this is... “THE BANK HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YEARS, IT WILL BE AROUND FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS.”
June 2021 . Volume 17 . Issue 6
CENTURY
MARK RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS SERVING THE COMMUNITY
ALSO
• RWNYC JOINS CHAMBER ‘ADOPTION’ PROGRAM • MARKETING TIPS TO KICK START GROWTH • MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS BANK CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO LEONARD STEKOL
EMU Health and NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital Bring World-Class Medical Care to Queens EMU Health, a multi-specialty outpatient facility in the Glendale section of Queens, and NYU Langone Orthopedics announce the addition of Ivan Fernandez-Madrid, MD, to the facility’s medical staff, beginning in February 2021. A leading orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Madrid brings extensive expertise in hip and knee reconstruction, including the use of innovative new technology like robotic-assisted surgery and partial replacements. He is fellowship trained in Sports Medicine and specializes in minimally invasive surgery of the knee and shoulder. “At NYU Langone, we are dedicated to providing not only the highest level of world- class medical care, but also to improving access to specialty care where people live and work,” says Madrid, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone. “I’m excited to expand these much-needed services in Queens.” “With over 2.5 million people living Queens, we are located in the 21st century epicenter of New York City,” says Chief Clinical Executive Ms. Efrat Yaish, PA, C. “Demand for high quality health care continues to rise and the need for excellent, local options is extremely important for patients who cannot easily travel to Manhattan. We are thrilled to offer the additional level of care our relationship with NYU Langone will bring to our facility and the people of Queens.” Adds Daniel Lowy, founder and CEO of EMU Health, “When I established EMU
Health, it was imperative to make a positive difference in my community. My team and I are excited by the opportunities our relationship with NYU Langone will provide to those in need.” EMU Health is a four-year-old multi-specialty outpatient medical facility under article 28, consisting of an ambulatory surgery center (AAAHC accredited) and physician practices. Since its inception, the facility has striven to make world-class medicine locally available to Queens residents, and NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital is a world-renowned facility ranked among the top 10 in the country for orthopedics, rheumatology, and rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital received Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, an honor given to only 8 percent of hospitals. NYU Langone’s doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals provide the highest-quality medical and surgical care for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of orthopedic, musculoskeletal, rheumatic, and neurological conditions, as well as other related diseases and injuries. About Dr. Ivan F. Madrid Dr. Madrid has been in practice for 20 years in New York City. He came to New York from Michigan in 1985, graduating from Columbia College in 1989. He graduated from SUNY Downstate medical school in 1995 and did his orthopedic residency training at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital. After, he did a fellow-
ship in Sports Medicine at Wayne State University and has been in continuous practice at NYU Langone since 2001. He will be joined at EMU by Charlene Brown Bryan, NP. Charlene has worked as a floor and OR nurse since 2007 and has worked as a nurse practitioner in orthopedics since 2014. She is currently obtaining her Doctor of Nursing Practice and will graduate in May 2021. She is an integral part of the practice assisting in diagnosis and non-operative management of orthopedic conditions. She assists with injections including cortisone, viscosupplementation, platelet rich plasma and stem cells and manages perioperative care. Both Dr. Madrid and Charlene are fluent in Spanish.
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES There are numerous experienc- ward. es I’ve missed that make New Whether its new strategies to York the greatest city attract customers, marin the world, especialketing your services or ly Queens. Dining at looking at your operaany one of the ethically tions from a fresh new rich restaurants, spendprospective. Now is ing time at Astoria Park the time to take hold and visiting Queens of the feeling in the Museum to name a few. atmosphere. The city is With the city reopenresurfacing. ing, it certainly seems Last month, the like old times. Queens Chamber hit Over the past 14 TOM SANTUCCI out 110th year of commonths, the Queens CHAIRPERSON mitment to the business Chamber has continued community. to function at a high level, providSince it’s beginning, advocacy, ing resources and services in sup- education and networking has port of the business community. been at the forefront of what we From educational webinars to do on your behalf. It was evident access to elected officials via throughout 2020 that even a paninformation sessions, the staff demic wouldn’t prevent services has made you their priority, both from moving forward. members and non-members. As Board Chair, I’m thankful to As we move back into a some- each and every one of you for the what normal existence, take this trust you’ve placed in the Queens opportunity as a business owner Chamber. to take advantage of every chance We’re in this together with great to move your organization for- things to come.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO
NEW YORK GROOVE
There are few songs that resonate Queens Chamber is poised to like “New York Groove.” When welcome you back to in-person I think about the city rebound- events that will give you the opporing from the challenges we have tunity for networking and expandendured over the past 17 months, ing your business contacts. the Ace Frehley version of the Our event calendar for June song, which he recorded in Sep- offers an opportunity to hear tember 1978, is at the directly from Borough forefront of my mind. President Donovan It is easily the anthem Richards, as he shares of the city. his vision for mobility With the city in Queens. Our Transreopening, mask manportation Committee, dates lifted statewide, one of our 13 member millions in our comcommittees, will host munity vaccinated, the event. and CDC restrictions The saying goes almost nonexistent, “age is nothing but a we can all breathe a THOMAS J. GRECH number,” and that cerPRESIDENT & CEO sigh of relief. tainly holds true when Restaurants are it comes to launching rebounding, and there’s a buzz in a new venture. Mark your calendar the air not experienced for quite for June 23 when we partner with some time. Needless to say, it’s all long overdue.
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QUEENS QUICKLY CITY ANNOUNCES ‘OPEN BOULEVARDS’ A new city program will expand 10 multiblock corridors to create dining destination experiences throughout the city. “Open Boulevards” builds off last year’s successful “Open Streets: Restaurants” program, which transformed miles of restaurant-heavy streets into open space for diners, cyclists, and pedestrians. In addition to creating extra space for dining, Open Boulevards will feature cultural activities, community-based programming, landscaping and other beautification, and art installations. “As a Brooklynite, I know that Open Streets like Vanderbilt Avenue have already illustrated how this city can thrive in this recovery,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. “Open Boulevards will give us a chance to further expand those success stories, driving even more business to vibrant communities and of course, great dining.” “We’re pleased to support the new ‘Open Boulevards’ plan that will not only expand the City’s café culture across the five boroughs, but also add new arts, culture and community elements that will help boost New York City’s reawakening and attract visitors this summer and beyond,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO at NYC & Company. The City will mark Open Boulevards with branded light pole banners and gateways at entrances and public tables and chairs. Restaurants on Open Boulevards will receive free barriers to ensure safety for roadway diners and pedestrians. In Queens, the program will include Ditmars Boulevard from 33rd to 36th streets and Woodside Avenue from 76th to 78th street. More information, including days, hours, and
operating partners, can be found at nyc.gov/ openboulevards. “The Open Streets program offers much needed recreational space to Queens residents looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors and experience the vibrancy of our neighborhoods,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. “The Open Boulevards program is a natural expansion of Open Streets and is a great way to make these destinations even more attractive.”
ROCKAWAY BEACH OPEN FOR SUMMER The city’s eight public beaches opened for swimming on May 29, and will remain open through September 12. Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Swimming is strictly prohibited at all other times. Beach capacity will not be limited for the upcoming season, but face coverings will continue to be required in all comfort stations and social distancing precautions should still be followed. “The summer heat has arrived, and with the return of swimming at our beaches, comes another step in our collective return to normalcy,” said Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver. “It is with great pleasure that I say to all New Yorkers grab your sunglasses, sunscreen, and swim gear.” City beaches span a total of 14 miles, and include Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach in Queens. Rockaway Beach, one of New York City’s finest beach towns, welcomes visitors back to a replenished beach for a summer of coastal fun. Rockaway Beach is home to the city’s only designated surfing areas and its boardwalk has become known for its varied concessions that
sell food and drinks from around the world. Some of the boardwalk concessions will stay open an extra hour until 11:00 p.m. This year visitors can also indulge in new eateries along the boardwalk, courtesy of new concession operator Rockaway Beach Bazaar, while enjoying free community events, fitness classes and programming hosted by the Parks Department.
JFKIAT ANNOUNCES $230K IN GRANTS JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, announced that along with a number of its partners it has raised $230,000 to aid the Queens community as it continues to grapple with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its corporate giving program, 4GOOD, JFKIAT and its partners created a fund that awards resources to several community organizations that have continued to support Queens residents and businesses for the past year. The fund will provide one-time donations to several local organizations that provide community support, local business support, and education, which are among the key pillars of its 4GOOD program. The organizations were selected through an application process, in which they specified programs and initiatives geared to helping those most impacted by the pandemic. The donations will be made and announced in the coming weeks. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, many in the aviation industry and in the Queens community have suffered from severe economic impacts of the crisis,” said Roel Huinink, president and CEO of JFKIAT. “At this time when so many in our borough are in need of support we wanted to make a meaningful impact to lend help, first and foremost, for those within the JFK community and our neighbors in the Greater Jamaica area.” JFKIAT’s partners in this effort include Acad-
TABLE OF CONTENTS Promotions, Announcements & Appointments .......................................6
McClancy Alum Provides $2 Million for New Athletic Complex ...............20
JetBlue Announces Nonstop Flights to London ......................................7
Stay Connected With the Queens Chamber in April ........................................25
Resorts World to ‘Adopt’ Small Businesses .............................................8
Get to Know Three Members of the Chamber Staff .........................................26
Hunters Point Studios Offers Co-working Space in LIC ...................10 Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace Post-COVID ..............12 COVER STORY: Ridgewood Savings Bank Turns 100 ..............14-17 Asian-Owned Small Businesses Receive $10,000 Grants ................19 4
PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez
MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller
MARKETING DIRECTOR John Sanchez BQE Media, 45-23 47th St., 2nd Floor, Woodside, NY 11377 Phone: (718) 426-7200 Fax: (347) 507-5827
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6 emy Securities, Chapman and Cutler, LLP, Law Offices of Joseph C. Reid, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC., KPMG LLC, Landrum & Brown, Omnicap, Ramirez & Co., Inc, Rice Financial, and Squire Patton Boggs. Since JFKIAT launched 4GOOD in 2016, the company has distributed approximately $100,000 annually in funds for charities, organized events at Terminal 4, and worked closely with several organizations in Queens.
NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT As outdoor dining and open streets become permanent fixtures of civic life in post-pandemic New York City, a new coalition is launching Alfresco NYC. The initiative aims to develop design guidelines around outdoor structures, ensure they are achievable for small businesses and communities hit hard by the pandemic across the five boroughs, and to support and celebrate the diverse culinary scene across our city. Kicking off the initiative is the Alfresco Awards, a competition for the best outdoor dining spaces and open streets across the five boroughs – which includes a $500 prize and free publicity. The application portal opens today - Wednesday, May 26 - and anyone can nominate a restaurant or community-based effort. A jury of experts, soon-to-be-announced, will select the winners in early July. NYC’s Open Restaurant Program comprises more than 11,000 restaurants, including nearly 6,000 that have set up shop along 60 miles of car-free streets. While Open Restaurants is popular with New Yorkers, it tends to be concentrated in wealthier neighborhoods. Alfresco NYC is targeting small businesses and community efforts in all neighborhoods to support permanent programs.
QUEENS QUICKLY the pandemic. “Housing and small businesses play a major role in our city and across the state, so we need to ensure that individuals are able to get the help they need during the difficult time,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo. The Small Business Recovery Grant Program will provide funding to small and micro businesses and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations with priority given to socially and economically disadvantaged business owners, including minority- and women-owned business enterprises, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses and veteran-owned businesses, and businesses located in economically distressed communities. Grants will be for a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award of $50,000 and will be calculated based on a New York State business’ annual gross receipts for 2019. Reimbursable COVID-19 related expenses must have been incurred between March 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, and can include: • Payroll costs; • Commercial rent or mortgage payments for
NYS-based property; • Payment of local property or school taxes; • Insurance costs; • Utility costs; • Costs of personal protection equipment (PPE) necessary to protect worker and consumer health and safety; • Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) costs; • Other machinery or equipment costs; and • Supplies and materials necessary for compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Over 330,000 small and micro businesses are potentially eligible for this program, including 57 percent of New York’s certified MWBEs. Applications for the program will be accepted starting June 10 for small and micro businesses, and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations. “Small businesses are what keeps our communities thriving, and seeing so many of them closed down — some of them permanently — due to COVID was devastating,” Addabbo added.
RICHARDS PAYS VISIT TO QUEENS COLLEGE
STATE AID FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Governor Andrew Cuomo last month announced a total of $3.5 billion in assistance programs to help renters, landlords and small businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program will provide $2.7 billion in funding for eligible households experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Recovery Grant Program will provide $800 million in funding to small and micro businesses, as well as small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations to help them recover from the economic impact of
Borough President Donovan Richards and his team recently met with Queens College President Frank Wu and members of his administration, as well as faculty, staff, and students. Wu hosted Richards on a tour of the 80-acre campus. Pictured from left are Wu, Richards, director of Cultural Affairs and Tourism Phil Ballman, deputy borough president Rhonda Binda, assistant vice president of Facilities, Planning, and Operations at Queens College Zeco Krcic, assistant to the deputy borough president Ludy Thenor, assistant vice president of External and Governmental Relations Jeffrey Rosenstock, and Andres Vargas, a member of the borough president’s staff.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org Email your announcement or promotion to info@thisisqueensborough.com
PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS Her mother was a children’s librarian. meaning that women’s heart issues were often Latham to lead Library Work. “The Queens Public Library Foundation plays misdiagnosed, mistreated or sometimes missed an essential role in ensuring we can bring the all together. Foundation best programs and services possible to our “We’ve made great strides in this area, but Susan Latham has joined the Queens Public Library Foundation as its new executive director. Latham, a nonprofit professional with over 20 years of executive level experience, joins the Foundation after serving as vice president of Development at Citymeals on Wheels. The Queens Public Library Foundation raises funds for the programs, services, and collections provided by library. “As a longtime user and supporter of Queens Public Library, I know firsthand how important the Library’s proLATHAM grams and services are to the people and communities of Queens,” said Latham. “During the past year, the library stepped up in so many important ways to help meet the needs of Queens residents, who were particularly hard hit by COVID-19.” At Citymeals on Wheels, Latham was responsible for all aspects of foundation, corporate, and individual major gifts fundraising, events and partnerships, planned giving, and board relations. She brought in $14 million in major gifts and closed their capital campaign. She was previously deputy director of Advancement at The Actors Fund, where she managed individual and institutional giving, raising $10 million in annual support. Latham has also served as associate director of the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at NYU Law School, director of Development and Communications at the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, and associate vice president for Human Resources and Planning at Metropolitan College of New York. Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, Latham worked in the performing arts as a fundraiser, producer, and company manager, touring throughout the U.S. and abroad with Meredith Monk and other artists. Latham serves as a board member of Pentacle/ Dance Works and Performing Artservices, and is a member of the Queens Solid Waste Advisory Board. Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, Latham is a longtime resident of Jackson Heights. She has a BA in Communications from Hope College and an MS in Social Administration from Columbia University School of Social
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customers,” said Michael Rodriguez, chair of the Queens Public Library Board of Trustees. “Susan’s vast experience in the nonprofit sector with organizations that provide vital services to New Yorkers make her the perfect fit to lead the Foundation at this time.”
Rosen named Physician of the Year Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, a Northwell Health cardiologist for 26 years, was named the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2021 Physician of the Year. The organization’s highest honor, it is given annually to a physician who has made outstanding accomplishments in the field of cardiovascular disease. The AHA acknowledged Rosen for her expert guidance and counsel throughout the coronavirus pandemic and for having made an enormous impact on how AHA’s mission continues to support equitable health and ROSEN well-being for all. Rosen is senior vice president for the Katz Institute for Women’s Health, where she oversees the development and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated approach to women’s health services at Northwell Health. As a practicing cardiologist, Rosen previously served as chief of cardiology at LIJ Medical Center and associate chair of cardiology at Northwell Health. As the first person in her family to become a physician, Rosen said she was fascinated in medical school by the anatomy of the heart and how it worked, leading her on a lifelong mission to understand and try to prevent heart disease, which is the number-one killer of men and women in the United States. “Cardiology was a perfect balance of developing long-term relationships with patients and applying research to help individuals live longer and healthier lives,” she said. “At the end of the day it’s my patients who inspire me.” Through her cardiology practice, Rosen became aware that many cardiac conditions present differently in women than in men,
the research, education, advocacy and clinical care must continue to be at the forefront to save lives,” she said. Rosen co-authored the book Heart Smart for Women, Six S.T.E.P.S. in Six Weeks to HeartHealthy Living, which empowers women of all ages with a comprehensive program for hearthealthy living. She also co-produced her first documentary titled Ms.Diagnosed, which premiered at the California-based Cinequest film festival in March 2020. Rosen is a graduate of the six-year medical program at Boston University School of Medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians and the American Heart Association.
Meyer tapped to chair Board of NYCEDC Danny Meyer has been appointed chairman of the Board of the New York Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). Meyer will lead the organization’s 27-member board, which helps to guide NYCEDC’s agenda as the city’s primary economic development vehicle. NYCEDC leverages the city’s assets to create CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2021 by Queensborough. All letters sent to the QUEENSBOROUGH should be brief and are subject to condensation. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the QUEENSBOROUGH. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the QUEENSBOROUGH within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. BQE Media assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the QUEENSBOROUGH and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.
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June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS
JETBLUE TO OFFER NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO LONDON
JetBlue announced it will make its highly anticipated entrance into the transatlantic market with nonstop service between John F. Kennedy international Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) starting August 11. New York’s Hometown Airline will further enhance its U.S. and U.K. schedules with nonstop service between JFK and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) starting Sep-
tember 29. London service from Boston, where JetBlue is the leading airline, will start in summer 2022. “The pandemic has opened doors to London’s two busiest airports, and we look forward to bringing customers low fares and great service at both Heathrow and Gatwick,” said JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes. “JFK-LHR, the single largest international air travel market
from the U.S., has long suffered from outrageously high fares for far too long, especially in premium cabins. We’re ready to change that with a price point and experience that will impress even the most discerning transatlantic flyers.” Flights on both routes will operate daily on JetBlue’s new Airbus A321 Long Range (LR) aircraft with 24 redesigned Mint suites, 117 core seats and the sleek and spa-
cious Airspace cabin interior. Seats on both Heathrow and Gatwick routes are on sale starting today with low fares for U.S.-based travelers starting at $599 roundtrip for the airline’s award-winning core experience and starting at $1,979 roundtrip for JetBlue’s premium Mint experience.
Hello, Heathrow Located just 14 miles west of Central London, Heathrow was the second busiest airport in the world by international traffic in 2019. JetBlue will operate from Heathrow’s newest terminal, Terminal 2. Heathrow travelers benefit from a variety of convenient ground transportation options including the Heathrow Express and London Underground, which offer rail connections with Central London. “JetBlue is a fantastic airline, and we’re delighted that we’ll be seeing their characteristic blue tailfins at the airport later this year,” said Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye.
Greetings, Gatwick
PROMOTIONS & APPOINTMENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 good jobs and drive growth, ensuring equitable and sustainable development across all five boroughs. In 1985, Meyer opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, launching what would become a lifelong career in hospitality. Three decades later, his Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) comprises some of New York’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino, and more. He also founded Shake Shack. Originally a small part of a public art initiative in Madison Square Park that Meyer invested in, the modern-day “roadside” burger restaurant became a public company
in 2015. Aspen Institute Preston Robert Meyer is also known for his Tisch Award in Civic Leadership, employee-first model, changing the 2011 NYU Lewis Rudin Award how restaurants were historically for Exemplary Service to New managed. Meyer is York City. the author of Set“For too long, New ting the Table, which Yorkers have not articulates a set of been able to gather signature business together to hear the and life principles clinking of glasses in that translate to a restaurants or see the wide range of induslights on Broadway,” tries. Meyer said. “We’re Meyer has been ready to safely rerecognized for his engage the culture, leadership, business travel, and hospitalMEYER achievements, and ity industries – and humanitarianism, the people who make including the 2017 Julia Child them so special – and get back Award, the 2015 TIME 100 “Most to the business and heart of what Influential People” list, the 2012 makes our city beloved by all.”
