This Is Queensborough - September 2018

this is...

BUILDING

NYC

HEAD OF DDC DISCUSSES HER NEW POST, CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES & EMCEEING THE CHAMBER’S 2018 BUILDING AWARDS GALA

• ASSEMBLYMAN RON KIM EXPLAINS ‘COMMUNITY CURRENCY’ • CHAMBER FORUM DISCUSSES HEALTH CARE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

“There are a lot of people at DDC who work very hard, and they don’t get the credit that they deserve.”

DDC COMMISSIONER LORRAINE GRILLO

September 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 9

Dr. Julissa Jurado, a thoracic surgeon at LIJ Forest Hills, and Leyla Edwards, manager of the hospital’s lung screening program, stress that screenings are vital to identify lung cancer early when it’s most treatable.

LIJ Forest Hills takes aim at lung cancer Lung cancer screenings at LIJ Forest Hills save lives by identifying signs early.

Although a pack of cigarettes goes for upward of $13, there are still plenty of Queens residents willing to pay the price with their money and health.

That’s something that the lung cancer screening program at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills hopes to change.

“It’s important for us to reach out to the community,” said Julissa Jurado, MD, a thoracic surgeon at the hospital. “Lung cancer is not as publicized as breast or colon cancer, but it is the leading cause of death in both men and women.”

On average, roughly 700 borough residents die each year from lung-related cancer, according to 2010–2014 New York State Department of Health data. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer.

“With lung cancer screenings, we’re able to catch the disease early when it’s most treatable,” said Dr. Jurado.

Lung cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms until the cancer is more advanced. For that reason, screenings are vital to help identify the disease as soon as possible to improve patient survival rates.

To be eligible for a lung screening at LIJ Forest Hills, participants must be between the ages of 55 and 77 and have smoked at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years or two packs per day for 15 years.

Screenings are covered by most insurance programs, including Medicare, explained Leyla Edwards, manager of the hospital’s lung cancer screening program.

Sponsored by Long Island Jewish Forest Hills

The screening includes a low-dose CT scan that creates a 3D picture of the chest which can detect very small spots or nodules.

Results of the five-minute scan are usually available within 48 hours.

A small nodule may just require monitoring for any changes in size. A larger one may need to be removed through minimally invasive surgery at the hospital, explained Dr. Jurado, who specializes in surgeries involving the lungs, esophagus, mediastinum and trachea.

For more information about lung cancer screening at LIJ Forest Hills, call (855) 375-5864

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR ACCESS TO CAPITAL & FINANCING FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS Nearly 75 percent of the 1,100 financing. members of the Queens Chamber While not very surprising, those of Commerce are small business having sought financing in the last owners; i.e. businesses with ten year were twice as likely to report or fewer employees. With that in that getting access to credit was mind, it is the respondifficult compared to sibility of the Queens those that have not Chamber to not only keep tried. Businesses that our small business ownhave applied for credit ers apprised of substanat some point in the tive and legislative happast, rather than in just penings, but to keep you the past year, were informed of ways the more likely to say it is Queens Chamber is able easy to obtain financto advocate for you. ing rather than diffiAmid the general opticult. mism, access to capital TOM SANTUCCI “After the 2008 is quite strong. After CHAIRPERSON financial crisis, a oneresearching reports size fits all regulatory conducted by the United States approach was adopted causing a Chamber of Commerce, less than decline in small businesses’ access one-quarter of small business- to capital,” said Tom Sullivan, U.S. es report that it is hard to obtain Chamber vice president of Small

Business Policy. “Recently, steps have been taken to reverse the trend, including Congress passing the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act which removed some of the strict regulations placed on community banks and regional banks, making it easier for small businesses to get capital.

“These are steps in the right direction, but more policies that ease small businesses’ access to financing need to occur to ensure this vital sector of our economy continues to grow, create jobs, and positively impact communities across the country,” he added.

Small businesses that report to be in good health and those that stated they were not in good health were equally likely to have sought financing in the past year. Further,

the longer a small business has been in operation, the more likely it is to receive the full amount of financing.

Three-quarters of businesses in operation for more than 20 years received the full asking amount versus two-thirds of companies with 11 to 20 years in operation, and just half of those in operation for less than 10 years.

In sum, if you are a small business owner, you need to be as active as possible with the Queens Chamber of Commerce. We are here to not only act as your surrogate marketing agency but develop specific plans to connect you to business opportunities.

Depending on the issue, we have the connections and expertise to take you to the next level. We look forward to working with you!

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO MEET THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP THE CHAMBER RUNNING It’s been a very active sum- do. If it wasn’t for these talented mer at the Queens Chamber. individuals, the chamber would not Between Boat Cruises, Business have grown to such heights nor Card Exchanges, New Member would we have the caliber of curOrientations, and Seminars, we’ve rent events and members. really packed it in. And the trend As such, I would like to introwill continue. From duce the following September through team members: the new year, we Joanne Persad, Chief have several signaOperations Officer ture events you will Joanne serves as the not want to miss all-seeing eye of the out on: Chamber, and certainSeptember 24 ly has her work cut Queens Chamber out for her. She is your Foundation Golf go-to anything related Outing and Dinner to the daily operations October 10 – THOMAS J. GRECH of the organization.

