About 200 local business owners and managers networked with peers in West Contra Costa County at the Richmond Chamber of Commerce’s sixth annual Super Mixer Trade Show Jan. 20 at the Craneway Pavilion.

“This is the event that businesses look forward to, to kick off the business year,” said chamber General Manager Christina Phipps. “It’s special because businesses make good connections and they get to see everyone they want to see.”

Beyond Richmond, chamber representatives from Pinole, Hercules, El Sobrante, San Pablo, El Cerrito and Rodeo attended, as did members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Guests won prizes and sampled local cuisine from Cafe Soleil, CJ’s Barbecue And Fish, La Strada Italian Cuisine and other restaurants. Members of the public also attended.

Tony Suggs, owner of Castle Bail Bonds in Richmond, has been a member of the Chamber since he launched his business in the early 2000s.

“We were able to meet other people and network with other business owners,” he said. “Then residents came in, and they got to see the businesses they may not have been thinking about.”

Richmond resident Gerald Olivas, a consultant with First Data Corporation, added that it was “great to be part of this event, have exposure, and let my community know what’s out there.”

Event sponsors included East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, the Chamber Link and La Strada.

The Richmond Chamber of Commerce, started in 1924, works to foster growth in the local business community and benefit West Contra Costa County, contributing to community health through building a strong local economy.