Service Manager Andrew Barfield of Sid Networks works the business’s booth at the 30th Accelerate Business Expo on Feb. 20 at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center in Tyler. (Katecey Harrell/ Tyler Morning Telegraph)

More than 100 businesses gathered at the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce’s 30th Accelerate Business Expo on Feb. 20 at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center, fostering networking and relationships within the growing local business community.

“What’s exciting for me, because my day job is in the banking world, is when businesses make a connection or develop a relationship, because all that money stays here locally, and that’s really important,” Tyler chamber board chairman James Sheridan said.

The event served as an opportunity for businesses to connect with one another while also engaging with residents exploring the various booths. Vendors ranged from pet therapy services to IT solutions, offering a broad look at the region’s diverse business landscape.

Some businesses were new to the area, while others had deep roots in East Texas.

Lex Air Conditioning and Heating, a multigenerational family-run business, started in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before expanding to Tyler with Lex Air East Texas (Lex ETX), manager Christi Lampkin said. When some team members sought a slower pace of life, the owners saw an opportunity to branch out.

Lex ETX offers residential, new construction and commercial electrical, plumbing and air conditioning services.

“We moved out here about a year ago,” Lampkin said. “We have slowly but surely been getting out there and putting our name out there.”

Understanding that people tend to stick with maintenance providers they know, Lex ETX prioritizes networking and building relationships. At the expo, they focused on educating visitors about indoor air quality while raffling off a Premier One air purifier.

Sid Networks, an IT company catering to small businesses with 150 computers or fewer, has been in operation since 2016, owner Sydney Collum said. With 25 years of experience in IT, Collum always felt drawn to serving small businesses.

“Every small business needs an IT department but can’t afford one, so I created one,” Collum said. “We do our best to be a turnkey solution.”

The company provides desktop support, server management, internet solutions, email and printing services — essentially everything a small business needs, except custom programming or web development.

Sid Networks has been a member of the Tyler chamber since its inception and is also an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau. In 2023, the company received the BBB Award for Excellence in the small business category, marketing coordinator Jennifer Bosco said.

“If responsiveness, support, and communication are the things missing from your current provider, we would love to talk,” Bosco said.

Another IT company making its mark in Tyler is Love Tech.

Joseph Taylor founded Love Tech in 2020, recognizing a need for comprehensive tech services for homes and businesses. The company provides in-house solutions for network issues, alarm systems, and more, aiming to simplify technology for clients.

Building trust has been key, especially in IT services, where reliability is paramount. Events like the business expo allow Love Tech to connect with potential clients and showcase their capabilities.

The company expanded from McKinney to Tyler, drawn by the area’s welcoming community and convenient proximity to major cities.

Also present at the expo was Compass Financial Group of Thrivent, a faith-based, not-for-profit financial services company. Financial advisors Perry Flowers and Steve Emmons explained that Thrivent has operated for over 120 years, serving Christian families and giving back to communities.

The company offers life insurance, retirement planning, and estate strategies, all rooted in the belief that finances are a form of stewardship. Generosity is woven into their work, as they reinvest money that would typically go toward taxes back into the community.

“We truly are a full-service financial company,” Flowers said.

Thrivent’s not-for-profit model sets it apart within the Fortune 500, where it is the only company of its kind. As the largest not-for-profit financial organization in the country, Thrivent operates under a member-owned structure, distinguishing it from stock and mutual companies.

“We’re member-owned, and that’s a key differentiator,” Emmons said.

With businesses spanning industries from financial services to home maintenance, the expo showcased the depth of Tyler’s business community and the value of fostering local connections.