Diversity Alliance for Science to Host Fourth Annual Networking Conference and Expo

NEWARK, N.J., May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 17-18, 2011, Diversity Alliance for Science, Inc., a non-profit organization created to support, mentor, and develop minority-, woman-, veteran/service-disabled-, HUBZone-, and LGBT-owned, life sciences businesses, will host its fourth annual networking conference and EXPO event.  The two-day event will be held at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel in Newark, N.J. and will feature senior government officials, top-level pharmaceutical executives, and CEOs of diverse scientific and clinical enterprises.  In order to facilitate personal networking, relationship building, and to enable smaller diverse companies to have a higher profile, the conference limits participation to 400 attendees.   

Speakers will include Frans Johansson, award winning author of "The Medici Effect," widely named one of the best innovation books of the year and selected as one of the top 10 best business books by Amazon.com. Mr. Johansson has been featured on CNN's AC360, ABC's Early Morning Show, and CNBC's The Business of Innovation series along with Jack Welch and Muhammad Yunus. Dr. James H. Powell, MD, President of Strategic Medical Associates and Principal Investigator at National Medical Association, will be addressing the forum as well.  There will be a special pre-conference executive coaching seminar on May 16 entitled: "Critical Success Factors & Pitfalls:  "Thriving not just Surviving" given by Jane Lowenstein and Barbara Taylor, partners at JanBara & Associates.

Diversity Alliance for Science works to forge mutually beneficial relationships between diverse businesses, government agencies, pharmaceutical firms, biotech companies and academic medical centers in the life sciences.  Diversity has been shown to be a key factor in leading to health care innovation, thereby driving leading-edge competitiveness, economic development and growth in communities. 

Diversity Alliance for Science's Fourth Annual Networking Conference and EXPO will provide an important opportunity for participants to collaborate on best practices in fostering the inclusion of diverse businesses in clinical trials and scientific research.  One-on-one matchmaking sessions will foster mutually beneficial partnerships between participating diverse suppliers and attending corporations, academic institutions, and government agencies.  Additionally, the EXPO will include an interactive trade show where attending corporations can meet leading diverse suppliers.

Proceeds from a live and silent auction will provide access and education in the life sciences area to deserving inner-city New Jersey high-school students.  Scholarships will be presented to local students by the Office of the Mayor of Newark.

"This year's Diversity Alliance for Science annual networking conference and EXPO will be a wonderful opportunity to foster relationships and partnerships between diverse suppliers and corporations, academic entities, and governmental agencies," said Sylvester Wilkins, Sourcing Group Manager for GlaxoSmithKline's Corporate Services Procurement Organization and President of the Diversity Alliance for Science Board of Directors. "It has been very exciting to watch relationships formed during our annual conferences develop into successful and mutually beneficial partnerships. We look forward to continuing to foster relationships that will ultimately become 'success stories' at our conference this year.  One of my goals is to get the value of Diversity Alliance for Science visible to President Obama."

For more information, please see our video on YouTube at:  www.youtube.com/diversityalliance featuring Leah Brown, Vice President of the Diversity Alliance for Science Board of Directors and Owner and President of A10 Clinical Solutions discussing the events planned at this year's conference.  You can also follow Diversity Alliance for Science on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Diversity-Alliance-for-Science/184785268225575 and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/diversitya4s.

The fourth annual Diversity Alliance for Science Networking Conference and EXPO is being supported by GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Amgen, Pfizer, ExecuPharm, Fisher Scientific, Guard Dog Brand Development, Henry Schein, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Eli Lilly and Company, Abbott, Genentech, VWR International, Daiichi-Sankyo, The Takeda Oncology Company, ISM Pharmaceutical Forum, Bogier Clinical & IT Solutions, Inc.,  A10 Clinical Solutions Inc., Liberty IRB, Inc., Bright Pharmaceutical Services, Research Assist, Inc., Integrated Resources, Inc., US Tech Solutions, Drug Safety Alliance, Inc., Caligor Rx, Ancillare Global Clinical Strategies, Spectraforce, and East Hill Video.

About Diversity Alliance for Science, Inc. (DA4S)

Diversity Alliance for Science is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, mentoring, and developing minority-, women-, disabled-, small disadvantaged-, HUBZone-, veteran/service- disabled, and LGBT-owned businesses in the Life Sciences. Diversity Alliance for Science is committed to identifying, developing and increasing spending with certified diverse suppliers, and fostering relationships between those suppliers and the corporate, governmental, and academic entities who work in health care, research and development.  Diversity Alliance for Science's primary focus is to identify, develop and increase spending with certified diverse suppliers in the following areas: clinical research services; clinical trials supplies; analytical services; packaging; printing/labeling, bar code; biotechnology support services; virology services; drug analysis or assay; central laboratories; clinical data management; stability testing; animals suppliers; biomarkers analysis; chemical synthesis; biology services; pharmacokinetic services; DNA/RNA extraction; IRBs; medicinal chemistry; patient recruitment; drug discovery and related Life Sciences services and products.

SOURCE Diversity Alliance for Science