REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- The Army Materiel Command has presented small business forums in the past. But last week's event was its first since arriving at Redstone in 2011.
And the Team Redstone Industry Outreach on Feb. 18 was deemed a big success.
"This is the first ever Team Redstone (small business) event," Nancy Small, director of the AMC Small Business Office, said. "This is history breaking right here bringing all of our partners together both government and contractors."
The event drew 380 people from throughout the United States for top-level speakers and panel discussions at The Summit and The Overlook.
"The purpose of this event is to bring both government and industry together to talk about business opportunities right here at Redstone," Small said.
Tracey Pinson, director of the Army's Office of Small Business Programs, said during her morning remarks, "AMC owns 70 percent of the acquisition dollars (of the Army)."
AMC commander Gen. Dennis Via spoke that afternoon about how Team Redstone supports America's small business. Last year AMC did nearly $10 billion in small business and achieved its fiscal 2013 goals set by the Army.
"Small business is big business at AMC," Via said.
The Army Materiel Command delivers readiness to the Soldier globally and throughout the United States. "Even in declining resources, business opportunities will still exist especially in the small business community," Via said.
He encouraged the business representatives to take advantage of this opportunity to talk with top leaders about how they can conduct business at Redstone.
"We could not accomplish our mission without what you do in small business," Via said.
He showed a video about AMC's operations in the field. Its four centers of excellence include Redstone Arsenal, Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., Warren, Mich., and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
"At the end of the day our job is all about supporting the Soldier and we can only do that with our great support from industry," he said.
Via presented certificates of achievement to individuals who were instrumental in helping AMC reach its fiscal 2013 small business goals. The honorees included Eric Bankit of the Joint Munitions and Lethality Command, David Christ of the Research Development and Engineering Command, Christopher Evans of the Army Contracting Command, Marie Gapinski of the Tank Automotive and Armaments Command, Tim Kirkpatrick of the Aviation and Missile Command, Mark Massie of the Mission and Installation Contracting Command, John O'Brien of the Research Development and Engineering Command, Christina Ryan of the Space and Missile Defense Command, Paul Ward of the Army Sustainment Command, Kenyata Welsey of the Communications-Electronics Command, Alice Williams of the Army Contracting Command and Small of AMC.
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