Every so often, a room tells you something. You walk in, you look around, and before a single word is spoken from the podium, you already know that the work is landing where it should. That was the feeling at this year's Small Business Awards Luncheon.
It was another record-setting Chamber event, with more members, more guests, and more community partners than we have ever hosted. I mention this not as a vanity statistic for us, but to highlight that the people who run businesses in this region believe in the work we are doing and that taking half a day with us benefits their business. These events are sometimes a first-time engagement for people with the Chamber, and in a time when a good portion of business has moved to a screen, these attendees were blown away by the incredible turnout and overall energy in the room.
What makes this event unique is our Vendor Show, and they noticed the momentum. I heard it again and again as the floor was breaking down. This was not a room of people walking past tables on their way to lunch; attendees stopped, asked questions, took cards, made introductions, and in more than a few cases started conversations that have already turned into actual business. One exhibitor told me it was the most engaged crowd they had worked with all year. That kind of feedback is the whole point. We do not put a Vendor Show together so that our members can decorate a table. We put it together so that they leave with something.
I would also like to honor our awardees one final time:
- Small Business of the Year — Minuteman Press
- Family-Owned Business of the Year — Heathwood Assisted Living & Memory Care
- Commitment to Excellence Award — TripleTrack HR Partners
- At Your Service Award — Chuck Mauro, Siena
- Friend of the Chamber — Sarah Just, Horizon Health
- KeyBank Sponsor's Award — National Fire Adjustment Co.
What has stayed with me most is not the applause, but the way each of them accepted. There was nothing rehearsed about it. No one used their time at the microphone to sell. To a person, they turned the moment outward, to the employees who make the place run, to the family members who carried the business through the hard years, to the customers and neighbors who kept showing up. All of our honorees were sincere and appreciative, and their humility reminds us of the strength of our community.
Next week, our reimagined Business Showcase comes to Lippes Mathias on Tuesday, July 21, from 4 to 6 pm at the Lippes Welcome Center.
We recognize that events need refreshing from time to time, and Business After Hours was no exception. We understand your time is valuable, and substance matters, not just the shuffle. With our Business Showcase, we are highlighting Lippes Mathias, one of Buffalo's most prestigious law firms, while partnering up with Visit Buffalo and the Buffalo Bisons to make a downtown evening for attendees. This is an open Chamber event, and we encourage you to bring the newest person on your team who needs to meet a hundred people fast, or have your family meet you afterward to take the train to the Bisons Game. Registration details are on our website, or click here.
With a refreshed Business Showcase, we are already planning for 2027. While your voice is always heard and we have to take your considerations into account down the road, now is the time to help us shape the year 2027 at the Chamber. Our programming, formats, timing, topics, who we honor, all of it is on the table right now.
What do you want from your Chamber in 2027?
What event would you clear your calendar for?
What are we doing that you love, and what are we doing out of habit that we should retire?
Your input makes a difference. Send me a note, grab me at the Showcase, or call the office.
This is your Chamber, and we continue to expand our reach across the community. We want to be sure we represent you and provide you with the tools that you need. Please remember, my door is always open.