2021 WilmingtonBiz Conference & Expo


Thank you to all the sponsors, exhibitors and attendees at last week’s WilmingtonBiz Conference & Expo as well as UNCW’s Swain Center and the Wilmington Chamber’s MED Week for partnering on this event.

 

If you were at BizExpo (or you want to contribute your input for the next one), please click here to fill out the survey. We’d like your ideas to make the 2022 event even better!

 

THE AGENDA: 

11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Keynote Lunch
(Doors open at 11, program starts at 11:45)


1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Expo Hall


1:45 p.m. -  4:30 p.m. Business Seminars


1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Meet the winners of the MADE competition, featuring local makers, artisans & manufacturers.

 

4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.  WilmingtonBiz After Hours

 


Sponsorship opportunities are available. Find out how you can be a part of this year's Biz Expo by contacting [email protected].


For event questions, contact Elizabeth Stelzenmuller at [email protected]


 
Booths 100-222      Booths 300-419      Booths 500 - 622      Booths 700-721     
100 - Cape Fear Community College
101 - Cape Fear Community College
102 - Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity
103 - Intracoastal Advisors
104 - Miller-Motte College
105 - Cape Fear Pro Wash
106 - Cape Fear Pro Wash
107 - Cape Fear Pro Wash
108 - Reserved
109 - Reserved
110 - Reserved
111 - Reserved
112 - Matthews Motors
113 - Matthews Motors
114 - Matthews Motors
115 - Matthews Motors
116 - Real Property Management Champion
117 - EVA, Inc. USGREENPRODUCTS
118 - Ed Ablard Law
119 - Dignity Memorial
120 - True IP Solutions
121 - True IP Solutions
200 - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
201 - Cape Fear Community College SBC
202 - Genesis Block
203 - Coalition Corridor
204 - SCORE
205 - Port City Apparel
206 - Matthews Motors
207-  Matthews Motors
208 - Matthews Motors
209 - Matthews Motors
210 - PROSEIN NC
211 - TRU Colors
212 - TRU Colors
213 - Nothing Bundt Cakes
214 - Terraces on Sir Tyler
215 - UNCW CIE
216 - UNCW CIE
217 - YWCA of Lower Cape Fear-Living the Dream-
Center for Entrepreneurship
218 - Brunswick Community College SBC
219 - SBTDC
300 - Greater Wilmington Business Journal
301 - Greater Wilmington Business Journal
302 - Momentum Companies
303 - Corning Credit Union
304 - ATMC
305 - Marcus Anthony Photography
306 - Marcus Anthony Photography
307 - Dogwood Patent And Trademark Law
308 - The Wilmington School of Ballet
309 - Aquesta Bank
310 - Atlantic Computer Services
311 - Samet Corporation
312 - Rens Insurance and
Financial Services
313 - Signal Fire Media
314 - Signal Fire Media
315 - Business Growers
316 - The George
317 - The George
318 - Excite Credit Union
319 - Excite Credit Union 
400 - Excite Credit Union
401 - Excite Credit Union
402 - Quench USA
403 - Computer Warriors
404 - Business Growers
405 - Wilmington Downtown Inc.
406 - Proforma Executive
Business Services
407 - What Sydney Sees
408 - What Sydney Sees
409 - Wide Open Tech
410 - Segra
411 - UNITS of Wilmington
412 - UNITS of Wilmington
413 - Southern Bank & Trust
414 - O'Brien Service, Co. Inc. 
415 - ThinkTech Advisors
416 - Capt'n Bills
417 - Village at River Landing
418 - CloudWyze
419 - CloudWyze 
500 - CloudWyze
501 - CloudWyze 
502 - Pioneer Strategies
503 - Sito Chiropractic
504 - BluSky Restoration Contractors
505 - Cintas Corporation
506 - P.A. Weiss Leadership Solutions
507-  UNITS of Wilmington
508 - UNITS of Wilmington
509 - Lower Cape Fear Water & Sewer Authority
510 - TeamLogic IT
511 - Craftspace
512 - Craftspace
513 - Craftspace
514 - AlphaGraphics
515 - Leath HR Group
516 - UNCW Cameron School of Business Graduate Programs
517 - UNCW Cameron School of Business Graduate Programs
518 - MED Week
519 - MED Week
600 - MED Week
601 - MED Week
602 - Healthcare Liaisons
603 - My Yacht Source
604 - NC Wesleyan College
605 - AlphaGraphics
606 - Craftspace
607 - Craftspace
608 - Craftspace
609 - TeamLogic IT
610 - U.S. Cellular
611 - Rotary Club of Wilmington 
612 - Allen & Shariff
613 - SpotOn
614 - WNY People Development
615 - Liberty Senior Living
616 - Chicken Salad Chick
617 - SVN | Efird Commercial Real Estate
618 - Cape Fear Solar Systems
619 - Cape Fear Solar Systems
700 - H & S Management
701 - Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
702 - Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM
703 - Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM)
704 - Salt Air Heating & Cooling
705 - End of Days Distillery - MADE Winner
706 - House of Harris -  MADE Winner
707 - T. Shaw Designs - MADE Winner
708 - HSM Machine Works - MADE Winner
709 - SOS Life Science Corp. - MADE Winner
710 - Big Sky Shop and Studio - MADE Winner
711 - Mema's Chick'n & Ribs - MADE Winner
712 - ComfyChemo - MADE Winner
713 - Craftspace - MADE Winner
714 - Mojotone - MADE Winner
715 - CDB Corporation - MADE Winner
716 - Black's Tire & Auto Services
717 - All Star Flags
718 - Vent Ninjas
719 - American Heart Association Cape Fear
720 - Luxe Picnic Company
721 - Carolina Retreats



