Entrepreneurs Expo
All-day event offered help to businesses
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, at right, talks with Scott Merashoff from MPB Print and Sign Superstore Thursday during the Elkins Entrepreneurs Expo at the Phil Gainer Community Center.
Randolph County Development Authority director Robbie Morris, at right, speaks with Jeff Caplinger during the Elkins Entrepreneurs Expo at the Phil Gainer Community Center on Thursday.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, at right, talks with Scott Merashoff from MPB Print and Sign Superstore Thursday during the Elkins Entrepreneurs Expo at the Phil Gainer Community Center.
Randolph County Development Authority director Robbie Morris, at right, speaks with Jeff Caplinger during the Elkins Entrepreneurs Expo at the Phil Gainer Community Center on Thursday.
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ELKINS -- The Elkins Entrepreneurs Expo offered information and help Thursday to anyone looking to start, expand or relocate a business to the Elkins area,
The day-long event, which took place at the Phil Gainer Community Center, was designed to demonstrate the benefits of locating, expanding and enhancing businesses in Randolph County.
An array of booths were manned by local businesses and organizations throughout the facility Thursday, offering help for those seeking information about the county and what it has to offer.
"It's great that everyone here today has pulled together in an attempt to bring not only more businesses downtown, but to the entire county," Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco told The Inter-Mountain Thursday. "The economic development of our area is something that everyone is focused on and the collaboration efforts have been tremendous. Hopefully this is the first of many events like this going forward."
The E3 event was co-sponsored by the Randolph County Development Authority, the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce and Elkins Main Street. All three organizations were on hand to lend their support to those who attended.
"There is a great energy in this room today and things are going really well," Robbie Morris, director of the Randolph County Development Authority, said just before lunch. "I've already learned of two connections with entrepreneurs and building owners that want to talk about connections they can make to hopefully start businesses and fill up downtown storefronts."
The expo also featured conversations and workshops with industry leaders, roundtable discussions, business coaches, one-on-one conversations and local lenders.
"The purpose of this whole thing is to make connections and provide resources for people who want to start businesses, and that's exactly what's happening," Morris said. "It's really exciting that this has already been a successful event and it's something we will continue to do in the future. "
Marco said it wasn't long after his arrival to the event on Thursday before he too was approached by some potential entrepreneurs.
"The good thing about it is that some of the businesses looking to come in are a little more diverse," he said. "That gives people some different options and you're not seeing the same old things over and over. Expanding our horizons is what we are looking to do and we are always wanting to raise the bar. That gives our citizens and our visitors more options going forward."