CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Tamarack Foundation will host a free Small Business Resource Summit from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the Tamarack Conference Center in Beckley.

The summit will bring together more than 30 small and micro business service providers, including providers of loans, grants and technical and educational services, to assist entrepreneurs in starting and operating a successful small business.

Information will be provided in four targeted areas: artisan industry, agribusiness, tourism and service industry.

State Forester West Virginia Division of Forestry Forest Product Utilization and Marketing Specialist Matt Borror said he planned to attend the summit and encourages others in the forest products industry to do so as well.

“There are many small businesses in the forest products industry that sell items at Tamarack and a few more that would like to. These are some good business training and workshop items that would be beneficial to them,” Borror said.

In addition to the vendors fair, there will be five breakout sessions: 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., “The Nuts and Bolts of Starting Your Business”; 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., “Market Opportunities in Southern West Virginia”; 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., “Marketing Your Business Through Social Media”; and 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., “Understanding Cash Flow”; and 1:15 to 2 p.m., “Doing Business With Boy Scouts of America.”

Immediately following the summit, an “Entrepreneurs’ Café” will allow up to eight businesses 10 minutes each to pitch their business to the crowd, which will vote on their favorite pitch. The entrepreneur with the most votes will win a minimum of $400 in business services. Café admission is $10, with all proceeds going toward the prize. Contact Laura Harvey at 304-253-3145 regarding presenting at the café.

Registration is not required for the summit, which is free. For more information, contact John Meeks, FDIC, at 919-787-8727, ext. 4915, or jmeeks@fdic.gov; Sally Barton, Tamarack Foundation, at 304-926-3770 or sbarton@tamarackwv.com; or Marlo Long, BB&T, at 304-353-1682 or marlo.long@bbandt.com.

For more information about the forest products industry, visit www.hardwoodswv.com.