Aug. 22, 2003

Stakeholder Relations

UO/E exhibits at Missouri Legislative Black Caucus conference

University Outreach and Extension was well-represented at the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Foundation Conference, Aug. 7-9, in Kansas City. UO/E's exhibit acquainted African-American legislators with high-impact statewide programs under the themes:

Pictured (from left): front, Lucinda Carr and David Myers; back, Al Black and Wayne Moore.

• Master gardening
• Grandparenting
• 4-H youth
• Family nutrition
• Health
• Technology skill training
• Improving income
• Community leadership.

Al Black, WC Region director, coordinated the effort and says, "The conference provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our programs, renew current relationships and build new ones."

WC staff who visited with legislators at the exhibit were Marsha Alexander, Lucinda Carr, Leon Moon, Wayne Moore, David Myers, Tammy Roberts and Cindy Zluticky. System Program Director Julie Middleton and SC Region Director Wayne Moore also assisted in staffing the booth. Photos for display were provided by Roxanne Miller, EC information specialist.

Advisory group to provide input on business programs

An advisory committee has been formed to provide input and direction for UO/E Business Development Programs.

The advisory group is an expansion of the Missouri Small Business Development Centers advisory board, which was established in 1989. The new group will provide expertise to enhance the program's success; provide stakeholder input to guide strategy; participate in the planning and oversight process by conveying the needs and problems facing Missouri's entrepreneurial companies; and advocate on behalf of the program to stakeholders, media and the general public.

The membership of the UO/E Business Development Program Advisory Board is drawn from across programs. Representing UO/E are Pat Sobrero, associate vice president for university outreach; Mark Stillwell, CM Region director; and Tony DeLong, chairman of the Missouri Extension County Council Leadership Council.

Business owners comprise 50 percent of the group's membership, which also includes representatives from partner organizations, such as chambers of commerce and banks; stakeholders from Small Business Development Center host institutions and other funding agencies.

The advisory committee held its first meeting Aug. 12.

"It is an honor for us to have such wide and varied expertise engaged in formulating the direction for the program," says Steve Wyatt, system program director. "One of the important objectives for all UO/E programs is that we truly be engaged at the local level and ensure representation of citizen concerns in our planning and programming. The diverse membership of this board guarantees that we do exactly that."

		Eileen Yager, yagere@umsystem.edu Weekly News Editor Last modified: January 08, 2007
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