Carroll County held their first business to business expo today, and the turnout was something to behold.
Vendors crammed into the Atwood Lodge across three different rooms to meet one another and make connections as the area prepares to make the most of the oil and gas exploration that is really just getting started. The chamber announced that there were 74 vendors who supported the event, a huge turnout considering that they were originally planning to hold it at St. John's Villa, which would have held only 34 vendors.
The conference center was packed and active before the start time of 11:00 AM. Shortly after 11:00, three representatives from the oil and gas industry addressed the crowd.
First, Mark Madison of Chesapeake Energy spoke for several minutes about what is involved in entering a Master Service Agreement and becoming a vendor with Chesapeake. He highlighted the emphasis the industry places on safety, and how crucial the proper safety and business practices are if a business wants to work with Chesapeake. He also made it clear that the shale boom in Carroll County and the surrounding Utica Shale area is only just beginning.
Next, Jim Pritt of EnerVest re-emphasized that the Utica Shale boom here was basically in its infancy, stating that they are still delineating the play. "They have not put their foot to the metal," he said of Chesapeake. Pritt also stated that "everything's heading in this direction" as far as the oil and gas exploration in the country, helping businesses to realize that they should be ready as more and more companies descend on the Utica Shale. As he came to the end of his comments, Pritt said "our intention is to take Ohio back where it used to be; restore the industrial base."
Steve Harris of Rex Energy spoke briefly as well. He once again mentioned the stringent safety standards of the energy industry and how it relates to vendors who would like to partner with them. Harris also made reference to Rex Energy's first well in the area, the Brace well off of Route 9 north of Carrollton.
All in all, it was an interesting and exciting event that really helps to drive home how much is happening in Carroll County. We congratulate the Chamber of Commerce for hosting such a successful gathering of businesses.
Click through the jump to view several pictures from the event...
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| Full parking lot - before the event started |
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| Some vendors set up shop outside |
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| There was barely room to walk inside |
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| Rex Energy was on hand |
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| EnerVest was there too |
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| Another packed row of vendors |
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| Another room of vendors |
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| Entering another room |
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| Not a lot of room to move in this one either |
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| It was a good day to set up outside |
The event was sponsored by Jo Mac, Carroll County YMCA, Brennan Financial, Farmers Exchange, PNC Banking, Huntington Bank, Consumers National Bank, and NAI Springs Realty.
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