Community connects

The 2009 Business Showcase organized by Woodland Community College and United Magazine Thursday was deemed successful by the vendors looking to get or stay connected with the community.

A handful of scheduled participants canceled at the last minute because of the flu, but it didn't stop others from attracting new customers or intriguing a whole new client base with their services.

"We did pretty well," said Margaret Fernandez, branch manager of The Plus Group, a Yuba City agency that finds recruitment and staffing solutions for businesses. "We met up with two businesses that need our help. That's pretty good for an event like this."

As a member of the North Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce, Fernandez said business success requires networking and sharing resources, which was the main purpose of the exposition, according to organizers.

"What we believe in is promoting partnerships with others," Fernandez said.

The Business Showcase was the first for the sponsoring agencies, with included Colusa Casino Resort.

"We wanted to get this started as an annual event that possibly the Chamber of Commerce could take over," said Luis Barrera, United Magazine. "If we have to do it a couple of years, we will, but we created a templet that the organization could then run with."

The Business Showcase, which took place at the Colusa County Fairgrounds, enticed plenty of customers for a Thursday afternoon. About 200 visitors attended the event during the public portion of the exhibition. Business presentations were given to the participants prior to the public opening, Barrera said.

Businesses captivating a new group of customers or breathing new life to their companies with new products or services included Colusa Regional Medical Center, with a host of new health and rehabilitation services, Touch of Health, a Colusa massage therapist, State Farm Insurance and others.

The event was also a venue for Woodland Community College to reach out to businesses and others about the new college campus going up in Williams.

Angela Fairchilds, Woodland Community College president, said the Business Showcase provided a wonderful opportunity for college personnel to greet people in the community, as well as meet with businesses, in order for the college to determine what the skill and employment needs are in the community.

"We have a great working relationship with the high schools," Fairchilds said. "Now it's time to tap into the business community."

The new college, located near the California Highway Patrol office in Williams, will be a four-classroom facility that can instruct about 160 students at any given time.

Fairchilds said instruction will include general education, career technical training, emergency medical technician training, welding and more.

The college is schedule to break ground in December and should be completed in the Fall of 2010, Fairchilds predicted. Classes are scheduled to get underway by the Spring semester, 2011.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.