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For several years Wilcox has been the first exhibitor folks see when entering the showcase, and his hot coffee and tea samples are a guranteed attention getter.
Scott Owens, president of Excell Auto Glass, lists several regular exhibitors among his clients. He said Always Moving and Storage joined that list after a meeting at the showcase.
Also making contacts with passers by was Ilya Kurlat, a student volunteer from the SUNY School of Business. Staffing the Ulster County Area Transit booth, Kurlat said, "You learn communication skills you can't learn in a classroom.
"It gives you more confidence when approaching a potential customer, another business, or a partner," he said.
Fatima Deen of Uptown Kingston's Fantastic Voyage and Candy Boutique, exhibits each year and also serves on the annual showcase's organizing committee.
She said the new venue, Ulster County Community College, offered easier parking and access for all. Deen and others said attendance also seemed to be up from recent years.
Krista Barringer, director of the Ulster County Youth Bureau, had precise reasons for attending. "One of the things we're asking employers is if they have an employee base locally and if our youth are being prepared to meet the demands of business," said Barringer. "This is a wonderful opportunity to meet a diverse array of businesses."
Methods for keeping track of those contacts varied. There were sign up sheets on clipboards, fishbowls for collecting business cards that doubled as raffle-entry points and, in one case, a laptop where attendees could do their own data entry.
Christine Cox, of Cox and Associates, said their laptop also connected to the Internet via a wireless system installed for the showcase. In addition to entering their contact information, folks were also stopping to check their email, she said.
Scattered across the gymnasium floor were numerous banks and financial service providers including representatives from both Wilber National Bank and Hudson United Bank. Each has one full-service branch in the county and hope to expand their presence here.
Mike Berger, an installment loan manager in one of Wilber's Oneonta locations said he was there to let people know the bank is here. Wilber runs a branch in Boiceville and a commercial services office on Schwenk Drive in Kingston. "The main thing is exposure," he said.
Ulster County Savings Bank is a founding sponsor of the annual business showcase.
The Freeman is also a major sponsor.
