Business lunch stresses importance of local shopping

  • Published
  • By Diane Betzler
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  School District officials and representatives from Edwards Air Force Base spoke to local business people at the Antelope Valley Board of Trade Business Briefing Luncheon, Nov. 18.

The purpose of the briefing was to educate local business people and citizens about the benefits of shopping locally for merchandise and needed services to keep money circulating here in the Antelope Valley's economy.

The briefing was presented by a panel of speakers who each made a short presentation on how to do business with their particular enterprise and then opened the floor for questions.

On the panel was Mike Strickler, director of Public Affairs for Edwards AFB and his administrative assistant, Cari Smith; Al Tsai and Randie Almonte, each representing a division of the Palmdale School District, Jeri Holmes from the Westside Unified School District and Jan Callard, chairman of the board of the Antelope Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Palmdale School Board member Sandy Corrales-Eneix served as moderator and introduced the members of the panel.

Corrales-Eneix pointed out to those attending the luncheon that someone on the panel could be a future client and told the panelists to take a good look at the audience because, she said, "Your best venture may be sitting out there."

She said often businesses forget that the school district isn't just an academic institution and Edwards isn't just a military organization, "You are looking at the largest employers in the Antelope Valley," Corrales-Eneix advised.

Strickler was the first panelist to address the audience and explained how to do business with Edwards.

For starters he advised interested individuals or business officials to register on the base website at www.edwards.af.mil, and click on TILO Registration. Strickler said the base has lots of contracts going and said Edwards is a strong supporter of the local communities.

He also advised that people may contact Donna Thomason at the base business office. Thomason can be reached at: donna.thomason@edwards.af.mil or contact Dennis Shoffner in the Public Affairs office. Shoffner's phone number is: (661) 277-3517.
Tsai talked about what the Palmdale School District has to offer and said there are several potential business opportunities available at the district.

Tsai runs the maintenance part of the district and said the district has several public projects going that involve construction, reconstruction, maintenance work including minor repainting and landscaping.

He also advised potential business partners to register with the school district.
"We go through our list of available contractors when there is work to be done," Tsai said, explaining how the District hires it contractors. Tsai said the District notifies everyone registered about the needed service and puts the contract out for bid. "The job is awarded to the lowest bidder," Tsai said.

Holmes said the process works pretty much the same for the Westside School District, except, she said, her district is a lot smaller and a lot less formal.

"An interested business person can bring me a letter to let me know what kind of services he or she has to offer," Holmes said.

Holmes said people can call her or email their information to her although she does prefer receiving a hard copy informational letter.

She said the Westside School District is looking for several different services, "We're wide open," she said.

An estimated 160 people attended the AVBOT Business Luncheon, which is about 50 people more than the Board of Trade expected. They had to set up some extra tables, but Ruth Ann Thomas, office manager for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce said they didn't mind that at all. "It shows the community is really interested," she said.