| | 2008 Business Market Show a bright spot in a gloomy economy |  | |
By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD With today's uncertain economic news, there was one definite bright spot last week: attendance and participation was up at the annual Business Market Show.
Russell Denver, the president of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, said he has received "good feedback" from exhibitors about the number of people who attended the show and the networking that took place at the MassMutual Center on Wednesday.
Denver said the number of attendees ranged somewhere from 3,500 to 4,000 people. The number of exhibitors was up over last year as well as the number of booth space sold.
"This is a very viable show," Denver told Reminder Publications. He explained the purpose was to connect local businesses with local goods and services before they look at options outside of the region. Exhibitors ranged from media outlets, advertising firms and local colleges to employment firms, banks and high tech companies.
Besides the exhibitions, the show featured a breakfast with guest speaker Steven Antonakes, the Commissioner of banks, and a series of business seminars conducted throughout the day.
Besides the usual assortment of shopping bags, pens and other giveaways, the show featured two bars with areas to relax, free hairstyling by the DiGrigoli Salon and School of Cosmetology, free back massages by Branford Hall Career Institute, an opportunity to play "Deal or No Deal" at the TV22 booth, a micro-brew beer tasting and a "Taste the Market" segment in which a number of exh...
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