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WEST CHESTER TWP. — A record number of people gathered for the eighth annual West Chester Business Expo Tuesday, May 13, at Skatetown USA.

A luncheon preceding the event offered by the West Chester Chamber Alliance drew more than 550 guests to dine on a sampling of cuisine from Liberty and West Chester Twp. restaurants and listen to featured speaker Brian Kelly, head football coach for University of Cincinnati.

Kelly, named Big East Coach of the Year for 2007, told the crowd that today's leadership model requires four primary assets: character, strength, courage and the ability to deliver a clear message that eliminates confusion.

"Now for me, I've got 18- to 21-year-old males" to coach, he said. "That is a breeding ground for confusion on day-to-day basis. Today's leaders have to bring great clarity to what they're trying to achieve."

This year's expo featured 135 exhibitors – more than ever before, said Alison Miuccio, marketing director for the West Chester Chamber Alliance.

Lance Waggoner of One Yellow Spot, a streaming video and Web site design business in Maineville, said he attended the expo to develop prospects for the company and to build relationships with other companies.

Waggoner said the event was the biggest expo he had ever seen and he praised everything from the event's food and amount of exhibitors to its setup and color scheme.

"This is amazing," he said. "It makes you want to network."

Mary Burns, event coordinator for Savannah Center in West Chester Twp., said being an exhibitor at the expo in 2005 and 2006 helped raise awareness about the center's December 2007 opening.

"Being able to meet all the businesses in the area, letting them know what we had to offer, it was a great opportunity," Burns said.

Lynda Bockrath, sales assistant for Liberty Grand Villas, said the expo offered more than just a chance to get the word out about the new Liberty Twp. ranch-style condominiums.

"It also gives a chance to network with different businesses because we hope to offer different types of social events to our homeowners and it might (allow us to) retrieve some of those businesses to come in and talk to our homeowners."

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