Webinar: Doing Business with The University of Connecticut (UCONN)

Webinar: Doing Business with The University of Connecticut (UCONN)

Presenter: Marisol Herrera, State Director, CTPTAC & Region 1 Director, APTAC; Veronica F. Cook, Executive Program Director, UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP)

Registration Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Zg6AFcarRcWV5j6MmtWDaA
Please submit questions prior to the webinar to: ptac@ctptac.org

This webinar is designed to help you understand the following when doing business with UConn:
• UConn’s supplier outreach and onboarding process
• How do suppliers locate UConn’s Supplier Diversity Program
• What products or services UConn is looking to buy in the next 6 to 12 months
• Where to find UConn Opportunities
• Top 3 issues that prevent potential suppliers from being awarded contracts
• Top 3 tips for potential suppliers looking to do business with UConn

Veronica F. Cook, Executive Program Director, UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP)

Veronica Fletcher Cook is the Executive Program Director for the UConn Supplier Diversity Program (USDP) and has been the Program’s leader since its inception in 2005. Veronica is a 28-year veteran of the University of Connecticut’s University Business Services Department, which includes Procurement Contracting and Compliance, Capital Projects and Facilities Procurement, and Purchasing. Veronica’s USDP responsibilities encompass UConn’s main and regional campuses as well as UConn Health located in Farmington CT. The mission of the USDP is to expand enrollment and participation of small/minority businesses (S/MBE’s) on University contracts, with an endeavor to educate, encourage S/MBE’s to participate, build relationships, connect S/MBE’s to UConn’s buying professionals and measure compliance to effect positive change for S/MBE’s. Veronica has presented and served on various planning and program committees for the National Association for Educational Procurement (NAEP); and since the start of Covid, she has served as co-chair on both the NAEP DEI Committee and (a year later) the Supplier Diversity Sub-committee. Under Veronica’s leadership, the USDP has been the recipient of awards by organizations such as the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC – 2018, 2019, and 2022) and the Minority Construction Council (MCC – 2018), as well as Insight Into Diversity’s Jesse L. Moore Supplier Diversity Award (2021 and 2022) and NAEP’s Inaugural Eddie H. Jackson Supplier Diversity Award (2021). Veronica’s message to S/MBE’s is this: “the University of Connecticut is open for business; please KEEP knocking until the door is answered”. Veronica holds a Master’s Degree from Eastern Connecticut State University; and in addition to her Supplier Diversity responsibilities, she was a First Year Experience Instructor for UConn’s Freshman class for over a decade.

Click here to view more events