Retired Coast Guardsman Launches Veteran-Owned Business Directory

There are about 5.5 million veteran-owned businesses in this country, and local retired Coast Guardsman Doug Sapp wants to help them thrive.

FORTUNA, CA-There are about 5.5 million veteran-owned businesses in this country, and local retired Coast Guardsman Doug Sapp wants to help them thrive. In September 2001, Sapp and his wife Barbara, also a veteran, launched the Internet site www.BuyVeteran.com with the aim to help veteran owned businesses around the country.

After retiring from the Coast Guard in 1998, Sapp looked for a place to put his talents. Sapp, a disabled, but still very capable veteran hoped he could find a business that would not only help him and his family, but also fellow veterans. The idea for a database of veteran owned businesses came from this search, "Our focus is to attract attention to veteran-owned businesses in their local markets, and on the national level", Sapp explains.

"The site gives government agencies and contractors along with other businesses and individuals a resource to find veteran owned firms to use."

The idea behind BuyVeteran.com isn't just a nice thing to do for business owners who served our country, its also a way for government agencies and contractors to fulfill federal requirements. Government contractors must use a certain amount of veteran owned and disabled veteran owned businesses when using sub-contractors.

"Several prime contractors and government agencies have contacted us and complained about not being able to find enough veteran-owned businesses out there. They are having a hard time fulfilling obligations and are happy to have found our site."

Sapp hopes as BuyVeteran.com grows more Federal and State of California contractors or agencies looking to fulfill their 3-percent service-disabled veteran requirement will use the database. The mandate to use veteran owned businesses comes from the "The Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999", also known as the "Veterans Act." The law is designed to provide assistance to veterans who are entrepreneurs and especially to service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs.

According to Sapp, BuyVeteran.com is the only Internet directory specifically designed to promote veteran-owned businesses in their local markets and around the country. It is also the only database that can be searched by key words, city, state, zip code or NAICS code.

Veteran-owned businesses may list their business for a $70.00 a year fee. With their membership they receive access to a members only area. Members gain access to additional services, like a message board to sound off on discussion topics or offer discounts and offers to other veterans.

Membership includes a listing of business name, address, and phone/fax number, product or services description, a link to businesses' web site (if there is one) and NAICS codes.

To find out more or register, visit www.BuyVeteran.com or call 707-725-4893.

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