Representatives from more than 230 local businesses attended the UC Davis Supplier Expo this week to share information about their companies with two dozen UC Davis and UC Davis Health departments.
The May 22 event at Oak Park Community Center in Sacramento was hosted by UC Davis Health Procurement, UC Davis Supply Chain Management and The Office for Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
A key goal of the expo is to connect local business owners with UC Davis and UC Davis Health departments that purchase products and services from the community.
"UC Davis Health is proud of our mission of community service and investment in local and diverse suppliers," said Jita Pandya Buño, senior vice president at UC Davis Health. "This expo, in large part, shows how we drive that mission forward."
We have all this beauty in the community in terms of what people are doing, what services they can do and excel at, what they offer, how they can make this region a better place for everyone. We would be blind to ignore it.-Khoban Kochai, Anchor Institution Mission Director
Annie Reyes-Salgado is the executive director of UC Davis Supply Chain and Contracting Services and one of the expo's organizers. She said the university aims to make it easier for small and local businesses to navigate the sometimes-daunting process of working with big organizations.
"As an organization, we're one of the top employers in the region, so it's important for us to give back and serve the communities, to uplift them," she said.
Kayla Cruz is a local artist. She attended the event to see what opportunities might arise.
"The Supplier Expo was an eye-opening and incredibly informative experience," she said. "It's already opened new doors into the world of commercial opportunities, something I never imagined stepping into."
For entrepreneurs like Cruz, the expo is just the beginning of what could be meaningful relationships to elevate their business.
Indeed, the contracts UC Davis Health awards to small business owners can be lifechanging, Reyes-Salgado said.
The expo also is aligned with UC Davis Health's Anchor Institution Mission initiative, which seeks to boost economically distressed communities in the Sacramento region.
Anchor Institution Mission Director Khoban Kochai said UC Davis is committed to prioritizing local investments and hiring, especially in under-resourced communities. And the Supplier Expo, she added, puts words into action.
"We have all this beauty in the community in terms of what people are doing, what services they can do and excel at, what they offer, how they can make this region a better place for everyone," Kochai said. "We would be blind to ignore it."
Participants from a wide-ranging variety of businesses were able to meet with representatives from UC Davis Health departments such as Facilities, Food and Nutrition, Experience Design, Parking and Transportation, Plant Operations, and others. UC Davis Student Housing and Dining McCarthy Building Companies also staffed tables at the event.
Additionally, the Supplier Expo hosted learning sessions for small businesses. Topics included: "How to Get Certified as a Small Business," and "Small Business Funding."
Local and statewide business chambers and were also part of the Expo, including the Capital Black Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, CalAsian Chamber of Commerce and Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"This is a great event. There are a lot of connections being made today, helping small businesses," said Roy Arimoto, operations and membership manager for the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce. "The access to trainings and capital — in this room there are a ton of resources."
Information about the 2026 expo will be posted later on the event's website.