Gatwick is the second busiest U.K. airport and provides JetBlue with an important presence where it can attract a new base of travelers. JetBlue will operate from the North Terminal, which has a range of passenger facilities including a wide variety of shops and restaurants, Kid Zones for those traveling with children and special assistance services. Gatwick travelers benefit from a variety of convenient transport links including direct train links to Central London’s Victoria Station via the Gatwick Express and to stations across London, including the heart of the business district. Additionally, Thameslink Trains run every three minutes and provide around-the-clock service to communities beyond Central London, enabling JetBlue to serve a variety of travelers bound for or returning from a variety of U.K. destinations.
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EXPERT ADVICE
MARKETING TIPS TO KICK START GROWTH
STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE TO MAKE YOUR GOALS A REALITY It’s one thing to have a business, it’s another to know how to grow it. Advertising is a crucial step toward growth, but you may not know where to start. Business owners are used to hearing the most promising solutions all day, but advertising and marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. You have to know your business, what you want for your business, and all of the options available to reach your business goals. The marketing experts at Spectrum Reach know a thing or two about growing a business and the steps you should take to make your goals a reality. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: • Know what you want to achieve. Do you want to establish brand awareness, overall growth, or do you want to introduce new services and products? Your business exists to fulfill a need for your consumers, but what is that need? Your customers need to know why they should pick your business and, most importantly, you should know that as well. Get specific with your intentions in order to take the necessary steps toward your goals. • Explore how to achieve your advertising goals. You may already be familiar with the advertising landscape, however you can’t assume that what worked in the past will work again. This year alone proves that the media world is constantly evolving. In the current climate, as people spend more time at home, they are tuned in more than ever. With multiscreen advertising, you can reach the right consumers where and when they are most engaged. • Get familiar with your audience. You don’t need a big audience if it’s the right one. Identifying who your ideal customers are and where and how to reach them
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is key to making your marketing and advertising strategy effective. The right advertising partner should help you understand your audience and come armed with aggregated and de-identified data and privacy compliant research to show you who to reach and how. In order to truly understand your audience, you need to know their demographics and psychographics. The more you know about your consumers, the more likely your advertising efforts will work. As a local business, it’s impor-
tant to note that most customers stay within their neighborhood and vicinity when making purchases. If you’re advertising outside of that area, you may be wasting your investment. Privacy compliant data allows your business to find and reach the audiences that will be the most interested in hearing your message. • You’re paying for transparent results. One of the biggest misconceptions about advertising is that it’s reserved for companies with huge budgets. Not so. Advertising, especially at the local level, is affordable and effective. It’s not enough to throw a certain amount of money into an advertising campaign and then occasionally check to determine if your investment is effective. You have to keep up with your results and
adjust accordingly. While you should pay attention to which media channels work best, the time of day that has the most reach, and the performance results of one ad over another, you also need an advertising partner who readily provides up-to-date information and answers these questions for you. These guidelines are just the tip of the iceberg. Spectrum Reach harnesses the power of multiscreen advertising for any business and offers a simplified one-stop-shop destination for marketing solutions. The marketing experts at Spectrum Reach have a wealth of advertising knowledge that they’re ready to share to help your business succeed. Learn more about growing your business at spectrumreach.com.
CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS
RWNYC TO ‘ADOPT’ RESTAURANTS
Resorts World New York City (RWNYC) is joining the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s “Adopt a Small Business” program. RWNYC is sponsoring 40 local small businesses with a complimentary oneyear membership to the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Opened in 2011, Resorts World New York City is the first and only casino in New York City. Situated next to Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, RWNYC receives over 10 million guests annually. Resorts World New York City is operated by the Genting Group, a global corporation that has destination resorts across Asia, Europe, and North America. This summer, RWNYC is preparing to open a hotel, the 400-room Hyatt Regency JFK. “As a business that had to close its doors during the pandemic, we recognize first-hand the economic impact COVID has had on the busi-
ness community,” says Michelle Stoddart, vice president of Community Development at RWNYC. “This is why it’s important to us that we help other businesses get back on track to recovery.” Among the 40 businesses Resorts World New York City will sponsor through the Chamber partnership are dozens of restaurants in neighborhoods surrounding their property, including many in Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Woodhaven, and Richmond Hill. Restaurants were among the hardest-hit businesses during the pandemic, having to pivot exclusively to delivery and takeout during the 2020 lockdown. Even as establishments have begun to reopen in phases, overall restaurant sales volume has not caught up accordingly. Membership to the Queens Chamber of Commerce gives business owners access to a wealth of resources including advocacy,
government agency assistance, discounts, and a vast network of industry contacts. These resources can help businesses adapt to the new landscape of commerce America faces. Since reopening their doors in September 2020, Resorts World New York City has doubled down on its community outreach efforts. In 2020, they developed the Community Partners Program, a coalition of small businesses that offer discounts to its rewards card members in exchange for free advertising. RWNYC hopes its new partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce will encourage more businesses within the five boroughs to enroll in their Community Partners Program to increase their visibility. “Businesses don’t exist as islands,” says Stoddart. “We all rely on each other. When businesses band together and share resources, the community wins. The people win.”
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
EXPERT ADVICE
DON’T FORGET BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING BY RONALD FATOULLAH Owners of successful small businesses generally want their businesses to continue to succeed for a long time to come, regardless of who controls the business. Yet, they often fail to focus on succession planning for the businesses they have put so much time and energy into building. The following are some of the important considerations for business owners: • Estate Planning. Small business owners often do not have updated estate plans that outline to whom they would like their shares in the business to pass. This can create a huge headache for both the surviving partners/ co-owners, as well as the family members of the deceased partner/ co-owner who may not know the first thing about running a business.
Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the founder of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a law firm that concentrates in elder law, estate planning, guardianships, trusts, wills, and real estate. This summary is not legal advice. For legal advice, reach the firm 718-261-1700 or toll free at 1-877-ELDER-LAW.
A business owner must not only the other partners need to take age the business will be crucial to have an estate plan that addresses time away from their typical roles the successful continuation of the this, but they should also review within the business in order to business. their estate plans at least once take care of the activities of the • Additional Considerations every few years as life circum- deceased partner. in a Family-Owned Business. stances change. Moreover, busiAnother issue that can arise Owners of family-owned and run ness owners must review their when a key partner dies is that business must consider all the estate plans each clients and customers may threat- issues mentioned above. Howevand every time en to leave the business and the er, they must also consider a host there is a change remaining partners will be forced of other issues that may arise: in the tax law. to hire a very high-paid replace(a) Deciding whether the busi• Buy-sell ment, which can threaten the ness should make it to the next Agreement and financial stability of the business. generation where the second genLife Insurance. By preparing for this event eration lacks the skills and comMany partnerships and other small through the purchase of key per- mitment of the prior generation; businesses have (and those that son insurance, the remaining part(b) Ensuring that the next gendon’t, must consider) a buy-sell ners can ensure the continuation eration can and will provide for a agreement, which comfortable retirement dictates what will those in the preA business owner should for happen if a partceding generation if the review their estate plans at least once business continues; and ner should die (or every few years as life circumstances change. become disabled) (c) Navigating the during the course choppy waters of interof the partnership. family disputes where The buy-sell a greater share (or all agreement may require the sur- of the business they worked so of the business) may be left to viving partners to purchase the hard to build. one or more child who currently deceased partner’s share from his • Management Versus Own- works in the business, and not or her family. The death of the ership. A good succession plan to other children who previously partner, in this case, will be the should not only consider owner- did not have much to do with the triggering event. But how will the ship of the business in the event business. remaining partners pay for the of the disabling of one or more It’s important that owners of buy-out? owner, it must also consider man- small business consult with an Business owners should consid- agement of the business. attorney who has experience in er a life insurance policy on each The succession plan must assisting businesses with preparof the partners’ lives. In the event ensure that there is someone (or ing for the future of their pracone partner dies unexpectedly, the a team) who can handle the day tices, so that the issues described remaining partners will be able to to day activities of the business, above do not create unnecessary purchase the deceased partner’s which include operations, admin- stumbling blocks which may share and continue operating the istration, finances, etc. The per- threaten the survival of the busibusiness without having to get son or team that is chosen to man- ness. involved with the deceased partner’s wife, children or other heirs. • Key Person Insurance. Also CEO’S MESSAGE referred to as “key man insurance,” this life insurance is critiCONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Queens with resources that will cal in many businesses where the enable opportunity for growth contributions and roles of one or the U.S. Small Business Admin- and sustainable long-term sucmore of the partners are essential istration to present “Starting a cess. Visit queenschamber.org for to the continuation of the busiBusiness at 50+.” There is no all the details. ness. time like the present to manifest Summer 2021 will be one to Often times, one or more of the your entrepreneurial goals. remember. We’re healthy, busipartners will have an active and I’ve said it before and I’ll con- nesses are thriving, and the future important role in the company. In tinue say how thrilled I am to be looks bright. Thank you for your the unfortunate event that a key president of the Queens Chamber. continuous support of the Champartner was to pass away, the surOur staff and I are committed ber. vival of the entire business may to providing business owners in Remember: Queens STRONG! be threatened if, for example,
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WELCOME TO YOUR NEW OFFICE IN LIC
BY MATHIAS KESSLER & AHMET CIVELEK
One of the many things COVID19 disrupted was our working experience. After spending more than a year working remotely from our homes, we can slowly begin to venture out and focus on re-establishing a healthy work/life balance. Hunters Point Studios wants to extend an invitation to everyone who feels like they are ready for a change of scenery and eager to get to work in a safe and thoughtful environment. Hunters Point Studios was born out of the understanding that community is everything. Founded in Long Island City in 2019 as a working space for people in the creative fields, we designed our coworking experience as a welcoming sanctuary capable of meeting your highest standards and expectations. Our classic New York warehouse hosts a group of artists, architects, creatives, and entrepreneurs working together since 2008. We wanted to generate communities by bringing together members that have something in common, namely, a creative soul.
