Charlie Baker Visits Central Mass. Business Expo

Thursday, October 03, 2013

Paige Pihl Buckley, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Charlie Baker is a Republican candidate for Massachusetts' governor.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker visited the Central Massachusetts Business Expo at Worcester’s DCU Center Wednesday morning, marking his first stop in Central Massachusetts in what will be a long campaign for Massachusetts’ governor.

“I was out there in part because I wanted to chat with some of the small businesses in Central Massachusetts that were presenting up there, and talk with some of the manufacturing businesses,” Baker said. “Central Massachusetts has a bright future in manufacturing.”

Business is Key

Baker said he learned a lot at the Expo and that it aligned well with his three areas of concern for Massachusetts: to create more jobs, to improve our schools, and to build great communities. Small businesses are a key factor, Baker said, on all three of those fronts.

“Small businesses turn into medium sized businesses turn into large businesses,” Baker said. “It was a very informative and helpful visit and I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time in Central Massachusetts in the next 13 months.”

The expo, which showcased local small businesses and included several seminars for Central Massachusetts’ business owners, featured a keynote address by JetBlue President and CEO Dave Barger, as well as addresses by former Senator Mo Cowan (D-MA), and Life is Good Cofounder and Chief Creative Optimist John Jacobs.

The annual event is one of the largest business-to-business expos in New England and features exhibitors from several industries.