‘Buy Local' Expo got lots of people talking

Hudson, NY - By every measure -- including the all-important word-of-mouth -- the “Buy Local” Business Expo was a resounding success. Presented by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Greene County Chamber, the three-hour Expo at the community college last Thursday was a sell-out. All 70 exhibitor spaces were filled, and hundreds of residents and businesspeople attended.  Click here to view the photo gallery.

“Usually, it takes at least five years to build such an event,” said Roger Coleman of Hudson Valley Newspapers. “But they did it the first year.”

What they did was offer exposure and networking opportunities for local businesses in surroundings that encouraged interaction and rewarded exploratory questions with generous helpings of information. The gym at Columbia-Greene Community College was abuzz with conversation as people chatted in clusters in front of exhibit booths and in the aisles.

For businesses new to the area, like Tierra Farm, it was the opportunity to showcase their products – organic nuts and dried fruits. Having moved from Cohoes to their own, larger building on Route 203 between Chatham and Kinderhook, the business has grown dramatically, said Josh Winn, production manager. The Expo was “like free marketing,” he said as he handed out sample packages.

For those businesses long established in the county, the Expo provided “face time with other businesses,” reported Jeff Knight of Metz Wood Harder, the Chatham insurance agency. He and Gary Van Allen manned their booth while Scott Wood, president of the firm, wandered the aisles chatting with people.

That was a technique used by several exhibitors, including Mark and Greg Fingar of Fingar Insurance and National Union Bank of Kinderhook. While Ken Siter and Carol Wilber stayed close to the National Union booth, Robert Sherwood and Nathan Winch roamed the floor, calling on current customers, talking with potentials. “It's a time to network,” said Mr. Winch, “an extra opportunity to get our name out.”

All in attendance were impressed with the turnout, a mix of business people and residents, going booth to booth collecting information and filling goodie bags with free samples and promotional items such as note pads and refrigerator magnets.

“There's an excitement here,” said Mr. Winch. “People have come to see what it's all about.”

Perhaps no one demonstrated more clearly what it was all about than Morton Ginsberg. He was on hand along with his wife, two sons and daughters-in-law to accept the Chairman's Award for Lifetime Achievement for Ginsberg's Foods of Claverack and the Ginsberg family. Browsing the exhibits, he came upon a company based in Canaan , a.t. Promotional Designs, that makes the kinds of t-shirts and other items his company uses in its own marketing efforts. Delighted to find a potential supplier close to home, Mr. Ginsberg asked Patti Pietrak from a.t. Promotional Designs if she had ever called on Ginsberg's. When he learned she had not, he immediately brought his marketing manager over to the booth and introduced them.

Whether a.t. Promotional Designs can match the prices Ginsberg's pays its current supplier in Atlanta is yet to be determined, but the big first step – identifying a local source – was taken. It would not have happened without the Expo.

Making that initial contact was also what the Expo accomplished for Florence Kirtsos of Berkshire HomeStyle . “We're not sealing any deals here, but we're introducing the publication to new people, making a lot of contacts.”

For both P.J. Keeler of Kd Hallmark and Marcy Wells of Clear Channel Radio, the Expo afforded the opportunity to re-introduce themselves to potential clients. “We are re-establishing acquaintances,” said Mr. Keeler, “exposing people to what we are doing.” He labeled the Expo “extremely successful” on that score.

Contributing to that success was how professionally done the ‘Buy Local' Expo was and the diversity of exhibitors. Half a dozen restaurants and caterers provided samples to taste, while the exhibits ranged from financial services, insurance and building supplies to health care providers, employment and other business services, newspapers, and even a car dealer. Tom Donlon of Stan Martin Ford in Hudson said he handed out more than 100 business cards in the first two hours.

Partnering with the Greene County Chamber also gave the Expo a more regional approach, one that participants applauded. Several exhibitors were from Greene County , and many more do business on both sides of the river, like Dunn Builders, based in Catskill but now with stores in Greenport and Chatham. The Bank of Greene County is also making in-roads into Columbia County , with a branch under way in Greenport and one on the drawing board for Chatham . Like many of the other businesses there, the bank staff used the Expo to network with the other exhibitors as much as with those attending the event.

For Cindy Hilscher of First Niagara Bank's Greenport branch, the Expo was all about “awareness, friendliness.” She saw the Expo as the opportunity to remind potential customers about First Niagara and raise the bank's visibility.

Everyone was, like Grant Cover of The Independent, impressed with the turnout. “We'll definitely participate every year,” he added.

And for Nancy Ginsberg, the Expo “brought the community together in a very positive way. I think we should have more of these.”

That sentiment is shared by the Expo organizers. “It's been at least 10 years since we did something like this,” said a pleased Chamber Chairman Rick Bianchi. “I think now we'll try to do it every year.”

“The Expo demonstrates that there are many opportunities for businesses and individuals to buy locally in Columbia County as opposed to going outside the county,” said Chamber President David Colby.

The Chamber wishes to thank the 2006 Buy Local Business Expo sponsors for making this event possible. National Union Bank of Kinderhook and First Niagara Bank were Major Sponsors of the Event. Midhudsonmedia; The Independent Newspaper; The Register-Star/Chatham Courier; Clear Channel Radio; and the Hudson Valley Business Journal were Media Sponsors. Mid-Hudson VIP was a Gold Sponsor.  The Columbia Hudson Partnership was a Silver Sponsor.  Accent Furniture, Inc.; The Bank of Greene County; Chatham Properties; Columbia-Greene Community College; Crawford & Associates Engineering, PC; Dunn Builders Supply; Ed Herrington, Inc.; The Executive Connection; GNH Lumber, Inc.; Go Wireless; Greene County Planning & Economic Development; Hillcrest Press; Metz Wood Harder Insurance; Pro Printers; The Rosery Flower Shop/The Yankee Petaler; Shallo, Galluscio, Bianchi, & Fucito, CPAs, PC; Tierra Farm; and Winnovative Tech Consulting, LLC were Brass Sponsors.

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, with its 850 members, is the leading voice of business in Columbia County , providing advocacy, promotional and benefit solutions for its members. Those seeking more information concerning the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and membership can contact the Chamber at (518) 828-4417 or visit the website at www.columbiachamber-ny.com.