Here success is measured by personal fulfillment, passion, and dedication. Community is our catalyst and is what keeps us going, especially at trying times such as the one we are going through right now. So, what does the future of co-working looks like? By championing innovation and functionally, our carefully curated environments, including giant windows, lush plants, and stimulating natural light, will enable you to fully delve into your craft. The open and shared spaces allow professionals from different disciplines to connect and further their goals in a safe, sanitized environment. Our objective is to support individuals who wish to grow professionally by allowing them to thrive in a space that invites them to tap into their potential. Whether you need a desk or a meeting room, Hunters Point Studios allows you to focus, further, your career, reach your targets, and recharge. Our space is committed to diversity and inclusivity. Our co-working experience was mindfully designed to address the way spaces affect our bodies and with the understanding that human contact generates ideas, projects and creative energy. We
The team behind Hunters Point Studios, Ahmet Civelek (left) and Mathias Kessler. wanted to make you feel at home and comfortable, while providing you with a blank canvas and a safe zone for productivity. To tackle these difficult times, we have successfully implemented health and safety measurements that include filtered ventilation, reduction of touch points, daily sanitation and required mask use. Our spaces include oxygen producing plants in accordance with NASA’s guidelines, and our members-only building access allows us
A co-working space inside Hunters Point Studios in Long Island City.
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to keep the space safe for all. We offer studios, private offices and meeting rooms, and daily passes, as well as longer rental opportunities. Whatever your co-working space needs may be, we are eager to help you find the ideal environment and solution. Just visit our website at hunterspointstudios.com for more information regarding our available spaces, safety regulations and news. We look forward to welcoming you into our community!
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EXPERT ADVICE
MENTAL HEALTH & RESILIENCY IN THE WORKPLACE When the terrifying thought of a pandemic became our reality, lives around the world changed and a new normal would quickly replace the lifestyles and workspaces that we all had grown so accustomed to. Fear of the unknown replaced the complacency of the everyday. Anxiety replaced comfort. And the mental well-being of professionals across the board was forced out of the “unmentionable” and into the light. The world was not prepared for COVID-19, and many people suffered both physically and emotionally. TLC Virtual Resiliency (TLCVR) started in response to a direct call for help from professionals struggling emotionally during the pandemic and long after. TLC-VR promotes mental wellness by offering programming that adapts to the needs of educators, healthcare professionals, human services workers, and law professionals. TLC-VR has made it their mission to care for those who care for others. Developing resilient employees not only benefits them as individuals, but it benefits their families and the communities they serve, as well as your business. Research shows that resilient people are more motivated, pro-
Robert Goldman, J.D., Psy.D., is chief psychologist and co-CEO of TLC-VR.
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ductive, and efficient at their jobs. They are less susceptible to burnout and healthier, meaning decreased absenteeism, health care costs, and presenteeism. TLC Virtual Resiliency supports employees to not only survive but thrive in the extreme and accelerating stress of today’s workplace environment. TLC’s psychoeducational curriculum offers evidence-based techniques uniquely tailored to meet the changing needs of the company and individual users. The goal is to make professional support accessible, affordable, and convenient, so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get the assistance they need. And TLCVR programs go beyond immediate issues – as curricula are continually being evaluated for effectiveness – looking to the future of both the organization and the individual. These assessment results drive a custom curriculum and service delivery plan to help your employees on their path to resiliency and ensure your company’s success. The psychoeducational curriculum incorporates evidence-based techniques including: • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy • Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy To better understand TLC-VR’s mission, The Resiliency Tree was created. The tree is divided into the Fear, Learning, Growth and Resilience zones. When stressful life events occur, the initial response is often fear, which leads us to tap into a set of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that create a perpetual negative cycle. At TLC-VR, the goal is to help your employees climb out of the Fear Zone and begin to learn life
skills, positive thinking patterns, and coping strategies to address current and future stressors. In the Growth Zone, the strategies that are taught at TLC-VR are practiced and form healthy habits. Content is offered to further guide healthy habits, healthy minds, and healthy communications. Ultimately, these healthy habits become part of a person’s character and create a paradigm shift. Life stressors are inevi- Mental wellness in the workplace has table, however a person in many benefits to the employer. the Resilience Zone views the danger within a crisis and turns it into an opportunity to grams. grow. As people enter the ResilTLC-VR was formed as a call to ience Zone, their work-life, home- action to offer support and resilienlife, and sense of self all have an cy education to frontline workers opportunity to blossom. and educators who were impacted Today, TLC-VR partners with by the pandemic. For many proboth private and public sector orga- fessional sectors, the long-lasting nizations and has seen a profound effects of COVID-19 are still an show of support from all walks of unknown. professional workspaces – localiBut in these ever-changing envities, schools, healthcare facilities, ronments, promoting mental wellelected officials – including a part- ness and resiliency education is of nership with CLE training pro- the utmost importance.
The Resiliency Tree is divided into four different zones.
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
RICHARDS ANNOUNCES FUNDS FOR HOSPITAL BY NICHOLAS LOUD Borough President Donovan Richards announced two multimillion dollar allocations for new projects at Elmhurst Hospital. Last month’s announcement also served as a celebration of the borough’s healthcare workers who have spent over a year on the frontline fighting the pandemic. “A year ago, Elmhurst Hospital was the epicenter of the epicenter of the world’s worst public health crisis in a century,” Richards said before a crowd of doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff. “The staff here at Elmhurst Hospital were working double and triple shifts to fight a virus we knew nothing about. They handled the unprecedented crisis with true grace and kindness.” “The best thing you can do to support health and hospitals is to hire the best people and support the best people,” added Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health
+ Hospitals The funding will be used to build a new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Elmhurst Hospital. The facility will be the first of its kind in Queens and will serve children in need of immediate medical attention. Additionally, the investment will support the conversion of two undersized operating rooms into full-service operating rooms. “We have secured more than $5 million for projects at Elmhurst Hospital that will expand access to critical care for thousands of families,” Richards said. He also stressed the need for a more centralized medical center for Queens. “No family in Far Rockaway or Long Island City should have to travel more than 30 minutes by car or 90 minutes by public transportation to get the care that they need,” he said. “Over the course of the last year we have been clapping for our
Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of NYC Health+Hospitals, addresses the crowd as Borough President Donovan Richards looks on. healthcare heroes,” said Richards, “but one of the commitments I made when I was elected Borough President was that I would not simply clap for you but that we were going to put our money where our mouth is.” Richards also celebrated the over
one-million people who have been vaccinated in Queens, a figure that leads all other counties in New York State. Other elected officials, including State Senator Jessica Ramos, CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
See maspethfederal.com for more information.
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COVER STORY
RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS THROUGH THE YEARS IN 1929, RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS LAID THE CORNERSTONE FOR ITS ICONIC HEADQUARTERS. SEVERAL RENOVATIONS LATER, IT IS STILL THE MAIN OFFICE TODAY.
AS THE COUNTRY GRAPPLED WITH ITS TOUGHEST ECONOMIC CRISIS, RIDGEWOOD AND ITS CUSTOMERS MARKED THEIR FIRST 10 YEARS OF DEPENDABLE LOCAL BANKING.
IN 1940, RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS BANK OPENED A BRANCH OFFICE ON QUEENS BOULEVARD IN FOREST HILLS.
THE HOLLIS BRANCH OF RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS BANK OPENED ON HILLSIDE AVENUE IN 1961.
RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS BANK CONTINUED TO BRANCH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, OPENING THE LAURELTON LOCATION IN 1948.
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June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
COVER STORY AS CUSTOMER NEEDS EVOLVED, SO DID RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS. THE BANK OPENED NEW YORK CITY’S FIRST DRIVE-UP TELLER WINDOW AT ITS MAIN OFFICE IN 1957.
THE MAIN OFFICE DECORATED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
EAGER BANKING CUSTOMERS CROWD THE FLOOR.
CUSTOMERS SPEAK WITH BANK PERSONNEL IN A PHOTO TAKEN IN 1948.
ANOTHER RIBBON CUTTING: TODAY RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS BANK HAS 35 BRANCHES IN THE NEW YORK METRO AREA.
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COVER STORY
RIDGEWOOD CEO REFLECTS ON CENTENNIAL BY SHANE MILLER In 1920, 14 local business leaders, including an undertaker and butcher, formed a partnership with the goal of creating a bank in their local community. On June 18, 1921, then-mayor John Hylan presided over the opening ceremony for Ridgewood Savings Bank. On that first day of business, 519 customers deposited a total of $50,000. As the bank prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary later this month, Ridgewood Savings stands as the largest mutual savings bank in New York State with assets approaching $7 billion and 35 branches, ten of them in Queens. “I’m really just a shepherd in this process,” current chairman, president and CEO Leonard Stekol told This Is Queensborough. “Somebody passed the baton to me, and I want to pass the baton to the next person to make sure we continue the legacy of Ridgewood Savings. “So it’s an honor,” he added of being at the helm for such a momentous milestone, “but I’m really representing the forefathers, our board, and our employees. It is a point in time that represents the work of everyone else. The bank has been around for 100 years, it will be around for another 100 years.” Stekol emigrated from Latvia in 1979 with his parents and younger sister, and the family eventually settled in Forest Hills. After he graduated from Queens College with a degree in accounting, he landed a job in the Audit Department at Ridgewood Savings Bank in 1992, where he has been ever since. He says his situation is not
unusual. “Our average employee has been here for decades, our customers have been with us for decades,” he said. “We service customers that are going on third or fourth generations.” Just under four years ago, Stekol was appointed president and CEO. He said as he moved up the corporate ladder, he was able to continue his education thanks to Ridgewood Savings. “We have very strong incentives and a commitment to education, so I was fortunate enough to get my master’s degree,” he said. “While I was working at the bank I was also taking advantage of these opportunities that to this day are still offered to all of our employees, regardless of rank and title.” That commitment to education extends to the bank’s customers, particularly in the area of financial literacy. Ridgewood Financial Academy offers free online tutorials on topics like owning a home, running a small business, and the foundations of a sound financial situation. Many of the tutorials are under ten minutes. “What we’ve found is that the younger generation, while very highly educated, don’t understand some of the basics,” Stekol said. “That includes things like how to apply for a loan, how to build up your credit score, and how to look for a mortgage. It’s even things like how does a checking account work.” Individual branch managers also work with local students, often visiting classrooms to conduct financial literacy classes. For example, bank vice president Lou Ann Man-
Ridgewood Savings Bank Chairman, President & CEO Leonard Stekol in front of the mural in the Main Branch.
