Conference Illuminates How to Be a Successful SMUD Supplier
November 1, 2006

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) executives and procurement professionals wel­comed regional business owners to the first SMUD Suppliers Net­working Conference and Power Player Awards Luncheon on November 1, 2006. This event, co-sponsored by SMUD and The Federal Technology Center, which drew 317 registrants, celebrated SMUD’s business partnerships and aimed to gener­ate new sources of supply.

Jan Schori, General Manager of SMUD, welcomed participants and offered a keynote address that highlighted the reasons to do business with SMUD. Attendees also heard from a panel of successful SMUD Prime Contractors, including Dennis Dudzik, representing URS Cor­poration; Keith O. Odister, CEO of K.O.O. Construction, Inc.; and Tom Wilbert, President of System 3, Inc.

Throughout the day, 27 ex­hibitors provided networking opportunities to the attendees. The program continued with enthusiastic presentations from successful small business own­ers. Oscar David, Founder of David Engineering Construction, Inc.; Robert C. Frase, Owner of Kortick Manufacturing; and Eric Quintero, President, Integrated Engineers and Contractors Cor­poration wanted other companies to know, “We did it, so can you!”

John DiStasio, Assistant General Manager, Energy De­livery and Customer Services for SMUD, discussed “Business Sustainability”, and Frankie Mc­Dermott, Manager, Supply Chain and General Services for SMUD, discussed contracting opportu­nities with SMUD, which are valued at approximately $250 million annually.

Luncheon keynote speaker, Bill Slaton, from the SMUD Board of Directors reinforced SMUD’s commitment to the business community and praised the 2000 SMUD employees for providing award-winning cus­tomer service to business and residential clients.

During the Power Player Awards luncheon, eight firms were recognized for their supe­rior contract performance, and for helping SMUD achieve its renewable energy goals and im­proving service reliability during 2005. The award winners were: David Engineering Construc­tion, Inc.; K.O.O. Construction, Inc.; Kortick Manufacturing; Phillips Enterprises, Inc.; System 3, Inc.; Integrated Engineers and Contractors Corporation; Urn Consulting; and URS Corporation.