MADE: Great Goods from Greater Wilmington 

Produced by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, MADE is a nomination-based competition seeking to spotlight makers, manufacturers, artisans, designers and small businesses in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.


With roots in an economy originally built on tobacco, textiles, and furniture, North Carolina is no stranger to the making of things. While its industries may have broadened over the years, the focus on locally made goods continues to hold strong. MADE was created to spotlight some of the innovations occurring in design and manufacturing originating in the tri-county area. Winners are selected by a judging panel and will be profiled in a special MADE section of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal as well as featured at the annual WilmingtonBiz Expo on October 7, 2021, at the Wilmington Convention Center.


2021 MADE Winners:


Food & Beverage:

  1. End of Days Distillery
  2. Noni Bacca Winery
  3. Mema's Chick'n and Ribs

Arts:

  1. FIlmwerks
  2. House of Harris
  3. T. Shaw Designs

Functional Products:

  1. Cape Fear Solar Systems
  2. ComfyChemo
  3. Craftspace

Supporter:

  1. Big Sky Shop & Studio

Exporters:

  1. HSM Machine Works
  2. Marpac Yoga Sleep
  3. SOS Life Science Corp.

Manufacturers:

  1. Mojotone
  2. CDB Corporation
  3. Cape Fear Catamarans


The past year-and-a-half hasn’t been uneventful
— a global pandemic, restrictions, protests, supply chain disruptions and more. Even with all these challenges, the Wilmington region has prospered on many fronts. Join us October 7 for a look back and a look ahead with a Federal Reserve economist, our regional economist and a panel of local leaders in several industries. 


Speakers include:

The National Outlook with Matthew Martin, Regional Executive, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Matthew Martin is senior vice president and Charlotte regional executive. He leads the Fifth District’s outreach and community development efforts, and is responsible for the Charlotte Board of Directors. 

Martin joined the Richmond Fed in 2006 in the Research department at the Charlotte branch as a regional economist. He was promoted to senior vice president and regional executive in 2009, with responsibility for branch leadership and regional outreach in the Carolinas. He assumed responsibility for outreach for the District in 2010. Prior to joining the Fed, he worked as an economist for Moody's Economy.com and the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.


The Regional Outlook with Adam Jones, Regional Economist, UNCW's Swain Center

Prior to pursing his PhD in economics, Adam Jones was the Director of Economic Development with the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce in Covington, GA. His responsibilities included business recruitment, retention and expansion of existing businesses and public policy development. While attending graduate school at the University of Georgia, Jones assisted the Carl Vinson Institute of Government with various economic impact studies and other economic development policy consultation projects. 


Outlook Panelists:

Chakema Clinton-Quintana, Vice President of Inclusive Small Business, Live Oak Bank 

Chakema Clinton-Quintana is vice president of Inclusive Small Business at Live Oak Bank, where she leads the inclusive small business center. She focuses on strengthening and supporting inclusive small business growth in our communities and verticals through research, job creation programs, capital allocation, mentorship and programming.
 

Kim Hufham, President and CEO, Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau

Kim Hufham has over 32 years of experience in Destination Management & Marketing.  Previously, she has held the roles of Executive Director of the Columbus County Tourism Bureau, Director of Sales, Executive Vice –President and Interim President/CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau.


Jeff James, CEO, Wilmington Health 

Jeff James joined Wilmington Health in 2008. As chief executive officer, he is responsible for the strategic vision and direction of Wilmington Health. Prior to joining the group, he was the chief financial and chief operating officer for Christie Clinic in Champaign, Illinois, and chief financial officer and vice president of finance at the Shannon Clinic in San Angelo, Texas.