nino recently hosted a class via Zoom for students at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria in conjunction with the nonprofit group Lessons for My Daughter. The bank also helps elementary school kids open their first bank account, starting them off with $10 in seed money. Stekol said it’s all part of the bank’s efforts to create relationships in the community in a variety of ways, which includes hosting community events like Girl Scout cookie sales, car washes, and summer concerts at local branches. He said that
“OUR AVERAGE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN HERE FOR DECADES, OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR DECADES. WE SERVICE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GOING ON THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATIONS.” 16
strong presence in local communities was never more important than during the pandemic, which included providing nearly $30 million in federal funding to over 4,000 local businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program. “I’m really proud of how the bank stepped up with so many different initiatives to give back to the community,” Stekol said. “Our efforts were always there, but we increased them.” Building those relationships also means embracing new ways of banking made possible through technology, including a highly rated banking app. Customers can also take advantage of the experts at Ridgewood Financial Services to guide them in retirement planning or investing in the stock market. “Those are services in addition to
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
COVER STORY the normal things that you would find in a bank,” Stekol said. “We try to do our best to form relationships and service our customers with all of their different financial needs.” But while some people feel perfectly comfortable banking online, Stekol says the bank has not abandoned the services historically associated with traditional banking. “We offer state-of-the-art digital channels, but at the same time if you want to pick up a phone and call us, that’s wonderful as well,” he said. “We don’t push our customers to bank with us in any particular way.” If you do pick up a phone and call Ridgewood Savings Bank, it’s likely you will be talking to someone in the bank’s call center, which for the past six years has been staffed in the bank’s Main Branch, an iconic building at Forest and Myrtle avenues in Ridgewood that was built in 1921 on the site of a former saloon. “It’s the hand-holding and compassion that separates us from other
The cornerstone for the Main Branch in Ridgewood was laid in 1929 on the site of a former saloon.
banks,” Stekol said of the importance of the call center. “Some people might need a little more
help, and that’s what we bring to the table.” Ridgewood Savings Bank’s com-
50 YEARS WITH RIDGEWOOD SAVINGS Joyce Scida was just 18 years old and fresh out of high school in 1971 when she walked into the Main Office of Ridgewood Savings Bank and inquired about a job. A short time later – September 27 to be exact – she was behind the counter working as a teller. It was her first, and still only, full-time job. “I used to have a school account and I went in to make deposits, so I knew the bank,” she said. “I asked if there was an opening and filled out an application. In less than a week, I was called in for an interview.” Today, Scida is the longesttenured employee at Ridgewood Savings. She will be celebrating her 50th anniversary the same year the bank celebrates its 100th. “I saw people advancing, so I thought I’m going to hang around,” she said. And advance she did. From teller, Scida was promoted to
chief clerk, then assistant manager and soon manager. Today she is assistant vice president of Operations Control. Scida has always worked in the Main Office, which means she is a familiar face to the regular customers at the flagship branch. “They say to me, ‘you’re still here!’” she said. “Customers that I dealt with years ago still call me for help when they have problems with their account. “When I was a teller, I helped a customer’s mother with some important stuff, and to this day he comes in and thanks me,” Scida added. “You really get to know your customers, and I like that.” Scida knows that her time at Ridgewood Savings will eventually come to end, but for now she is enjoying the work and the friends she has made over the last five decades. “The bank treats you well and they really care for their employ-
ees,” she said. “I’ve made longtime friends here. Some people have retired and I still keep in touch with them.” (SHANE MILLER)
mitment to its customers has not gone unrecognized by the banking industry. In 2020, the bank was named the second-highest-performing bank in New York State in an independent customer survey conducted by Forbes magazine. In a second customer survey, the bank landed in the top five in the New York market in the 2020 Banking Choice Awards. “All of our passion, persistence, and efforts have been recognized, and that’s coming from our customers. We didn’t apply for those awards,” Stekol said. “Many banks offer similar services, but the entire essence of a community bank is giving back. It makes a difference in ordinary lives.” To celebrate the bank’s centennial, Ridgewood Savings is hosting a number of different events and promotions, but one that Stekol is particularly proud of is the Random Acts of Kindness program. Bank customers are chosen at random in various branches to receive a $100 gift card, which Stekol hopes they will use to exemplify the bank’s motto of “multiplying the good.” “All we tell them is ‘pay it forward,’” he said. “Take this and do something nice for a complete stranger.”
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CONVERTING RAVENSWOOD TO RENEWABLE
Rise Light & Power, the owneroperator of New York City’s largest power generator, Ravenswood Generating Station, is moving forward with its proposed Catskills Renewable Program. The program will deliver renewable energy from upstate New York to New York City to help meet the city’s energy demand and New York State’s nation-leading climate goals. “Rise Light & Power is committed to transforming New York’s energy system and helping the state achieve its ambitious climate targets,” said CEO Clint Plummer. “Following Governor Cuomo’s ambitious initiatives to tackle the climate crisis, we are making major investments to create a clean energy future.” The Catskills Renewable Program would create a 1,200-megawatt underground transmission line that delivers wind and solar energy from across upstate to the downstate region. If approved by NYSERDA, Rise
ELMHURST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Councilman Francisco Moya, and Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz also spoke at the event. “I know that as the years continue and as you continue to be reelected, which I know we aren’t here to talk about but I just got to plug that in, I know that your commitment will always be with the people,” said Cruz, “the people that need it.” Richards is facing a primary battle against Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and former councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley next month. He took office last year after winning a special election to fill the seat. Councilman Danny Dromm, who chairs the Finance Committee, stated his intention to direct more money to Elmhurst Hospital in the finalized $90 billion budget proposal. “It doesn’t matter if your documented or undocumented, rich or poor, when you come to Elmhurst Hospital you get the service that you need,” he said.
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Light & Power will contract with leading renewable energy developers in upstate New York to build thousands of megawatts of new wind and solar energy. “Queens needs the Catskills Renewable Connector if we’re to come back better and stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chamber President and CEO Thomas Grech. “Rise Light & Power is offering a bold opportunity for economic development, jobs, innovation and inclusive growth around the borough, as well as cleaner and healthier communities.” The project is estimated to increase the state’s wind energy generation by 15 percent by 2030 and its solar generation by 49 percent by 2030. Collectively, the program is estimated to create more than 5,000 jobs for New Yorkers and generate more than $2 billion in economic impact.
“This project would help turn our neighborhood into New York’s center for renewable energy, bringing in much-needed investment and job opportunities and putting us on the path to long-term growth and vitality,” said Elizabeth Lusskin, president of the Long Island City Partnership. “This visionary proposal can be a major part of LIC’s renewable and economic progress.” Once all the projects are online, the program is expected to supply approximately 15 percent of New York City’s electricity needs, reducing reliance on out-of-state resources, shrinking the city’s carbon footprint and facilitating the state’s transition to clean energy. Rise Light & Power will ensure that the Catskills Renewable Connector is powered by in-state wind and solar energy, directly lowering the state’s carbon emissions by nearly 2 million tons in the first year alone – the equivalent of taking nearly 400,000 cars off
the road. The proposal is also the only project submitted to NYSERDA that demonstrates how New York State can transform large, aging energy infrastructure in densely populated urban areas into modern hubs of reliable, resilient and renewable energy. If approved, Rise Light & Power expects construction of the Catskills Renewable Connector to begin in 2023, with full operations by 2026. “As a born and raised member of the Ravenswood community, I can attest to the importance of this project and the many benefits it will bring,” said Carol Wilkins, NYCHA Residential Association president at Ravenswood Housing. “We have experienced the horrors of environmental injustice. We have lived under the shadows of the smokestacks. We now see the opportunity and hope offered by the Rise Light & Power’s Catskills Renewable Connector.”
FISERV SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 experience. • Big D’s Grub Truck – Dennis Kum offers food influenced by Chinese and Ghana roots. In 2020, his truck served first responders, hospital workers and others in need. • Coffee Project New York – Owners Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh not only serve coffee, they teach others how to make it professionally. • Contra – Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske’s restaurant showcases New York state’s best produce, with a focus on natural wine. • Erawan Thai Cuisine – Paul Lim’s restaurant has been part of the Queens community since 1999. • Heart of Dinner – Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai fight food insecurity and isolation among Asian American seniors in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. • Maxi’s Noodle – Maxi Lau’s restaurant serves dumplings and Hong Kong-style foods. • Pho Che – David Lee oversees this local Vietnamese restaurant that’s a favorite for delivery.
Attendees and grant recipients at the event at Citi Field. • Wowfulls – David Chan brings Instagram-worthy 1950’s-style egg waffles, a popular Hong Kong dessert, to New York City. “The past year has been tough for small businesses in Queens, as we were the epicenter of the epicenter of the pandemic,” said Thomas
Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “As the most diverse county in America, minority-owned businesses add to the unique character of our neighborhoods, are essential to our local economy and will play a pivotal role in our borough’s recovery.”
