Business expo expands in fourth year

A business and technology expo held in Carson City for the last three years will shift focus to the region as a whole. The Northern Nevada Regional Business and Tech Expo is a collaborative effort between seven counties. In the past it has been organized solely by the Northern Nevada Development Authority.

"This year it's not just the NNDA business and tech expo," says Ron Weisinger, executive director of the development authority. "We've decided to practice what we preach and expand to include Northern Nevadan chambers."

Chambers of commerce from Reno-Sparks to Carson Valley will be involved in the Oct. 4 event. The Carson City, Dayton area, Fernley chambers and Churchill Economic Development Authority are also involved.

"This will be our largest one yet," he says. "We had 800 attend last year and we'll probably have close to 1,000 this year."

Wells Fargo, a top sponsor, will present on private banking on the second floor of the Nevada Appeal building, 580 Mallory Way. So far, 92 exhibitors have signed on to show case their wares and services inside the Appeal's first-floor warehouse. Space is still available for a few more vendors, said Judi Bishop, director of regional development.

The event will have a raffle and a silent auction for the first time, featuring a two-night stay at The Ridge Tahoe and a Tahoe Ridge Winery wine tasting party for four.

"We have a couple of exhibitors who have come up with unique ways to promote themselves at the event," she says.

Both 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and Noble Studios have contests for expo participants.

A business owner could win a marketing package that includes Web development, advertising, and logo/identity design services, valued at $4,000, from Noble Studios, a Carson City marketing and Web development agency. The Marketing Makeover winner will be announced at the expo at 5:30 p.m.

This year's Marketing Makeover begins with a market analysis and research into the selected company and its competitors, and then an assessment of an efficient marketing / web development strategy is determined for the most optimal outcome. By the end of the Marketing Makeover, the selected company will have project deliverables such as a custom designed Web site with a content management system, logo design, or advertising / branding collateral.

Businesses who have "weird" items they no longer want or need can enter them in the Weirdest Junk Contest sponsored by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

Don Bruce, the Carson City franchise partner, said the winner of the contest will have up to one large dump truckload - 15 cubic yards - of weird junk hauled away for free. This does not include hazardous waste. It can include scrap metal, old furniture, construction debris, odd items like industrial stoves or business displays.

Bruce and the official judges will announce the winner at 2:30 p.m., at their booth.

The 2006 Northern Nevada Regional Business and Tech Expo will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For information on the expo visit www.nnda.org.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.