Expo brings businesses together

More than 210 companies turn out for meet and greet at the Bryce Jordan Center

Nick Malawskey

UNIVERSITY PARK — At 3 p.m., it was hard to find a parking space outside the Bryce Jordan Center.

Craig Houtz

Nate Benton, of Buck's Pizza, cooks chicken wings at their booth during the Central Pa Regional Business & Industry Expo on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. CDT/Craig Houtz

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Inside, on the floor of the arena, it was just as crowded, especially around the State College Motors booth, where salesman Jeffrey Bast was talking with other business people — and avoiding getting into the photographs of those curious about the silver Audi R8 supercar parked beside him.

A few booths down, people were sampling the cupcakes of For Heaven Cakes, of Boalsburg, as down the aisle more than one man stopped — and was caught — gawking at a young woman wearing a bubble-wrap dress at the UPS Store’s display.

Just a few of the sights and sounds of the first regional business and industry expo, which featured more than 210 businesses and chamber of commerce partners, hailing from most corners of central Pennsylvania.

Tina Johns Lorson, president of the Cameron County Chamber of Commerce, had made the hour-and- a-half trip to State College that morning.

At her display on the concourse level, she talked with business representatives about Emporium, the Pennsylvania Wilds region and a few of the business opportunities in her area. For her, the expo was an important event for networking outside of her small chamber.

“This is phenomenal,” she said. “Where else can I connect with the people who can come and do business in our area?”

About half of the companies displaying at the event were based in Centre County. Others included firms from Mifflin and Juniata counties; a large contingent from Blair County; Clearfield, DuBois and Selinsgrove and the Susquehanna River valley.

Some of the outside areas were testing the water this year, to see what the event would be like, said Jim Tunall, president of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

But, after a discussion of the regional expo with his counterpart from Blair County, Tunall predicted that next year more companies would be attracted to the expo at the Jordan Center and the regional networking opportunities it offered.

The Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County, which organized the event, billed the exposition as not only a business-to- business opportunity, but also hoped for a strong showing from the public.

And while most of the visitors Tuesday afternoon were business-related, one business leader, a veteran of the trade and consumer show circuits, said he saw a lot of promise for the annual expo.

Charlie Ross, president of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, said he had joined that organization about six months ago, coming from a similar position in western Maryland.

Prior to that, he had worked in marketing, making the rounds at industry and consumer shows across the United States.

He said he had jumped at the chance to partner with the CBICC for Tuesday’s inaugural event, and spent much of the afternoon shaking hands and getting to know the businesses in the area.

“It’s great for business to business, but it also has the foundations for a good consumer show,” Ross said. “This is one of the best first efforts I have ever seen.”

Nick Malawskey may be reached at 235-3928.

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