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
ASIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES RECEIVE $10K Ten Asian-owned small businesses received a helping hand from Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology. At last week’s event at Citi Field, which was hosted in recognition of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, each small business received a $10,000 grant to support their ongoing operations and continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Minority-owned businesses continue to be disproportionately impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many Asian-owned businesses encountering prejudice in addition to economic impact,” said Fiserv senior vice president Mia Shernoff. ”Today’s grant recipients are pillars in their local communities.” Grants were awarded as part of the Fiserv Back2Business program, a $50 million commitment
to support small, minority-owned business that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and social unrest. In addition to the grants, each small business was presented with a Clover Flex handheld point-ofsale device from Fiserv, with builtin capabilities to accept payments, conduct business, and track sales. Businesses also received a customized New York Mets jersey and tickets to an upcoming Mets game at Citi Field. “We are proud that our home in Flushing is also home to more Asian and Pacific Islander New Yorkers than any neighborhood in the City,” said Mets president Sandy Alderson. “These grants will bring awareness and assist minority-owned businesses to get back to business.” The small businesses receiving grants included: • 3N Convenience – Binita Shah’s
Pictured is Mrs. Met, Mets president Sandy Alderson, Dennis Kum of Big D’s Grub Truck, Fiserv senior vice president Mia Shernoff, and Mr. Met. (Photo: NY Mets) convenience store serves customers in the Bronx. • 886 – Eric Sze and Andy Chuang fuse their Taiwanese heri-
tage with New York City to create an ingenious, exciting restaurant CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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NONPROFIT NEWS
MCCLANCY WILL GET NEW $2M SPORTS COMPLEX MADE POSSIBLE BY DONATION FROM STEPHEN SQUERI (‘77) BY KERRY MURTHA Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School will break ground on a $2 million state-of-the-art sports complex this months, thanks to the largesse of Stephen Squeri, a school alum and CEO of American Express. “This facility will be one of a kind in Queens, no other school will have one like it,” said president Nicholas Melito, a 1976 graduate who taught global students at the high school and served as the varsity baseball coach before taking the helm last year. The complex will encompass three blocks of the East Elmhurst campus, according to Melito, and include new artificial turf baseball and softball fields, soccer field, running track, and a separate section for field events. The new addition will add to McClancy’s rich athletic tradition. The school’s love of sports prompted the Alumni and Athletic Departments to create its own Hall of Fame in 1996. The high school’s roster now includes around 90 students, coaches and others who contributed to the success of McClancy’s athletic programs throughout the years. But the new facility will host more than sporting events, Melito stressed. “It will be used for physical education classes as well, benefiting the entire study body,” he said. The project, scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by October, will be fully funded by Stephen Squeri, a 1977 alumnus who played high school basketball during his time at the school. “The truth is, he and I spoke about this once in the past and Steve was intrigued by the idea and it was something he wanted to do,” said Melito, a friend of Squeri’s for more than 50 years. The corporate businessman has
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a reputation for giving back. He’s been on the Board of Directors at McClancy for the past 10 years and he’s served on the Board of Trustees at Manhattan College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and computer science and later an M.B.A. in Finance. During Squeri’s time on the high school board, he’s assisted the administration in fundraising and implementing a master strategic plan. “Our first priority was the infrastructure of the main building, then upgrading the classrooms with the latest technology,” he noted. “We then focused on the labs, media center, music room and art room, student center and gym. The last piece of the puzzle was the biggest piece - the sports facility.” Three years ago, McClancy renamed its student center in honor of Squeri’s parents, Lorraine and Joseph, after he donated funds to revamp the space. “His generosity and caring about his high school has been longstanding,” Melito added. He never forgot the education he received and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart who taught him. When you
Pictured from left to right is former New York Jet Marty Lyons, whose company Land Tek will be constructing the new $2 million complex, McClancy President Nick Melito and benefactor Steve Squeri.
talk to him he’s just a kid from Astoria, yet he’s so successful and runs a major corporation.” Squeri said his McClancy education laid the foundation for his future achievements. “When I look back at my experi-
ence at McClancy, I truly believe it had a huge impact on my ability to be successful in life and in business,” he said. “It is important to me that kids who grow up in the same community I did have the same chance at success that I did.”
NONPROFITS OFFER DIGITAL TRAINING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 work with people who have been arrested for felony charges and try to reduce the chances that they end up with a prison sentence.” Each year, 600,000 Americans transition out of incarceration and face barriers to reentering the workforce. The unemployment rate for returning citizens is five times the national average, and returning citizens who are Black experience an even higher jobless rate. The increasingly digital nature of work presents another challenge to workforce reentry, making the employment process dif-
ficult for those who lost access to technology while in prison. “Lack of access to digital skills training and job coaching puts formerly incarcerated individuals at a severe disadvantage when trying to reenter the workforce and increase their economic potential,” said Malika Saada Saar, Global Head of Human Rights at YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. “We are thrilled to work alongside program partners who have demonstrated true expertise and leadership in supporting successful reentry through digital skills training to men and women, mothers and fathers, impacted by incar-
ceration.” The program is part of Google’s racial equity commitments and builds on the company’s ongoing investments in criminal justice reform. Since 2015, Google has given more than $40 million to nonprofits advancing criminal justice reform, and $60 million to organizations working to expand access to hands-on computer science learning. Any nonprofit organization offering training to the reentry population can join the Grow with Google Partner Program and access resources, workshop materials and hands-on help free of cost.
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
NONPROFIT NEWS
DIGITAL TRAINING FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED BY SAMANTHA GALVEZ-MONTIEL The Fortune Society is joining the Grow with Google Career Readiness for Reentry program, an initiative to provide free digital skills and job readiness training to formerly incarcerated individuals. The program is in partnership with five nonprofits that have successfully developed and delivered high-quality job training to returning citizens, including Fortune Society, The Last Mile, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), Defy Ventures, and The Ladies of Hope Ministries. The program’s training will focus on fundamental digital skills, such as how to apply for jobs online and create a resume, along with more advanced topics including entrepreneurship and business budgeting. In total, the program will train 10,000 partici-
pants this year. “We have a job readiness program that is three weeks in length, so when people are either coming to us after serving time in jail or prison we put them through this training program,” said Ronald F. Day, vice president of Programs at Fortune Society. “We help them with job search, proper interviewing skills and attire, how to fill out job applications and we connect them with some of the employers we work with.” Fortune Society has funding to provide fellowship opportunities to serve as transitional work for a program of ten weeks for 21 hours a week at a minimum wage and connect them with their long list of employers that work with the nonprofit. Headquartered in Long Island City and founded in 1967, Fortune Society is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit reentry service and
Kenneth, a client with The Fortune Society, gains valuable digital skills for job readiness with the help of Fortune’s Employment Services department. Fortune helps clients improve their digital literacy and prepares them for life after incarceration. advocacy organizations, serving 9,000 justice-involved individuals in New York City every year. “We don’t just do advocacy
now, we provide alternatives to incarceration,” said Day. “We CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUNE 6/1, 3 PM
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CANDIDATES - ERIC ADAMS
Hosted by the Chamber President and CEO Tom Grech, the half-hour conversation will touch on issues important to our local economy. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/2, 2 to 5 PM
QUICKBOOKS ONLINE LEVEL 1
The sessions will cover setting up your company accounts, vendor and customer accounts, accounts receivable and accounts payable, bill paying and credit and debit card entries. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
6/23, 11 AM
STARTING A BUSINESS AT 50+
Retirement can be the perfect time for someone to begin their career as an entrepreneur. Or even if you are not retired and are interested in getting started as one, join the Queens Chamber of Commerce and US Small Business Administration as we discuss the steps necessary to starting your own business. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/23, 11 AM
BOOKKEEPING 101 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
This session will include an overview of the tools to implement the budgeting and bookkeeping methodology that will result in a sound
financial foundation for your business. We will discuss the meaning behind financial statements, and how you can use these documents to evaluate the health of your business, and plan for future growth. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/23, 2 PM
WHY PUBLIC RELATIONS?
Public relations veteran Joe LoBello will share how your organization can develop and execute a winning PR program, share tips for creating your company story, how to get your message in front of your key audiences, and why it matters. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
6/8, 2 PM
BOROUGH PRESIDENT’S VISION FOR QUEENS: TRANSPORTATION
Borough President Donovan Richards outlines his vision for Queens transportation and how it could positively impact our small business community. Explore how micromobility can help keep our borough moving. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/3, 2 to 5 PM
QUICKBOOKS ONLINE LEVEL 2
The sessions will cover job casting and how to track reimbursements of expenses incurred by the company, running reports and customizing reports, memorizing transactions & reports, online banking, and budgets for P&L. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/16, 10 AM
NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION
The Queens Chamber of Commerce is committed to maximizing your membership. If you’re a new member and have yet to participate in an orientation, please register to join us virtually. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 6/18, 9:30 AM
MANAGING CONFLICT
This program covers the basic skills needed to manage time, stress and anger at work. When you manage your time, you manage your stress; when you manage your stress, you manage your anger; and when you manage all three you have a more effective and productive workplace. VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
The Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted a networking event in the Rockaways last month. Pictured is Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (left) sharing a laugh with Michelle Stoddart and Warlito Deleon of Resorts World New York City at the event.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
QUEENS CHAMBER STAFF PROFILES
GIANCARLO DIAZ
How long have you been at the Chamber? Three months. Previous Job: Tutor for kids from grades 2 to 11, as well as a research assistant for Off the Grid Innovation. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Step out of your comfort zone. What advice would you give a candidate who wants to join our team? Be passionate about working with small businesses. Favorite Music or Movie Genre: “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men.
Previous Job: I was a graduate student. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The purpose of life is finding the largest burden that you can bear and bearing it. What advice would you give a candidate who wants to join our team? Always try to remember the small details of what a business owner is telling you. They will appreciate your close attention. Favorite Music or Movie Genre: I enjoy a good classic drama like Scent of a Woman. It’s one of my favorite films. What is the most inspiring part of your job? When a business owner thanks me for helping save their business. It lets me know the work I’m doing is meaningful. What is one thing you hope to accomplish in 2021? I would like to eventually like to start my own business in forex trading. As we’re becoming fully vaccinated, what’s do you look forward to doing in the coming year? I would love to travel to Europe again, especially Prague and Kiev.
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community) and expose them to free resources to boost their business. What is one thing you hope to accomplish in 2021? Make a positive impact, whether it be in my community, towards my mentees, clubs, peers, or the workplace.
What is the most inspiring part of your job? Knowing that I am able to reach out to a very specific sector of small businesses (the Chinese
As we’re becoming fully vaccinated, what’s do you look forward to doing in the coming year? Visiting new restaurants with friends and going out to exercise.
JULIO VARGAS
What is the most inspiring part of your job? Helping small business get back on their feet.
How long have you been at the Chamber? Four months.
How long have you been at the Chamber? Four months.
JESSIN WANG
Previous Job: I actually have two more jobs. I am also a cashier in a pharmacy and a photographer. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t let for tomorrow what you can do today. What advice would you give a candidate who wants to join our team? Be eager to learn. Favorite Music or Movie Genre: Heavy metal, and I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I do read a lot.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in 2021? I have a lot of dreams and hopes that I want to accomplish this year. Let’s start by finding a direction and passion. As we’re becoming fully vaccinated, what’s do you look forward to doing in the coming year? Concerts, I need to go to concerts again.
CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 82ND STREET PARTNERSHIP
37-06 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Executive Director: Leslie Ramos 718.335.9421 82ndstreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $224,000 with
more than 200 businesses under its umbrella. The district is on 82nd Street from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue. The board meets quarterly with the annual meeting in June.
ASIAN AMERICAN FEDERATION
120 Wall Street, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10005 aafederation.org QUICK GLANCE: The Asian American Federation’s mission is to raise the influence
and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness and organizational development. Established in 1989, the Federation is a panAsian non-profit organization representing a network of community service agencies in the Northeast. These agencies work in the fields of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice.
BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID
213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Executive Director: Christine Siletti 718.423.2434
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $218,000 and
over 350 members. Founded in 2007, the BID includes commercial property owners and residents on Bell Boulevard between 35th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, as well as a block east and west on 41st Avenue.
BAYSIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION 41-16 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 President: Ed Probst Vice President: Judith Limpert 718.229.2277 info@baysideba.com baysideba.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2007, the BID
includes commercial property owners and residents on Bell Boulevard between 35th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, as well as a block east and west on 41st Avenue.
is the hallmark of BOC.
CHHAYA CDC
37-43 77th Street, #2 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718.478.3848 chhayacdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Core to our strategy is organizing and advocating for systemic changes that remove the barriers to well-being, housing stability, and economic mobility for our communities. For over 20 years, Chhaya has served tens of thousands of individuals and led the charge on key policy issues for immigrants, such as basement legalization, language access, tenants’ rights, and more.
CHINATOWN DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CHINATOWN PARTNERSHIP)
award-winning Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Small Business Administration (SBA) micro lender that provides small and micro business owners in New York City with low-cost loans, access to business training & technical assistance, and oneon-one counseling. Accompany Capital has disbursed over $34 million in loans and assisted over 10,000 immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in New York City since its founding as Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) in 1997, as well as provided workshops and one-on-one advice on business management and marketing to over 10,000 businesses.
217 Park Row, 2nd Floor, Suite 9 New York, NY 10038 chinatownpartnership.org QUICK GLANCE: Chinatown Partnership, led by Wellington Chen, was formed in 2006 as new start-up from grounds up to bring residents, business owners and community groups together to rebuild Chinatown following 9/11, and to preserve the neighborhood’s unique culture while ensuring its vitality in the future through strategic positioning. With the highly popular Weekend Walks street festive series, Mid-Autumn Festival, One Day in NYC, annual Beautification/Earth Day, East West Parade with Little Italy, Double Valentine’s Day to promote the softer side of Chinatown and the Jewelry District and all the cafes, eateries in the area. Explore Chinatown marketing initiative, Lunar Stages outdoor film screenings, and Taste of Chinatown street events, Chinatown Partnership helps promote the area as a special destination to live, work, and visit.
BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK (BOC, INC.)
FOREST HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ACCOMPANY CAPITAL (FORMERLY BCNA)
78-27 37 Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@accompanycapital.org QUICK GLANCE: Accompany Capital is an
85 S. Oxford Street #2 Brooklyn, NY 11217 718.624.9115 bocnet.org QUICK GLANCE: Business Outreach Center Network’s mission is to improve the economic prospects of traditionally underserved groups, with a focus on low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and their communities, and thereby create genuinely brighter futures. At the heart of our mission is the belief that whatever their differences, people and communities share a common goal: to achieve economic stability and growth. Working in partnership with culturally diverse individuals and organizations in support of this shared goal
PO Box 751123, Forest Hills, NY 11375 President: Leslie Brown 718.268.6565 FHChamber11375@gmail.com FHChamber@aol.com QUICK GLANCE: Re-formed in 1995, the group
has over 225 members. Chamber meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, in Forest Hills.
GATEWAY JFK
Executive Director: Scott Grimm-Lyon 516.730.3400 info@GatewayJFK.org GatewayJFK.org
QUICK GLANCE: Formerly the Greater JFK
Industrial BID and founded in 2016, the group seeks to provide support to the off-airport air cargo and services district through supplemental services and improvements, technical and professional services for its members, and advocacy and administration.
GREATER FLUSHING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
39-01 Main Street, Suite 511, Flushing NY 11354 Executive Director: John Choe john@flushingchamber.nyc 646.783.8985 flushingchamber.nyc QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2014 and repre-
senting over 200 businesses.
GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 gjdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1967, the group
has 75 members. GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, well-planned, and sustainable metropolitan growth.
GREATER WOODHAVEN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOODHAVEN BID
84-01 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY 11421 718.805.0202 gwdcbid@hotmail.com woodhavenbid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $257,000 with
more than 350 businesses under its umbrella on Jamaica Avenue from Dexter Court to 100th Street. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.
JAMAICA CENTER BID
161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 Executive Director: Jennifer Furioli 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc @JamCenterBID (Twitter) @jamcenterbid (Instagram) @Jamaica Center BID (Facebook) QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Jamaica
Center BID serves over 400 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street. With a budget of over $1 million, the BID’s goal is to promote and maintain Downtown Jamaica as a thriving business hub
27
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES and an enjoyable destination to shop, work, live and visit.
JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 300687, Jamaica, NY 11430 Executive Director: Clorinda Antonucci President: Al DePhillips Vice President: Joseph Morra JFKCoCExec@gmail.com jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group
has over 200 members. The chamber was chartered in 1978 by a group of business people in and around JFK Airport. It is the only airport in the nation to have its own Chamber of Commerce. The chamber seeks to create an environment in which members of the business community can work together to enhance the growth, well being and economic development of the airport community and its aviation industry.
LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP
President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Long
Island City Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixed-use community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.
MASPETH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378 President: David Daraio 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have
120 members and a budget of $115,000.
MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA)
BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368 Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773 qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Covering roughly 600 busi-
nesses with 30 active members, the Maspeth Industrial Business Association provides a collective voice in advocating the needs and interests of industrial and manufacturing businesses in Maspeth. They help companies in the
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Maspeth Industrial District in developing workforce, accessing tax credits, obtaining financing, navigating government regulations and, in some cases, finding real estate.
MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
79-47 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379 President: Salvatore Crifasi 718.894.8700 Sal@Crifasi.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $8,000 with 35
businesses under its umbrella. Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.
MURRAY HILL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NY
P.O. Box 1897 New York, NY 10156 212.886.5867 murrayhillnyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Murray Hill is a unique residential neighborhood in midtown Manhattan. While there is no formal boundary for the neighborhood, the area served by The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association and its sister organization the Manhattan East Community Association (MECA) extends from Fifth Avenue eastward to the East River and from 42nd Street down to 26th Street (encompassing the 10016 postal code).
MYRTLE AVENUE BID
62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with
over 300 retail and service businesses under its purview. Board meetings are held four times a year with the annual meeting in June. The district includes Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue. Program support is provided by the Ridgewood LDC.
QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and a
resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens. Register online for upcoming virtual events, including:
ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE
info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $40,000 and a
resource for over 200 businesses. The Rockaway Business Alliance was founded in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. RBA’s vision is to create business corridors that are clean, safe, and welcoming, with shopping, dining, attractions, and engagement for the local community and the visitors drawn to Rockaway’s beaches and open spaces.
ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION
1920 Mott Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 President: Kevin Alexander 718.327.5300 www.rdrc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the
Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating long-standing partnerships with city and state agencies.
ROCKAWAY EAST MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION (REMA4US)
1032 Beach 20th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 rema4us.org REMA 4 US, Inc. seeks to engage in economic development and revitalization in the Rockaway Peninsula. To strengthen our community revitalization programs and community development efforts in the Rockaway Peninsula REMA works alongside businesses, civic groups, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. REMA works to inform the public about opportunities that exist to strengthen the community, and to create a welcoming and safe environment to help expand economic opportunity in the Rockaway Peninsula.
STEINWAY ASTORIA PARTNERSHIP BID
25-69 38th Street, Suite 1C, Astoria 11103 Executive Director: Marie Torniali 718.728.7820 info@steinwaystreet.nyc steinwaystreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1991, the BID
has over 300 members. The Steinway Street Business Improvement District encompasses all 300 business located on Steinway Street from 28th Avenue to 35th Avenue. National chain stores such as Victoria’s Secrets, The Gap, Benetton, and Express are side by side with local family-owned shops some of them fixtures on the street for some 50 years.
SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6
NEW MEMBERS MAJOR CORPORATE
Bindle Systems
180 Valley Road Katonah, NY 10536 joinbindle.com Bindle is a software platform purpose-built to help communities safely, fairly, and fully reopen. Bindle allows you to securely store your COVID-19 test and vaccine records and easily prove your health status whenever going into a shared space. We respect the fundamental right to privacy and never share your personal health information with the places you are visiting.
CORPORATE
Above All Pressure Cleaning
194 Morris Avenue Holtsville, NY 11742 aboveallpressurecleaning.com Here at AAPC, we define softwashing as a cleaning process, where we use low pressure and special solutions to safely remove mildew bacteria, algae, lichen, and other organic growth from any exterior part of your home or business. At, AAPC we understand the customer comes first, which is why we take great precautions in preparation for the job at hand.
Bank of America
36-35 Bell Boulevard, Suite 201 Bayside, NY 11361 bankofamerica.com At Bank of America, we ask this question every day of all those we serve. It is at the core of how we live our values, deliver our purpose and achieve responsible growth. By asking this question, we continue to learn what matters most to our clients, our employees and our
shareholders.
CitizensRX
1144 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60301 citizensrx.com At Citizens Rx, our mission is to provide comprehensive pharmacy benefit management services that may be individually selected to suit specific client needs. Our ultimate goal is to bring you, the client, the greatest value for your drug spend.
EW Howell Construction Group
245 Newtown Road, Suite 600 Plainview, NY 11803 ewhowell.com We have always worked hard to remove the headaches and simplify the complicated construction process for our clients. That’s the value that EW Howell brings, and it runs throughout our entire organization, from estimating, all the way through to our on-site managers. For 130 years, we’ve been perfecting how we approach construction in the New York area, and that means we can do it better than anyone else.
