RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

RSVA SAGEBRUSH 2025 NATIONAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TRAINING CONFERENCE

• Pre-Conference RSVA Board of Directors Meeting

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RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

RSVA SAGEBRUSH 2025 NATIONAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TRAINING CONFERENCE

Day 1 Morning

• Moderator: Randall Crosby (FL), Crosby’s Café, Inc., RSVA® Board member
• Welcome to Sagebrush: Scott Eggen (MN), SVS Vending, RSVA® President
• Welcome from Nevada: Business Enterprises of Nevada
• Introductions: Scott Eggen (MN), RSVA® President
• NAMA News and Trends in the Industry: Robert Jackson, Director Government Affairs, National Automatic Merchandising Association

Find out about news and laws affecting vending managers. Learn about the ongoing training offered by NAMA.

• Southern Teaming Partners Update: Walt Berry (AL), President Southern Teaming Partners

• Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) News and Updates”:

Learn about the conflict resolution process, tips for successful outcomes for complaints, and updates to RSA circulars. Get tips on how vendors and staff can find the information they need.

iPhone and Android tips and useful apps: Conference Participants

• USI Innovations:

Learn the latest on USI offerings and support.

• Helping to build your business. Theodore C. Drake (CA), Global Accessibility Leader, Intuit Inc.

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RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

RSVA SAGEBRUSH 2025 NATIONAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TRAINING CONFERENCE

Day 1 Afternoon

• Moderator: Ronald Flormata (HI), RMF Enterprises, Inc., RSVA® Board member

• Current state BEP Training and options for improvements Brian Switzer, Program Manager of Accessibility Technology, Training, and Research, Carroll Center for the Blind; Heather Miller (AR), Director of Education and Training, World Services for the Blind

• Get up and get moving Leslie Spoon (FL), Co-chair ACB Get up and get moving committee

• Motivating State Agencies to Improve Their Business Enterprise Programs. Ryan Skinner, Business Enterprise Program Director, South Carolina Commission for the Blind; Corey Marcum, Director Kentucky Business Enterprise; Bill Findley, Business Enterprise, FL DOE Division of Blind Services; Rachel Hollen (DE), Business Enterprise Program Director, NCSAB Randolph-Sheppard “Committee Chair; and Chris Prentice, former TX State Attorney.

The panel will discuss how state agency staff could be more entrepreneurial in their efforts to get new vending facility locations. Suggestions will include ways to help blind vendors to be more entrepreneurial.

• Continuation of Motivating State Agencies to Improve Their Business Enterprise Programs

• American Council of the Blind Updates and activities: Scott Thornhill (DC), Executive Director American Council of the Blind

He’ll share ACB programs and services, upcoming conferences and educational opportunities, as well as current advocacy efforts

• What’s happening with food trucks and Pods? What RS initiatives are being explored to combat this competition? Jim Hemmen (WA), Business Enterprise Program Manager, WA State Department of Services for the Blind; Ben Ploch (MI), Michigan EOC Chair

We’ll hear updates on the progress with food trucks working together with local vendor managers and efforts on starting food trucks for vendors. What are states doing about food trucks and pods taking customers away from BEP?

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RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

RSVA SAGEBRUSH 2025 NATIONAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TRAINING CONFERENCE

Day 2

• Moderator: Herbert Reado (LA), RSVA® Board Member

• Technologies benefiting BEP operators and VI staff: Kayla Smith or Bryan Allen (VA), OEM Sales Manager Medeco Security Locks; John Palmer Patriot Systems; Robert Serian (CA), Head of Business Development & Territory Management, Envision Technologies B.V.; Karthik Mahadevan, CEO Envision Technologies B.V.

Many technologies assist vendors while they are managing a facility. These speakers will highlight how their products/service will improve the business owner’s abilities to manage the business.

• What’s new in Technology for Kiosks/Micro Markets and Vending Management:Matt Kotsch, Territory Sales Representative, Trinity Access, Inc.; Waseem Salamah, Key Account Manager - Micro Markets/Vending, AVS Companies.

You’ll learn about technology used for micro markets and back-end services in vending and micro market management including credit card processing.

• Simplified Robert’s Rules of Order Speaker Frank Cuta

• Report from the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind and Randolph-Sheppard: Catriona Macdonald (DC), President Linchpin Strategies, LLC.

Learn about new strategies in the Randolph-Sheppard Program. Get updates on NCSAB activities and the latest NCSAB news on Randolph-Sheppard including legislation and regulations affecting the RS Program.

• RSVA® Sagebrush Awards Luncheon: Moderator: Scott Eggen (MN), RSVA® President

• Luncheon Speaker: Stevie Ray (MN), Stevie Ray's Improv Company, a non-profit arts and training organization;

topic: “How to influence others.”

