SIERRA VISTA — This year’s Women in Business Conference was one of the biggest and best yet.

Cochise College administrative assistant Irma Alejandro (center) visits a vendor's booth at the Women in Business Conference last Saturday.

The Cochise College Small Business Development Center held its seventh annual Women in Business Conference on Saturday with nearly triple the attendance of last year.

“All the feedback that we got back from participants and presenters alike were positive,” said Rachel Norton, administrative assistant at the Cochise SBDC. “The SBDC would like to thank all of our co-sponsors, Cochise College Center for Lifelong Learning, the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce, and a special thank you to the Sierra Vista Herald for making this year’s event the best we’ve ever done.”

The business development event centered on a theme of “Achieving a Balance — Education, Self, Business.” Each of the 160 participants chose to attend two of five available workshops offered in the morning and afternoon. Workshops included i-Fabulous, presented by Carlos Valenzuela; Healthy Choices for Happier Lives, presented by Margie Scott; Time Management, presented by Margarita Fate; Stress Management Lessons from Wonderland and the Land of Oz, presented by LBL Consultants; and Xtreme Social Media, presented by Gary Dillard and Margaret Dillard.

Speakers from LBL Consultants make a presentation on time management.

In between sessions, the conference offered lunch and exhibits, with 45 vendors of business services, clothing, jewelry and food. Dillard’s department store set up in the Student Union commons area, complete with with Clinique staff for mini makeovers and racks full of clothes, shoes and purses. Businesswomen from across the county put on their modeling caps for an informal fashion show of professional attire from Dillard’s.

Next, the Cochise SBDC will hold a small workshop titled “Social Hour: Word Press and the Importance of Business Blogging” from noon to 1 p.m. Sept 15 in room 702 on the Sierra Vista Campus.

Later next month is the 16th annual Douglas Economic Outlook Luncheon, scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Douglas Campus Student Union.