Paul Loukas, Partner and Broker-In-Charge, Cape Fear Commercial 

Having surpassed over $500 million in sales over the past 15 years, Paul S. Loukas is recognized as a top broker in the region. With a primary focus in investment and land sales, he has completed over 400 transactions in a variety of markets throughout the Southeast.

 
Tickets Price
Register to Buy
Exhibitor Options Price
10 x 10 Booth Greater Wilmington Business Journal's 2021 WilmingtonBiz Expo
Booth only
$600.00
Register as Exhibitor

 

EXHIBITOR PACKAGE INCLUDES:
  • Booth at the WilmingtonBiz Expo - Includes 8ft table and tablecloth and 2 chairs
  • Unlimited use of personalized discount code that waives $5 Expo entry fee for employees, customers, and other guests
  • 2 seats at the keynote speaker lunch ($90 value)
  • 2 passes to the WilmingtonBiz After Hours event with drink tickets ($70 value)
     
Extra Services/Equipment
You need to fill out a form if you would like any of the following:
  •  Electricity/Internet (Do this by October 1. (If you sign up the DAY OF there will be an additional charge) Electric and Utilities Service Order Form
  •  Free WIFI for everyone with speeds up to 128kbps connection throughout the center.  
  •  Additional furniture (Do this by October 1st. If you sign up the DAY OF there will be an additional charge) 
  • To serve food/beverage samples, form must be submitted to Convention Center by September 24th Food and Beverage Sampling Forms
     

Any sampling of food or beverage of any kind must be approved by the WCC.

Any products being sampled must be manufactured by the vendor. Additionally, no outside Food or Beverage may be sold on property at any time.

Please forward any questions to Scott Frazzetta, Assistant General Manager at the WCC [email protected]


FORMS:

Electric and Utilities Service Order Form

Food and Beverage Sampling Forms

Trade Show Items from Party Suppliers
 

SETUP: 
Official Expo Hall hours are 1:30 - 6:30 PM. You may staff your booth in shifts. The booth area is open to the attendees throughout the entire
conference day.  Booths must remain in place until 6:30 PM on event day. Assistance with load in and loadout will be provided. 

Move in will be scheduled over two days (October 6th & 7th) and a schedule will be emailed to you two weeks prior to the event.

Event Discussion

Seminars

Presenter Seminar Sponsor
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM

Coach Reggie, Platinum Master Coach to High Growth Businesses

Winning the Battle for Great People - Attract, Hire & Retain Great Employees

There are plenty of talented and highly motivated employees in the marketplace. Learn how to attract them to work for you. We will be teaching the top strategies that our local business owners use to outperform their competition in the game of talent acquisition and performance.


Business Growers
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM

Stefanie Adams, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, WNY People Development

Managing the Multigenerational Workplace

Five generations of employees are currently in the workplace. Is your company capitalizing on the talents and experience of your multigenerational workforce?
In this session, participants will:
- learn about work and communication styles of today's employees, Boomers to Gen Z
- strategies will be presented regarding how to leverage multigenerational strengths and differences to drive innovation, growth, and performance in any industry
- simple, actionable, and interactive relationship building activities will be shared to increase productivity for teams of all ages and experience


WNY People Development
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM

Brian Satz, Owner, Computer Warriors

Ransomware 101: Ways To Protect Yourself From Becoming The Next Victim

Cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated and bolder with each successful attack. Most businesses think they are too small to be targeted. However, this is wrong; on average, a cyber-attack will cost small to medium businesses $2.6 million. One of their favorite ways to extorting a business is through ransomware attacks. Learn more on how to step up your businesses cybersecurity to help protect you from the loss of time, money, and client trust as a result of a ransomware attack.


Computer Warriors
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM

Chuck Lane, Director of Training and Education for BluSky Restoration

Disaster Preparedness: Managing Emergencies and Disasters

This education session focuses on the proper identification of community hazards, development of comprehensive emergency response and recovery plans, developing effective training for employees on emergency roles, and basic steps for business continuity planning. Upon completion of this session participants will be able to; Identify hazards in their community and assess their individual risks, Discuss the basic components of an emergency action plan, and identify key components of training and business continuity best practices.


BluSky Restoration
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM

Coach Reggie, Platinum Master Coach to High Growth Businesses

Why Your Business is Stuck and How to Grow Out of It

Getting stuck in your business is a common and preventable cycle that most businesses fall into sooner or later. More frustrating is that once you are stuck, it’s hard to find your way out. This session will cover the common issues that cause a business owner to plateau and how we help them break through to accelerated growth and greater wealth.


