All Systems Are Go
From the Governor to an Update on NASA, the Expo Will Have It All
The final countdown is underway for the fourth annual Western Mass. Business Expo, a day-long event that will feature everything from one of Gov. Deval Patrick’s last appearances in the region to an update on NASA’s next-generation space telescope.
The Expo, organized by BusinessWest and again presented by Comcast Business, will take place Oct. 29 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. As has been the case the past three years, this will be the place for business owners and managers to be.
That’s because there will be something for everyone, from lively breakfast and lunch programs to nearly a dozen informative seminars; from intriguing special presentations on the Show Floor Theater to the day-capping Expo Social, one of the region’s best networking events, this year sponsored by MGM Springfield and Northwestern Mutual.
“Since BusinessWest became involved with the Expo in 2011, the goal has been to create an environment where this region’s business community could be informed, entertained, and inspired, while at the same time gaining invaluable exposure before an audience of decision makers,” said Kate Campiti, the publication’s associate publisher. “This year, we’ve once again accomplished that goal.”
Indeed, in addition to more than 150 exhibitors, the Expo will feature a host of intriguing and informative programs, starting with the breakfast hosted by the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield.
It will feature outgoing two-term Gov. Patrick, who is expected to talk about his administration’s many accomplishments over the past eight years, while also providing an outlook on this region’s future.
The Expo’s luncheon, presented by the Professional Women’s Chamber of Commerce, will feature keynoter Patricia Diaz Dennis, a member of MassMutual’s board of directors, a former senior vice president for AT&T, and former presidential appointee.
The Expo will also feature a number of special presentations on its Show Floor Theater. These include a morning talk by Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin and Delaney House and a serial entrepreneur, called “The Entrepreneurial Process.” This will be a highly interactive program centered around the process of turning a dream into reality.
Speaking of dreams, one of the afternoon programs on the Show Floor Theater is titled “NASA Is Alive: Testing the Next-generation Space Telescope.” It will feature Brian Comber, an engineer with NASA who will discuss his work in the ongoing development of the James Webb Space Telescope and its potential to unlock the secrets of the universe.
Expo organizers are also planning a forum featuring candidates for governor of the Commonwealth, although they are still awaiting commitments for those hopefuls.
In addition, there will be more than a dozen informational seminars. These will cover three broad areas: Professional Development, Entrepreneurship, and Sales and Marketing, and feature titles ranging from “The Path to Building Name Net Worth” to “Unleashing Peak Sales Performance” to “What Does Your Billboard Say?”
Expo Social sponsor MGM Springfield, which plans to build an $800 million resort casino in the city’s South End, will also present two seminars, titled “Doing Business with MGM Springfield” and “MGM Resorts International: Dedicated to Community and Diversity.”
The Expo will wrap up with the encore to last year’s well-received and highly inspirational Pitch Contest — featuring area startup ventures and organized by Valley Venture Mentors — as well as the Expo Social.
Other sponsors include silver sponsors DIF Design, Health New England, Johnson & Hill Staffing, and MassMutual Financial, and education sponsor the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.
BusinessWest will present its comprehensive guide to the Expo in its Oct. 20 issue. For more information, to register, or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600 or visit www.wmbexpo.com.