Business Person Jacqueline Donado, PRESIDENT & CEO of the Year Awards Program Coordinator Dinner Jacqui is responDecember 6 – Annual Building sible for our yearly calendar of Awards programs and seminars. Many of these are used to secure city and Staff-at-a-Glance state grants which are vital to the I would like to take this oppor- Queens Chamber. Jacqui is also in tunity to thank my hardworking charge of running our ChamberQueens Chamber staff for all they on-the-Go program, which brings

our services directly to the doorstep of local business owners.

Alejandra Espejo, Financial Comptroller Alejandra is the backbone of this organization, and without her, the Chamber could not function. She is the behind-the-scenes financial guru who makes sure the Chamber is running smoothly and economically.

Brett Swanson, Committees, Member Engagement, This is Queensborough Magazine Brett serves as the “utilityman” of the Chamber. Whether it is scheduling Committee events, gathering content for our monthly magazine, acclimating New Members, or being the tech-guru, Brett’s energy and charisma make him an invaluable resource to this organization.

Brendan Leavy, Business Development Manager In short, Brendan is responsible for keeping the lights on at the Queens Chamber. His natural cha-

risma, drive, and passion for connecting members with opportunities is unmatched!

Vicky Ferreira, Community Outreach Liaison Vicky is our boots-on-the ground running the Chamber-on-the-Go program. She and our team of interns hit the streets daily to bring our services to Queens small business. Thank goodness she is one of the most naturally-energetic and positive individuals you will ever meet!

Gloria Medina, Community Outreach Liaison Gloria is instrumental in helping organize our seminars and coordinating our outreach efforts.

Her connections and drive have helped the Chamber grow to new heights.

Timothy Rice, Financial Assistant While a somewhat-recent addition to the Chamber staff, Tim has solidified himself an indelible resource to the financial team at the Chamber.

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

THEY SAID IT: “This is like putting a cap on Netflix subscriptions because Blockbusters are closing.” Councilman Eric Ulrich in the New York Post discussing the City Council’s cap on Uber, Lyft and other for-hire vehicles. (See the councilman’s op-ed on page 6.)

3

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS QUICKLY

New organics recycling rules got into effect

The Department of Sanitation recently adopted new business organics rules. If a business meets the minimum requirements outlined below, they must comply.

As of August 15, 2018

• Food service establishments with a floor area of at least 15,000 square feet; • Food service establishments that are part of a chain of 100 or more locations in New York City; or • Retail food stores with a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet

As of July 19, 2016

• Food service establishments in hotels with 150 or more rooms; • Arenas and stadiums with a seating capacity of at least 15,000 people; • Food manufacturers with a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet; or • Food wholesalers with a floor area of at least 20,000 square feet To learn more about commercial organics requirements, please visit nyc.gov/ businessorganics.

All businesses, regardless of size or type, have been required to recycle metal, glass jars and bottles, rigid plastic, clean paper and cardboard for years. These items must never be mixed with garbage. For more information on these requirements, please visit nyc. gov/businessrecycling.

For business resources such as sample signs,

free trainings, webinars and other tips, please visit nyc.gov/dsnybusinessresources.

City going forward with BQX project The de Blasio Administration announced that it will move forward with the proposed Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar following the completion of a two-year feasibility study.

At full implementation, the state-of-the-art streetcar will increase public transit options for neighborhoods with over half a million New Yorkers living and working along the growing Brooklyn-Queens waterfront corridor, including 40,000 New York City Public Housing Authority residents.

The revised route will connect Astoria, Long Island City, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, and Red Hook.

“The Brooklyn-Queens waterfront has experienced incredible growth. Now it’s time for our transit system to catch up,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The BQX is one of the biggest, most ambitious projects in a generation. It will be a challenge, but New York City is taking it on.”

Construction and implementation of the streetcar is estimated to cost $2.73 billion and generate $30 billion in economic impact and approximately $1.4 billion in value capture to finance its construction. The City announced it will seek federal funding, among other sources, to deliver the project. First-year ridership is expected to be 50,000 per day.

The environmental impact study process will commence this winter, followed by ULURP in 2020. Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and end in 2029.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Promotions, Announcements & Appointments ........................................6

Chamber Golf Outing to Honor Congressman Joseph Crowley .....................19

OP-ED: Councilman Argues Uber Cap Will Hurt NYers .....................7

Partners & Affiliates News and Happenings ........................................................23

MedPlex Offers Real Estate Options for Medical Pros ..........................8

Chamber Welcomes New Members .........................................................................31

COVER STORY: Lorraine Grillo Discusses New Post at DDC .........9 Health Care Forum Takeaway: Empower Your Employees ................10 Assemblyman Ron Kim Talk Blockchain, Community Currency ...12 NYCFEC to Host Tour of D’Addario String Factory ............................18

PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez

CHAMBER EDITOR MARKETING DIRECTOR Brett Swanson John Sanchez BQE Media, 45-23 47th St., 2nd Floor, Woodside, NY 11377 Phone: (718) 426-7200 Fax: (347) 507-5827

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

4

MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller

From This Is Queensborough, February 1917: “New York Times Editorial Sees Vast Possibilities for Development in the Operation of Astoria Extension of the Subway Into Queens.” (View full article at thisisqueenborough.com.)

