Trade American Card Hosts 38th Annual Holiday Barter Expo at The Grove of Anaheim

On November 23, 2008, the Largest Mixer attended Trade American Card's 38th Annual Holiday Barter Expo at The Grove of Anaheim. Hundreds of clients were in attendance and over one million dollars were generated through trade. The expo benefited businessmen, merchants, distributors, manufacturers, professionals and Trade American Card members who have all been affected by the recent economic downturn."For 38 years Trade American Card has functioned as a clearinghouse where Trade American Card members trade their goods and services amongst each other using trade dollars instead of cash dollars" said Michael Ames, CEO of Trade American Card. This advent of bartering for services and products rather than using cash is a great supplement to running any business.

Some of the people that we ran into at the expo were Diana Kawamoto, Branch Manager of American First Credit Union, Paul Thiel, Editor and and Publisher of 951 Media, Angela Devera, Medical Director of the Laser and Vitality Institute, and Jeff Miller, President of 24 Hour Fire Protection.

We'd like to give a special thanks to Mike Ames and Kim Ames for spearheading this successful and unique expo. Trade American Card is also one of our Largest Mixer participants, and we look forward to seeing them at our next event!

Newport Beach Chamber Hits The High Seas With Hornblower Cruises & Events

On Thursday, November 20, 2008, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce kicked off the holiday season with a networking event at the Hornblower Cruises and Events. The networking event took place on one of Hornblower's ships, which, as soon as the networking commenced, left the dock for a cruise around the harbor.

(From left to right) Hormblower's Karen Weil, Amber Cowan and staff chefs. 

Some of the people we mixed and mingled with were Ron K. Lopez, Senior Audit Manager of Glenn M. Gelman & Associates, Vivian Chang, Consultant of nutraMetrix, Tracy MacLean, Regional Account Executive of FNS, Inc., and Cara Hess, Associate Broker of Alandale Insurance Agency.

(From left to right) Kevin Lorton with the Hornblower, Kris Olsen, 

and Jim Villers of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

If you haven't already booked your holiday party, we would highly recommend calling Karen at the Hornblower (949.646.0155) for an event you and your guests will soon not forget.

We'd like to give a special thanks to Pam Smith and Jim Villers of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce for throwing a networking event at sea unlike any other!

Santa Ana Business Connection Hosts Business Expo 2008

Tuesday, November 18, 2008, the Largest Mixer exhibited at the Santa Ana Business Connection's Business Expo 2008. The event was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange. With nearly 50 exhibitors and 200 attendees, this year's Business Expo was as busy as ever. There was great food, lots of mingling, and even awesome opportunity prizes given out at the Expo.

(From left to right) AT&T's Rob Hernandez, Tonya Nicholas, and Hector Rubio, along with Vince Brantley of the Santa Ana Business Alliance

On top of the Expo's prizes, Orange County's Largest Mixer, which will be happening Wednesday, March 11, 2009, held its own special giveaway for two free tickets to the upcoming mixer. The lucky winner was Gabriela Gomez of Easter Seals. We'll see you in March, Gabriela!

(From left to right) Kim Zeigler and Doug Wooley of Goodwill Industries, who will also be exhibitors at Orange County's Largest Mixer!

Some of the attendees that we ran into at the Business Expo were Frances Capistrano, CEO and Marketing Director of Top Notch Design Services, Billy Mee, Account Executive of Time Warner Cable, Rod Bidgoli, VP Business Development of BillboardConnection, and Dan Callahan, President of Ecia Benefits.

We'd like to give a special thanks to the Santa Ana Business Connection's Vince Brantley, Nancy Sandoval, and Kris Olson for always knowing how to throw a spectacular networking event!

Largest Mixer Participates In Network Orange County 2008

Hosted on November 12, 2008, the Irvine Chamber of Commerce threw yet another successful Network Orange County event. The event was held at Dave & Buster's, a proud participant of Orange County's Largest Mixer VI.

Network Orange County was both well-organized and very well attended. Among the dozens of chambers of commerce in attendance were the Brea Chamber of Commerce, Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tustin Chamber of Commerce, Stanton Chamber of Commerce, South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce, Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Orange Chamber of Commerce, Jewish American Chamber of Commerce, and of course, the Irvine Chamber of Commerce.

Just a few of the people that we ran into at the event were Michelle Johnson, DPS Manager of Office Depot, Sherry J. Taylor, Financial Advisor of Waddell & Reed, Thomas Winkelmann, Branch Office Supervisor of World Financial Group, Adriana Lopez, VP of Sales & Marketing of Get The Edge, and Fred Cooper, Area Manager of AT&T.

Carolee of Studio Six Salon was the lucky raffle winner of two free tickets to the upcoming Orange County's Largest Mixer VI. Hope to see you there in March, Carolee!

We'd like to give a special thanks to Linda Benjamin for throwing such an outstanding event. Each year Network Orange County exceeds expectations by setting bars even higher than years past, and the Largest Mixer is glad be a part of that success.

Avi Resort & Casino and Inn at Playa del Rey Sponsor Inland Empire's Largest Mixer II Giveaway

Did you attend Inland Empire's Largest Mixer II on October 22, 2008? If so, you probably dropped off one of your business cards when you checked in with the promise of being entered into a raffle. The bloggers here at the Largest Mixer Blog are now here to announce the official winners of this year's raffle! (Drum roll please) The lucky winners are...

Two night stay at The Avi Resort & Casino in Laughlin, NV - Won by Tim Derryberry, Vice President of Freeman Office Products.

One night stay in a luxurious Marina View room at the Inn at Playa del Rey - Won by Kevin Keith, Department Assistant for Chapman University College.

Congratulations to our winners! Feel free to contact anyone here at the Largest Mixer to claim your prizes. If you didn't win, we send our condolences. But feel free to find us at an upcoming mixer event and we'll gladly buy you a drink--as a consolation prize, of course.

Stay tuned to find out what awesome prizes we have in store for Orange County's Largest Mixer VI held on March 11, 2009!