First ever CougsFirst! show in Spokane a hit

CougsFirst!, the nonprofit business networking organization founded by WSU alumni, held its first ever Spokane trade show last Thursday, and it was a big success.

I’d never been to the Seattle shows, but I heard good things about them. It only made sense that the organization held an event in Spokane. And what better time to do it than during Crimson and Gray Week, two days before the spring game?

The show kicked off with a keynote address from WSU President Kirk Schulz, who talked for close to an hour to a standing-room-only meeting room at The Davenport Grand Hotel. Schulz gave a mini State of the University Address, touting the University’s successes and talking about its challenges and the road ahead.

After the keynote, the doors to the trade show opened, where 48 businesses and WSU-affiliated programs boasted their products and services to about 500 attendees. Five of those 48 offered wine, beer or cider samples, so attendees were treated well, let me tell you.

As I walked lap after lap around the room, I was impressed seeing so may WSU alumni-owned and WSU-supporting businesses. CougsFirst! exists to connect Coug supporters to Coug-owned and Coug-supporting businesses, and the trade shows in Seattle and Spokane shows accomplish that.

I’ll bookmark this page, from now on.

CougCenter was a proud Gray Sponsor for the show. Mark your calendars for March 20, 2019, as CougsFirst! returns to the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. The show hopes to return to Spokane next April, with a date and location TBD.

Kudos to the CougsFirst! team and the Spokane organizers for a great show!