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

QUEENS QUICKLY

Solar advocates push ambitious goal

Event Spaces

Special Pricing for QCC Members!

A coalition of industrial, environmental and energy advocates are calling on state leaders to support the goal of powering 1 million New York households with solar energy by 2023.

EmPower Solar is opened an office in Long Island City over the summer.

“Solar and batteries in Queens are going to transform the community,” said CEO David Schieren.

“The incentives are among the best in the country, electricity costs are high, local officials support the industry, and the community has the collective desire to improve air quality for better public health.”

Currently, New York has more than 200,000 households powered by solar energy, and 9,000 workers in the industry, the coalition said.

Advocates said reaching the 1 million mark would create jobs, lower Serving Queens for 15 years, In Home Pet Services has over 3,000 happy clients.

We offer dog walking, pet sitting and more!

What sets us apart is our safe, fun, individualized attention. All walks are private to your household unless otherwise requested, and we go the extra mile to provide the best experience for you and your

utility bills and curb harmful air pollution.

The Million Solar Strong Campaign has two road maps to achieve its goal, including policy recommendations such as fair customer compensation, facilitating affordable financing for solar growth and expanding access for low-income and underserved communities.

Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is excited about the growing presence of solar in the borough.

“As the largest geographic borough in New York City, Queens is ripe for greater development of solar power,” he said. “Having our member EmPower Solar open an office and have a direct presence in Queens County is a major step forward.”

(BENJAMIN FANG) pet.

We also try to accommodate emergency or last-minute visits at no extra charge, with no cancellation fees if you change your plans.

We are reliable, honest, flexible and affordable, our staff is insured & bonded, and we have outstanding references.

Carnesecca Arena Fixed Area Seating: 5,453

Marillac Auditorium Fixed Area Seating: 565

Taffner Field House Up to 600 Capacity

Call Cheryl for a quote today!

718-990-2027

stjohns.edu/conferenceservices

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS revenue, building a culture Fang says. branches, with more than 1,000 DiBiase to head annual of high-quality care with a focus Like Fang, Greene lives in Flush- colleagues located across seven on innovation that has helped drive ing, where he grew up and attended counties in northern and central Oncology the growth of PS/IS 499 on the QC campus. He is New Jersey and the five boroughs.

Dr. Steven Joseph DiBiase was appointed new chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.

Prior to his appointment, Dr. DiBiase served as professor of Radiation Oncology at Tulane University and as medical director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Tulane Comprehensive Cancer Center in New Orleans.

His arrival coinDIBIASE cides with the hospital’s enhancement of its technology pertaining to radiation oncology treatment.

“NewYork-Presbyterian Queens is a leader in comprehensive cancer care, and it is an exciting time to be joining the hospital,” said Dr. DiBiase. “I look forward to engaging with the borough’s patients and offering them the most advanced technologies and treatments available to fight cancer.”

In addition to his tenure at Tulane University, Dr. DiBiase has served as professor of Radiology at the University of Tennessee and held multiple faculty positions at the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine and at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Dowling named an influencer Michael Dowling, Northwell Health president and CEO, has been named to Modern Healthcare magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” for the 12th consecutive year.

Dowling is the top-rated hospital executive in New York State on this year’s list, ranking number 44 overall. He oversees an organization with nearly $12 billion in

Northwell Health now has 23 hospitals and more than 665 outpatient facilities throughout the New York metropolitan area. Dowling’s ability to grow the health system builds on a legacy of innovation dating back to his 12 years of public service for former governor Mario Cuomo.

“I’ve always tried to be a compassionate voice for the needy, a DOWLING no-excuses advocate for patients, and a driver of changes that stabilize our industry and improve health care delivery in the process,” he said President Donald Trump topped the rankings, while Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos were among 12 executives tied in the second spot and labelled as “disrupters.”

Two at QC win Investors award Investors Bank awarded Queens College students Michelle Fang and Raymond Greene scholarships of $2,500 each.

Fang, who came to the U.S. from Shanghai as an eighth-grader, graduated from QC in 2005 with a degree in Accounting and Information Systems.

Currently a student in FANG the MS in Accounting program, she maintains a perfect GPA of 4.0.

Fang’s ultimate goal is to become a CPA, where she stresses the need to hold the profession to a “high ethical standard.”

“Receiving this scholarship has impacted my career and future studies in a very positive way,”

currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, earning a GPA of 3.8, and expects to graduate in 2019.

He has already lined up an internship with J.P. Morgan for next summer, and GREENE he is currently the director of marketing for the business club ALPFA, as well as vice president of the QC Economics and Business club.

