Constant Contact demos, cars highlight Business Expo May 6

Several cars will be on display, professionals can get free demonstrations to use the online marketing service Constant Contact, and some 100 local vendors will promote their goods and services as part of the Livonia Business Expo on Wednesday, May 6, at Laurel Park Place Mall. 

The 29^th annual Livonia Chamber of Commerce event is presented by AlphaUSA, Madonna University, Level One Bank and Laurel Park Place Mall. The daylong celebration of the Livonia business community features a full schedule of helpful speakers, business displays, business networking, and prize giveaways, capped off by an evening restaurant event and silent auction.

“This is our biggest annual event that supports business-to-business and consumer-to-business activity,” said Chamber President Dan West. “We will have a little something for everyone, and it is a great introduction to some 100 businesses from our community.”  

The Expo begins with the Business Breakfast Roundtable, sponsored by Schoolcraft College, Davenport University, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan which features a panel of news columnists and political leaders at 8 a.m. Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey, Westland Mayor Bill Wild, Detroit Free Press Business Columnist Tom Walsh, and Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley are scheduled to discuss state and local business trends, and provide immediate analysis of May 5 election regarding Proposal One, a statewide vote on a plan to increase the state’s sales tax to pay more road repairs and other programs.

The 90-minute program will be held at the Marriott Hotel banquet room, attached to the Mall. Admission is $15 per person.

Exhibitors promoting local businesses and organizations will be on display throughout the concourse of the Mall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

A unique business networking opportunity is available to chamber members at 2 p.m. Networking Frenzy, sponsored by Community Choice Credit Union, will give business people a quick and effective gathering to meet new people and discuss business issues in one hour. The cost is $5 per person and the program is limited to 50 chamber members.

The day concludes with the “Tastefully Livonia” program, presented by Tennyson Chevrolet and Foresters Financial Partners, a business-casual networking event in the Marriott Hotel banquet room from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Food samples from Livonia’s leading restaurants, music, and a silent auction will highlight the popular nightcap to the Expo. Admission is $20 per person, which includes two drink tickets.

Other sponsors of the Livonia Business Expo includes: Constant Contact,  Livonia Spree, Dave and Buster’s,  Consumers Energy, Edward Jones Investments: Robin Whitfield, Financial Advisor, Freedom Hill Ampitheater,  and The Livonia Observer. 

While the Expo features four programs in one day, it also gives attendees a chance to see some of the ongoing renovations to the mall. Laurel Park Place management recently announced some $5 million in renovations to modernize the 500,000-square-foot mall and make room for the retailer, H&M, which is scheduled to open later this year.

There are a few exhibit spaces remaining for the Livonia Business Expo. For more information on exhibit space or to purchase admissions to the Business Breakfast Roundtable or Tastefully Livonia, contact the Livonia Chamber of Commerce at 734.427.2122, or follow the chatter on Twitter at #livbizexpo.

# # # #