GONZALES — Businesses and organizations from across Ascension Parish came together for the 13th annual Chamber of Commerce Business Expo, creating an opportunity to network, build relationships and connect with potential customers.

The expo features 135 exhibitors representing a wide range of local businesses and industries.

Rebecca Monk, board chair of the Ascension Chamber of Commerce, says the event is about more than just business-to-business connections.

“To connect not only businesses but also our community. There's a lot of networking amongst the businesses and amongst our community members, our community leaders and Ascension Parish is growing so rapidly that we just continue to expand and highlight those expansion in all these great businesses.”

With so many businesses gathered under one roof, attendees can explore local services, discover new resources and learn more about the companies working in their community.

For exhibitors like Torapath Technologies, being part of the event is also a way to give back and strengthen ties with the community.

“Being a local company ourselves, you know who live and work in this community, it's really important to us to give back and support the community, and especially here in Ascension,” a spokesperson said. 

As Ascension Parish continues to grow, organizers say events like the expo give businesses a chance to make connections that can help keep that growth moving forward.