After graduation, he plans to continue his studies at QC, enrolling in the MA in Risk Management program.

“I’m very attracted to finance because of the complex nature of the industry and its potential for upward mobility,” Greene says.

“This scholarship means a great deal to me, as it will allow me to comfortably attend school and dedicate myself to furthering my career in finance.

Along with the expected business-related courses, Fang includes a communication class among “the most interesting and meaningful to her.”

“The class helped me not only in reading and writing but in expressing myself more clearly to others,” says the Chinese native.

New region boss at Santander James Uehlinger has been appointed region president for Santander Bank’s Metro New York/ Northern New Jersey region.

With more than 30 years of leadership experience in branch management, business banking and finance, Uehlinger will oversee all sales and services in over 160 retail

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

6

BY THE NUMBERS: Flushing has the most businesses of any neighborhood in Queens at approximately 9,000, or roughly 17 percent of the total businesses borough-wide.

Uehlinger arrives at Santander Bank after more than 20 years with JPMorgan Chase, where as market director he led the retail markets in Manhattan and Bergen County, and UEHLINGER was responsible for 10 percent annual growth in deposit and investment balances for three consecutive years.

Prior to JPMorgan Chase, Uehlinger led operations in both the public and non-profit sectors in management roles at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and in health care management in Boston.

He earned a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2018 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.

Schneps Communications 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.

Produced by BQE Media 45-23 47th Street, 2nd Floor Woodside 11377• 718.426.7200 Send articles & photos to:

queensboroughmagazine@queensledger.com

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS RIDE SHARE CAP WILL HURT VULNERABLE NEW YORKERS Earlier this month, the New York borough and low-income communiCity Council passed a package of ties. In the days leading up to the bills that would halt the issuance City Council vote, I received more of new licenses for Uber and other than 100 emails and phones calls to ride share services for one my district office against year. This unprecedented the cap. move is a major setback Many of my constitufor the more than 250,000 ents in Rockaway and New Yorkers who rely on other geographically isoride share services to get lated areas do not have around. the luxury of vast public Supporters of the bills transportation options at have argued a cap would their feet. This is espebring much-needed relief ERIC ULRICH cially true for elderly and for medallion and TLC disabled community resiCOUNCIL MEMBER drivers who have been dents, who do not even struggling to keep up with have a wheelchair accesride share mega-giants. And while I sible train station in their neighboragree that the City should be doing hood. more to support the TLC industry, These new restrictions on ride there is a more practical solution that share services will similarly cripdoes not come at the expense of the ple low-income neighborhoods and many New Yorkers who are starving communities of color. Services like for reliable and affordable transpor- Uber offer affordable transportation tation alternatives. options in neighborhoods where The cap on ride share will have medallions and yellow cabs are devastating consequences for outer nowhere to be found. These areas are

often also underserved by the MTA, which is now in a state of crisis.

Even those of us with easy access to buses and subways are not guaranteed reliable service. The MTA has the worst on-time performance of any major rapid transit system in the world. In January 2011, the New York City subway had an average on-time performance of 85.4 percent. Today, that number now stands at an embarrassing 58.1 percent.

Proponents of the Uber cap have argued that the City needs to do more to help TLC drivers, but it is unlikely that these restrictions with breathe new life into the dying medallion industry without the technological advancements needed to compete with Uber.

It is a little-known fact that in the weeks before the City Council vote, Uber, Lyft and Via joined forces and approached the City with an unusual, but commonsense solution to bail out struggling taxi drivers.

In an attempt to halt the impending

Council vote, the ride share services proposed a $100 million fund to support individual taxi medallion owners.

The companies said they would contribute $20 million a year for five years to a fund administrated by a non-profit for the relief of drivers suffering financially. We cannot discount the financial relief a $100 million bailout would have offered struggling medallion drivers.

Furthermore, the City also had the opportunity to help the yellow cab industry in the form of reduced fees and operating costs.

As an advocate for free-market enterprise and affordable transportation alternatives, I could not, in good faith, support these restrictions on ride share services. The vast majority of New Yorkers vehemently opposed these new restrictions. And while the full ramifications of City Council vote are still waiting to be seen, I am deeply concerned of the national implications.

7

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

NONPROFIT NEWS

JDRF DOING GOOD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

BY MICHAL BILETZKI When you attend the Queens JDRF One Walk for the first time, you cannot help but be amazed by the passion, steadfastness and sheer determination of the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community. There are thousands gathered with one goal to create a world without T1D. You might also notice about a dozen individuals wearing orange staff t-shirts running around making sure everyone is happy and excited with their amazing fundraising accomplishments. I am one of those people.

I have been working for JDRF for the last six years in different roles. I am proud and excited to now be working with the peer-topeer program at the New York City/ Long Island Chapter, specifically focusing on our JDRF One Walk program.

Even more specifically, I am working on our Queens, Flushing Meadows Corona Park JDRF One Walk, which will be held on October 7.

