Mary England, president and CEO of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, knows how to throw a business-friendly party. The second annual Spring Fling Business Expo on April 28 was proof of that.
The festive evening gathering, held at the La Mesa Community Center, brought together guests and members of the chamber, who provided drawing prizes to attendees who dropped off business cards at their display tables.
Mary England, president and CEO of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, knows how to throw a business-friendly party. The second annual Spring Fling Business Expo on April 28 was proof of that.
The festive evening gathering, held at the La Mesa Community Center, brought together guests and members of the chamber, who provided drawing prizes to attendees who dropped off business cards at their display tables.
The organizations and enterprises with tables at the expo were from widely varied sectors of La Mesa’s community endeavors. The mixer was about mixing fun with local networking, encouraging participants to explore how their La Mesa businesses and organizations can work together for mutual benefit.
The financial sector was well represented at the event, including San Diego County Credit Union, North Island Credit Union and Silvergate Bank. SDG&E was there as a sponsor, as was American Medical Response. Carl Burger Dodge and Westside Automotive were on hand from the car and auto repair industry. Education, health, fitness, and providers of other products and services were in attendance.
The La Mesa Lions Club had a table as a community service organization. Similarly, the Sunrise Rotary Club hosted a table and engaged with visitors during the expo about a promising fundraising project to bring solar lights to impoverished villages around the world.
Jackie Trapp, a manager from Storage West in Spring Valley, spoke highly of the staying power of the storage company she is associated with. She said that her business is booming by offering quality services. Her particular facility has been in business for 36 years, and the parent company is over 100 years old.
“Everybody’s got stuff, we’ve got space,” Trapp said of her enterprise’s longevity as a necessary service.
The La Mesa Chamber’s Mary England stepped aside from her lead organizer duties that night to speak briefly about the event.
“I am overwhelmed,” she said of the response from area businesses. “This is a value-added event for our members.”
England explained that the first such business expo a year earlier had been successful, but that she had wanted to do more and make improvements for 2016. England performed a business survey after the first Spring Fling to find how to stage an even better event. The chamber members asked for more local restaurants to be encouraged to attend.
Eateries and catering businesses at the second April expo ran the gamut, from Luna Grill to Los Pinos Taco Shop, Cali Comfort BBQ to Bo Beau, and Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano, Marie Callender’s and Souplantation, among others. Additionally, representatives from Courtyard by Marriott and the Town and Country Resort were present, with information about meeting sites, catered events and business room accommodations.
“Our members are our most valuable asset,” England concluded. She relayed that 35 new members of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce would be recognized personally later during the program of activities.
Tyler Marsh, manager of A Revitalized Bath and Kitchen, was one of those new chamber members set for recognition during the evening, and he reciprocated with praise for England.
“I joined the chamber because of Mary England,” Marsh said. “I am very impressed with this first event I’ve attended. There is good food and there are good people here.”
Marsh grew up in La Mesa. He described his business as “taking care of people” with everything from complete kitchen and bathroom remodeling to simple bathtub repair and refinishing. “I look forward to building new relationships with people through the group. This is a small Chamber of Commerce that is doing amazing things,” he said.
The chamber hosts smaller mixers for members throughout the year, and now has added onto the schedule of recurring events the larger April Spring Fling and a summertime companion, the Summer Bash Business Expo, which will be held on August 11. Phoning (619) 465-7700 or browsing online at www.lamesachamber.com can acquire more information about the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
