Success for South Central Kentucky Job Fair & Business Exhibition

Contacts:
Jessica M.L. Thompson, Communications Director
270-781-3200; jessica@bgchamber.com

BOWLING GREEN, KY - Last Tuesday more than a thousand residents of South Central Kentucky travelled to the Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green to participate in the South Central Kentucky Job Fair & Business Exhibition, sponsored by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD), BRADD's Workforce Investment Board, Southern Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (SKY-SHRM) and Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM).

This was the third year for this annual event, which was a collaborative effort among Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren Counties.

According to the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, 1,098 people registered to participate in the Job Fair & Business Exhibition at registration booths around the mall. In addition to these registrants, the Chamber estimates that hundreds more jobseekers, shoppers and passersby participated in the event.

"Tuesday's activities were a display of the Chamber's commitment to businesses and jobseekers in South Central Kentucky," said Dan Preston, Chamber vice president, economic development. "As more people registered and visited the booths, it became very clear to all that many residents of our region were appreciative of the collaborative efforts of the counties, the Chamber, BRADD, SKY-SHRM and KAM."

"The number of participants at this year's event more than doubled from our 2007 numbers," said Greg Jones, president of SKY-SHRM. "I am proud to say that the event was a true success because of the impact that putting jobseekers in front of potential employers creates for our region."

Representatives from more than 50 leading businesses and industries from the surrounding South Central Kentucky region showcased their operations and spoke with potential jobseekers during the event on Tuesday, September 16. Registrants also received free health screenings provided by The Medical Center Health & Wellness Center.

"The Job Fair & Business Exhibition gives participants an opportunity to visit a number of potential employers in a short amount of time at a convenient location," said George Leamon, director of the Barren River Workforce Investment Board at BRADD. "BRADD representatives spoke to many people, all looking for new opportunities and ways to further their career paths."

"One of our primary goals at KAM is to assist Kentucky residents in obtaining and furthering successful careers in manufacturing," said Marty Kish, vice president of marketing and revenue for KAM. "The Job Fair & Business Exhibition provided us with an excellent venue to reach that goal."

"On behalf of the Chamber, I'd like to thank BRADD, SKY-SHRM and KAM for co-sponsoring the event, as well as Greenwood Mall for being an excellent host, the media for publicizing the event, and all the businesses that participated in the Job Fair & Business Exhibition. All of these parties helped make it a real success for the region," said Preston.

Incorporated in 1935, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is the driving force for economic development in South Central Kentucky. As one of only 336 chambers nationwide to be accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the fourth largest chamber in Kentucky, the Chamber serves as a premier business advocate for its more than 1,300 partners. Its primary goals are to promote growth and success in the business community, reaching its small business partners and those in large industries alike. With leadership programs, governmental relations projects, educational initiatives and involvement opportunities, the Chamber aims to support the community and its neighbors in order to enhance the business climate and continue to grow the region.