JDRF is the leading global organization funding T1D research. Our vision is a world without T1D, and our mission is to accelerate lifechanging breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has funded research that has led to numerous improvements and advancements in T1D treatments, improving the lives of those living with T1D locally, nationally and internationally.

Locally, the JDRF New York City/Long Island Chapter covers all five boroughs and Long Island, and provides much needed outreach resources, community support, and local fundraising events to the local T1D community, including children and adults affected by the disease, their families, friends, colleagues and acquaintances.

8

Through our efforts, families are afforded a community of support and resources that help in the day-to-day management of the disease. Through our local fundraising events, our community – families, businesses, volunteers and staff – partners with us in our neverending efforts to keep funding research.

Our local staff consists of a team of 13 dedicated and passionate fundraising professionals, outreach specialists, community event planners and voluntary health professionals, who work tirelessly to serve the local T1D community.

Holding upwards of ten fundraising events a year, we rely heavily on our volunteer base and our corporate partnerships, to provide a top-notch experience for our constituents, wherever and whenever they encounter us.

Our partnerships with local businesses allow us to be more involved in our own community here in New York City and Long Island, and shows our constituents that they are, in turn, supported by their community.

The JDRF One Walk is a fun, family-friendly event where dedicated walkers, volunteers and sponsors raise money to make living with T1D safer and healthier until it is no longer a threat. The Queens One Walk is one of five amazing experiences available locally, filled with activities, entertainment and the celebration of coming together to change the future for everyone living with this disease.

Locally, we host five JDRF One Walks, making sure that we reach and accommodate all of our constituents in a location that is convenient to them.

Walking from Manhattan to Brooklyn, in Queens Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in Eisenhower Park, in Staten Island, and in Heckscher State Park allows our business partners the flexibility to target their own exposure to segmented audi-

ences, and also great possibility to appear in front of close to 20,000 local patrons by joining us for all five One Walks.

I invite you to join us at one or more of our One Walks this year and see for yourself a dedication and passion like no other. Meet the families impacted by your generosity, connect with the T1D community and make a real difference locally.

Michal Biletzki is Development Manager of the New York City/ Long Island Chapter of JDRF.

TSINY TO HOST ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA Transitional Services for New York, Inc. (TSINY) was founded 43 years ago by family members looking to provide solutions to the problems of the mentally ill.

Since its inception, TSINY has grown to serve more than 4,000 people each year, providing services such as housing assistance, counseling, job preparation and placement, and crisis intervention, clinics. In short, TSINY is an oasis for those with severe mental illness who have nowhere else to turn.

The people they serve are men and women of all races, nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, most of whom have been involved in psychiatric treatment for many

years.

Their mission is to enable them to achieve a more satisfying and normal lifestyle by helping clients live and work in a more productive manner.

Every year, TSINY hosts an annual gala to raise both funds and awareness of mental illness. This year’s Moonlight Masquerade Gala is on October 25 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Leonard’s Palazzo in Great Neck.

Councilman Daniel Dromm will serve as master of ceremonies Honorees include Alexis N. Confer, executive director of ThriveNYC, Thomas Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Félix

Matos Rodríguez, president of Queens College, Dr. David Schnur, director of the Psychiatry Residency Program at Elmhurst Hospital, and Deputy Borough President Melva Miller.

“Society has often turned its back on mental illness,” said TSINY CEO Larry Grubler. “Only recently has some of the stigma of mental illness begun to wear off, yet so much more needs to be done. We would not be able to continue the work we do without the encouragement from the honorees and the assistance we receive from so many and we are so grateful.”

For information on tickets, to make a donation or take a tour, please call (718) 746-6647 ext.

7011.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

FUNDING TO BEAUTIFY ASTORIA

BY MARK GARZON Thanks to funding from a local elected official, Astoria’s major streets will continue to receive much-needed cleaning services.

Councilman Costa Constantinides last month announced an allocation of more $290,000 to keep streets clean in the district.

The Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (ACE), Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC), and Central Astoria Local Development Coalition (CALDC) will all receive funds to provide cleaning, beautification and graffiti-removal services.

“We’re expanding our efforts to keep it beautiful for those who live and work here,” Constantinides said.

In particular, the groups will provide additional resources to 30th Avenue after the corridor was partially shut down for eight months due to subway construction.

The councilman said the services will ensure that visitors see an

even more beautiful 30th Avenue than they found before, while also improving the quality of life for residents and business owners.

ACE, whose employees have cleaned the area for the last three years, received more than $225,000 to continue cleaning Astoria sidewalks.

They currently provides the service on Ditmars Boulevard, Shore Boulevard, 30th Avenue and Hoyt Avenue North, as well as landscaping on Hoyt Avenue North.

DSNY will use $10,000 to increase the frequency of garbage pickups along 31st Street near Ditmars Boulevard.

QEDC received $20,000 to provide graffiti removal, while CALDC got more than $35,000 to plant new tree beds and provide other beautification measures.

“When there’s graffiti on the walls, it makes the neighborhood look bad and it makes it look like the streets are controlling the shops,” said Robert MacKay, QEDC’s director of public relations. “It discourages people from shopping there.”

