The most important leaders in the borough’s business community gathered together with leaders from around the city and state for the 2011 Bronx Chamber of Commerce Business Expo.
The Business Exposition and Trade Show at the New York Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, June 15 included more than 80 tables from members’ businesses and 2,000 attendees to foster more business-to-business opportunities for Bronx companies and harness the economic power of the local entrepreneurs.
The crowd got to hear remarks by Bronx Chamber of Commerce CEO Lenny Caro as well as guest speakers New York State Deputy Commissioner at the Empire State Development Corporation Steve Cohen, Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Roman, New York City Economic Development Corporation president Seth Pinsky, and Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation president Marlene Cintron, among others.
“This is an opportunity for Bronx businesses to show off their companies and have the opportunity for people to know what products and services exist in the Bronx,” Caro said. “These Bronx Businesses doing business with other Bronx businesses so that we can keep them here.”
An announcement made at the ceremony dealt with the establishment of a new search engine for business to find other chamber members who may provide goods and services that are needed for fellow members.
The initiative has been headed by John Bonizio, a Westchester Square merchant that presides over the chamber’s Business Development Committee. The motto of the new website is “You Want it, We Got It!”
Workshops were held during the day on topics like social networking and international trade. Chamber chairman Joseph Kelleher said that a goal of the business exposition was to bring about more cohesion and cooperation among chamber members.
The event was an opportunity to find out the needs of neighboring businesses, and see if they can be fulfilled, said Greg Perry, owner of Crown Trophy at 2554 E. Tremont Avenue and president of the Association of Merchants and Business Professionals of Westchester Square.
“This is a phenomenal way to network with other businesses who my customers might need services from, and at the same time it gives us the opportunity to show off our own services,” Perry said.
For Lia Kim, representing the College of Mt. St. Vincent, the trade show was an opportunity to showcase the academic programs of the college.
