Biggest expo ever opens tomorrow
By Jennifer Mitchell
Rocky River
Published Oct. 11, 2006

Where can you find hot soup, cool businesses and the networking opportunity of the year? The Rocky River Chamber of Commerce will host its fourth Business to Business Expo from 2 to 7 p.m. tomorrow, and organizers say it’s going to be bigger, and better, than ever.

More than 100 businesses will be on site and among them, eight restaurants with free food. Again, among them will be Salmon Dave’s with its ever-popular lobster bisque.

The idea behind the day is for business to support business. Rocky River’s Economic Development Director Kory Koran, event co-chairman, said that as far as he knows, the show is the only one of its kind on suburban Cleveland’s west side.

As event chairman Jim Riedl explained, if you’re a caterer who needs your lot plowed, someone who offers that service will be there. If you’re a bank that needs a caterer for business meetings, the expo has a variety to offer, and, if you are a snowplow driver that needs a place to stow your cash, several banks will give you the opportunity to do just that. There’s likely something for everyone.

“It’s to help businesses grow their own business and get connected to others,” Riedl said.

It seems to be working, he added. The Chamber of Commerce does an exit survey every year and for three years, more than 95 percent of participants believed it was worthwhile and said they would do it again, Riedl said. Over 68 percent made a contact that they have done business with during the show, he added.

Fourteen sponsors lent their support to the event, more than any in years past, and tables for the event were entirely sold out, Riedl said.

Koran said another difference in this year’s event will be valet parking. The Cleveland Indians and Cavaliers also will have tables at the show this year and have given the chamber game tickets to raffle off. Raffle tickets are $2.

“We’ve tried to vary the client and their tables,” Koran said. “There are going to be a lot of unique businesses. It will be different and maybe more exciting than the years before.”

No one under 18 is admitted. Adults can present a ticket or business card at the door for entry.

Map of 21016 Hilliard Blvd Rocky River, OH 44116-3312

The Don Umerley Civic Center in Rocky River, 21016 Hilliard Blvd., houses the event. For more information, call (440) 331-1140 or visit online at www.rockyriverchamber.com.