ROBERT A. MIKLOS Medical Malpractice Attorney

love WHERE YOU

live LETS BEAUTIFY JAMAICA TOGETHER

WERE YOU OR A LOVED ONE A VICTIM OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANSWERS? CANCER ∙ SURGERY ∙ BIRTH INJURY HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE CONTACT ROBERT MIKLOS TODAY (877) 4-MED-MAL ∙ rmiklos@ask4sam.net

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, PC 600 Old Country Road Garden City, NY 11530 ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

ZARA'S PHILANTHROPY Involvement on community boards richmond hill hs computer lab Voices of Jamaica features community events Fundraising

Luxury Apartments in Jamaica, Queens 166-07 Hillside Avenue Jamaica, NY 11432 718.291.3331 • application@zararealty.com

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

DURANTE’S NEW SITE FOCUSED ON CUSTOMER Durante Rentals, a leader in the construction equipment and tool rental industry, unveiled the redesign of their company website.

It offers a m o b i l e - r e a d y, responsive design that is fully functional across all platforms and devices, including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and PC’s. The website address remains the same at duranterentals.com.

The new website offers quick and easy access to all of Durante’s equipment offerings with updated images, videos, and manufacturer specs, allowing customers to find information faster and with less clicks.

“Our goal was to create an

unmatched user experience with the addition of new content, improved navigation, faster page loads, and a clean, uncluttered design,” said Adam Zunic, director of Marketing.

Realizing that today’s customer prefers a choice of communication options, the new website offers free quotes via phone, email, live chat, text, and a quick quote form on every equipment page.

The entire website, including the graphics, content, and coding were designed by Durante’s in-house Marketing Department.

“I’m extremely proud of my team for the time and energy they invested in this project, as well

as the vision to create something exciting that would benefit our customers,” said Zunic.

The new website will continually be updated with fresh and relevant content. Users are encouraged to browse the new site and sign up for updates here.

New features include: • Online Equipment Guide: Easy access to Durante’s quarterly equipment catalog from their homepage.

• Store Locator: An upgraded and more interactive store locator highlighting the company’s nine current locations with addresses, store pictures, business hours, and phone numbers.

• Expanded Used Equipment Section: A dedicated section

for quality used construction equipment with detailed photos and descriptions.

• Upgraded Gallery: Highquality photos of equipment, staff, events, store locations, and more.

• Company News Section: Users can now keep up to date on new equipment offerings, the latest trade shows, store openings, and other company news and events.

On August 15, Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, the largest private radiology practice on Long Island, opened its fourth facility in Queens at 213-02 Northern Boulevard in Bayside.

The location offers on-site parking and is located one-third of a mile south of the Bayside LIRR station. It is accessible via the Q12, Q13, Q31, QM3, and n20G busses.

The Bayside office joins Zwanger-Pesiri’s three other locations in Laurelton, Ozone Park, and Elmhurst to offer Queens residents the best radiological care available.

In addition to the four Queens locations, Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology has one facility in Cobble Hill and 23 offices on Long Island.

“In just under one year, we have been able to open four stateof-the-art offices in Queens, and another on the border of Queens and Nassau,” said CEO Dr. Steven L. Mendelsohn. “We are committed to making high quality care and technology readily available to every resident in the borough. Our Bayside office enables us to serve yet another new community.”

Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology prides itself on being a patient-centric

practice. Offices are open evenings and weekends to accommodate working patients. They employ over 65 subspecialty-trained radiologists, who only read studies within their field of expertise.

“This leads to more accurate results,” explains Mendelsohn.

The reports and images from exams performed at any ZwangerPesiri facility are posted on the Patient Portal for the patient to access at his or her convenience.

Patients can then securely fax or email their information to additional physicians with just a few clicks.

With over 60 years of experience and 65 board-certified radiologists, Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology strives to provide the most advanced technology available today, with a strong focus on delivering a quality of care unmatched in the industry.

Visit zprad for more information.

Founded in 2009, Durante Rentals has locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Brewster, Carmel, Elmsford, Flushing, Mt. Vernon, West Nyack, Danbury and, coming soon, to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. For more information, visit duranterentals.com or call 1-800-DURANTE.

RADIOLOGY PROS OPEN NEW BAYSIDE OFFICE

10

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

MEDPLEX OFFERS OPTIONS FOR MEDICAL PROS There is a new concept in the medical field for Queens and Long Island: an all-inclusive medical office rental company called MedPlex LLC. They offer a low daily rate by individual room, with over 100 rooms available at five locations in Elmhurst, Ozone Park, Lawrence, Lindenhurst and East Setauket, and all are close to major transportation.

Each location has been newly constructed or renovated, and the spacious facilities feature an inviting waiting room equipped with security cameras, decor and comfortable furniture.

Flexibility is the greatest offering at MedPlex, with the freedom to choose the days and times that work best for your practice. We offer individual exam rooms or private suites consisting of three to ten exam rooms. Both options include use of the reception station and common areas.

