New York, N.Y. - June 26, 2006 - At the 2006 annual National Urban League conference in Atlanta next month, hundreds of representatives of the public, private and non-profit sector will be present to offer free workshops and demonstrations on a wide range of subjects of interest to the African-American community.

The league's 96th annual conference will take place from July 26 through July 29 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga. This year's theme is "Building Economic Power for Black America," and the event is expected to draw over 10,000 attendees from across the nation and around the region. The Coca-Cola Company and UPS will serve as title sponsors.

From Thursday July 27 through Saturday July 29, the Empowerment Exhibits Zone will feature 350 exhibits with representatives from Fortune 500 companies, federal, state and local governments, respected philanthropic institutions, prominent community-based organizations and leading academic institutions, including historically black colleges and universities. It is made up of several smaller zones, devoted to employment, homeownership, technology, health and general interests well as a franchise pavilion, where entrepreneurs can learn about the most promising franchise opportunities.

The employment zone, with Nissan as title sponsor and UPS, Adecco Dimensions and The Bernard Hodes Group as co-sponsors, will include a career fair with over 100 recruiters from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in a diverse range of industries, including technology, financial services, pharmaceuticals, energy, consumer goods, retail and automotive. Career coaching, advice for job seekers, and face-to-face interviews will be offered within this zone. Job seekers will have the opportunity to submit their resume to a national database that reaches to 15 markets outside of Atlanta. Early sign-up is suggested for prospective employees seeking interviews with zone recruiters by visiting nul.org and clicking on Employment Network.

Organizations represented include: The Atlanta Journal Constitution, American Cancer Society, CIA, Cingular Wireless, CIT Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Eli Lilly, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, ETRADE Financial, Excelsior College, FBI, FDIC, The Home Depot, Lee Hecht Harrison, Lucent Technologies, Manpower, March of Dimes, Marriott International, MetLife, Nissan, Rolls-Royce, State Farm Insurance Companies, University of Maryland, UPS, U.S. Department of State, Walgreens and Waste Management.

The homeownership empowerment zone, sponsored by Bank of America and Nationwide, will feature a wide range of exhibitors, from lenders to government agencies. Citigroup and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), among others, will be present.

The technology empowerment zone, sponsored by Dell with help from Microsoft and Intel, will showcase the latest and greatest high-tech gadgets and innovations. In addition to the sponsors, exhibitors will include: Dallas County Community Colleges, Jobs for the Future, NASA Johnson Space Center, NASCAR, Pitney Bowes and Sprint Nextel.

The health empowerment zone will be sponsored for the third year in a row by Pfizer, which has partnered with the RITE AID Corporation to provide free health screenings, including blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular and weight assessments. Health education materials, including "Women Like You" video tapes, "Know Your Health" booklets and literature on cardiovascular health, diabetes, diet and exercise, HIV/AIDS and smoking cessation will be available. There will also be giveaways of T-shirts, pedometers and water bottles.

Besides Pfizer, exhibitors in the zone will include: the Administration for Children and Families, Trans-Management System Corporations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, National Institutes of Health HIV/AIDS Research Programs, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and others.

The franchise pavilion, sponsored by the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation, Inc., will feature representatives from BP America, Chester's International, Dunkin' Brands, Focus Brands (Carvel), Instant Tax Service, Liberty Fitness, Little Caesars, Meineke Car Centers, UPS and Wing Zone to speak of franchising opportunities through their companies. Finance experts will also be on hand to walk prospective entrepreneurs through what it takes to finance the purchase of a franchise.

Workshops will also be held throughout the conference to deepen understanding of issues related to the zones.

The National Urban League conference is the premier networking, recruiting and issues conference for African American professionals nationwide. Other highlights include: top speakers in business, politics and academia; the "Influencer Summit" targeted at young professionals under 40; a benefit concert by soul divas Gladys Knight and Angie Stone; and a comedy night by D.L. Hughley and Earthquake, among others.

More information about the National Urban League's 2006 Annual Conference registration, exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities is available on the League's website at www.nul.org or by calling (800-263-9926).

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