- Cutting the ribbon at Wednesday's Westchester Business Expo were, from left, Brandon Steiner, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, retired baseball star Dwight Gooden and Marsha Gordon, president of the Westchester Business Council.
RYE BROOK, N.Y. -- More than 2,000 businesspeople from across Westchester, the Hudson Valley and Long Island attended Wednesday's Business Expo at the Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook.
More than 180 companies and nonprofit groups offered sales pitches and gave away plenty of promotional merchandise, from pens and water bottles to keychains and back scratchers.
It marks the 13th year the expo was sponsored by the Business Council of Westchester.
Exhibitors included banks, law firms, tax accountants, nursing homes, marketing and design firms, contractors, restaurants, security companies, the Westchester Knicks and Daily Voice.
The White House at Briarcliff Manor was one of the banquet facilities handing out food samples; the Hilton Westchester's wedding staff gave away pastries and cake. Corporate Fuzion of New Rochelle gave away wooden back scratchers.
Several vendors collected business cards for raffles, which included tickets to the KPMG Women's PGA golf tournament June 9-14 at Westchester Country Club.
Some exhibitors used the expo as an opportunity to grow their business within Westchester. Kevin McErlaine of Briscoe Protective Systems, for example, said a new law requiring many White Plains businesses to install surveillance cameras has prompted Briscoe to offer specials on security equipment.
Brandon Steiner of Scarsdale, founder and CEO of Steiner Sports Marketing & Memorabilia, was this year's keynote speaker, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Considered a sports marketing guru, Steiner started his company with just $4,000 and an intern back in 1987. Today, Steiner Sports has more than 100 employees and brings in $50 million a year in sales.
This article originally appeared here.
