INVENTOR, EXECUTIVE KEYNOTES TRADE EXPO

Daniel J. Lauer will be guest speaker at the Southeast Missouri Trade Expo at the Show Me Center May 5.

Lauer, inventor of the Waterbabies Doll, will address participants of the Expo during the opening session of the daylong event at 8:30 a.m. He is a native of St. Louis and president and chairman of the board of Lauer Toys Inc.

Lauer, who developed the unique water-filled baby dolls from prototype to finished product, will participate in other conference activities throughout the day. Lauer, who sold the Waterbaby rights to Playmate Toys Inc. in 1990, was featured recently in People magazine.

Other speakers at the Expo will include representatives from major purchasing organizations.

Representatives from the state of Missouri, Government Services Administration and the Defense Contract Management Command will explain procedures for becoming a government supplier.

Company representatives from businesses McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., Southwestern Bell, Wetterau Inc., Union Electric, Procter and Gamble, Drury Inns, Health Services Corporation of America, Southeast Missouri State University, Emerson Electric and others will discuss the type of goods and services they are seeking and procedures on how to enter their bid-purchasing programs.

Exhibits will showcase products and, or, services provided by area companies.

The conference officially starts May 4 at 7 p.m. with a wine and cheese reception at the historic Glenn House, and will end with a reception in the exhibit area at the Show Me Center.

Registrations will get under way May 5 at 8 a.m., with the opening session at 8:30 a.m.

Cost of the conference is $35 per person. Additional information is available by contacting the Cape Girardeau Small Business Development Center, (314)-290-5965.

The schedule:

May 4 at Glenn House:

7 p.m. Wine and cheese reception.

May 5 at Show Me Center:

8 a.m. Registration.

8:30 a.m. Keynote speaker, Dan Lauer.

10:15 a.m. How to sell to government.

10:15 a.m. Missouri Hospital Purchasing Council and Southeast Missouri State University representatives.

11:30 a.m. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, Emerson Electric, Southwestern Bell representatives.

1:15 p.m. Wetterau and Procter and Gamble representatives.

1:15 p.m. How to finance receivables and options to solve cash-flow problems.

2:30 p.m. Associated Natural Gas Co., Union Electric Co., Health Services Corporation and Drury Inns, representatives.

3:30 p.m. Networking Opportunity reception.

5 p.m. Conference wrapup.