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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; After spending an entire day taking classes on self-betterment and professionalism, a group of young professionals gathered in Rodano&#8217;s on Thursday afternoon for a much needed break &#8212; and, of course, more networking.</p><p>The networking hour was the culmination of a daylong event, called the Young Professionals Conference, a collaboration between the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Wyoming Valley.</p><p>According to Lindsay Griffin, chamber vice president, the exercise was a smashing success.</p><p>&#8220;We sold out a month in advance,&#8221; Griffin said, saying there were 80 attendees in all who gathered at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Griffin said the 80 attendees, all ranging between the ages of 20 and 45, spent the day taking a variety of classes, learning to better themselves in both their personal lives and their careers.</p><p>Discussions throughout the day ranged from how to get ahead of student loan debt to lessons in leadership.</p><p>Bill Jones, president and CEO of the United Way of Wyoming Valley, said the event was an important way to bring young professionals together.</p><p>&#8220;We have such a dynamic group of young people in the area, and this is a way to harness that energy,&#8221; Jones said.</p><p>Rachel Olszewski, a friend of Jones&#8217; who works for the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen&#8217;s Association, was instrumental in the planning, Jones said.</p><p>According to Olszewski, the event was such a success that some people had to be turned away after the initial tickets sold out.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;ll be bigger and better next year,&#8221; she said, adding that she hopes to extend the event farther north, attracting young professionals based in Lackawanna County.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Dozens of young professionals are reflected in a mirror at Rodano&#8217;s in Wilkes-Barre at the mentorship networking hour at Rodano&#8217;s on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919MentorshipNetworking_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Dozens of young professionals are reflected in a mirror at Rodano&#8217;s in Wilkes-Barre at the mentorship networking hour at Rodano&#8217;s on Thursday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919young-professionals2.cmyk_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Times Leader columnist Susan Magnotta, of The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, speaks at the Young Professionals Conference at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919young-professionals2.cmyk_.jpg</photo1><caption1>Times Leader columnist Susan Magnotta, of The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, speaks at the Young Professionals Conference at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919young-professionals1.cmyk_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Times Leader columnist Susan Magnotta, of The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, speaks at the Young Professionals Conference at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919young-professionals1.cmyk_.jpg</photo2><caption2>Times Leader columnist Susan Magnotta, of The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, speaks at the Young Professionals Conference at the THINK Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919MentorshipNetworking_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">United Way of Wyoming Valley President &amp; CEO Bill Jones, left, chats with Hildy Ide and Amanda Cromer, both of Hilton Garden Inn, at the mentorship networking hour at Rodano&#8217;s in Wilkes-Barre after the 2019 Young Professionals Conference on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032919MentorshipNetworking_1.jpg</photo3><caption3>United Way of Wyoming Valley President &amp; CEO Bill Jones, left, chats with Hildy Ide and Amanda Cromer, both of Hilton Garden Inn, at the mentorship networking hour at Rodano&#8217;s in Wilkes-Barre after the 2019 Young Professionals Conference on Thursday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

First Young Professionals Conference a smashing success