68 businesses make for a thriving business expo

Keith Severson, marketing services manager for Graniterock, answers questions for Trina Coffman-Gomez Thursday at the annual Business Expos at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula).

WATSONVILLE — At a time when the economy is improving but local unemployment remains high, the Pajaro Valley Business Expo returned to the fairgrounds today, with organizers hoping that the event will keep the economic momentum going.

The expo was held in the Harvest Building at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and was put on by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. It featured nearly 70 businesses — including Graniterock, David Lyng and Associates, KSCO, Chevrolet of Watsonville, Marty Franich Ford/Chrysler, Kayak Connection, Santa Cruz County Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank, Mar Monte Medical Clinic and Grocery Outlet.

New this year were two awards for the best decorated exhibit booths.

The winners were Bay Federal Credit Union for the People's Choice award. The Chamber Choice award went to the YMCA.

So how is business in Santa Cruz County?

"It's getting better," said Kim Cuccia, office manager of Express Employment Professionals. "It's been on a steady increase the past couple of years."

Medical office jobs and skilled manufacturing jobs in particular have showed an increase, Cuccia said.

A couple booths down from Express Employment was the crowded booth for M&M Party Rentals. The free frozen margaritas in two flavors and the goldfish game surely had something to do with the crowd around the booth.

"I think it's been a really nice turnout," said Marsha Nelsen, the owner of M&M Party Rentals. She said the kids really liked the goldfish-in-a-bowl game, where kids tossed a colorful ping pong ball into a small fish bowl, containing the pet fish. Except you could get really close to the fish, rather than the distance required at places like the Boardwalk.

Katie Mahan, the Pajaro Valley chamber's chairwoman and also the Watsonville branch manager and vice president at Rabobank, was pleased with the turnout and said the expo "is an opportunity for businesses to showcase what they do."

Late registrants pushed the number of businesses participating in the expo to 68, Mahan said.

There was an impressive selection of food and beverages from a variety of vendors at the expo. This reporter particularly appreciated the truffles and free shots of chardonnay at the Grocery Outlet booth.

Asked what she likes about her job, Dawn Harrell, who runs Grocery Outlet on Main Street (in the old Register-Pajaronian building) with her husband, said, "For us it's like a treasure hunt," with an always changing inventory in the store.

Harrell said business is going very well and that they employ about 30 people.



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