NBCUniversal
30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 nbcuniversal.com We are one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group,
PARTNERS & AFFILIATES COMMERCE
PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Vanessa Ceballos 718.729.4688 sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: With an annual budget of
$55,000, the chamber is an organization built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources to increase business, safety and historical preservation throughout the neighborhood.
SUNNYSIDE SHINES
45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org sunnysideshines.org
QUICK GLANCE: The BID has a budget of
approximately $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella. The mission of Sunnyside Shines is to invigorate and enrich the economic life of the neighborhood by creating a safe and dynamic commercial district.
SUTPHIN BOULEVARD BID
89-00 Sutphin Boulevard, Suite 204C Jamaica, NY 11435 Executive Director: Glen Greenridge 718.291.2110 sutphinblvdbid@verizon.net QUICK GLANCE: The BID was founded in
2004 and represents 134 businesses, 56 properties and 39 property owners along Sutphin Boulevard between Hillside Avenue and 94th Avenue in Jamaica.
world-renowned theme parks, and a premium ad-supported streaming service. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
New York Life Insurance Company
95-25 Queens Boulevard, 4th Floor Rego Park, NY 11374 newyorklife.com At the heart of New York Life is a commitment to be there for our customers when they need us—whether today or decades into the future. We have delivered on that promise for over 175 years by investing wisely, growing a portfolio of strategic businesses, and remaining true to our mission as a mutual company, accountable only to our customers, not to outside investors. For our customers, that means having the confidence that comes with knowing they can build a better future for themselves and those they love.
Nuvo Solutions
510 NC Highway Clayton, NC 27520 nuvo.solutions With over 15 years of experience in mobility, and field service management consulting, our experts can guide you down the right path that best suit your needs and accomplishes your wants. From formulating a franchise or corporate cell phone strategy to implementing a full fleet management solution Nuvo Solutions is your trusted partner.
INTRODUCTORY
Aim High Leadership Center Four, Inc. 97-08 Rockaway Boulevard Ozone Park, NY 11417 aimhighleadershipcenters.com
Best Bar Ever LLC T/A Blackbird’s Bar and Restaurant 41-19 30th Avenue Astoria, NY 11103 blackbirdsbar.com
Elite Orthodontics
59 E. 54th Street, PH Suite New York, NY 10022 eliteorthonyc.com
Greenlight Transportation Services, LLC 101-20 Liberty Avenue, Suite C Ozone Park, NY 11417 greenlighttrans.com
Solace House
Solace House 1040 Jackson Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 solacehouseusa.org
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE
queenschamber.org
Thomas Santucci
Nash Roe
Thomas J. Grech
Brendan Leavy
Susan Browning
Richard Dzwlewicz
Joanne M. Persad
Jacqueline Donado
Chairperson
Associate Treasurer
Vice Chairperson
Associate Secretary
Patricia Mezeul Treasurer
President & CEO
Business Development Manager
Chief of Operations
Strategic Program Coordinator
Alejandra Espejo
Jef Gross
Financial Controller
Patrick Yu
Neil Wagner
Secretary
SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Business Service Program Manager
Manager of Committee Development
William Blake Vincent L. Petraro, Esq. Dominick Ciampa George Rozansky Joseph Farber Gerard Thornton Louis D. Laurino Jeff Levine Joseph M. Mattone, Sr
QUEENSBOROUGH (ISSN0033-6068 is published 12 times a year for $12.50 annually by the Queens Chamber of Commerce of the borough of Queens. 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Stephanie Baldwin Fran Biderman-Gross Susan Browning Kenneth J. Buettner Charles E. Callahan Ali Chaudhry Sal Crifasi
Steven DeClara Mayra DiRico Richard Dzwlewicz Charles Everett, Jr. Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf
Dr. Cameron Hernandez Raymond Irrera Kenneth Koenig Neil Levin Bert Lurch Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul
Melinda Murray-Nyack Maria Odysseus Stephen Preuss Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock Juan Santiago Thomas Santucci
Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart Terri Thomson Henry Wan Mark Weprin
Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner
CORPORATE MEMBERS 365 Data Centers A&L Cesspool Services Corp AARP Above All Pressure Cleaning Abrams Fensterman Aeroterm Andromeda Aora Development Approved General Contracting Inc., ARK Development LLC Aurora Contractors, Inc. Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service Bank of America BedRock Real Estate Partners, LLC BJ’s Wholesale Club Blumenfeld Development Group, Ltd. Capital One Bank
Carter Milchman and Frank CBRE Center for Automotive Education and Training Cerini and Associates, LLP. Champion Elevator Corp. Cine Magic LIC Studios, LLC Cipico Construction, Inc. Citibank CitizensRx City National Bank Clearcell Power Complete Supply Cord Meyer Development LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Cort CPower Energy Management Crescent Properties, Inc
Crown Castle Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. Dedline AV DG Construction East Coast Energy Group EDGE AUTO INC Einbinder & Dunn LLP Enterprise Fleet Management EOS Electrical Corp Evolve IP EW Howell Construction Group Farrell Fritz, P.C. Fastsigns South Ozone Park First Central Savings Bank Fluid Mechanic’s Corp. Gatsons Electric, Inc. Gil-Bar Industries, Inc. GoPuff Graf & Lewent Architects Greater NY Automobiles
COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Michelle Stoddart ResortsWorld Casino New York City michelle.stoddart@rwnewyork.com Jayson Simba Festival of Cinema NYC FestivalofCinemaNYC@gmail.com
BANKING & LAW
Paul Harrison Chase paul.harrison@chase.com Jackie Harounian Wisselman, Harounian & Associates jackie@lawjaw.com
COMMUNICATIONS Cody Fisher Blue Ox Marketing, LLC cody@blueoxmarketing.com Leigh Schuckman Sandler Training leigh.schuckman@sandler.com
HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Bert Lurch E Central Medical Management bertl@ecmmgt.com
ENERGY
Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com Jay Solly Sol Strategies jaypsolly@gmail.com
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Bill Staniford bill@staniford.com Michael Grella Grella Partnership Services mike@socialquityventures.com
NONPROFIT
Larry Grubler Transitional Services of NY lgrubler@tsiny.org Maria Odysseus Investors Bank modysseus@myinvestorsbank.com
REAL ESTATE
FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES Chad Callahan Plaza College cec4@plazacollege.edu Michael Shoule JW Hampton mikes@jwhampton.com
HOSPITALITY
Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Vincent Gentile Vassilaros & Sons Coffee vincent@vassilaroscoffee.com
MANUFACTURING Lina DeLaCruz Control Electropolishing Corp. lina@controlpublishing.com Geoff Smith Connect 360 geoff@bizcon360.com
Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Kevin Louie Cushman & Wakefield kevin.louie@cushwake.com Michael Wang Project Queens michael@projectqueens.com
TECHNOLOGY Bobby Giurintano TGI Office Automation bgiurintano@tgioa.com Fred Canone fc1281@gmail.com
TRANSPORTATION Kris Amato TD Bank Kristin.amato@td.com William Harris Edge Auto Rental william@edgeautorental.com
Dealers Association HANAC, Inc. Healthy Corner Pharmacy Heatherwood Communities Himmel + Meringoff Properties Holt Construction Corp. Horticultural Creations Inc IKEA Queens INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry INF Associates, LLC Innovo Property Group J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co., Inc. JGM Construction Development, LLC Kasirer Consulting Kaufman Astoria Studios, Inc. Laffey Real Estate Littler Mendelson, P.C. Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M & T Bank Madison International Realty Madison Realty Capital McBride Consulting & Business Mega Contracting Group LLC Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Bank of America Corporation Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade Molloy College Mondial Automotive Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp. My Benefit Advisor, LLC NBCUniversal New York + Atlantic Railway New York Crystal Cleaning New York Islanders Hockey Club New York Life Insurance Company New York State Energy Coalition, Inc. Nonprofit Sector Strategies, PBC Nuvo Solutions NYC Cooling Tower Inspections and Services, LLC NYC Ferry Operated by Hornblower Owareco, LLC Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates
PGA Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Pi Capital Partners Priority 1 Security LLC ProCleanings Co QSIDE Federal Credit Union Queens College Reef Technology Related Retail Corporation Safety Facility Services Samaritan Daytop Village Securitech Group, Inc. Signature Bank SL Green Realty Corp. Solve Together LLC Soter Technologies, LLC. Spectrum Reach Squad Security Inc. St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s University Starbucks Corporation Sterling National Bank Sterling Sanitary Supply Corp Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Sullivan Engineering LLC Target TC Electric TGI Office Automation The Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders The First National Bank of Long Island Transmission Developers, Inc. TSC Training Academy, LLC Ultrasound Solutions Corp. United Airlines United Construction & Development Group Corp. United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. USTA National Tennis Center, Inc. Valley National Bank Vanguard Building Solutions, LLC Vassilaros & Sons Coffee Verus Commercial Real Estate Finance Watch Guard 24/7 WellLife Network White Coffee Corp Xin Development Group International York College - CUNY Zara Realty
June 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 6 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS
We hope you are enjoying the newly designed, expanded Queensborough, the monthly publication of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. We, the Chamber, direct and approve all content deciding what stories are covered in each issue, editing all copy and forwarding information that is contained in the publication. BQE Media produces it for the Chamber. We look forward to continuing to highlight the outstanding business persons, services and activities that make our borough unique. We welcome all your letters, manuscripts, etc. Please send all materials to the Queens Chamber of Commerce at 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370 or call 718.898.8500 for more information. We reserve the right to edit for space limitations. Your support of the magazine is critical to its success. We encourage you to include Queensborough in your advertising plans. To place your ad, please call BQE Media at 718.426.7200.
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COMMUNITY-FOCUSED
BUSINESS-MINDED A century ago, a small group of local leaders formed what would become Ridgewood Savings Bank. They worked tirelessly to get their business off the ground, growing the bank from a staff of three to 35 branch locations throughout New York. We’re proud of our legacy as a local business, and we’ll work just as hard for our community’s next success story: your business.
Let’s Get Down to Business | RSB100.com © 2021 Ridgewood Savings Bank | Member FDIC
