Hockey stick in hand, Todd Korpella, branch manager at Teachers Credit Union in Chesterton, hit a bright green puck with a whack.
He missed the goal set up at the Steindler Signs and Graphix booth set up Thursday for Chamber Network Night at the Porter County Expo Center, but he didn’t miss out on the opportunities the event provided.
“You realize there’s a lot more businesses out there than you think, and this is a good way to find out about them,” he said, “every type of business around, from insurance to things you don’t think about, like sticker makers.”
The network night has been a staple for more than 20 years, bringing together chambers from across Porter County so their members can mix and mingle. This year’s event featured 152 businesses from the Duneland, Portage and Valparaiso chambers, said Kurt Gillins, vice president of programs and communication for the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce.
In all, around 1,000 people typically see what the county’s businesses have to offer.
“It’s for businesses to showcase to other businesses what they do. It’s building a stronger business community,” Gillins said.
Because many businesses belong to more than one of the county’s chambers, co-sponsored events mean business representatives don’t have to chose one event over another, said Jessica Bailey, director of marketing and community development for the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce.
“When you’re able to do events together, it’s more meaningful for our members,” she said. “It helps the networking.”
Visitors milled from booth to booth, filling bags with freebies, snacking on food samples, and playing games to win prizes while meeting with local business owners and representatives from some of the county’s not-for-profit organizations.
Bob Wszolek, a graphic designer and production manager with Steindler Signs and Graphix, said this was the company’s 10th year participating in the network night.
The booth’s game is always sports-themed. While it was the Chicago Blackhawks and hockey this year, last year’s booth featured the Cubs and baseball.
Anyone who made a goal Thursday got their choice of a free water bottle or coffee mug emblazoned with the company logo.
“The biggest part about this night is just the amount of time you get with the other companies. You talk to them on the phone and email them but it’s nice to see them in person,” Wszolek said. “It’s in a really relaxed environment. You can drink a beer and try to sell them a job at the same time.”
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
