Western Mass Business Expo 2011
From the Editor and Publisher
For nearly 30 years now, BusinessWest has been shining a spotlight on the business community of Western Massachusetts and, at the same, serving as an invaluable resource for this large, diverse constituency. It’s been our mission to inform, educate, inspire, and make those all-important connections between area businesses and the communities they serve. And over the years, the methods for doing all this have evolved and expanded.
Indeed, we’ve moved beyond the printed word and also into electronic media and a host of events, including the hugely successful Forty Under 40 and Difference Makers programs, enabling us to say that we make connections in print, on line, and in person.
And this fall, BusinessWest takes things to an even higher level as producer of the inaugural Western Mass Business Expo, on Oct. 18 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. We decided to take the leadership role in making this event reality because we believe, first and foremost, that the business community truly deserves an event of this magnitude and quality. What’s more, we are dedicated to finding new and exciting ways to carry out that aforementioned mission, and the Expo is the perfect vehicle for doing so.
In conjunction with the event-planning firm Rider Productions, BusinessWest has assembled an all-star lineup of area business leaders, elected officials, and experts in several fields to lead more than two dozen seminars, panel discussions, and special presentations on the pressing issues confronting all business owners today.
We’ve also brought together more than 135 companies representing every sector of the economy — from health care to information technology; from higher education to ‘green’ energy.’ Together, they illustrate the strength and diversity of our business community and a wealth of talent and experience with which attendees should want to do business.
We’ve billed the inaugural Western Mass Business Expo as the “place to be” on Oct. 18, and it is exactly that. There, exhibitors and guests will be part of a large audience of decision-makers, contributing to a room filled with energy and excitement.
This is the event that business owners across our region have been asking for, and it is our privilege to be able to present it.
Enjoy!
George O’Brien, Editor
John Gormally, Publisher
Kate Campiti, Associate Publisher
Event Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011
Kickoff Breakfast
7 a.m.; Registration
7:30-8:50 a.m.; Program; keynote speaker,
John Morse, president, Merriam-Webster
Ribbon Cutting
9 a.m.; Show Floor Theater
Exhibition Hall
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On the Expo Floor:
• The Whalley Computer and Valley
Communications Technology Corridor
• The HealthcareNews Health Corridor
• The DiGrigoli Artistic Team
Show Floor Theater:
Session One: 9:15-10 a.m.
Thriving in a Wildly Changing Market Place
Session Two: 10:15-11:15 a.m.
The Forecast: A Look at What’s Ahead for the State and Regional Economy
Session Three: 11:30 a.m.-noon
The Anti Resume Revolution
Session Four: 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Laugh For No Reason
Session Five: 1-1:45 p.m.
Blood From A Stone: How to Get Motivated and Do More Business in Any Economy
Session Six: 2-2:30 p.m.
The 401(k) Coach
Session Seven: 2:45-3:15 p.m.
Empower Your Workforce
Session Eight: 3:30-4 p.m.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Great
Educational Seminars,
Meeting Rooms 1, 2, and 3
Continuously, from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ACCGS & BBB Torch Awards Luncheon
11:30 a.m.; Registration
Noon-1:30 p.m.; Program; keynote speaker,
Michael Kittridge II, founder and former chairman,
Yankee Candle Corp.
Special presentation: the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Awards honoring: • Baystate Dental P.C., Springfield;
• St. Germain Insurance Inc., Ware; and
• Amy Alaimo of Agawam, Student of Integrity Award Winner
2011 Expo Social
presented by Meyers Brothers Kalicka P.C.
4-6 p.m.; Atrium
Show Floor Presentations
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEshowFloorPresentationsBW1011a
Educational Seminar Schedule
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEseminarSchedulesBW1011a
Floor Plan and List of Exhibitors
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEFloorPlan
