Nearly 2,000 attend Queens Chamber expo

By Erica Finocchio

Over 1,800 attendees and 150 vendors were part of the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo at Citi Field last Wednesday.

Tamara Lajara, director of sales, marketing and business development at St. Johns University, said the expo was an opportunity to get the college exposure.

“The expo presented networking opportunities to develop further relationships and to get our finger on the pulse of the business community,” she said.

Breakout sessions included speaker Carlota Zimmerman, a success strategist who discussed social media and how it opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs, and Ellis Henican, a best-selling author and columist.

Jerald Jackson of Comcast Spotlight was networking with other businesses to educate them on the services his company offers.

“I was pleased to see there are more consumer-facing and local businesses at the expo, because that is Comcast Spotlight’s target approach,” Jackson said.

Metropolitan Hospitality works with Citi Field and helps organize over 300 events per year, from concerts to weddings to trade shows.

“It was great talking to people about what we do at the ballpark and how to host their events,” said John Diaz. “A lot of people expressed interest in what we offer.

“We want people to know Citi Field isn’t just for baseball games, but for all different kinds of events,” he added.

Rego Park-based dentist James Kouzoukian has been attending the expo and other chamber events for eight years. Three years ago at the expo, he made a connection with United Health Care, which started referring new patients.

“Making personal appearances is best to reach out to the community,” Kouzoukian said. “This expo is very beneficial in terms of business-to-business networking.”

Neil Levin is the owner of Webline Designs, and has been a member of the Queens Chamber of Commerce for 17 years.

“The expo is a positive experience,” Levin said. “Vendors are a good opportunity for me, because I can speak to the people at the companies to make Google ads for them and develop their websites.”

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