Daily News

Business & Innovation Expo to Feature ‘Ask an Expert Roundtable’

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will introduce a new feature this year, called the “Ask an Expert Roundtable.” Ten business professionals in the community will share their expertise with a table of guests for 45 minutes. During that time, they will give a rundown of their professional experience, take questions, and participate in an open, relaxed dialogue with attendees.

Confirmed participants include Pam Thornton of Name Net Worth (who will focus on LinkedIn and social-media marketing); Amy Royal of Royal, P.C. (focus on employment law); Jenny MacKay of the Gaudreau Group (focus on healthcare reform); Sheila Magalhaes of Heartsong (focus on modern mindfulness); Angela Lussier of Speaker Sisterhood (focus on finding one’s voice and being more assertive); Ira Bryck of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley (focus on family-business work balance); Tracey Gaylord of Granite State Development Corp. (focus on funding one’s next big idea, big or small); and the Center for EcoTechnology (focus on how to make a company green). Other participants will be announced soon.

The Expo, set for Thursday, Nov. 2 at the MassMutual Center, will also feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.