Nearly 4K attend HIA-LI trade show

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Nearly 4,000 members of the business community attended the HIA-LI Business Trade Show at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood. Held on May 23 and featuring more than 250 exhibitors, the business-to-business event was the organization’s 36^th trade show.

The event offers opportunities each year for networking, and draws people from across business sectors, including technology, energy and environment, manufacturing, finance, hospitality, healthcare, media and advertising, education, government, and workforce development. Of the attendees, 78% are upper management decision-makers, according to HIA-LI.

“Every year, we see firsthand how this trade show is a tremendous boost for hundreds of local businesses,” Terri Alessi-Miceli, president and CEO of HIA-LI, said in a news release about the trade show.

“Our goal remains the same: helping business professionals make valuable connections and find new opportunities,” she added. “The trade show has also become a critical forum for discussing economic development on Long Island.”

The trade show featured an executive luncheon as well as an array of break-out sessions, including two Sands New York procurement workshops that were designed to connect local businesses with Sands staff. This initiative aimed to integrate local suppliers into Sands’ procurement process, opening doors to new business opportunities and fostering community engagement.

Additional breakout sessions included such topics as “From Retail to Revitalization: A Seminar on the Transformation of Smith Haven Mall,” “Expanding Your Network,” “From Clicks to Conversations, Strategies for Direct Response Marketing Success,” among others.

In addition, speed networking sessions that were held were designed to help participants meet other business professionals in a rapid-fire manner.