The 2012 Western Mass. Business Expo
Click here to go to the 2012 WMBExpo site!
From the Editor and Publisher
A year ago, BusinessWest entered a new era in its service to Western Massachusetts and its business community, and a new phrase worked its way into the local lexicon: The Expo.
That’s short for Western Mass. Business Expo, a new fall tradition in this region that will mark its return on Oct. 11 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The Expo, a day-long business event, was created as an extension of BusinessWest’s broad mission to inform, educate, inspire, and create invaluable connections between area businesses and the communities they serve.
To say that it succeeded in this role would be an understatement. That assertion can be quantified by citing the number of exhibiting companies at that inaugural show (more than 130) and the number of attendees (more than 2,200). And it can be qualified by simply recalling the high level of energy in the MassMutual Center that day and by noting how quickly and easily The Expo’ has become part of the vocabulary.
But as with every facet of our work at BusinessWest, the goal with the Expo is to continuously improve and build upon a solid foundation, and we believe we’ve done that with this unique and all-important event.
Starting with breakfast and a presentation from Richard Freeland, state commissioner of Higher Education, to lunch and an inspirational talk by Michael Clayton, professional speaker, trainer, and best-selling author, followed by the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Awards, the day is packed with informational programs designed to bring value to exhibitors and attendees. A full schedule of these offerings appears on the following pages.
But the Expo is about much more than amplifying that adage about knowledge being power. It’s also about bringing people together to network, share experiences, and trade thoughts about this region and its future. There will be all of that and more at the BusinessWest Expo Social, a premiere networking event that will wrap up the day’s festivities.
In the issue following last fall’s Expo, we called the event a ‘show of force,’ and that’s exactly what it was. It was a show of the depth, diversity, creativity, and determination of the region and its business community. This year’s Expo will be another show of force, one we hope you will join and enjoy.
George O’Brien, Editor
John Gormally, Publisher
Kate Campiti, Associate Publisher