There is no long-term commitment required, whether you are looking for part-time or full-time space. MedPlex offers flexible

There are images and virtual tours available at MedPlexLLC.com. Contact operations manager Carla Scalici at (516) 797-7735 for more information.

short-term leases starting at one year, which are scalable to your individual needs.

You can start with as little as one room, a half-day per week and increase your space and/or time as your needs grow. For example, you can rent two rooms in Elmhurst on a Tuesday from 6 to 10 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and one room in Ozone Park on Sunday from 10 to 1 p.m.

If you are interested in running a sleep center, call and discuss your plans. MedPlex is willing to explore your unique needs.

The daily rate includes all utilities for the facility, including groundskeeping, cleaning, garbage removal, medical waste disposal, shredding, internet connection, and facility maintenance services.

Each medical exam/consult room is initially set up to the clinician’s request. This includes an exam table, wall board, sharps container, cabinetry, exam chair, consult desk and décor. Basic medical consumables such as table paper, gloves, gowns, bandages, gauze, and cleaning solutions are also included.

Extended offerings include onsite private lockable storage and cold storage if needed, as well as a budget per site for medical equipment such as exam lights, AED and EKG machines, portable monitors, and other specialty equipment.

There are also one to six reception stations per site that are fully stocked and ready for use. The stations are equipped with a work station, printer, phone, and the ability to send faxes. The space is also fully stocked with office supplies.

If there is a specialty item or piece of equipment required to run your practice that MedPlex does not supply, we can extend cost savings to you through Pegasus Complete, a group purchasing organization.

The goal is to offer practitioners the ability to stand on their own in a spacious, well-maintained environment. Every resource is at your disposal so you can focus solely on your patients. MedPlex offers the motivation, confidence and means needed to practice independently, whether starting out, growing or slowing down.

Another positive aspect of switching to a flexible workspace like MedPlex is networking. There is the potential of 20 different practitioners working under one roof on any given day. Think of the added benefit and convenience you can offer your patients in a setting like this.

First impressions are powerful.

Some of the best ways to efficiently grow your patient base is by offering curb appeal and convenience. If a patient sees your practice is in an

undesirable part of town they are likely to seek treatment elsewhere, making your decision of medical space extremely important.

This concept fits into everyone’s pocket: • Starting: If you are just starting your career or practice, you don’t need to overextend yourself financially for start-up. We have taken care of all the details, just walk in and get to work.

•Growing: Extend your existing practice by utilizing our various locations to open satellite sites and service new parts of Queens or the Island. MedPlex offers you the perfect solution to accomplish your goals and grow your practice intelligently.

• Slowing Down: If you are considering scaling back, but not ready for retirement, come utilize all that MedPlex has to offer. Give up your full time lease and rent from us 2-4 days a week and free up your time & money to pursue other interests without feeling like you have to close your practice.

The medical office rental industry is changing. Leasing medical space on your own comes with a high risk and requires a large overhead. New practices, independent physicians, surgeons and specialists now have an alternative option to the traditional long-term medical lease.

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

11

Invites You to Celebrate Our

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

HALL OF FAME HONOREE

JOHN CATSIMATIDIS

Owner, President, Chairman, and CEO of Red Apple Group

CHRISTOPHER HORCH Associate Partner at JB&B

NICK TZIAZAS

President Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc.

SISTER TESA FITZGERALD Founder & Executive Director Hour Children

AWARDS DINNER

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

TERRACE ON THE PARK 52-11 111TH Street Flushing, New York

6:00 PM Dinner 7:30 PM Awards Program Registration and Sponsorship - Joanne Persad, Chief of Operations jpersad@queenschmaber.org 718.898.8500 ext 123 www.queenschamber.org

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

COVER STORY

BUILDING NYC: DDC HEAD ON NEW CHALLENGES

BY BENJAMIN FANG For 25 years, Astoria native Lorraine Grillo has helped New York City find sites to build schools.

Starting as a community relations specialist, Grillo worked her way up to become president and CEO of the School Construction Authority (SCA). She has led the authority since 2010.

In July, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Grillo as the new commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction (DDC), the city agency that oversees public capital projects. Coincidentally, the two organizations are located in the same building in Long Island City.

Now wearing two construction hats, Grillo said she’s excited about the challenge of leading both the SCA and DDC. “There are a lot of people at DDC who work very hard, and they don’t get the credit that they deserve,” she said. “I think it’s less about the work ethic and much more about the process that needs to change, so that they can really get the projects delivered in a timely and efficient way. That’s my goal.”

Though both are capital construction agencies, Grillo noted that the SCA, as an authority,

has some advantages. For instance, it is exempt from the Wicks Law, a 1912 regulation that mandates any local government construction project costing more than $3 million to separately bid plumbing, HVAC and electrical contracts.

The SCA also has its own 45-day process, rather than going through a land use review process, which can take up to a year, if not longer.

DDC, meanwhile, has faced challenges with project delays and cost overruns. Grillo said while the agency has different rules as a city entity, none of them are insurmountable.

