Business to Business Expo Something No Jobseeker, Chamber Member Should Miss

We at the Chamber are very excited for our Business to Business Expo event on Friday at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Cromwell. This is the third year that the Expo is presented in an all-inclusive one-day format, and I expect to build on the success from last year.

In addition to our regular showcase — with more than 110 participant businesses — there will be workshops and seminars throughout the day. These events will tackle many of the very important issues surrounding business in the state of Connecticut and provide business owners with the latest information delivered from top sources.

It is also important to mention that the Middlesex County Fall Career Fair is once again a part of the Chamber’s Business to Business Expo. There are more than 50 businesses that will be at the Crowne Plaza in search of employees. These businesses come from a wide variety of industries, so anyone looking for a job should make it a point to attend; the career fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This event is annually sponsored by Connecticut Department of Labor and Workforce Alliance. These organizations react to those who are out of work and we are fortunate to have these responsible organizations in our state.

Brian Armet and Pamela Luchka, co-chairs of the Chamber’s Expo Committee, and each of its members should also be praised for their effort in organizing and preparing for this very large-scale event.

The Expo events will kick off bright and early at 7:45 a.m. with a breakfast meeting that will focus on an economic forecast for 2011 and beyond. We plan to have a panel of experts who bring many different perspectives to the table, and will hear from Pete Gioia from the Connecticut Business and Industry Foundation  and Donald Klepper-Smith from DataCore Partners; he is also an economic advisor for Farmington Bank.

This topic is certainly one that impacts all businesses in the state, both large and small as well as every resident. It is imperative to attend this breakfast to listen to our panel of experts on the economy who will provide a great view of the state’s landscape, especially heading in to the upcoming state elections.

During the lunch hour, we are equally proud to host Catherine Smith, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. It is not often that a state commissioner is available for an entire lunch meeting so chamber members and non-members alike should take advantage.

As we get closer to the winter season, the flu has become one of the biggest concerns of employers. We are offering a Health and Wellness Fair this year.

There will be a flu clinic where flu shots will be administered by a professional VNA staff member, and all CDC guidelines will be followed.

The Health and Wellness Fair will run throughout the day and will also be free thanks to the sponsorship of Middlesex Hospital. This great offering will include blood pressure and cholesterol checks, reflexology and massage therapy among a host of other services.

Another free offering that will give business leaders insights on ways to market their organization using social media will be held at 10 a.m. during the Social Media Bootcamp seminar.

Also included will be a workshop entitled The Art of Public Speaking with expert Duane Cashin of Cashin & Co. Public speaking is an area that intimidates many people. The seminar will teach people how to overcome nervousness and anxiety along with how to structure a presentation for maximum effect.

Throughout the day, we are very excited to be able to raffle off dozens, which amount to thousands of dollars in prizes. These items will be raffled off hour by hour during the event.

Many local businesses donated these gifts, so thanks to every organization that did.

After this expo, the Chamber will hold its Executive Evening for members only, beginning at 5 p.m. This event will have the same feel as a Business After Work event with the only difference being an attendance of more than 1,200.  Executive Evening is definitely something no member should miss as — along with free beer, wine, soft drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Our Business Expo 2011 event will indeed offer something for every businessperson in our county and state. I hope that everyone will take advantage of what will be a very useful and worthwhile business event in the region.

The title sponsor of this event is Comcast Business Class and there are a host of other sponsors: Platinum sponsors Crowne Plaza Hotel, Connecticut Light & Power, Chamber Insurance Trust, Aetna and Tower Laboratories; gold sponsors A&A Office Systems, Ameriben Alliance, AT&T Yellow Pages, Bank of America, Community Renewal Team, People’s United Bank, Rice Davis Daley & Krenz, The Mattabassett District, Water’s Edge Center for Health and Rehabilitation, TD Bank, U.S. Small Business Administration; silver sponsors Community Health Center, Inc., Dattco, Inc. and Pratt & Whitney; and bronze sponsors A Second Chance CPR  & First Aid Training, Apple Health Care Inc., Brown Rudnick, LLP, Executive Offices, Harriet Amanda Chapman, Lyman Orchards, PrimePay, Soundmasters DJ, Suburban Office Furniture and the Durham Manufacturing Company. 

For information on Chamber seminars or activities, visit middlesexchamber.com or contact Matt Fraulino at (860) 347-6924 or matthew@middlesexchamber.com.