NEW YORK: Yet, the highlighted item during Wednesday’s Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo was the opportunity to connect with local businesses in an intimate setting. About 60 vendors including Kellogg Co., Denso Manufacturing Michigan Inc. and Miller College were on hand to chat with attendees in a layout zigzagging the length of the Kellogg Arena floor.
Chamber President Kara Beer said she was happy with the changes made to the event in its second year. Beer said the Business Expo was intentionally planned to coincide with the Battle Creek Farmers Market at Festival Market Square, as well as planning for the influx of Kellogg employees filtering in and out for much of the day.
About 60 business were represented at the Business Expo held at the Kellogg Arena on Wednesday.
“I’m excited to see it,” Beer said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to see what’s available in Battle Creek and also for consumers to see what’s there and seeing businesses working with other businesses, making connections.”
The event featured several breakout sessions and private areas for networking for people in attendance. Others took in the music on a playlist created by Beer and Pro DJs as well as food options from Finley’s Grill & Smokehouse and the McCamly Plaza Hotel’s restaurant, J.W. Barleycorn, as well as a candy booth for an area credit union.
One topic Beer discussed Wednesday was the parallel between business networking and the BC Vision initiative. Beer, who is a member of BC Vision’s 24-member Steering Committee and a co-chair of the project’s small business action team, said the Business Expo and the BC Vision project go hand-in-hand, in a way, as the project’s goals involve employment, business recruiting and retention and downtown development.
