Region will share the Democratic spotlight

Alaska, Indiana, Alabama, and Massachusetts delegates tonight will toast the Democratic National Convention at parties planned by Tricia Baglio of Ipswich and Allyson O'Connor of Gloucester.

National news crews will beam satellite images this week from the FleetCenter in Boston, where the convention runs through Thursday, from satellite trucks rented from Remote Facilities Consulting Services of Wakefield.

Florida Democrats will take home T-shirts proclaiming Northeastern University as the home of the first World Series. The shirts were dreamed up by Corporate Accents Unlimited of Danvers.

And workers from the Henry F. Owens Co., an Everett moving company, will make sure the Celtics' fabled parquet floor is safely returned to the FleetCenter from a top-secret storage facility.

A handful of small businesses from across the region will play supporting roles in the Democratic party. However, many more will be left off the stage, even though they are on a list of vendors selected by Boston 2004, the convention host committee, and published at www.boston04.com.

''I'm the only bar service company on that list and I got nothing," said Dianna Kinosian, owner of Boston's Best Bartending in Wakefield. ''Zero."

''We tried awfully hard," said Jill Ammerman, owner of Airpacks Inc. of Beverly, a consumer products company that hoped to supply the convention's official bag. ''We spent a fair amount of time talking with the Boston 2004 committee . . . but we never got past the proposal stage."

In touting the economic benefits of a major national convention, Boston 2004 made a strong pitch to small businesses. Companies of all stripes -- especially those owned by women, minorities, and the disabled -- were encouraged to register as convention vendors. To qualify, a business had to be certified by one of six business agencies, such as the state Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance, to show it could actually supply the goods or services they advertise.

Although it took time to be certified, many local businesses jumped at the chance to sell to a national political convention. Of the 620 companies listed for free in the vendor directory, 43 are from the North region. But many have been disappointed by the results.

''This is not what they cracked it up to be," said Renee Katzen, owner of 1-Laser Kare Technology Inc., a toner supplier in Salem. ''Unless there is a crunch in the last week, a lot of vendors won't be getting any business from this."

''I jumped through more hoops [getting certified] for this than anything else," said Vincent Williams, owner of the Jazzy Sportswear Promotional Co. of Lynn. ''I made sure I was certified as an Afro-American business to improve my chances. . . . But in the end, nothing happened."

Alex Huber, part owner of Maureen Electrical in Haverhill, thinks the small electrical contractor may have lost out to larger shops. ''We thought we could have been some help to them along the line," Huber said. ''But maybe the bigger companies got the work. . . . It's like there was no room for us little guys."

A spokeswoman for Boston 2004 said businesses were told from the start that a listing in the vendor directory came with no promises.

''It was created to give people the opportunity to do business," Karen Grant, communications director for Boston 2004. ''We can never give a guarantee. Where we [the host committee] could, we used it, and encouraged third parties to use it."

Third parties includes the dozens of corporations, special interest groups, and organizations throwing convention-related parties and events this week.

Grant said 30 percent of the host committee's discretionary spending -- for things such as parties, flowers, and entertainment -- has been spent with businesses listed in the vendor directory. She declined to cite specific numbers. The committee issued requests for services that vendors could bid on, she said.

The directory also was built with an eye toward the future. After the convention, the vendor directory will remain in circulation, though it's unclear whether it will be published online or in printed form, Grant said.

''It will be passed down, to some other entity, that will allow other people to utilize it," she said. ''We wanted to create something that will outlive Boston 2004."

Some business owners who didn't get any convention business say the extended life of the directory could help. ''It can't hurt," said Jacquelyn Magill, owner of EDM Construction in Byfield. ''I was looking at this [convention work] as getting my foot in the door" on larger construction projects in Boston.

''In the long term, this convention will bode well for businesses," said Beezee Honan, owner of Marketing Directions of Marblehead. ''I was able to showcase my experience and abilities [to the host committee]. I think it's helped with networking."

The lucky businesses that did land convention business are celebrating their historic job.

''In my lifetime, I probably won't see another national convention again," said Allyson O'Connor, 38, owner of NxtEvent Inc. in Gloucester, who has helped plan Super Bowls. ''A Super Bowl comes around year after year, but not a political convention."

O'Connor planned four delegate parties for tonight at venues around Boston. Each will have its own theme, such as ''Rhythm of a Nation," chosen for a party welcoming the Indiana delegation.

''All the parties have been an interesting opportunity to showcase the city of Boston," she said.

Massachusetts delegates will gather tonight at the Boston Public Library at a reception planned by Tricia Baglio, owner of Meet With Success in Ipswich. Baglio teamed up with other small vendors, including caterers and designers, to win the bid for the party, which is expected to draw more than 1,000 people.

''I'm very fortunate to be working with the other vendors," she said. ''I think they're one reason we got [the bid]. We showed them [the host committee] that we'd be working together."

Jim Thistle, co-owner of Remote Facilities of Wakefield, is looking to improve his bottom line for July. ''It's going to be a busy week for us, and it certainly will make for a better July than we might have had," he said.

The Henry F. Owens moving company is halfway done with its convention job. The firm took away 85 truckloads of FleetCenter materials, including the Celtics parquet floor, Bruins hockey nets, and tables and chairs from luxury boxes. Once the convention is over, they'll haul it all back.

But Edward Owens, second generation owner of the company, hopes the job won't end there. ''I'm pricing out a bid to remove the stage," said Owens, whose father started the company in 1927. ''It would be pretty exciting for us to take down the stage where John Kerry is going to accept the nomination for president of the United States."

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com