Lansing — Young professionals will have an opportunity to build business relationships with some of their peers in the Lansing area at a networking event tonight.
Rockin' on the Riverwalk: Networking for the Next Generation of Business Leaders will run from 5-7 p.m. and will feature live music by the Delta Rhythm Kings, a cash bar and complimentary hors d'oeuvres on the riverfront by the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Ave.
"We were looking for an opportunity for people who may be starting new careers to network with each other and make some new contacts," said Stacy Adado, the event's organizer and vice president of sales and marketing for The Greater Lansing Business Monthly.
The first riverwalk event took place June 22, and three more are scheduled for the rest of the summer. The other riverwalk events will be held July 20 and August 3 and 17. All of the events will be geared toward the 21-35 age group.
The event was organized by the magazine in partnership with the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lansing Center, and is sponsored by Capitol National Bank.
About 100 people are expected to attend the event, Adado said.
George Landolt, a commercial loan officer for Capitol National Bank, was one of about 50 people who attended the first event. Landolt said restaurant-owners, accountants, attorneys and a few local entrepreneurs were among the attendees.
"Something like this is really beneficial for me, having an event in downtown Lansing where I can meet other entrepreneurs — people that would make good contacts," he said.
Capitol Area Michigan Works spokeswoman Kate Tykocki said there are a variety of job sectors that are in high demand in the Lansing area.
"The Lansing economy is a lot more diverse than people give it credit for," she said.
Tykocki said computer engineers, software specialists and most professions in construction — including architects and engineers — are economic strong points for the city.
While manufacturing jobs continue to decrease, health care is increasing with an abundance of jobs available in the field, she said.
Matt Weingarden, marketing manager of the Lansing Principal Shopping District, attended the first event and said it showed the variety of businesses located in Lansing.
Weingarden said networking events are beneficial even to businesses that aren't necessarily related to each other.
"It isn't necessarily finding someone doing the exact same thing as you, but finding someone who is doing something completely unrelated to each other and figuring out how to help each other," he said.
One example is of a marketing agency that introduces Lansing businesses to places they can take clients downtown, Weingarden said.
"The potential there is kind of endless — it's a matter of using your creativity," he said.