• Presenting "Terry Camardelle and Charlie Carroll Advocacy Scholarship Award” and “Warren Toyama and George Arsnow Scholarship Award”

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RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD VENDORS OF AMERICA CELEBRATING OVER FIFTY YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ADVOCACY

RSVA SAGEBRUSH 2025 NATIONAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TRAINING CONFERENCE

Day 3

• Moderator: Ardis Bazyn (CO), Bazyn Communications, RSVA® First Vice President

• Innovative businesses in the BEP food service arena Amy Keller (CA), Co-Founder & CEO, Climate Candy; Jack Pinnock (FL), Dreamie Foods, Inc; Laurel and Moti, Push Beverages

• Bookkeeping strategies for your Business Jane Carona (MD), Treasurer of the Braille Revival League and Treasurer of ACB of Maryland (retired Office Manager of Guide Dogs, Inc.

• Payroll and HR resources at ADP

• Benefits of USG Buying Program

• Benefits of Ray Ban Meta Glasses Cindy Hollis (MI), Manager of Membership Engagement, American Council of the Blind

• Social Security and Medicare Questions Answered: Annie Walters (NV), SSA Public Affairs Specialist

Learn about the latest updates and changes in Social Security and Medicare. Learn how vendors can use deductions differently for SSA. Get information on retirement.

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Braille Matters - a Four Hour Celebration

Celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille with our special interest affiliate, Braille Revival League, and together let’s learn:

• Segment One: How Braille Works in Different Countries Around the World
• Segment Two: Exciting Ways Braille is Happening All Over the United States
• Segment Three: What the Braille Revival League is, What It’s Doing, and How You Can and Should Help

Sponsored by Braille Revival League

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Bay State Council of the Blind Fall Conference Agenda, November 23, 2024

• Welcoming Remarks Ed Bosso, President of Educational Programs and Superintendent, Perkins School for the Blind

• President’s Report David Kingsbury, BSCB President

• Democracy Live Accessible In-Person Voting Technology Brian Finney, CEO Juliet Harvey-Bolia, Technician Short demo in plenary session, small groups of interested attendees will go to a breakout room on the second floor (elevator to the left of the parking lot door) for hands-on demos during the rest of the day

• In person and virtual participant introductions Let us know who you are, but please keep it short – Name and city of residence only

• Sony LinkBuds and Door Prizes Quick Orientation to Sony LinkBuds, Jeanette Kutash Are you feeling lucky? Door prizes with ElizabethAnn Johnson, more door prizes will be given out through the rest of the day

• Overview of MCB Happenings John Oliveira, Commissioner, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Justine Muir, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

• Cooking While Blind Debra Erickson, Executive chef and founder of The Blind Kitchen

• Overview of Mass Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired Programs Jennifer Harnish, MABVI Director of social services

• New Accessible Wearable Technologies Brian Charlson on the Meta glasses Jeanette Kutash on the Envision AI glasses

• Update on Perkins Library Happenings Kim Charlson, Director, & Cory Kadlik, Assistive Technology Manager, Perkins Library Including a demo of the new BARD feature for accessing talking books with Amazon Alexa

• Fitness Break Get up and stretch with Leslie Spoone and Jeanette Kutash

• Fun with Accessible Games Aaron Spelker and Jerry Berrier

• Accessible Voting Discussion What were people’s voting experiences this year, both good and bad? Feedback on the Democracy Live Accessible In-Person Voting Technology from breakout session participants

• Closing Remarks David Kingsbury, President

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IVIE Online Business Expo

The IVIE Online Business Expo will highlight several blind and visually impaired business owners sharing their products and services. Participants can ask questions.

Sponsored by Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs

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Tabitha Kenlon gives a behind the scenes look at the 2024 ACB Audio Description Awards Gala as well as a comprehensive overview of ACB's Audio Description Project.

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The American Council of the Blind’s 2024 Audio Description Awards Gala Broadcast on November 14

Alexandria, Virginia – The American Council of the Blind (ACB) announces that the 2024 ACB Audio Description Awards Gala was air on November 14 at 7:30pm ET. Created in 2021 to recognize outstanding achievement in audio description in entertainment and educational media, the Awards Gala features celebrity guests, film clips, and a dozen awards. The broadcast of the show includes captions, audio description, ASL interpretation, and Spanish dubbing.

Join hosts Marilee Talkington and Alie B. Gorrie as they welcome guests from the arts, entertainment, and sports worlds to celebrate accessible films, series, video games, and more. Awards are presented in categories such as Innovation, Popular Entertainment, Live Events, Spanish Media (USA), and International. The winners of the Audio Description People’s Choice Awards are also announced.

Special guests include:

• Kathy Bates, award-winning actor
• Rebecca Alexander, author and disability rights advocate
• Molly Burke, digital creator, author, and advocate
• Ross Minor, accessible gaming consultant
• Roy Samuelson, author and AD producer and narrator
• EJ Scott, actor and activist
• Trischa Zorn-Hudson, Paralympics Hall of Famer

About the American Council of the Blind.

The American Council of the Blind is a national member-driven organization representing Americans who are blind or have low vision. For more than 60 years, ACB has been a leader in national, state, local, and international advocacy efforts. With 68 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and the quality of life for all people who are blind or have low vision. For more information, visit www.acb.org.

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