CONFERENCE WRAP-UP
A
Matchmaking Veterans and Businesses
fter serving his country for 24 years, Rich Dryden retired from the Navy in
1994. Upon retiring, he worked in small businesses, one of which was a Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE). Dryden joined the organization to take ad- vantage of his vast experiences and to support disabled veteran entrepreneurs. In July of 2005, he became the Executive Di- rector for the California Disabled Veter- ans Alliance in Sacramento and since then has a tenfold growth in the budget to meet the growing needs of disabled veterans. The California Alliance works with
new disabled veterans and those already in business to assist their transition from military service back into economic soci- ety. As the executive director, Dryden works closely with these veterans to sup- port business relationships with govern- ment agencies as well as with corporate America that use disabled veteran busi- nesses in their contracting efforts, “Veter- ans are a microcosm of America’s diverse population so it is imperative to ensure all diverse elements of veterans are treated equally just as we would have that in the entire U.S. Business World.” Dryden adds that joining an organization such as the DBVE is “the best way to support Ameri- ca’s heroic men and women of all diverse
Captian Rich Dryden was a Navy helicopter pilot and is a Vietnam Veteran.
backgrounds that seek entrepreneurism to help them to rehabilitate positively back into their economic community when they leave the service.” “We provide free membership to our constituency and we enjoy very generous corporate support from some of America’s top companies,” says Rich Dryden on the benefits of joining the organization and its ongoing efforts to increase membership. Another added benefit of joining the Cali- fornia Alliance is its annual conference, “this is the most focused event of its kind
Accomplishments and Challenges
for our Disabled Veterans By: Rick Reed
come greater than they were and less in part. They have risen above the average in serving those more and less fortunate. They have made individual sacrifices in serv- ing the liberty of many. They are free individuals who follow a chain of command. They may not claim to be heroes, and yet they all are. They are Americans and their families may have originally come from anywhere on Earth. They are the individual men and women who serve their country and return home as America’s disabled veterans.
T Please visit our website for additional article information.
hey are happy go lucky and deadly serious. They are innocent and wise. Come from places near and far, high or low. They are men and women who have be-
in the U.S.,” states Rich Dryden. The 2011 conference will be in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia on May 23rd
& 24th . This year’s
theme Business Matchmaking, will assist in building new relationships between buyers and constituents whom have not met. Attending and participating in this conference is important because as Dryden suggests, “we introduce commercial, cor- porate and government buyers to our busi- nesses and to form relationships among all diverse participants.” In 2009, Dryden was recognized for
his work with veterans when he was hon- ored by the California Department of Vet- erans Affairs’ first ever John K Lopez Award for Entrepreneurship Excellence- Individual Recognition. During his time with the California Alliance, Dryden men- tions he has assisted in the expansion of “the Corporate Advisory Board threefold and building two annual events that are the largest of their kind in the U.S., Keep- ing the Promise and the Veterans Day Breakfast Tribute.” As for upcoming goals, Dryden mentions that he would like the conferences to “grow attendance by 150%.”
Information on the California Disabled
Veteran Business Alliance can be found by visiting:
www.cadvbe.org
WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM CELEBRATING 11 YEARS OF DIVERSITY PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 17
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