An Exceptional Expo: Chamber business expo another success
Published 1:51 pm Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Josh Golobish, owner and manager of Retro FM, mans the station's booth at the business expo, not only connecting with patrons, but providing the music and announcements for the event.
Martin Young, Lisa Griffin, Phil Hanback, and Ellis Keen, the employees of refrigeration equipment manufacturer Heatcraft manning the business's booth at the expo. The team had an evaporator, used for refrigeration, that was equipped with a new electronic controller accompanying their booth as a demonstration of what Heatcraft could provide.
Michael Harvin of Coca-Cola of Tifton speaks with an attendee of the expo about the operations of the corporation's branch in the Tiftarea.
Sonny's BBQ, manned by Myron Stevenson, Kimberly Holyoak, and Christina Howard, was among the exhibitors offering refreshments at the expo, handing out free samples of dishes right off their catering menu. In addition, the exhibitor held a raffle inviting patrons to drop off a business card for a chance at various prizes, including catering for twenty and dinner for two.
Shelby White and Sherri Crosby of Belovese Med Spa oversee Chance Owens, owner of Flow-Rite Plumbing, another exhibitor, as he undertakes the spa's omnicore treatment, a muscle stimulation service that Belovese was offering free trials of during the event.
John and Kaye Bell of Matrix Department Inc., a sign and graphic company, were among the newcomers at the expo, but were thoroughly enjoying their time networking with the people of Tifton.
Gail Hargett and Kim Conner man the booth for The Local Graze, a farm to table bistro that opened in Downtown Tifton in late January, offering patrons free samples of the restaurant's homegrown delights. Owner Karla Hargett was unable to attend the expo, as she was lending her support to the Tifton Council for the Arts annual gala taking place around the same time.
TIFTON — The chamber’s annual business expo was once again a success this year, bringing together several businesses of the community to show off what they could do for the community.
Nearly 40 businesses, organizations, and nonprofits set up around the main hall of the UGA Conference Center the evening of April 24 to provide Tiftarea residents the opportunity to forge new connections and learn more about the products and services these organizations could offer.
Expo veterans like Tifton Coca-Cola and Heatcraft showcased their businesses alongside newcomers like Retro FM 102.1 — who was also providing the music and announcements for the evening — Matrix Department Inc., and exhibitors across the spectrum of business in between.
Many of these exhibitors spiced up their booths with displays of their services or wares, giveaways and contests, and even full hands-on demonstrations of what they could provide their potential customers. A few covered the event’s refreshments, as the restaurants taking part in the expo distributed free samples of their food.
Patrons were encouraged to meet with all of the participating businesses and organizations, having been given a pamphlet with a bingo chart of all of the exhibitors as they entered the event. As they explored the expo, they were tasked with marking off each space at the corresponding booth, with a full pamphlet entering them into a raffle for a chance to win various prizes.
Some of the giveaways guests could take home with them from the event included a $500 cash prize, a basket of gift cards totaling $420 in value, and several prizes donated by local and participating businesses.
Members of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce were thoroughly pleased with the proceedings of the event, reporting a lively crowd of more than 250 attendees in a steady stream throughout the evening.
“We were thrilled to see so many members of the community come out to support local businesses,” said Melody Cowart, chamber president and CEO. “The energy in the room was amazing — people were networking, making real connections, and having fun. That’s exactly what we hoped to create.”
Organizers asserted that plans were already underway for next year’s expo, intent on building on this year’s momentum to improve the event for the future.
