You may question what the Breakfast of Champions networking group (http://www.breakfastofchampionsnetworking.com) was doing holding an evening event this past week – it is a breakfast group after all – unless you were among the 75 local business people in attendance at Highland Park's City Park Grill on December 7th. (http://www.thecityparkgrill.com)

For business owners, the holidays can be a great time to network and start connecting – or reconnecting – with people and set the stage for business in the coming year. Many companies, trade associations, Chambers of Commerce and other professional groups use the holiday party format as a way to bring people together in a less-than-businesslike environment, to eat, drink and exchange business cards.

In a departure from the regular early morning meetings held on the fourth Friday of each month, the Breakfast of Champions invited members and non-members alike to come together for a Holiday Business After Hours event to celebrate a year of great networking…with more networking, of course!

The event, sponsored by ATI Graphics, Inc. (http://www.atigraphics.com), a Highland Park based branding, graphic design and web development company founded in 1997 by Larry Bloom, helped fill the two month gap between regular morning events since the fourth Fridays of November and December conflict with the holidays. More importantly, it made the most of a season that is all about bringing people together and connecting.

“The holiday season is a time to celebrate a good year or lament a tough one. Add a bartender and a few door prizes and you’ve got yourself a festive networking event!” says Bloom.

For dedicated networkers, it is a time packed with opportunities, not a time for a “networking holiday.” No matter if the room is filled with business associates, family and friends or a hybrid mixture of all three, ‘tis the season to network!