Bee Lopez from Explore Rancho Cordova warmly welcomes visitors to the 13th annual Rancho Cordova Business Expo & Job Fair on June 20. Photo by Carol Feineman

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Community.

The 13th annual Rancho Cordova Business Expo & Job Fair on June 20 was all about supporting community members.  

Job seekers to retirees were welcomed by event organizer Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce staff, event sponsors and event vendors.

“We are delighted with the success of the 13th Business Expo & Job Fair. This year, we were honored to host 65 vendors and several hundred guests. Over 40 vendors were actively recruiting and we’ve already received news of successful job offers, a clear indication of the event’s impact on the local business community,” said Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Diann H. Rogers. “Each year, we bring together businesses of all kinds to showcase their products and services, a pivotal part of our chamber's mission to create opportunities. The planning and execution of the Expo is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, our ambassadors and other volunteers who are deeply invested in the success of this event.”

A strong sense of community and caring was provided to the hopeful job seekers checking out the companies with open positions.

From left are Angelica Strijaous, Chamber ambassador; Ashley Wilson, Member Services administrator, Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce; and Pam Garcia, Business Development manager, Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce. Photo courtesy of Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce

That same sense of community and caring was experienced by residents who return annually to learn about the resources provided by area nonprofit agencies, to enjoy complimentary refreshments and to take pride in their city.

Event visitors spent the morning and early afternoon leisurely seeing what area businesses and nonprofit organizations offer residents at the Business Expo & Job Fair conveniently set up at the Rancho Cordova City Hall parking lot. Attendees received a "passport" and, after visiting the vendors, returned their passports to the Chamber of Commerce booth to be entered into a contest with prizes.

Many residents were back this year to check out what businesses are new in their city.

Other attendees, such as Sasha Banh from Elk Grove, were there for the first time. Banh saw the event after walking out of her office in City Hall for a lunch break.  

"It's really great," Banh said. "I love how the vendors have signs saying they're hiring. It's very clear."

Banh took notes about the open positions for her husband, who could not attend.

"The Rancho Cordova Business Expo & Job Fair is one of the best job fairs we have participated in," said Messenger Publishing Group Publisher Paul V. Scholl. “We saw many qualified applicants today. We're happy to be a media sponsor of this annual event.”

The Messenger Publishing Group publishes the Grapevine Independent and 17 other newspapers from Dixon to Colusa County.

First-time vendor Raman Kaur, The Pizza Twist manager, was also pleased with the Business Expo & Job Fair. Pizza Twist opened nearby at 11009 Olson Drive in January and this event was a way to meet the community.

The Pizza Twist booth had a steady stream of visitors delighting in the freshly-baked delicacies.

"I'm happy that many people tried my food. Everyone was happy," Kaur said. "Next year, we'll be back. We're very close."

The Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) is at the event every year to bring awareness about the international nonprofit organization that addresses quality of life issues for enlisted members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

"We're here to educate people about NCOA," said Non Commissioned Officers Association International Auxiliary President Tammy Sullivan. "We got at least 17 new members. One of those members, a 19 year old, signed up and is also joining the Army."

That was as of 12:15 p.m. and the event still had another 105 minutes left for visitors to stop by the Non Commissioned Officers Association informational booth.

"We support Rancho Cordova and we do things with the VA Hospital," Sullivan said. "We do as much as we can locally and getting the word out."

 Natalya Sachuk, an office assistant for State Assemblymember Josh Hoover, shared an information table with Sen. Roger Niello's staff.

"I love this opportunity for all the businesses to come out," Sachuk said. "It's great that small businesses come out and to know what job opportunities there are. You look around and you don't know that all these businesses exist here. It's great networking."

Program manager Bee Lopez for Explore Rancho Cordova, a Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce program, is a longtime event participant and looks forward each year to the event.

"It's a fantastic way to greet residents of Rancho Cordova, to put faces to companies, to strengthen relationships in the community," Lopez said. "It's a super fun not-to-miss event. People come out and walk away with lots of giveaways and hopefully walk away with a job."