Nearly 50 Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses showcased their products and services in October during BizFest 2011.
The annual event held in the showroom at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, is a one-of-a-kind marketing opportunity for chamber member investors to showcase their products and services to hundreds of attendees.
Also, chamber member restaurants and caterers feature their specialty foods at each event, which is done in conjunction with the October Business After Hours program.
Article Photos
Photo by Scott McCloskey
Organizers for BizFest are, front from left, Lisa Mullin, Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce vice president; Kim Florence, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack spokeswoman; Cheri DeBlasis, Main Street Bank senior vice president; and Barry Crow, Main Street Bank business developer. Also, back row, from left, are Bill Moon, Frontier Communications Northern Panhandle general manager; Pam Bennett, The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register advertising director; and Josh Marling, Wheeling Island sous chef.
"BizFest, which is formerly known as our Business Expo ... is a business-to-business marketing opportunity. We had approximately 50 chamber members showcase their services, all their different product lines, and hopefully they can do a little business with other chamber members," said Terry Sterling, president of the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce.
Sterling said 2011 was the first year the general public was encouraged to attend the event.
"We want everybody to come out. ... It's like a mini home show in a lot of regards, but with primarily business products and services," he said.
Sponsors for the 2011 event included The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, Hughes Xerographic, Frontier Communications, Main Street Bank, WTOV-TV and Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack.
