April 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 4
QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS
CHAMBER LAUNCHES NEW TECH COUNCIL BY BENJAMIN FANG
To make the borough more welcoming to the technology industry, as well as help businesses in the borough adapt to evolving technology, the Queens Chamber of Commerce is launching a Queens Tech Council. The group will be made up of
FAMILY BIZ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
nesses, including Succession Planning for a Global Family Business, Transferring Your Family Business, Family Business Boards and more. “Small and medium-sized family businesses are the backbone of New York City and Queens,” said Warner King Babcock, president and CEO of the NYC FEC. “Sadly, so many of these businesses have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. We are thrilled the Queens Chamber will be taking over NYC FEC’s programming, significantly increasing the reach and impact of these vital services.” In addition to the new committee, which will be the Chamber’s 13th member committee, the Queens Chamber will launch the “Queens Chamber Family Business Awards,” an annual awards ceremony for family-owned businesses. All former and current NYC FEC members, special interest group members, and session attendees will be invited to join the Queens Chamber at a membership level of their choosing. “Over the 100-plus years that Plaza College has been a member, the Queens Chamber of Commerce has consistently found ways to provide valuable programming that meets the needs of each of their members,” said Charles E. Callahan III, president of Plaza College, a family-owned business and the longest tenured member of the Chamber. “As a third-generation owner of a family enterprise, I understand the unique challenges these businesses face.”
major tech companies, startups, business leaders, government representatives and community leaders. So far, the council includes representatives from Google, Facebook and Amazon, as well as local groups like Pursuit, Long Island City Partnership, Crown Castle and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber, said the borough has rich diversity, transportation infrastructure, worldclass colleges and universities and a thriving arts and culture scene, making Queens an attractive option for tech companies. “As our borough and region look to rebound from the pandemic, we need to be leveraging all the assets that Queens has,” he said. “The Queens Tech Council will focus on
making sure tech companies have everything they need to grow and thrive, and that all Queens businesses have the tech resources required to remain competitive in an increasingly global marketplace.” The council will promote innovation and technology adoption, ensure that Queens continues to produce talent, and work with tech companies to get the resources and capital they need. Borough President Donovan Richards said his office will work with the new Queens Tech Council to make the borough “the future for tech and economic development.” “Queens is known for our diversity in our residents’ backgrounds, cultures, infrastructure and economy,” he said, “and therefore, an ideal location for any tech startup to launch.”
Kia Floyd, Facebook’s eastern head of Public Policy, said Queens’s strong business economy, diverse talent base and access to arts, culture, media and commerce first attracted the company to New York City in 2007. “As we continue to grow, it’s important that we do our part in fostering opportunities in tech that are equitable for all,” Floyd said. Hope Knight, president and CEO of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, said the tech council has the potential to lift people, businesses and neighborhoods out of the economic crisis. “Downtown Jamaica, a mass transit hub that’s home to York College, a diverse business district and a vibrant residential community, is proud to be part of this vital initiative,” she said.
CHAMBER, FCBA INK AGREEMENT
On March 23, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Flushing Chinese Business Association (FCBA) signed an official affiliate agreement. The agreement will allow the two organizations to share resources and information to support their member businesses, and highlights the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s support of the borough’s vibrant Chinese American small business community. Taking part in the ceremony were Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilman Peter Koo, FCBA executive director Peter Tu, and Chamber president and CEO Thomas Grech.
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