New spirit downtown draws more to showcase

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First-time exhibitors say they were attracted by having the show downtown.

By DON SHILLING

VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR

YOUNGSTOWN — The Regional Chamber moved its annual Business Showcase to the Chevrolet Centre and increased the number of exhibitors by about 20 percent.

Several first-time exhibitors said today that they chose to display their products and services because of the atmosphere the downtown arena created.

"The venue just sounded exciting," said Greg Williams, electrical consultant at Joe Dickey Electric.

The North Lima company is one of 117 exhibitors at the one-day show, compared with 97 at last year's event. Williams was showing off infrared equipment that can detect bad connections in electrical systems and fire-retardant clothing.

Helen Paes, vice president business services for the chamber, said the show was limited to 97 exhibitors at its previous location, Mr. Anthony's in Boardman.

This year, 110 businesses signed up for the main floor of the arena, then seven more companies were placed in the outer concourse. Paes said chamber officials don't want to make the main floor too crowded because they hold a mixer event after the show, but they intend to add more businesses to the concourse next year.

"We feel it's only going to get better, and it's only going to get bigger," she said.

With its high ceiling, the arena will allow companies to be more creative with their displays, she said.

Jim Hammond, vice president of Valley Industrial Trucks in Boardman, said his company signed on as an exhibitor for the first time partly because it was easy to create a display with a forklift at the Chevrolet Centre.

"People don't usually know what we do. So the easiest way to show them is to bring in a forklift," Hammond said.

Jerry Brown, sales director of AVI Foodsystems in Warren, said company officials were attracted to the show this year because they figured the move to the arena would draw more visitors. The vending and food service company was offering coffee and cookies at its booth.

In remarks to open the show, Ralph Zerbonia said the quality of the exhibits was better this year.

"People tried a lot harder this year," said Zerbonia, general manager of Cboss in Boardman.

By bringing events such as the Business Showcase downtown, the arena is helping to revitalize the area, he said.

"I don't know how many of you were downtown before this was built, but there is a different spirit here," he said.

shilling@vindy.com

Thursday, September 21, 2006