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Showcase Tompkins Focuses On Local Businesses |
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by Dan Veaner
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Friday, 26 June 2009 |
 Tompkins County businesses got a chance to meet each other and new customers Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce's Showcase Tompkins at the Ithaca Farmer's Market. 88 businesses had booths at the event, a sellout triumph for the Chamber of Commerce. Sponsored by Finger Lakes Technologies Group, the showcase gives Chamber members venue for displaying their products and services.
People are having a good time and doing business with each other, and that's exactly what we want," said Chamber President Jean McPheeters.
"The Medical Center has been a happy participant of this event," said Cayuga Medical Center's Vice President of Communications and Marketing John Turner. "It's a great opportunity to interact with other businesses, and it's a great networking opportunity."
Cayuga Medical Center partners with Island Health and Fitness, and RASA Spa, both of which exhibited Wednesday.
Showcase Tompkins was the brainchild of Lansing businesswoman Janet Keefe 16 years ago when she chaired the Chamber's chaired the Business Information Network Committee. It was first held at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, then Ithaca High School and Ithaca College before it moved to the farmer's market four years ago. "We've done it everywhere," she says. "This is by far the best venue."
Keefe, who owns The ADminders, was displaying green products this year. Her company brands thousands of items with clients' logos for sale or corporate giveaways. Keefe wore a green organic cotton shirt, and displayed other shirts made from bamboo, a naturally quickly renewable resource. She estimated that 90% of the products displayed this year are eco-friendly.
A display showed how plastic water bottles go from being a water bottle to being fiber for bags or other items. Pens made from corn, cards and bookmarks impregnated with seeds so they can be planted, recycled plastic license plate frames, frisbees, combs, posters, and water bottles were only a fraction of the items her company brands.
Web Designer Dave Makar said he comes to the show every other year. "I come to network, meet other business owners, see what kind of people are out there in the community," he said. "I mostly focus on building Web sites for people who own businesses, so this gives me a good chance to meet them."
"We've been part of it for quite a while, and love being part of it," said Cayuga Radio Group's President/General Manager Susan Johnston. "You realize there are a lot more businesses in the area. you think that you know everybody, but you don't know everybody. It's a wonderful opportunity to get to know more people."
Cayuga Radio Group's Kendall Stead was 'walking the wenches' throughout the three hour event. The 'wenches' were Sterling Renaissance Festival's Penelope and Henrietta Quickly.
"The Sterling Renaissance Festival is a client of Cayuga Radio Group's," Stead explained. "They came to do this Chamber event as well as interviews on WHCU, Q Country, Lite Rock, 97.3 this morning."
"Kendall here is our quaint native guide," said Henrietta in the signature Sterling Englishesqe accent. "We are also here to let the good folk know that Her Majesty arrives at Sterling Renaissance Festival in ten days, upon the forth of July. There will be a celebration that shall ensue."
At the Audry Edelman/ Realty USA booth the hats were a big hit. Each of the company's representatives wore a hat in the shape of a house on their heads. This was the second year the company had a booth.
"We've been seeing lots of people who we know and lots of people who we are just meeting for the first time," said Edelman's Cande Carroll. "People are asking how the market is going these days. They're happy to see that we're out here and giving them information they can use."
"Our office has been here three times," said Insurance agency Haylor, Freyer & Coon's Kathy Trapani. We're meeting people, getting to know their businesses a little bit better, and understanding what we can do for them and what they can do for us."
Chamber officials estimated about 400 to 500 people attended the show.
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