Sponsored each week by Sea-Comm Media's Big Talker radio, the Strictly Business networking events are held in a different establishment each week. Appetizers are provided free and sometimes the location hosts are especially generous, as was the case last night, when the full buffet, in two separate stations, was ample, varied, appealing, and delicious! So thanks to owners Margaret Jennings and Val Cleary for the great space and wonderful food.
Lest you think Strictly Business is the same group of folks wandering from bar to bar each week, a good example in the photo below is Brian Keller, who very recently moved to Oak Island with his business-to-business promotion products company, ATL (www.adsthatlast.com). Brian, in the middle, and his wife Tracy (on the right) moved from Gastonia and this was their first time at Strictly Business. (As you can see from the plate in my hand, I wasn't shy about helping myself to the food, while Brian was more restrained.)
Brother and sister Robert and Paige Freeman. Both are photographers and Paige is also a Producer with Sea-Comm Media.
Annie Anthony of the Cape Fear Volunteer Center.
Rory Platow of the Big Buddy Program, this week's nonprofit beneficiary of the raffle ticket sale for prizes given by Strictly Business attendees.
Brother and sister Robert and Paige Freeman. Both are photographers and Paige is also a Producer with Sea-Comm Media.
Annie Anthony of the Cape Fear Volunteer Center.
Rory Platow of the Big Buddy Program, this week's nonprofit beneficiary of the raffle ticket sale for prizes given by Strictly Business attendees.
Pre-Paid Legal's Elaine Huston and mortgage consultant Mark Whitmarsch.
Sea-Comm Media salesman Russ "Call me Doug" Hauptmann - who was actually setting me up for a joke when I took this photo.
Buffmaster's CarWash Mark Johnson with ActionCoach Reggie Shropshire - Reggie was and always will be a member of the United States Marine Corps and lately has been wearing these camies as a signature outfit - here he was trying to looking stern.
It didn't last longer than 2 seconds, however, and Reggie quickly flipped back to his usual, glowing smile.
Sea-Comm Media Producer Aimee Robbins with Sales Account Manager Amy Besterfeldt (aka "Jackie Jordan" - which is what I mistakenly named her in a few previous posts and never heard was in error - till last night when "Doug" Hauptmann told me that "Jackie Jordan" wanted to talk with me.
We were entertained by piano player Rebecca Hall.
Marge grabbed my camera and took this shot of me with Cristen Roggemann of the Big Buddy Program.
Here's Cristen Roggemann by herself.
Out on the front patio Harp co-owner Margaret Jennings (center) sat with John and Patricia Pietropaolo. John's with a New Hanover methadon maintenance center and Patricia has a permanent makeup company.
Buffmaster's CarWash Mark Johnson with ActionCoach Reggie Shropshire - Reggie was and always will be a member of the United States Marine Corps and lately has been wearing these camies as a signature outfit - here he was trying to looking stern.
It didn't last longer than 2 seconds, however, and Reggie quickly flipped back to his usual, glowing smile.
Sea-Comm Media Producer Aimee Robbins with Sales Account Manager Amy Besterfeldt (aka "Jackie Jordan" - which is what I mistakenly named her in a few previous posts and never heard was in error - till last night when "Doug" Hauptmann told me that "Jackie Jordan" wanted to talk with me.
We were entertained by piano player Rebecca Hall.
Marge grabbed my camera and took this shot of me with Cristen Roggemann of the Big Buddy Program.
Here's Cristen Roggemann by herself.
Out on the front patio Harp co-owner Margaret Jennings (center) sat with John and Patricia Pietropaolo. John's with a New Hanover methadon maintenance center and Patricia has a permanent makeup company.
Another shot of the patio in front of the restaurant.
Sea-Comm Media news guy Joe Catenacci was the announcer - at first, as you can see, few looked up.
And then when he started announcing prizes people started really paying attention.
A nice piece of glass work in the restaurant.
The working area of the bar.
Brian Fenderbosch with Morvil Advertising + Design Group, Ranald Totten of WhatsOnWilmington.com, and architect Gordon Hall.
As we were leaving we said hello to N2 Publishing's Steve West.
Marge and I were at Strictly Business for about an hour and saw a lot of folks we already knew and also each met two or three new people with whom we'll follow up. That's the way networking is supposed to work and the way it always seems to work at Strictly Business, which is held from 5-7 (or later) each Wednesday. You can check the schedule each week at This Link.
