Businesses make community connection at Pahrump expo

Several representatives and leadership from a variety of local companies gathered at the Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino for the 20th annual Biz &Home Expo at the end of April to connect with the public and the area’s business community.

“I think it’s great,” said Bill Perna, business development manager for Valley Communications Association, which had a booth set up at the expo. “You’ve got to be able to connect with the local community — be able to not just be a billboard somewhere. You need to be able to be face-to-face and interact with people.”

The two-day-long expo, which ran April 27-28, also helped Valley Communications’ representatives connect with consumers on concerns or questions they may have about Valley’s products, according to Perna.

“You’re able to talk to them versus them just reading an ad or trying to fill out an application because you find that there’s a lot of people that maybe don’t really understand how the product works or some advantages it might have,” he said.

Perna used an example of the association’s TV service, which requires that customers also sign up for broadband. Valley Communications uses technology known as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which runs through the association’s broadband network.

Along with the technical questions, Perna said consumers also asked about pricing.

Roughly 50 companies made it out to the 2018 expo, which was going well on the venue’s first day of operation.

“The turnout has been great — better than expected — and we expect twice as many tomorrow,” said Donna Corey, events coordinator for the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce, the organization behind the annual event.

The event attracted a variety of companies from the area. This is the third year for the “Home” portion of the expo, which attracts several organizations, including William Lyon Homes and other realtor groups from Pahrump: Nevada Realty and Lisa Bond Real Estate for example.

Other companies and sectors being represented at the 2018 expo were Pahrump Life Magazine, Mercy Air, Inspirations Senior Living, along with banks, financial services professionals, local churches and others.

Michael Hines, branch manager and vice president at Nevada State Banks’s Pahrump branch, said he wasn’t expecting a large business flow from being at the expo. “It would be great if we do,” he said.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a chance for us to say thank you and give some free stuff out and just connect with people,” said Hines, who came to Nevada State’s local branch in 2017. “It helps us from a branding standpoint, just making sure that people know we care enough to take out of our day to just come and do something different.”

Hines was surprised by the foot traffic at the event. The chamber had estimated up to 1,500 people showing up to the venue.

“I’m actually really surprised,” Hines said. “I’ve done events like this before. Traffic’s been pretty amazing today.”

Representatives from Nathan Adelson Hospice were also set up at the expo and were happy with this year’s turnout.

“It’s been a lot busier than last year,” said Virginia Fortier, patient service representative, on the first day of the expo. “I’m very happy.”

The hospice, which offers in-home services in Pahrump, has been in the Pahrump area for 15 years. Nathan Adelson is celebrating its 40th year in operation.

Steven Proscente, pre-need manager/counselor for Lee Funeral Homes, was at the expo.

Proscente said the venue helps Lee Funeral “connect with the community but remind them that we’re here for them,” he said. “At Lee Funeral Home, we treat every family like they’re our family. And it’s our community, we’re family owned and operated from locals.”

Another family-owned operation at the expo was the Pahrump Health, Wellness and Nutrition Center, which has been in Pahrump since early 2017. The group was originally known as Back to Roots but later changed its name to the store which sits at 2341 E. Postal Road.

“I think this is good for the community to understand who’s around, who’s local, who’s the Chamber of Commerce in this community,” said Pahrump Health, Wellness and Nutrition Center owner Justin Curnutt.

Curnutt noted that he was not a corporate-owned entity that keeps the money in Pahrump.

Pahrump Health was offering free services on its BEMER (blood flow therapy) chair at the expo.

“We’re just running people through it, and getting the result, and teaching them that there’s alternatives to medicine,” Curnutt said. “That’s all I’m doing here.”

Curnutt said people don’t have to use his services but urged them to get alternative healing.

Meeting with the public isn’t the only opportunity the event offers businesses that set up a booth.

“Not only do I meet the people coming to this event, but I also meet all the local stores,” Curnutt said.

Lisa Duncan, general manager at Fitness for $10, agreed the event does help the local gym connect with area businesses.

“It’s also an outreach to all the businesses,” Duncan said. “That’s kind of nice too because we’re kind of all in one place. Otherwise, we don’t necessarily see each other all the time. It’s great because all the businesses get together, and we can stop by and see each other.”

Duncan said the event does help with getting out into the community.

“We always run a special to get people to go back to the gym and sign up, just reaching out,” she said.

The expo was based on business leads, and no sales were allowed at the venue.

Contact reporter Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes