This Is Queensborough - October 2020

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October 2020 . Volume 16 . Issue 10

NETWORK NYC FOR

PARTNERSHIP FOR NYC CEO DISCUSSES NEW ONE-STOP SHOP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES REELING FROM COVID-19

“IT’S THE SAME MODEL THAT WE HAD IN THE 80s THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPLICATE.”

ALSO

• INVESTORS COMES TO FOREST HILLS • UNIONS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF LGA AIRTRAIN • REPORT DETAILS IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON RESTAURANTS

PHOTO: BUCK ENNIS

KATHRYN WYLDE, PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE PARTNERSHIP FOR NYC

14

average class size

15

+

20

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interscholastic athletic teams.

clubs, including signature programs in Mock Trial and Model UN

30

+

home languages

82

%

Attend an

We are The Kew-Forest School.

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2021-22 Admission

Our educators

PRESCHOOL – GRADE 12

faculty holding advanced degrees

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inspire young people to think boldly and find their voices.

Saturday, October 24 Tuesday, November 17 Saturday, December 12

Our students

RSVP at kewforest.org/OpenHouse

support each other and explore thoughtfully as they shape the future.

IN-PERSON, HYBRID, AND REMOTE LEARNING 119 -17 U N I O N T U R N P I K E FO R E S T H I L L S , N Y 11375

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W W W. K E W FO R E S T.O R G

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

Message From the CHAIR FOCUS ON FINISHING STRONG

October has arrived, which aware of the struggles all busimeans the holiday season is knock- nesses of every size in every indusing on the door. It is this time try have faced these past seven of year when the colmonths. We are readily ors of fall appear and available to provide you a crisp breeze fills the with the resources, supair. It’s also the season port and guidance necto count your blessings essary to help you cross for the months that have the finish line at year’s passed. end.

This year is like no Over the next days other, but we have a and weeks, make it point great deal to be thankful to visit queenschamber. for despite the ongoing org to access the numerchallenges we face both TOM SANTUCCI ous resources designed personally and profes- CHAIRPERSON specifically for you. sionally.

From member benefits As a business owner, you’re to informative webinars, there is familiar with the challenges wheth- something you can take advantage er there’s a health pandemic or not. of that will move your business Over the years developing strate- needle a tad bit further. gies to sustain your organization I count my blessings every day has always been a main priority. that I can serve as Chair of this outYou know what it means to finish standing organization that is comstrong. The fourth quarter repre- mitted to ensuring a sustainable, sents the end of year and analyzing thriving Queens. data to determine what the next Thank you for continuing to year’s forecast has in store. stand in support of this 109-yearThe Queens Chamber is keenly old institution.

Message From THE PRESIDENT & CEO

ENTERING THE HOME STRETCH

I have been a baseball fan since things will get better and brighter my childhood, and my son has a days are ahead.

The Queens Chamber is working great passion for the sport as well toward hosting our first in-person and is quite talented.

For all of those diehard Mets fans networking event since our St. it has been quite the unusual year. Patrick’s Day Luncheon on March Naturally the enthusiasm was not 11. Once the climate is right, we’ll move forward. Of the same, but the game course, we will adhere must go on. to all the safety guideIt’s similar to our lines established by feelings towards the the CDC, NYC and ongoing pandemic and NYS. the current business In addition, our climate. events calendar is full, As we move into with several beneficial what I would call virtual opportunities the home stretch of such as “Strategies the year, we can all and Techniques for breathe something of a Thomas J. Grech Managing Conflict in sigh of relief that busi- PRESIDENT & CEO the Workplace” and ness is getting better, though we are nowhere near where “Using Data to Drive Business Growth” presented in Spanish. we want to be.

Here at the Queens Chamber The restaurant industry is struggling to hold on, as many other we’re working tirelessly to provide industries impacted by the panCONTINUED ON PAGE 5 demic are. I’m a firm believer that

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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QUEENS QUICKLY

WEWORK ON DEMAND EXPANDS IN QUEENS

WeWork is expanding its On Demand pilot program to 15 additional locations across New York City, including sites in Queens and Brooklyn.

Launched in August, WeWork On Demand allows people without a membership to book a shared workspace for $29 per day, or reserve meeting rooms for $10 per hour through an app.

The pilot program started with locations in just Manhattan and Brooklyn, including DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights and Williamsburg, it has now expanded to participating sites in Astoria, Long Island City and more.

“We’re thrilled by the positive response from early On Demand users, and are excited to expand the pilot to more neighborhoods and boroughs,” said Prabhdeep Singh, global head of marketplace at WeWork. “The use cases for On Demand have varied from people looking to find a distraction-free environment to take

important phone calls, to parents booking meeting space so their kids can work beside them during distance learning.”

Since launching the pilot service last month, WeWork has seen a 20 percent week-over-week growth in reservations, the company said. Some users are coming back to book spaces three times a week.

According to the company, most users book their reservation just the evening before.

WeWork locations include a number of amenities, including unlimited coffee, outdoor space, bike storage and more.

“People are looking for a safe, clean place to be productive near their home,” Singh added, “and WeWork On Demand can provide that.”

(BENJAMIN FANG)

STAPLES TO TAKE PART IN CONFERENCE Small businesses have faced an unprecedented set of challenges amidst an ongoing health

crisis. They have fought to survive, and now must find a path toward rebuilding in new and unfamiliar territory. Staples Connect aims to help small business owners, now more than ever.

On October 13-15, Staples will connect business owners with the tools to navigate a business world that’s been forever changed. Register at events.uschamber.com to reserve a spot to this three-day complimentary virtual conference. Share successes and challenges with peers and gain the skills and perspective to come out on the other side stronger than ever.

Together we will recover and rebuild.

QCC CONTINUES TO HAND OUT PPE

In collaboration with the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz distributed free masks, face shields and bottles of hand sanitizer to small businesses on Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights.

Cruz and Queens Chamber President and CEO Thomas Grech visited a number of South Asian-owned businesses. They were joined by

Follow the Queens Chamber on WeChat! Scan the QR code today.

WeWork On Demand allows people to book a shared workspace or room through an app.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Real Time Energy Management is Now Within Reach ........................8

Stay Connected With the Queens Chamber in October ..................................17

Investors Brings New Way of Banking to Forest Hills .........................9

Partners & Affiliates: WBID Hosts Jamaica Avenue Cleanup .....................19

Union, Business Groups Show Support for LGA AirTrain ................10

Chamber Welcomes New Members .......................................................................21

COVER STORY: Wylde Discusses New Resource Network ............12 DiNapoli Report Outlines Devastating Impact on Restaurants ........14 EXPERT ADVICE: Plants Brighten Return to the Office .................16 Town Hall Looks to Build More Resilient Community with Art ....18 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

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10 Jackson Heights Bangladeshi Business Association director Rahad Solaiman and Rommy Pennella and Charito Cisneros of the New York Hispanic Cosmetology and Beauty Chamber of Commerce.

“We are hopeful that these resources will assist them in taking care of their family, employees, business, and community,” said Cruz.

Many business owners explained the difficulties and issues they face as they reopened. Many are struggling, but hopeful at the same time.

“Queens is our home, and we are working to help small businesses safely resume operations and deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Grech.

Meanwhile, Raquel Olivares, director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (WBID), was on Jamaica Avenue last month for a COVID-19 outreach event.

In partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Small Business Services (SBS), the WBID distributed face masks, hand sanitizer and literature on current COVID safety regulations to more than 50 small businesses along its corridor.

This is the second outreach event held by the WBID, and will likely not be the last.

“Since the pandemic, there are requirements that businesses need to meet, such as providing employees with PPE and taking the temperature of staff members as they come into work,” said Olivares. “These things cost money, and we know that small businesses are struggling right now.”

(VICKY FERREIRA, OUTREACH COORDINATOR)

QC HONORED FOR MWBE HIRING Queens College has been recognized by the City University of New York (CUNY) as having the highest percentage of minority- and womenowned business enterprises (MWBE)-hired vendors university-wide.

Since a 2019 initiative was announced by CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, to increase CUNY’s engagement with MWBEs beyond the thresholds set by Governor Andrew Cuomo, 52.57 percent of vendors hired by the college were from certified MWBEs, up from 35.72 percent in 2018.

“Our core mission of educating students takes place in VIRK the classroom,” said Queens College President Frank H. Wu, “and what we do as an institution as a member of the larger community also impacts our students and faculty in the example we set.”

New York State’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development Division was created to promote equal economic opportuni-

QUEENS QUICKLY

Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz and Chamber CEO Thomas Grech speak with a shopper. ties for MWBEs. The MWBE certification campaign encourages minority and women business owners to certify with New York State and take advantage of current and upcoming state procurement opportunities.

In 2019, Cuomo extended the program for five more years while also expanding it to further encourage the use of MWBEs. Since 2011, over $13 billion in state contracts has been awarded to MWBEs.

Some of the recent projects and services around campus that use MWBEs include the campus Wi-Fi network installation, maintenance of HVAC systems, office and custodial supplies, and promotional items.

Under the leadership of Surinder Virk, who handles procurement, property and fleet management, the college continues to look to grow its use of MWBEs, with the goal of reaching 60 percent in the future.

‘FLOATING’ SCULPTURE COMES TO LIC WATERFRONT A voluptuous naked female is now reclining near the Long Island City waterfront.

She’ll be there for a year with outstretched arms and open hands as if praying. Her legs are crossed, like a mermaid’s tail, and she appears to be floating in the air.

During a gleeful, almost giddy ceremony that featured a specially commissioned dance

by Queensboro Dance Festival Director Karesia Bhatan last month, Gaston Lachaise’s “ F l o a t i n g Woman” was unveiled in Gaston Lachaise with his sculpture.

Hunter’s Point

South Park on the west side of the old railroad tracks aligned with 51st Avenue.

She’s in Queens is on loan from the Lachaise Foundation, which partnered with the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, NYC Parks Arts & Antiquities Division, and ComCONTINUED ON PAGE 14

CEO’S MESSAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

you with every resource necessary to help your business thrive, whether you’re back in the physical office or working remotely.

We appreciate the commitment. I have the greatest job ever serving as President and CEO of the Queens Chamber.

Don’t forget, we’re in the home stretch.

Stay healthy & strong!

5

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org Email your announcement or promotion to info@thisisqueensborough.com

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS Grayson to take helm at Sanitation Middle Village native Edward Grayson has been named acting commissioner of the Department of Sanitation (DSNY). Grayson, currently the director of the Bureau of Cleaning and Collection, began his DSNY career in 1999.

“Edward Grayson is the kind of experienced, steady hand New York’s Strongest needs to lead the department through this transitional period,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m grateful for his service, and I look forward to working with him to give New Yorkers the safe, livable communities GRAYSON they deserve.”

Grayson is a 21-year veteran of DSNY, and was appointed four-star chief and director of the Bureau of Cleaning and Collection in September of 2017.

He has held a range of positions throughout the department, including overseeing snow removal during the 2016 Jonas Blizzard, the largest snowstorm in New York City history.

As director of the Bureau of Cleaning and Collection, Grayson oversees day-to-day operations for DSNY, including the collection, recycling and disposal of more than 12,000 tons of waste per day and efforts to keep the city’s communities healthy, safe and clean.

He has implemented new technologies to improve snow removal and reform frontline operations, and has been a leader in the department’s implementation of the city’s aggressive zero-waste goals.

His father was a life-long DSNY worker and supervisor and his mother was recycling outreach coordinator during the rollout of the groundbreaking citywide recycling program in the 1990s.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a sanitation worker, because my dad was one,” said Grayson. “Every single member of this department is someone’s family, but during these unprecedented times, we are each other’s family, too, and I promise to never forget that.”

Horey joins board of Cord Meyer Leo S. Horey III, former chief administrative officer of AvalonBay Communities, Inc., has been appointed to the board of directors of Cord Meyer Development, one of the oldest and larg-

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est developers in the New York metropolitan area.

According to Cord Meyer president and CEO Matthew Whalen, Horey’s appointment marks the first time in its 116-year-history the company has appointed an individual to serve on the board who was not already employed by the company or a family member.

“In addition to bringing a new and vibrant approach to the Cord Meyer Board of DirecHOREY tors, Leo Horey is a real estate innovator whose depth of experience will benefit this organization for years to come,” said Whalen. “His reputation for achieving results is known throughout the real estate industry and will be felt on the board as we explore new growth opportunities in Queens and beyond.”

At AvalonBay, Horey’s leadership responsibilities extended to information services, revenue management, data analytics, human resources, strategic initiatives, and retail leasing, among other areas central to the success of the real estate investment trust.

Horey received his Master of Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Economics from Duke University.

“His unique perspective as a new voice on an established board will be met with enthusiasm by his fellow board members,” said board chairman Richard W. Meyer, Jr.

Persichette to anchor nightly news program New York native Christine Persichette has been named the anchor of Currents News, New York’s nightly news program from the Catholic perspective.

“After a long search, it became clear Christine was the right person for this unique and important job,” said Vito Formica, executive director of news content and development at DeSales Media Group, the non-profit that produces the newscast.

Persichette’s experience and connection to New York and, more specifically, the Diocese of Brooklyn, brings additional credibility to an award-winning newscast.

Her journey to the anchor desk at Currents News brings her full circle. She began fillingin during the fall of 2019 when Formica was

auditioning several candidates for the role. Then in February, news of the coronavirus started to dominate the headlines.

“Christine connected with the audience and guided viewers during the peak of the crisis with calmness and empathy,” said Monsignor Kieran Harrington, president of DeSales Media.

Persichette said the opportunity to join Currents News came at the right time, and the new position feels like home.

“It showed me how important Catholic journalism is nowadays, especially how people’s faith and the stories we’re telling can really PERSICHETTE provide a source of comfort,” she said.

Persichette was born and raised in Long Island City, where she was a parishioner and student at St. Rita’s Church. She went on to attend St. Francis Prep High School in Fresh Meadows.

“I am really happy to continue my career here,” Persichette said. “It is where I am from,” Persichette lives in Rockland County and is a marriage prep coordinator with her husband at St. Francis of Assisi parish in West Nyack. They have three sons.

Before joining Currents News, she worked as a morning anchor for FiOS1 News. She also did stints at WNYW Fox 5 in New York City, News 12 Long Island, and stations in Elmira and Rochester, New York.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2020 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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October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

ONE RESPONSE TO CRISIS

BY PAUL FINNEGAN NEW YORK IRISH CENTER If you’ve ever clinked a glass with an Irish person, more than likely you’ve heard the Gaelic word “Sláinte” as you raised your arm.

Many believe this word is the equivalent of “cheers,” but it actually has a different and deeper meaning: health. When an Irish person says Sláinte to you, they are wishing you the best of health.

The pandemic that has engulfed the world this year has focused us all on physical health, our own and that of others, but we are also keenly aware of another type of health, namely the economic sort.

When the shutdown came so abruptly in March, so too did massive unemployment and loss of income, cutting deeply into the lives of New Yorkers. Government, private enterprise and communities of all types responded quickly, and New York’s Irish were no exception.

With the closing of restaurants and construction sites, sectors where a huge proportion of Irish immigrants have earned their living for centuries, community leaders realized that a wave of requests for economic assistance on the scale of a humanitarian crisis would be coming very soon.

It was also clear that, in the true Irish tradition of charity, there would be a generous response from the community. Per capita, the Irish are one of the leading communities in the world for charitable giving.

New York’s Irish community leaders, representing five wellestablished New York Irish organi-

zations, knew an efficient process to channel the community’s donations to the needy was required, in other words a clearing house for goodwill, and decided to pool their resources to set up an online platform to accomplish this.

The five organizations, Aisling Irish Community Center (Yonkers), New York Irish Center (Queens), Emerald Isle Immigration Center (Queens and the Bronx), United Irish Counties and the New York Gaelic Athletic Association, rallied around that most Irish of words, and named their collaboration Sláinte 2020.

Within days, a fully functioning website (Slainte2020.org) was launched where donations could be made and applications for aid could be submitted. Over the next three months, over $500,000 was raised and distributed to over 1,000 people, many from Queens, mostly in Woodside, Sunnyside and Astoria.

The Sláinte 2020 committee worked long hours fielding and vetting applications, and distributing funds. Thankfully, as restaurants re-open and construction ramps up again, demand for emergency assistance has decreased significantly in recent weeks and the Sláinte 2020 fund is winding down.

Hopefully it will not be needed again.

The story of Sláinte 2020 is one of hope in dark times; how organizations can work together seamlessly for a common good that helps everyone. Sláinte 2020 provided the economic ventilator for a community of immigrants that had no other source of help. I am so very proud of what it achieved and for having been part of it.

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EXPERT ADVICE

DRIVING REAL TIME ENERGY MANAGEMENT

BY ANTHONY COPPOLA Enlightened Energy Consultants has been dedicated to implementing the Real Time Energy Management Process for many years. Our core business model and purpose are to reduce energy waste while increasing dollar savings for businesses and commercial building owners across New York State.

We believe the timing is right for the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Enlightened Energy Consultants (EEC) to partner together and generate interest in energy management and savings among members.

EEC has always recognized the importance of controlling costs. In fact, the company motto is “You can’t control what you don’t measure.”

Local and national companies have been upgrading lighting, saving money with more efficient LED technology. But amid this massive shift, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) controls have typically remained the same.

The reality is that companies are currently continuing to spend very significant dollars on HVAC operations. In part, we haven’t been

Anthony Coppola can be reached at tony@enlightenedenergy.net or (631) 379-8763. Learn more at enlightenedenergy.net.

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harnessing the savings available because in the past the projected return on investment and technology were not what the market demanded.

The time, however, has finally

arrived where it has become costefficient to upgrade existing HVAC system operating controls using smart technology. This is brought about by recent advances in both technology and energy-performance analytics.

Returns on investment of under a year are typical and readily achievable. The initial investment and risks are low, and the rewards are enormous both from an increased comfort and an economic standpoint.

Today, due to significant advanc-

es in control technologies, it is now possible to control HVAC systems cost effectively, saving money and reducing energy use substantially.

Over the past few months, we have finally started to see this principle come to fruition with companies as a new priority.

The actual performance of the controlled HVAC equipment is monitored in a similar fashion as to how you monitor the mileage per gallon of your car. HVAC equipment is a complex operation of the unit’s need to be evaluated and optimized on a continuous basis to reduce operating costs.

These advanced control systems provide optimal comfort when it matters and savings when it doesn’t.

Recently, EEC was recognized

by NYSERDA as a RTEM service provider. EEC has also recently partnered with National Grid, providing customers with an incentive for participating in our RTEM

program.

In addition, many commercial building owners are looking for guidance on what to do to open and deal with COVID-19 liability issues. We have the solution.

Effective immediately, we have incorporated a very powerful indoor air-quality tool into our NYSERDA RTEM offering called 5i. The purpose is to help building owners meet guidelines for post COVID-19 building HVAC operations.

EEC offers a complimentary consultation for all potential RTEM clients, which includes a cash-flow report and a comprehensive RTEM overview and plan for the prospective building.

Eliminating energy waste has become a focus worldwide, and we aim to work together with the Queens Chamber in order to reduce energy waste. We also intend to provide an enticing return on investment – typically eight to twelve months - for our business partners.

INVESTORS ARRIVES IN FOREST HILLS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Small companies rely on these services to run their operations, which gives them more time to serve their clients and increase sales.

The branch’s team is crosstrained to advise clients about business checking and savings accounts, lending, and treasury management services.

Universal bankers are also skilled at introducing and transitioning companies to Investors’ online and mobile business banking services that make it convenient to check account balances, pay bills, deposit checks, transfer funds and complete multiple transactions on the go. The team also includes licensed notary publics who are always available to assist clients.

The team of universal bankers reflects the demographics of the population that owns businesses, works, and lives in Forest Hills.

Mrs. Gambino and the branch’s

team are fluent in a broad range of languages including Cantonese, Italian, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and Taiwanese, to name a few.

Investors is also focused on the safety of its employees and clients who visit the branch, use the 24/7 ATM, or access the night depository. The bank has implemented the CDC’s guidelines and follows state and locate regulations that help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

SUPPORTING LOCAL NONPROFITS The branch is building relationships with local not-for-profit organizations by helping local groups apply for grants from the Investors Foundation. These organizations are also encouraged to join Investors’ Care2Share program that helps not-for-profits raise funds.

The Forest Hills branch has formed an alliance with two notfor-profit organizations: The Child Center of New York and Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens.

Each time a client opens a new deposit account at the Forest Hills branch, the business owner or consumer may choose to have a $25 donation made on their behalf to one of those nonprofits.

Investors Bank’s Forest Hills branch is the gateway to the next generation of convenient and complete banking services for small businesses and consumers. Make an appointment to meet with Branch Manager Maria Gambino and her team of universal bankers.

Investors Bank Forest Hills Branch 108-01 Queens Boulevard (at the 71st Avenue intersection) Forest Hills, Queens Phone: 347-997-3860 Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager: Maria Gambino Branch Lobby Hours: Monday thru Wednesday and Friday - 9 AM to 5 PM Thursday – 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday – 9 AM to 1 PM

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

INVESTORS BRINGS NEW WAY OF BANKING

BY ANA OLIVEIRA Investors Bank is bringing the Forest Hills community a new way of doing personal and business banking coupled with a bonus offer for the YourStyle Plus Checking account.

The bright and open floor plan environment in Investors’ new Forest Hills branch at 108-01 Queens Boulevard gives clients the ability to rapidly access an ATM, service their account, or meet with a universal banker for help.

Assisting clients from convenient banking pods, the universal bankers use computer tablets to deliver a wide range of services.

Clients who open a new YourStyle Plus Checking account at the Forest Hills branch may earn up

to $350. Plus, the account comes with no-cost mobile phone protection, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection, as well as mobile couponing.

The Forest Hills branch is managed by Maria Gambino, a lifelong resident of Queens and a career banker. Gambino’s business banking expertise is well known by many of the small businesses, professional service firms and healthcare practices in the community.

She is also an experienced leader who mentors and guides her team of universal bankers that serve the branch’s business and consumer clients.

Gambino is becoming deeply embedded in all facets of the Forest Hills community. She and the branch’s team are assisting

small business owners, forming alliances with not-for-profits, and volunteering their time to support local groups.

Investors is also advising small businesses about funding and financing options that are available to companies which were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Investors has joined the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s new “Adopt-a-Member” campaign by donating the 2020 membership dues for ten companies in Forest Hills.

Local business owners rely on Gambino and the branch’s team to help them streamline the management of their bank accounts and payment transactions. The team meets with companies to present such banking solutions as merchant

Ana Oliveira is Senior Vice President and New York Retail Market Executive for Investors Bank.

services, payroll processing, and remote deposit capture.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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GROUPS SHOW SUPPORT FOR LGA AIRTRAIN

BY BENJAMIN FANG For three consecutive days during the final full week of September, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) heard dozens of people testify on the proposed AirTrain from Willets Point to LaGuardia Airport.

The FAA hosted three public hearings and two public workshops one month after it released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the $2 billion project.

The report, which examined 47 possible alternatives, found that the AirTrain between Willets Point and the airport was the only option that addressed “unpredictable and increasing travel times” to and from LaGuardia, traffic congestion on roadways and inadequate employee parking.

The 45-day public comment period ended on October 5.

On September 21, Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton said in a virtual event with the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) that the FAA agreed with their assessment that the proposed route is the best option.

“The FAA conducted its own thorough and independent investigation to come to that conclusion,” he said.

Despite fiscal challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a projected $3 billion revenue shortfall over a 24-month period that has caused the Port Authority to reexamine its capital plan, Cotton assured that the AirTrain project remains on track.

“We are committed to finishing,” he said. “We are not going to leave these two airport projects unfinished, and that includes the two AirTrain projects.”

Cotton made the case for the benefits of a rail link to LaGuardia, including providing reliable mass transit access to the airport, curbing air pollution and lessening congestion on local roadways.

He noted that bus lines that currently take travelers to the airport are used by “well under 10 per-

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A coalition of business leaders and unions gives a collective thumb’s up to the AirTrain project. cent” of the public.

“It is that kind of experience that will get people out of their cars,” he said, referring to the AirTrain. “You can rely on it.”

He also touted the 3,000 union construction jobs it would create, and hundreds of millions of dollars for local and MWBE businesses. He noted that as part of the project, the Port Authority will improve the Flushing Bay promenade and leave it “in far better shape.”

“At a time when the economy is in a ditch,” Cotton added, “this project can contribute substantially to a more vigorous recovery.”

The following morning, A Better Way to LGA, a coalition of business, labor and industry groups, gathered on the Flushing Bay promenade to show their support for the project.

Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, reiterated that the project would yield not only union construction jobs, but also ongoing opportunities for the maintenance of the AirTrain.

He said the AirTrain at JFK

Airport, which opened 16 years ago, also faced initial resistance, but “has exceeded all expectations.” Last year, that AirTrain served a total of nearly 21 million riders.

Grech also announced that all five chambers of commerce in New York City support the LaGuardia AirTrain.

“Tourism, conventions and business are the backbone of our city’s economy,” the chamber heads wrote in an open letter. “AirTrain will improve and speed up the connections those visitors make in getting from LaGuardia to their destinations.

“After all, we only get one chance to make a great first impression,” they added. “Why should we squander that opportunity by forcing travelers to endure long, unreliable rides to the airport in traffic?”

Grech added that the Port Authority has committed to investing $16.5 million to rehabilitate the 1.4-mile promenade, including $8 million for pathway enhancements, improved landscaping and refurbishment of the railing and

walkway.

Another $8 million would be for community park improvements, and the remaining $500,000 will be for bulkhead and seawall repairs.

“This place could be a gem,” he said of the promenade, “and it is not today.”

Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, called the AirTrain project a “no-brainer,” especially considering the fiscal challenges afflicting the city and state.

“The way you get America out of a rough time has always been simple,” he said. “It’s three words: build, build, build.”

Laura Colacurcio, vice president of ABNY, argued that the travel experience at LaGuardia will be more convenient when the AirTrain is built.

“Anyone who has flown in and out of LaGuardia knows that the worst part of the entire journey is often the trip to and from the airport,” she said. “We hope that taking a taxi or car service to LaGuardia will be an outdated practice for most travelers in just a matter of years.”

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

COVER STORY

NEW INITIATIVE AIMS TO HELP CITY RECOVER PARTNERSHIP FOR NYC HEAD DISCUSSES SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE NETWORK

BY BENJAMIN FANG As New York City looks to emerge from the health and economic crises that have afflicted the Big Apple over the last eight months, the city’s leading business organization is taking on an outsized role in recovery efforts.

The Partnership for New York City led by president and CEO Kathryn Wylde is drawing on its network of private sector, nonprofit and community partners to support businesses struggling to keep their doors open and, ultimately, help boost the city’s economy.

In late September the Partnership, along with the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, city agencies and the city’s five boroughbased chambers of commerce, launched the NYC Small Business Resource Network.

Pitched as a “one-stop shop” for the city’s 230,000 small businesses, the $2.8 million partnership, funded by a grant from the Peterson Foundation, will create a team of 22 small business specialists who will be embedded within the chambers of commerce.

They will work directly with small businesses in hardest-hit communities to provide access to the wide range of programs and services offered by state, city and private-sector organizations, with a particular focus on minority, women and immigrant-owned businesses.

“The business resource network is intended to create a source of help for businesses as they seek to figure out how to put people back to work, how to survive, how to keep going, how to restart,” Wylde said. “We turned to the chambers of commerce as the organizations that are the most in touch with the needs of small businesses across the neighborhoods of the city.”

The Partnership is working with the city’s Economic Development

12

Corporation (EDC) and Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to aggregate the various public and private resources available. The goal is for small businesses to have one place to go for all of their needs, from legal and accounting services to marketing, procurement opportunities and loans or grants.

The network grew out of a report that the Partnership released in July in collaboration with 14 top consulting firms, who are also members of the organization. The report, called “A Call for Action and Collaboration,” outlines the impact that COVID-19 had on the city’s economy between January and July.

Wylde said that before the pandemic, the city was at the “peak of its power globally” as a capital of finance, media, design and technology. New York City had

over four million private sector jobs, which she said was the highest that number has ever reached.

But as a result of the pandemic, the report notes, as many as onethird of the city’s 230,000 small businesses may never reopen.

Cultural, social and entertainment sites will remain partially shuttered until next year.

When the report was released, the city’s unemployment rate had risen to 18.3 percent, with economic hardship concentrated among Black and Hispanic communities, as well as lower-wage workers.

The report also laid out priorities for sectors of the economy that were most damaged, Wylde said, and where organizations needed to focus their attention and resources. She said small business, particularly retail, hospitality and neighborhood services businesses, were the most seriously impacted, with more than 520,000 jobs lost in those

“WE TURNED TO THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AS THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THE MOST IN TOUCH WITH THE NEEDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY.” Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THECITY

industries alone.

“Even for those businesses that got PPP loans,” she said, “the analysis was that was not going to be enough for them to be able to reopen and survive.”

Wylde said New York City’s economic recovery would be helped if political leaders recognized that they don’t have the resources required to address all of the problems the city is facing. She noted that over the last decade, the city got accustomed to a prosperous economy and an expanding tax base. Government had the resources necessary to tackle most issues, she said.

The pandemic has left city and state governments “quite broke,” Wylde said, which is why they will need the help of everyone, from the private sector to universities and local communities, to help with the economic recovery.

To draw on past experiences, Wylde said she thinks back to the 1970s and 80s, when New

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

COVER STORY York City was also broke. The city faced the issue of abandoned buildings and fleeing manufacturing jobs.

Wylde joined the Partnership for New York City in 1981 just two years after it was founded by David Rockefeller, former chairman and CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank. As the founding CEO of the Partnership’s housing and investment fund affiliates, she developed and managed affordable housing and economic programs that addressed those very issues.

“We basically went to the city and said, ‘let’s figure out how the private sector can help address these problems,’” she said. “We built partnerships that extended from community development organizations, banks and homebuilders.”

The Ed Koch administration, working with the Partnership, created the New Homes and Neighborhood Builders programs, which produced more than 35,000 units of new, owner-occupied housing. The Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Program, meanwhile, helped more than 50 minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) purchase and rehabilitate apartment buildings formerly owned by the city.

These programs, Wylde said, expanded homeownership in neighborhoods like Corona, Elmhurst, Springfield Gardens and South Jamaica.

“It was all public-private partnerships that rebuilt those neighborhoods,” she said. “It wasn’t just a private developer coming with their own plans, it was a real partnership.”

Wylde, who became the chief executive of the Partnership in 2001, said that type of model will be necessary to help New York City recover. She said community development organizations must strengthen to help small businesses.

“COVID has made clear we cannot recover without having all New Yorkers on the same page together to solve these chal-

visit nycsmallbusinessresourcenetwork.org

lenges,” she said. “It’s the same model we had in the 80s that we need to figure out how to replicate.”

The Partnership CEO said the city will have to deal with losing up to three-quarters of a million jobs, retraining employees who were formerly in the retail and small business sectors, and preparing the workforce for new jobs in a technology-driven economy.

That means the education system has to “quickly catch up.”

She noted that Queens College already has the advantage of having computer science as a core subject at the school. LaGuardia Community College, she said, is also a leader in preparing students “for the innovation economy.”

Other organizations like Pursuit are also training residents for jobs in technology.

“I think Queens is in a good position,” Wylde said.

On the other hand, she noted, the airline and tourism industries have really suffered due to the pandemic. Wylde said she hopes the federal government will play

a role in supporting their comeback as quickly as possible.

With the 2021 mayoral election just around the corner, Wylde said she hopes candidates recognize how badly New York City has been damaged by COVID, and the need for collaboration between business and government.

“We can’t just impose new mandates, new taxes, new demands on businesses,” she said. “Because they don’t have the resources to respond.”

She also wants candidates to realize that the education system should focus much more on preparing people for jobs and careers. Wylde said that the economy has accelerated so fast, no one will be qualified for a decentpaying job unless they have an education that is relevant to the technology skills required.

For example, during the pandemic there was a tremendous increase in health care through telemedicine, despite not having not telehealth experts or technicians.

“It means we can’t be trying to

keep the same old job priorities and training programs of the last couple decades,” she said. “Those will have to change dramatically.”

Looking at next steps, Wylde said the short-term goals of the Partnership include helping the city and state develop plans to deal with the immediate jobs crisis. That crisis includes people’s feelings of insecurity about growing crime and the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence, she said.

In the long term, the Partnership will look for opportunities to expand the city’s tax base through growth and private investment.

For example, Wylde said the life sciences industry is “very promising,” and has only grown stronger during the pandemic.

Other long-term goals include delivering more affordable housing for New York City residents, pushing for homeownership and advocating for an education system that prepares people for new kinds of jobs.

“Hopefully, Queens has some great opportunities there,” Wylde said.

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

DINAPOLI: UPHEAVAL IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

BY BENJAMIN FANG

A new report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli last week projected that between one-third and one-half of New York City’s bars and restaurants could close permanently over the next six months.

If just one-third of establishments shutter, the city would lose nearly 8,000 eateries and 106,000 jobs, the audit found. If the closures rise to 50 percent, nearly 12,000 bars and restaurants would close their doors, costing the city almost 159,000 jobs.

DiNapoli released the report earlier this month in Jackson Heights alongside business owners and local lawmakers. He said the city’s bars and restaurants are “the lifeblood of our neighborhoods.”

“The industry is challenging under the best of circumstances and many eateries operate on tight margins,” he said. “Now they face an unprecedented upheaval that may cause many establishments to close forever.”

According to the report, in 2019 New York City’s restaurant industry had 23,650 establishments, provided 317,800 jobs, paid $10.7 billion in total wages and made nearly $27 billion in taxable sales. The industry accounted for about one in 12 private sector jobs and establishments citywide.

Between 2009 and 2019, jobs in the industry grew by 61 percent while establishments grew by 44 percent, which the comptroller noted was double the overall rate of growth.

This past February, more than 315,000 people worked in the restaurant industry. But by April, one month into the COVID-19 pandemic, that number dropped to 91,000 as the state imposed restrictions on restaurants and other businesses.

Revenues at New York City bars took a nosedive, falling by 94 percent on March 22 and again on April 26. Taxable sales, as reported by the state’s Department of Taxation and Finance, fell by 71 percent in March, April and May, compared to one year earlier.

By August, employment in the restaurant industry was still only at 55 percent of its level in February, the month before the pandemic struck.

DiNapoli’s report noted that restaurants began exploring new business models to generate revenue, from offering takeout and delivery to selling do-it-yourself kits to customers.

In June, the city began its Open Restaurants program, which gave restaurants and customers a new possibility: outdoor dining. Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the program would become permanent and year-round.

As a result of these changes, credit card payments at Open Restaurants participants increased, according to the audit. By the second

half of August, restaurants were only 12.4 percent below what they were a year ago, and bars were down 23 percent.

Outdoor dining, as well as the phased reopening of the economy, led to restaurant employment rising to 174,000 jobs in August.

“It’s important that the state and city continue to be creative and bolster the industry,” DiNapoli said. “The city’s decision to extend outdoor dining year-round to help keep restaurants afloat is a step in the right direction along with the opening for indoor dining.”

The comptroller’s audit also studied the makeup of New York City’s restaurant industry. More than 60 percent of restaurant workers were immigrants in 2018, compared to 45 percent across all occupations. In 16 neighborhoods, including parts of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, the share is between 70 and 90 percent.

The report also found that as of 2018, 44 percent of the city’s residents working in the industry were Hispanic, while 20 percent were Asian, which is higher than overall employment shares.

Lawmakers noted that restaurant closures would disproportionately impact immigrant workers and the neighborhoods where they live.

“Our local restaurants are the backbone of this community and without a viable reopening plan, CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

HOMECOMING OF SORTS FOR FAMOUS SCULPTURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

munity Board 2 on the installation.

Lachaise, who studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, celebrated the female form with vitality, sensuality, and exaggerated physical features for his entire career. In the 1920s, he started “floating” his figures by freeing them from bases.

His other famous works include “Standing Woman” and “Woman (Elevation).” He also did commissioned pieces for prominent members of the literary and art worlds, such as Georgia O’Keeffe and E.E. Cummings.

Through born in France in 1882, Lachaise lived most of his life in Boston and New York City, which is why ARTNews called him the “greatest American sculptor of his time.”

“Floating Woman” is one of his best-known monumental works from the 1920s. The buoyant, expansive figure represents a timeless earth goddess, and although she looks a bit awkward, she conveys a sense of joy and feminine fecundity. Plus, his wife, Isabel, was his muse and model, and he considered it a tribute to the power of women.

It’s also a bit of a homecoming, as “Floating Woman” was cast in bronze at the Modern Art Foundry in Astoria.

14

Queensboro Dance Festival Director Karesia Bhatan and Emily Hart-Lopez performed at the unveiling ceremony.

My

is

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

EXPERT ADVICE FRESHEN UP YOUR OFFICE – AND EMPLOYEES – WITH PLANTS

BY JAKE WEGWEISER HORTICULTURAL CREATIONS With COVID-19’s unfriendly arrival in the early months of 2020 and the PAUSE that was put into place, there is no doubt that quarantine and social distancing has made what once was a normal day at work or a day out with friends something we all hope to experience again.

Now that the city is in Phase 4 and restrictions are getting lifted, people are expected to go back to work with the fear and panic surrounding COVID-19.

However, this is not to say that the work environment will be the same as it was pre-COVID. Offices will continue to implement social distancing protocols until the virus disappears and a vaccine is found.

So, the question that many companies are asking is “ow do we make the office space productive and safe for employees during this period?” The quick answer is plants.

Office trends keep changing. First, it was the 80s’ cube farm, then came the foosball table, and now in 2020 plants are making a debut to modernize office aesthetics.

In short, incorporating plants as part of your office design is the way forward.

Transform your office environment by installing beautiful and invigorating plants as part of your office design and social distancing requirements.

Based on solid evidence, plants help relieve symptoms of emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, and brain fog. Plants

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To maintain high productivity and efficiency levels, it is vital to create a workspace that fosters a

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Giving your office a makeover is the best way to welcome your employees after a distressful lockdown.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, called the new report “shocking,” noting that the data confirms the economic devastation that the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on small businesses.

“The comptroller’s report sends a critical message that must be heard by policymakers and New Yorkers at large,” he said, “which is that in order to save our city’s greater economy, our restaurant industry must be at the core of its recovery.

“While we are appreciative of the government actions taken so far to support our restaurant community and the hundreds of thousands of people it employs,” Rigie added, “many more policies must be enacted by all levels of government to help save these small businesses and our economy.”

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we risk losing so many jobs, as well as the vibrant character of our neighborhood,” Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz said in a statement.

“The state must do everything in its power to ensure our small businesses survive beyond the pandemic.”

Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that the borough’s 6,000 restaurants are the backbone of the local economy, creating jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for New Yorkers.

“Outdoor dining has been a help, and we’re excited for the return of indoor dining,” Grech said, “but without further action, many of our cherished neighborhood institutions will close for good.”

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

queensborough Calendar of events OCTOBER 10/6, 2 PM

DCWP: IMPORTANT UPDATES DUE TO COVID-19

Commissioner Lorelei Salas of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection discusses business guidelines and programs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/7, 11 AM

QCIC STUDENTS SERIES - LAW

Margaret Ling, an attorney at Big Apple Abstract, will go over her career, how she got started, the current landscape of law and how you can get your foot in the door. This event is open to college students across Queens.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/7, 6 PM

RESUME WRITING AND INTERVIEW SKILLS: BRAND YOURSELF & LAND THE INTERVIEW

This workshop will focus on building your skills for writing a resume, cover letter, and other skills needed to land and then succeed at your interview.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/9, 2 to 4 PM

BAYSIDE BUSINESS COMMUNITY PPE DISTRIBUTION

Local business owners can stop by and pick up personal protective equipment such as masks and face shields alongside important information from the City and State of New York.

Mad for Chicken 39-02 Bell Boulevard Bayside, NY 11361 10/14, 9 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 10/16 9:30 AM

STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE

Learn the basic skills needed to identify and understand conflict and successfully negoti-

ate and resolve disputes that occur at the workplace. With guest speaker Joshua Bienstock of the NYIT School of Management.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/20, 2 PM

GENERATE EXTRA RENTAL INCOME

Lucien Lapierre of the TD Bank Charitable Foundation will discuss the potential benefits of buying your own residential or multi-family property and renting out a portion in order to generate extra income.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/20, 6 PM

RELAX, UNWIND & NETWORK

This virtual happy hour/networking session is designed to help you meet new people, network and seek new opportunities.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org

NOVEMBER 11/13, 9:30 AM

MANAGING EMPLOYEES AND CONFLICT IN A CULTURALLY DIVERSE WORKPLACE

This program will provide the necessary cultural awareness skills and offer guidance from both a practical and legal perspective as to how a supervisor can effectively promote a positive and respectful atmosphere in the workplace. With guest speaker Joshua Bienstock of the NYIT School of Management.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org

DECEMBER 12/18, 9:30 AM

MEDIATION SKILLS: TECHNIQUES TO RESOLVE THIRD-PARTY DISPUTES

Developing and expanding your mediation skills can help keep everyone focused on their key goals and away from unnecessary and counterproductive conflict.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org

EN ESPANOL 10/6, 11 AM

CONECTARSE CON LOS CLIENTES Y ADMINISTRAR SU NEGOCIO DE FORMA REMOTA

Descubra las herramientas de Google que

pueden ayudar a los propietarios de negocios a trabajar y administrar su negocio en este momento de incertidumbre. Además, obtenga información sobre los recursos en línea más oportunos para pequeñas empresas.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/7, 11 AM

USING DATA TO MAKE BETTER BUSINESS DECISIONS AND DRIVE GROWTH

Learn best practices and analyze trends about how customers engage with your business online, then turn these insights into wellinformed, actionable decisions. This event will be conducted in Spanish but utilize English content.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/8, 11 AM

PONGA SU NEGOCIO LOCAL EN GOOGLE SEARCH Y MAPS

Explorar Google Mi Negocio, una herramienta gratuita para empresas que desean conectarse con clientes en Google Search y Maps.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/8, 2 PM

REGULACIONES PARA CONSUMIDORES Y EMPRESARIOS

La Comisionada y los representantes de DCWP revisarán las pautas y requisitos importantes establecidos por la ciudad que pueden afectar su negocio y a usted mismo.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/20, 11 AM

ALCANCE A LOS CLIENTES EN LINEA CON GOOGLE

Este taller explica cómo funciona el Buscador de Google y cómo puedes mejorar la visibilidad de tu página web a través de la optimización de motores de búsqueda (SEO).

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org 10/29, 2 PM

LA COMPRA DE SU PRIMERA VIVIENDA PASO A PASO

Este seminario virtual está dirigido principalmente a compradores de vivienda por primera vez que buscan comprender mejor el proceso de obtención de su primera casa. Analizará el crédito, el proceso de compra y otras partes importantes de la compra de su primera propiedad.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org

17

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

nonprofit news

USING THE ARTS TO BUILD A RESILIENT COMMUNITY

BY GABRIELLE M. HAMILTON

It was March 9, 2020, when Flushing Town Hall senior staff met to discuss temporarily closing due to the threat of a coronavirus pandemic.

Just the previous week, we disinfected our beautiful historic building and held our monthly Jazz Jam, two shows for school students, and a family workshop and show, taking every precaution to clean and encourage social distancing.

At the time, New York City’s public schools were still in session.

But just days later, on March 16, our nation’s largest public school system announced schools would close for at least a month and begin remote learning. Families and students scrambled to get technology in place to adapt to this new environment.

For nonprofit arts organizations such as Flushing Town Hall (FTH), pivoting to remote programs was equally challenging. In a typical year, FTH Arts Education provides 150 after-school programs, residencies, workshops, and performances to approximately 20,000 students and families.

Following the closures, our education staff reached out to schools, senior centers and families to let them know what was cancelled, postponed or moved online, even as we developed new virtual content.

Gabrielle M. Hamilton is director of Education and Public Programs at Flushing Town Hall.

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And two weeks later, we launched the first of our virtual lessons, “Flushing Town Hall at Home: Global Arts for Global Kids,” a nine-week series led by a diverse group of master teaching artists on topics such as Colombian music, Chinese dance, and pop-up books.

Of course, at that time, we anticipated that by the end of the series we could return to our theater, schools and senior centers. But we all know what happened next.

As the new school year begins, we recognize that school field trips will not look the same; no students chattering excitedly in our theater as a show begins, no high-fives as performers take their final bows.

But with the creativity and inventiveness of our amazing teaching artists, our education team reimagined in-person programs while still adhering to the city’s learning standards. That’s how we have adapted to continue to serve Queens and beyond, and how we will continue this fall. Our “Global Arts for Global Kids” virtual series returned in early October. Each week, students can explore Indian dance and yoga, world drumming in English and Spanish, toy theater, Mexican folkloric dances and their wardrobes, Jazz dance, shadow theater, dances

from Africa’s Ivory coast, fairy tales, Chinese dance and culture, and how to create mini art museums. This is all part of our mission to present global arts to Queens, even as we all limit our travel amid the pandemic. Our master teaching artists lead free virtual lessons and provide post-video enrichment activities. There are also low-cost “Meet the Artist” or “Jam with the Artists” workshops opportunities that can be scheduled anytime for schools and families.

Over the last six months, Flushing Town Hall, like many other cultural institutions, has pivoted to virtual platforms and so we still offer assemblies – for classrooms or even whole schools or family groups – with Matinecock tribal leaders (the first people of Queens), Andean musicians, and Korean dancers and musicians, among others.

Recognizing that artists across our borough and city are struggling at this time, we charge affordable fees primarily to help support them.

As we all face the anxieties of an uncertain future, we have provided a community platform for people to artistically express themselves.

We launched an outdoor exhibition on our Northern Boulevard

fence where anyone can submit their artwork to process this profound moment, whether it is grief or hope or honoring those lost or harmed not only to COVID-19, but as a result of racial or social injustice, or to thank essential workers and healthcare providers for their efforts to heal.

The art exhibition, “Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope,” already has received more than two dozen entries of art and poetry and remains up through mid-October. We encourage teachers, parents, and students to submit their artwork, too. Visit flushingtownhall.org for details.

We live in unprecedented times.

Amid the pandemic, arts education organizations such as Flushing Town Hall have adapted to continue to serve those who have relied on us to connect artistically, socially and emotionally.

Flushing Town Hall believes in the power of the arts and culture to process this traumatic moment, restore joy and build resiliency. We are grateful to our incredible students and families who are bravely breaking new ground with us.

Together we are rebuilding a more resilient, inspired, and courageous community.

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

Queens 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.

There are free immigration services every Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 71-29 Roosevelt Avenue. All services are free, confidential and open to any member of the community. Some of the services include DACA, TPS and document replacement and renewal. Call (212) 652-2071 with any questions.

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 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.

Business Center for New Americans (BCNA)

78-27 37 Avenue, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@nycbcna.org QUICK GLANCE: Since 1997, BCNA has been

serving New York City entrepreneurs. BCNA is an approved Small Business Administration Intermediary Lender and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

BCNA’s Microloan program is the cornerstone of its services. They provide small business loans and microloans to business owners who are not able to obtain loans from traditional lenders.

BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK (BOC, INC.)

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 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)

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.

Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce

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 19

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

Queens chamber Partners & Affiliates 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

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.

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.

Maspeth Chamber of Commerce

Jamaica Center BID

120 members and a budget of $115,000.

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 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

20

P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378 President: David Daraio 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have

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 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

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10

New members INTRODUCTORY

MAJOR Corporate

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

c/o 52 Verdin Drive New City, NY 10956 www.sands.com Las Vegas Sands (LVS) is the pre-eminent developer and operator of world-class Integrated Resorts that feature luxury hotels; best-inclass gaming; retail; dining and entertainment; Meetings, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) facilities; and many other business and leisure amenities. We pioneered the MICE-driven Integrated Resort, a unique, industry-leading and extremely successful model that serves both the business and leisure tourism markets

Corporate

BedRock Real Estate Partners, LLC

501 5th Avenue, Suite 1803 New York, NY 10017 bedrockllc.com Founded in 2013 by Chuck Berman and Tracey Appelbaum, BedRock Real Estate Partners LLC (formerly known as CBD LLC) is a privately held investment manager specializing in the development and acquisition of rental apartments and mixed-use projects in urban locations from Boston to Washington, DC with a particular focus in New York City.

Verus Commercial Real Estate Finance

600 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10016 veruscref.com VCREF seeks to originate loans which have features and characteristics specifically tailored to accommodate each borrower’s business strategy. Such loans are typically offered with relatively short terms and may utilize floating or fixed interest rates. VCREF aims to make loans across all levels of the capital stack, and it targets many different asset classes.

Xin Development Group International

150 E. 52nd Street, Suite 6002 New York, NY 10022 xyreusa.com Founded by Dr. Zhang Yong in Zhengzhou, Henan Province in 1997, Xinyuan Group has successfully evolved from a company that solely focused on real estate development into a huge corporate group that incorporates an array of ancillary businesses. For the past 20 years, Xinyuan has blazed new trails in not just real estate development, but also in the realms of city industry cooperation, business and property management, and various smart technologies ranging from blockchain-based real estate platforms to homebased AI robotic technology.

Adey’s Beauty Supply 198-17 Hollis Avenue St. Albans, NY 11412 adeysbeautysupply.com

A&M Engineering Consulting DPC 31 W. Main Street, 216 Patchogue, NY 11772 ammep.com

Bibi & Jd’s Barbershop Bibi & Jd’s Barbershop 6325 Roosevelt Avenue Woodside, NY 11377 bibi-jds-barbershop.com

Martin Luther School 60-02 Maspeth Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 martinluthernyc.org

MedStartr Direct LLC

210 E. Sunrise Hwy, Suite 304 Valley Stream, NY 11581 medstart.com

Niebles Health Coverage Counselor LLC 6946 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378

Sandler Training

225 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788 legend.sandler.com

Swipe Fee Zero LLC

10-10 44th Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 SwipeFeeZero.com

chamber Partners & Affiliates 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.

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, welcoming and dynamic commercial district in Sunnyside

Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce

Sutphin boulevard BID

$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

and represents 134 businesses, 56 properties and 39 property owners along Sutphin Boulevard between Hillside Avenue and 94th Avenue.

PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Vanessa Ceballos 718.729.4688 sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: With an annual budget of

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

21

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

Executive commmitee Thomas Santucci

Richard Dzwlewicz

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Nash Roe

Fran Biderman-Gross

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patrick Yu

Susan Browning

Mayra DiRico

Secretary

Senior advisory council

Executive Staff President & CEO

Business Development Manager

Chief of Operations

Strategic Program Coordinator

Alejandra Espejo

Jef Gross

Financial Controller

Neil Wagner

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 Joshua E. Bienstock Susan Browning Kenneth J. Buettner Charles E. Callahan KY Chow

Sal Crifasi Steven DeClara Mayra DiRico Richard Dzwlewicz Charles Everett, Jr. Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof

Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul Maria Odysseus Jeffrey Owens Stephen Preuss Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock

Howard Graf Raymond Irrera Anthony Kammas Kenneth Koenig Neil Levin Jeffery E. Levine Bert Lurch

Juan Santiago Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart Terri Thomson

Henry Wan Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

corporate members A&E Real Estate A&L Cesspool Services Corp AARP Adria Hotel and Conference Center Aeroterm AFC Urgent Care - Howard Beach Amaracon Testing & Inspections, LLC American Lions LLC Amna Construction Corp AmTrust Title Andromeda Antun’s of Queens Village Apple Bank for Savings Apple-Metro, Inc. ARK Development LLC Ashnu International, Inc. Assured Environments Astoria Sports Complex Atco Properties Accounts Payable Aurora Contractors, Inc. Avison Young AYC Properties LLC Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Balkan Sewer And Water Main Service Bank of America Merrill Lynch Bank of Hope Bellozino Bethpage Federal Credit Union Bijal Hospitality - Hyatt Place LIC & Fairfield Marriott LGA Blink Fitness Boyce Technologies Inc. Bridgehampton National Bank Broadway Stages Cactus Holdings Inc Capital One Bank Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens CBRE

Center for Automotive Education and Training Cerini and Associates, LLP. Ciampa Organization Cipico Construction, Inc. Citibank CityMD Clearcell Power Conference Associates, Inc Cord Meyer Development LLC Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Courtyard by Marriott Crescent Properties, Inc Crown Castle Crunch - Rochdale (Please correct spelling in magazine) Cushman & Wakefield Damian Family Care Centers, Inc. Daniels, Norelli, Scully & Cecere P.C. Daroga Power, LLC Dedline AV East Coast Energy Group Ecosave Inc. Emigrant Mortgage Company Enterprise Fleet Management eXp Realty: Andrew Wu Exquisite Construction F & T Group Farrell Fritz, P.C. First Central Savings Bank Flushing Council On Culture & The Arts Forest Hills Financial Group Inc. GF55 Partners Gil-Bar Industries, Inc. Glenwood Infinity LLC (Hello Panda Festival) Global Industrial Goodwill Industries of New York & North-

ern New Jersey, Inc. Graf & Lewent Architects Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Green Energy Technology Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center Gum Studios Hampton Inn by Hilton JFK Airport Healthy Corner Pharmacy Hilton Garden Inn LIC New York Hook & Reel LLC Horticultural Creations, Inc. Hyatt Place Flushing IBIS Styles New York LaGuardia Airport INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Innovo Property Group Instacart Intercontinental Capital Group iRCM, Inc. J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co., Inc. James F. Capalino & Assoc.

Jaros, Baum & Bolles Jason Office Products JC Elite Construction JDP Mechanical JetBlue Airways Corporation JFA Insurance Brokerage & Associates Inc. JGM Construction Development Jones Lang LaSalle Kasirer Consulting Kaufman Astoria Studios, Inc. Kimco Realty Corporation Klein Weath Management/ Hightower Advisors Laffey Real Estate Laguardia Plaza Hotel Laser Bounce of Brooklyn Inc.

Levine Builders Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade Association, Inc. Luxury Office Suites LLC Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. Madison Realty Capital Manpower McBride Consulting & Business MCT Fine Wine & Spirits, LLC Medisys Health Network Mega Contracting Group LLC MetroPlus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade MicroGrid Neworks, LLC Millennium Dae Dong, Inc. Molloy College Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp.

Muss Development LLC My Benefit Advisor, LLC NEOLEDGE Neuman’s Kitchen Newtown Creek New York + Atlantic Railway New York Health Plan Association New York Oil Heating Association Northwell Health NYC Ferry Operated by Hornblower Olympia Court Real Estate OneGroup Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Patrizia’s Italian Restaurant Petro PGA Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Piermont Bank Premier Paint Roller Co LLC

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

Margaret T. Ling, Esq. Big Apple Abstract Corp. mling@bigappleabstract.com Paul Harrison Chase paul.harrison@chase.com

COMMUNICATIONS Cody Fisher Blue Ox Marketing, LLC cody@blueoxmarketing.com Leigh Schuckman Sandler Training leigh.schuckman@sandler.com

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ENERGY

Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com Jay Solly Sol Strategies jaypsolly@gmail.com

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Bill Staniford bill@staniford.com Michael Grella Grella Partnership Services mike@socialquityventures.com

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

Susan Browning Long Island Jewish Forest Hills sbrowning1@northwell.edu Bert Lurch E Central Medical Management bertl@ecmmgt.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

NONPROFIT

Larry Grubler Transitional Services of NY lgrubler@tsiny.org Maria Odysseus Investors Bank modysseus@myinvestorsbank.com

REAL ESTATE

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

Premier Payroll Solutions Prime Storage Priority 1 Security LLC ProHEALTH Care QSIDE Federal Credit Union Queens Center Mall Queens Public Communications Corp.

Quontic Bank RCG Mortgage Receivable Collection Services, LLC Rego Park Seniors Club LLC Related Retail Corporation Rochdale Village Community Center Royal Waste Services, Inc. Safeguard Global Safety Facility Services Samaritan Daytop Village Santander Bank SBT Advantage Bank Seagis Property Group, LP Signature Bank Sive, Paget & Riesel P.C. Skyline Risk Management, Inc. SL Green Realty Corp.

Solomon Agency Corp.

Spring Hill Suites New York Jamaica/JFK Airport Squad Security Inc. St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s Episcopal Hospital St. John’s University Sterling Risk Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Suffolk Sussman-Automatic Corporation Target TC Electric TGI Office Automation Thales The Andy Li Team at Compass The Botanist The Durst Organization The First National Bank of Long Island The Flying Locksmiths -Queens NY The Heskel Group The Liquidity Source The Lovett Group The Marcal Group T-Mobile TSC Traning Academy, LLC Ultrasound Solutions Corp.

United Airlines United American Title Agency 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 Vic Kessler Signs LTD Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP Watch Guard 24/7 LLC White Coffee Corp Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C. YMCA of Greater New York / Queens Branches York College - CUNY Young Nian Group, LLC Zara Realty

October 2020 • Volume 16 • Issue 10 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.

23

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