The University of California, Davis, means business on Friday, June 26. More than 250 business leaders from throughout the region are coming to campus in hopes of making a "connection." On that day, bankers, engineers, developers, publishers, lawyers and broadcasters, as well as those representing the public sector, will have a chance to discover how to better tap the varied resources at UC Davis, during a daylong conference that involves presentations, demonstrations and tours. "This conference will provide participants with valuable information about how to use the university's educational resources effectively," said Robert Smiley, dean of the Graduate School of Management. Presented by the management school, the conference is designed to spotlight campus facilities, research, internship programs and services that can benefit the business community as well as government and public service agencies. Major sponsors of "The UC Davis Connection" conference are Pacific Bell, PG&E Properties, SACTO and SEDCORP, with special assistance from IBM. In addition, nearly 50 contributing sponsors support the program. "This is the first conference of its kind to be held on the Davis campus, in which both the undergraduate colleges and professional schools showcase their strengths and services to the public," said Smiley. Chancellor Theodore L. Hullar will begin the conference at 8:30 a.m. in Freeborn Hall by addressing the need for a revitalized public-private partnership that can bring intellectual and practical knowledge to bear on contemporary societal problems. Following the chancellor's address, Smiley will present a report on the economic impact of the campus on the region. His talk also examine how the university benefits the region economically. M.R.C. Greenwood, dean of graduate studies at UC Davis, will give conference participants insights on how to capitalize on the university's resources by focusing on the scope of these resources, and how to gain easy access to them. Following her talk, business leaders will leave Freeborn and visit a number of campus facilities and learn how UC Davis can work for their organizations. Among the highlights are: • presentations on how "smart" highways and telecommuting may affect the work force of the future. Is telecommuting a smart option for certain businesses? What impacts do state and federal smog regulations have on companies? Can businesses reduce air pollution and road congestion without crippling the economy?; • demonstrations of state-of-the-art, computer-integrated manufacturing systems. Find out how manufacturing technologists use computerized integration to improve production efficiency. Why do experts consider computer-integrated manufacturing indispensable?; • insights into how the university's library and student internship programs can assist businesses. The campus library houses more than 2.3 million volumes, including valuable reference publications in the fields of business, economics and agriculture. Participants will learn how to tap the library's resources for census data, computerized marketing data bases, market and country profiles, as well as environmental impact information. Campus internship programs assist students and businesses in creating valuable work experiences; • discussions about the quality and quantity of California's fresh water and how future water policies may impact business. California's most precious natural resource is its water. How can limited supplies of water be stretched? Find out how the drought affects companies' expansion or relocation plans; and • tours of the campus winery and brewery, aquaculture area, bee biology facility, the air quality research program at Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, and the state's only veterinary school, as well as an overview of UCDMC's 15-year expansion plan. At noon in Freeborn Hall, luncheon speaker Stanley Skinner, president of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., will focus on the importance of developing partnerships between the business community and the university. Roger Salquist, chair and chief executive officer of Calgene Inc., an agricultural biotechnology company in Davis, and George Bruening, professor of plant biology at UC Davis, will speak in Freeborn at 3 p.m. about the partnership between the campus and the private sector. UC Davis and Calgene are partners in the Center for Engineering Plants for Resistance Against Pathogens, a model illustration of cooperation between the public and private sectors. The conference will conclude at 4:15 p.m. with a wine reception in Freeborn Hall. Businesses interested in signing up for the program, which costs $50 per registrant, should contact Carolyn Norlyn, campus conference and event services, at (916) 757-3331.