By Jamie Buzek
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

Eight years ago, the UH-Clear Lake Purchasing Department began a program to recognize minority and woman-owned businesses around Texas.

The annual HUB Fair (Historically Underutilized Businesses) was held Oct. 2 in Atrium II. The vendors, invited to participate by the Purchasing Department, must be registered with the state of Texas as minority or woman-owned businesses.

"The purpose is to promote women and minority-owned business to UH-Clear Lake personnel," said Debbie Carpenter, coordinator of operations for HUB activities.

Today, the fair is still successful in allowing businesses to show that they have the same products and services as larger companies. "The fair helps business tremendously. I've been coming for the last five to six years," said John Gibson of Worthington Paper.

Gibson, also a writer and novelist, and his company have a partnership with Staples Office Supplies. Worthington supplies UH-Clear Lake with its paper.

John Gay, regional sales manager
for Adjustec Manufacturing , Inc. (left)

Most of the businesses represented at the fair produce a variety of promotional products. Companies, such as Metromarketing Services, Inc., do business with other University of Houston campuses.

"We hope to bring in business [at UH-Clear Lake] because we do business with UH-Central, Cinco Ranch and Sugarland," said Steven Amaya, Metromarketing representative. "This is a great marketing medium."

Other companies, like Cuevas Distribution, Inc., support the fair itself but did not expect to get much business from UH-Clear Lake. The company, based in Fort Worth, sells laboratory supplies and equipment.

"The HUB Fair provides an inexpensive way to get exposure," said Shannon Kruse, Cuevas representative. UH-Clear Lake does not have much of a need for the supplies Kruse's company sells, but she hoped that visitors would learn about the company and recommend it to friends who are looking for those types of products.

John Gay, regional sales manager of Adjustec Manufacturing, Inc., was invited to the fair by one of his dealers.

His company designs, manufactures and distributes office chairs. Gay said he was very pleased with the fair because of its cheap cost to the vendors. The university allows the vendors to set up their booths free of charge.

"Students and visitors are responsive and genuinely interested in increasing the university's safety and productivity by using state-of-the-art equipment and supplies," Gay said.

The fair also provided the opportunity for students, faculty, staff and the public to speak to vendors and test their products. Many companies gave out free samples like notepads, pens, koozies, slinkies and paper clips.

The Purchasing Department held a raffle for a prize donated by one of the vendors. Visitors were given a sign-up sheet and had to have at least 10 vendors sign their sheet in order to enter the drawing for the prize. Among the many prizes raffled was a radio, won by Crystal
Morgan of the finance
department.                              Local businesses gather in
                                                           Atrium II for the HUB fair (above).

The HUB fair is held every year on the first Wednesday of October. For more information, call (281) 283-2150.

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