Business owners and persons who are interested in hiring people are encouraged to attend an organizational meeting for creating a Business Leadership Network (BLN) in Southwestern Indiana. The meeting will be held at the University of Southern Indiana at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, 2012 in the Romain Board Room in the Business and Engineering Center.
The Business Leadership Network is a national, employer-led endeavor designed to create a business-to-business approach to promoting employment of people with disabilities. There are 60 affiliate chapters in more than 30 states, and Indiana has seven regional BLNs but none in Southwestern Indiana. This meeting is an effort to organize a local chapter.
Employers in a BLN gain resources for recruiting candidates with disabilities; disability hiring information; exposure to qualified job applicants with disabilities; and a network of employers sharing information on common disability employment issues.
The University of Southern Indiana is the lead organization in developing the local chapter. Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business, will introduce the program, and Dr. Nancy Kovanic, instructor in Management, will give an overview of the needs and benefits of a BLN in Southern Indiana.
"October is Disability Employment Awareness month," said Kovanic. "At a time when the focus is on employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities, employers of Southern Indiana are discussing a network related to hiring people with disabilities."
The event is free. The Indiana BLN utilizes a regional concept with the five regions of the state recognized by Indiana’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. More about Indiana BLN can be found at http://inbln.org/.