In March of 1990 we mailed the premier issue of Strictly Business.
Here are excerpts from the introductory message from publisher, Herb Carpenter.
“For more than a year we have looked forward to providing the North Country business community with its own publication — a forum for keeping in touch with the businesses and issues that affect our economy. We believe we are facing a bright future and we will be focusing on the people shaping that future, the ones doing the work, running the businesses and making the decisions.”
We hope you will agree we have met the high standard Herb set for us at that time. And now we are proud to offer our 418th issue of SB, beginning with a recap of the North Country Chamber of Commerce’s keystone event that was reported in our the first issue.
A Proven Idea
By Nick Southwick • Photos Supplied
Business Development is the name of the game when it comes to the annual North Country Chamber of Commerce Business Expo & Conference. I sat down recently with two of the key organizers at the Chamber to discuss the Business Expo’s past and present. Adriana Favreau is responsible for events like the Expo that offer networking and educational opportunities for Chamber members. She also recruits sponsorships and exhibitors for the event. A Quebec native, Favreau has several years’ experience in membership and the event industry from hotels to associations like the Chamber. Kristy Kennedy oversees the day-to-day operations of the Chamber, along with oversight of events, tourism development, all marketing and communications as well as membership, which work towards the goal of strengthening the area’s tourism and business community’s economic vitality.
In 1990 the Chamber held its first business exposition which was billed as a “buyer/supplier exchange.” At the time, the Expo was designed for the public to meet businesses to learn about what they offered. It was planned by the Business Connection Planning Committee headed by Donald Loreman and now retired Chamber Executive Vice President Jody Parks. The structure set up by the Committee and Parks remains in place even as responsibility has passed on to Favreau and Kennedy.
In the early years, the Expo served a role that is largely met today by online resources. Prior to widespread use of LinkedIn, local business people would network at the Expo to learn about colleagues. It was also one of the few resources available to learn about new products and services. Since the Expo served such a useful purpose, and was marketed to the public as well as business people, it would often see attendance in the 600s. Over the years the exhibitor count rose to over 150 and attendance topped 700 some years.
The widespread use of the Internet did not cause the change in focus for the Expo according to Favreau and Kennedy, but it did reinforce the necessity for the changes that were already happening in their planning. While the original Business Expo was designed as a trade show, the current iteration is designed for business-to-business interactions. Based on feedback from Expo attendees, the planners realized Chamber members gained more from participating in the Expo than members of the public. Thus, the Expo was redesigned and is now a daylong event where members exhibit and network as well as attend educational seminars relevant to business and networking.
When the original Business Expo was marketed to the public, exhibitors often spent considerable time creating fun, interactive booths — often incorporating carnival-style games. However, that came at the cost of exhibitors’ time. With the shift to the new style Expo, exhibitors can keep their displays smaller and focus on providing information. With more available time, attendees are able to better network with other businesses and attend professional education sessions on subjects such as workforce development, marketing for small businesses and website development.
The Business Expo & Conference now features breakout sessions that are meant to be educational and offer information they may not be able to learn online or would be better learned with hands-on efforts. “People in this area like to network in person,” according to Favreau and Kennedy, and doing so allows them to make personal connections.
To plan the new style of the Business Expo & Conference, Favreau and Kennedy sought feedback from Chamber members and regular Expo attendees. Favreau surveyed Chamber members about what topics and speakers they would like. “Adriana handles the bulk of the lift — sponsorships, exhibitors, scheduling, and attendance. I am here as the marketing arm, as well as helping with brainstorming and scheduling,” Kennedy explained their division of work. “As with any event, it takes a village, and you are looking at the ring leaders. We are fortunate that the entire staff at the Chamber helps with day-of-event tasks and are on hand to help with its execution.”
While the audience at the Expo has changed, the goal remains the same — showcasing the goods and services of the exhibitors. The current Expo now regularly hosts approximately 200 to 250 attendees with 50 exhibitors.
The Chamber believes this smaller and more focused Expo will attract regular participants as well as new businesses that may not have had the staff needed for the original format, especially at a time when many businesses are short-staffed. While the pandemic and shutdowns did not drastically alter the Expo — beyond canceling the 2020 event — they did lead to anticipation of the return of the Expo the next year at its new location at the SUNY Plattsburgh Memorial Hall Gymnasium.
The Chamber’s Business Expo & Conference still attracts many of the businesses that have been involved since the start of the event. Since finance, insurance and staffing agencies are critical to all forms of business, many recruiting services, insurance agencies, banks, and credit unions are among the original core sponsors and exhibitors. “Long term participants know the purpose of the day, while newer members require a bit more education on its goal and what information to take back to share at their offices,” Kennedy offered.
This year’s Business Expo will be held on June 5th at Memorial Hall located on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus. Mark your calendar!! You won’t want to miss it.
North Country Chamber of Commerce
7061 Route 9
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
518 563-3100
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