Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America Blind Businessmen and Businesswomen Building a Better America!

SAGEBRUSH CONFERENCE 2008
“A NEW BEGINNING ON AN OLD THEME”

Presented by
RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA
RSVA invites you to attend the 2008 Sagebrush Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Training Conference.  Since this is the first year RSVA is handling the conference, you will notice many positive changes in the programming.  One of the highlights of the 2008 Conference will be our special luncheon guest speaker Mr. Jay Randolph, son of the late Senator Jennings Randolph who co-authored the Randolph-Sheppard Act.  The conference will be held in beautiful Las Vegas Nevada.  Enclosed is your tentative Conference schedule as well as your registration form. 
REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE MONEY

DATE:                 Monday - February 4th - Friday - February 8th
Room reservations must be made directly with the hotel
PLACE:              Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas
                             129 E Fremont Street Las Vegas, NV 89101
PHONE:              (800) 634-3454 • Meeting Group Code • Sagebrush Conference
ROOM RATES: South Tower, $89.00 (plus tax) Sunday - Thursday
South Tower, $139.00 (plus tax) Friday & Saturday
NOTE:                     HOTEL RESERVATIONS DEADLINE IS JANUARY 11, 2008
Please check the hotel’s room reservation policy

The legendary Golden Nugget is a four diamond award winning and has long been the best of the downtown hotels, but its new owners have now completed a 100 million dollar renovation with upgrades to the property making it a spectacular place to visit.
 
Features include two gourmet restaurants, Vick and Anthony’s, a steak and seafood house, and the Grotto, an Italian restaurant, both in the North Tower.  Also the buffet is located on the 2nd floor of the North Tower.  The South Tower features the Carson Street Café, a long time favorite, and the famous Lillie’s Noodle House Chinese Restaurant.  They also have two Starbucks, a Spa and Salon.  There are gift shops and bars on the ground level in both the South and North Towers.

In addition, they are working on an expansion phase which will bring a new nightclub Gold Diggers that will overlook the Fremont Street Experience, a succulent Red Sushi Bar, and more than 11,000 square feet of event space in their new Grand Ballroom.  All this is slated to open in December 2007 and should be a great addition to our visit to Las Vegas.  You can check out the Golden Nugget at www.goldennugget.com.  They also offer free parking to guest.  The Golden Nugget is only minutes from strip.

The featured attraction at the golden Nugget is a three-story pool with a 200,000 gallon shark aquarium over the swimming pool.  This unique spectacle only gets better with a water slide that passes through a glass tube that descends through the center of the sharks and other sea life before you are dropped into the pool.  They also have two pool bars, what an exciting and unique place to get together. 

Monday, February 4, 2008
3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.     Conference Registration
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.     RSVA Board of Directors Dinner Meeting                                 

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.     Conference Registration
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.     Sit Down Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.     Welcome to Sagebrush and Introduction of Participants
Mr. Charles Glaser, RSVA President, GA
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.   HELP Committee Update:
Mr. Mark Linton, Barack O’Bama’s Staff Liaison to the HELP Committee in DC
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Break     
10:15 a.m. -11:00 a.m.  Blind Entrepreneurs Alliance (BEA) Update: Happenings in     Congress on Issues Related to Randolph-Sheppard, the RS Bill, the OASIS Project, and Other Related Legislation
Ms. Catriona Macdonald, President Linchpin LLC, DC
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Panel:  Who Do You Know In Congress
Mr. Mark Linton, Barack O’Bama’s Staff Liaison to the HELP Committee in DC
Ms. Catriona Macdonald, President Linchpin LLC, DC
Mr. Eric Bridges, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, American Council of the Blind, DC
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.             Lunch on Your Own
1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     Break-Out Sessions
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.     RSA First Timers an Orientation for new SLA Staff:
                                                Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, VR Program Specialist RSA, DC
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.     Social Security and Randolph-Sheppard:
Mr. Randy Pontow, CSIC Certified Work Incentives Coordinator, Center for Independent Living, NV
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.     Break
2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.     Government Contracts:
                                                Ms. Joan Fiorino, Attorney, Dulske & Fiorino, TX
2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.     Funding the Elected Committee:
                                                Mr. John Gordon, Chairman Elected Committee, IL
Mr. Mike Underhill, Elected Committee, TX
Mr. Dan Sippl, Chairman Elected Committee, WI
Mr. Robert Humphreys Randolph-Sheppard Attorney, DC
3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.     Break
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     Continuation:  Government Contracts
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     Blind Technological Accessibility:
Mr. Eric Bridges, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, American Council of the Blind, DC
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.     Welcome to Nevada, Reception

