Training and Leadership
Conference of the new decade. Together we can transform Randolph-Sheppard
and build a future filled with possibility and profit for blind
entrepreneurs. 

 

 

 

 




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