Business Growers
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM

Jaron Cayton, President, TeamLogic IT

Evolving Threats - Building Your Business's Cyber Resiliency

Join Jaron Cayton, President of TeamLogic IT, to learn more about increasing cybersecurity risks and new threats as we head into 2022. Jaron will discuss the current threat landscape and recent attacks in the news as well as steps you can take to improve your business's cyber resiliency for WHEN an attack occurs (not if). You'll want to be sure to attend this session to ensure your team is ready for the very real threats to businesses in our community and beyond.


TeamLogic IT
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM

Robert Parker, Senior Project Manager & Commercial Project Developer, Cape Fear Solar Systems

Solar For Your Business: How To Profit From Solar Energy

This seminar is ideal for business owners, CEOs, CFO, Business Advisors, Builders, Commercial Developers and any professional wanting to gain solar industry insights. This session will cover solar financials, tax incentives, marketing advantages, and Q&As. Saving money and reducing operational cost is a top priority for successful businesses. With rising utility costs and decreasing material costs, solar energy is now a popular cost-saving alternative for business owners. If your business is projected to have tax liability at the end of the year, an investment in solar can be extremely valuable. Money that would otherwise go directly to the IRS can instead be put into an asset that will reduce your operational costs, and increase the value of your building. If you are thoughtful about the material selected for your system, as well as the firm chosen to install it, that asset is expected to perform for 35 - 40 years.


Cape Fear Solar Systems
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM

Katherine Daniel, Founder and President, Montani Consulting; Bob Pious, Adjunct Faculty Member, Instructor and Co-director, Cameron Executive Network

Does it Matter? How to Have a Positive Work Environment…

Does the corporate culture of your organization really matter?  Are there tangible outcomes that are different based on your organization's leadership philosophy, values, and approach?
 
Learn how to foster a positive work environment, see your employees more engaged and committed, and get results that drive effectiveness.
 
Join Katherine Daniel, Founder and Principal of Montani Consulting; which specializes in the implementation of positive organizational cultures; along with Bob Pious, Assistant Acting Director of the Swain Center, Cameron School of Business at UNCW for an engaging and practical forty-five minutes!


UNCW Cameron School of Business
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 3:45 PM to 4:30 PM

Coach Reggie, Platinum Master Coach to High Growth Businesses

Decisions You Must Make to Scale Your Business

If you have a great business that is ready to grow and scale, 4 Critical Decisions need to be made to successfully make the jump to ‘light speed.’  Do you feel like you have a business ‘tiger by the tail?’ If you are experiencing growing pains, employee frustration, turnover, and burnout, this is a session that you won’t want to miss.


Business Growers
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 3:45 PM to 4:30 PM

Lisa Prather, Client Executive, Sentinel Risk Advisors and Nicole Winkle, COO, Sentinel Risk Advisors

Risk Management in a Changing World

Join Lisa Prather and Nicole Winkle from Sentinel Risk Advisors to learn more about trends and expectations as we enter 2022 and beyond. They will delve into the world of Cybersecurity, Workers Compensation (particularly as employees continue to work-from-home or journey to a hybrid model), crime and Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).  You will not want to miss the interesting case studies that are unfortunately real!


TeamLogic IT
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 3:45 PM to 4:30 PM

Robert Parker, Senior Project Manager & Commercial Project Developer, Cape Fear Solar Systems

The Triple Bottom Line: A Sustainable Business Model For Success

The triple bottom line framework is gaining popularity as more companies implement sustainable business strategies. Focusing on people, planet and profits—instead of just profits alone—can lead to a number of potentially unexpected benefits that extend beyond corporate social responsibility. This session shares the triple bottom line framework and explains how businesses are using it to measure the success of their sustainable practices more holistically.


Cape Fear Solar Systems
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021 3:45 PM to 4:30 PM

Justin Chastain, Financial Wellness Manager, Southern Bank

Financial Wellness Workshop

Financial stress is the #1 cause of employee absenteeism and illness. It contributes to low productivity, workplace accidents, and distraction.
 
Did you know… 58% of employees feel they have little or no control over their finances and 62% of them worry they won’t be able to pay their bills in the event of an unexpected income loss.
 
Now you can learn how to do something about it.
 
Most people were never taught how to budget and manage finances. Simple education, easy-to-use tools, and the support of a community can help solve these problems. Join our financial wellness expert as he discusses techniques and resources to help your employees ‘get well’ and stay well.


Southern Bank
WHEN

Thursday Oct 7, 2021

11:00 AM to 6:30 PM

WHERE

The Wilmington Convention Center

515 Nutt Street
Wilmington, NC 28401