Wednesday, February 6, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.     Conference Registration
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.     Sit Down Breakfast
9:00 a.m. -           9:15 a.m.     Announcements and Introductions
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.   Preference or Priority:
Ms. Catriona Macdonald, President Linchpin LLC, DC
Mr. Robert Humphreys Randolph-Sheppard Attorney, DC
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Federal Prison Changes and Opportunities:
Ms. Darlene Ely, Procurement Executive,
Bureau of Prisons, DC
11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.  Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Marketing the BEP:
                                                Ms. Peggy Dennis, Facility Development Specialist, NC
Mr. Mike Hooks, BEP Director, TX
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.   Lunch on Your Own
1:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     Break-Out Sessions
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.     Performance Goals and Measures:
Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, VR Program Specialist RSA, DC
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.     Conducting Good Meetings:
                                                Mr. Don Stevens, Parliamentarian, AL
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.     Break
2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.     The New RSA 15:
Mr. Ray Hopkins, Randolph-Sheppard Specialist
RSA, DC
2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.     Tax Credits for Hiring People with Disabilities:
                                                IRS Speaker
3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.     Break
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     SLA Round Table:
                                                Mr. Ray Dennis BEP Director, AL
                                                Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, VR Program Specialist RSA, DC
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.     Vendors Round Table:
                                                Mr. Mike Lee, President L & S Services, GA
                                       Mr. Ray Hopkins, Randolph-Sheppard Specialist
RSA, DC
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.     Reception and Auction, Cash Bar and Snacks
  Auction Begins at 7:00 p.m.,
  With All Proceeds Going to RSVA’s Legislative Effort

Thursday, February 7, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.     Conference Registration
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.     Sit Down Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.     Announcements and Introductions
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.   Healthier Snacks Project:
                                                Ms. Laura Tanase MS, RD, LD,
Center for Disease Control, GA
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Emerging Trends:
Ms. Lesley Swartz, National Accounts Sales Manager PepsiCo, NC
11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.  Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Open Forum on Randolph-Sheppard State to State:
                                                Mr. Mike Lee, President L & S Services, GA
                                                Ms. Lisa Kemp, Business Enterprise Program, OH
Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, VR Program Specialist RSA, DC
Mr. Ray Hopkins, Randolph-Sheppard Specialist
RSA, DC
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. SAGEBRUSH EXHIBIT EXPO & RECEPTION
FIVE HOURS OF RANDOM CASH & PRIZE DRAWINGS

Friday, February 8, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.     Refreshments
9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.     Announcements and Introductions
9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.   GSA Permits, Contracts and Opportunities:
Ms. Deborah Purdie, Concessions Contact, GSA, DC
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.  Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Panel:  New Opportunities with Teaming Partners
  Moderator:  Mr. Mike Barklay, Southern Food Services, AL
11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.  Break
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Panel Nominee Agencies:
Mr. Ray Hopkins, Randolph-Sheppard Specialist
RSA, DC
Ms. Suzanne Mitchell, VR Program Specialist RSA, DC
Mr. Joseph Decasta, Agency for the Blind Director, WI
Mr. Dan Sippl, Chairman Elected Committee, WI
Mr. David Kennedy BEP Director, VA
Mr. John Gordon, Chairman Elected Committee, IL
Ms. Betty Odem Davis Agency for the Blind Director, IL
Mr. Robert Humphreys Randolph-Sheppard Attorney, DC
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.   Annual Awards Luncheon
  Keynote Speaker:  Mr. Jay Randolph, St. Louis, Missouri
Sports Director for KSDK and Son of Senator Jennings Randolph Co-Author of the Randolph-Sheppard Act
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.   Conference Wrap-up