“I do think, however, that a clear path has to be laid out for them on each of their projects, CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

WE HEARD

YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A

New Bank

GREAT RATES …

GREAT SERVICE …

FREE CHECKING …

Ask about our SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES and more

Each depositor insured to at least $250,000

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

HEALTH CARE EXPERTS: GO BACK TO THE BASICS

BY BENJAMIN FANG Whether you operate a small business or work at a large company, understanding the complex health care system is rather daunting.

Business owners already have enough on their plate, from minding the shop to taking care of their employees.

That’s why on August 14, the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness Committee organized an event called “Healthcare 101: Insurance Basics for Small Businesses.”

Hosted at Plaza College in Forest Hills, the panel featured local health care experts who broke down difficult concepts for attendees and gave best practice tips for both employers and employees.

David Capo, a senior benefits consultant at OneGroup, began by defining prominent health care terminology, such as co-pays, deductibles and coinsurance.

“When it comes time to start looking at different health plans, doing comparisons or working with your broker, you may hear these terms come up,” Capo said. “Especially when I review them with clients, I tend to get questions.”

Capo said under the Affordable Care Act, all health insurance plans have a medal value, from platinum to bronze, depending on the level of coverage. Platinum plans are more expensive, but may have low copays and no deductibles, whereas bronze plans will be cheaper but have a higher deductible.

“There’s a big spectrum there, and they vary by price,” he said.

He also explained that there are different types of plans, including preferred provider organizations (PPOs), where you can go out of network, exclusive provider organizations (EPOs), where you stay

Pictured from left to right are panelists David Capo, Vincent Blasi and Shakira Gordon. within your network, and health savings account (HSAs), which is a tax-exempt account you can use for out-of-pocket expenses.

Capo said HSAs can be a good fit

contributions, which can be budgeted well, health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) or even professional employer organizations (PEOs), which allows a small business to partner with a larger company to offer Bert Lurch, president of the more comprehensive Health Business Alliance, has coverage. some advice for those who Vincent Blasi of aren’t familiar with all of the Vanguard Insurance, different types of coverage: “If who spoke about cost you don’t question it, you don’t know, and that gets you in a reduction, said what situation.” employers need to provide insurance for their employees is something for some people, especially those that’s affordable. who are healthy and don’t use their At Vanguard Insurance, a conplans much. sulting agency, Blasi said they “Instead of paying all that extra work with clients to offer solutions premium to the insurance company, to stabilize the cost of health insurnow you have money you’re saving ance and stay in compliance. that you can put aside for yourself,” “What we’re trying to do is put he said. you in a position to be the employThe health care expert also went er of choice,” he said. “We know over some cost containment strate- how difficult it is to attract and gies for employers, such as defined retain employees.”

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

14

Strategies for reducing costs differ for big and small companies. But Blasi said no matter the type of company, employees have to understand what services they’re entitled to.

It’s then incumbent on the employer or their broker to sit down with employees and communicate that to them.

“Everyone has a different medical need and everybody has a different budget,” Blasi said. “We have to really sit down with them one-on-one, and tell them we’re willing to do that if they’re willing to take the time.

“The days of enrolling into a plan are long gone. You really need that consumerism on the employee side, to be educated,” he added. “You really have to be more involved than ever. You can’t just go in and check a box.”

Bert Lurch, president of the Health Business Alliance, said CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

COVER STORY

DDC COMMISSIONER TO HOST QCC BUILDING AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

and that makes you feel really good. There are ways to do that at DDC as well.”

It won’t be an easy task, particularly overseeing and rebuilding the city’s old infrastructure. The SCA has a five-year capital budget

and I think that’s the goal,” she said.

What’s currently lacking at the agency, which takes on a wide variety of projects, is a uniform structure that goes from point A to point B and I LOVE BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS beyond, she said.

“Even though they’re AND BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS, different, the process is the same,” Grillo said.

“And I think that really needs to be changed. We’ve done it here at the SCA, it works really of $15.9 billion, and DDC has a similar budget, Grillo said. But she well here.”

Grillo said she will also bring credited the de Blasio administraa culture of enthusiasm from the tion with putting a “great deal of time and money” into the needs of SCA to her new role.

“People really have to feel good the city’s infrastructure. about what they do,” she said.

One of the problems she has “Every September, when school faced over the years is actually a opens, our staff is out in the street, lack of contractors to bid on jobs. we’re watching the little ones walk “We fight to get good contracinto a brand new building in awe tors to work,” she said. “We have

“

to entice them by paying them on time and making life as easy as we can for their business, and to grow their business.”

Grillo said she’s excited about several projects in the pipeline in Queens, including converting an old Sports Authority site on Northern Boulevard in Woodside into a large high school.

much harder to find sites for schools. But she loves what’s happening to Queens neighborhoods.

“I think it’s only made them better and richer and more exciting,” Grillo said, “and change is good.”

Grillo will emcee the Queens Chamber’s Buildings Awards in December, which every year honors excellence in design among the borough’s architects and developers. As AND STILL DO THEM IN AN EFFICIENT, the leader of CONSTRUCTIBLE WAY. two construction agencies, she said she’s “It will serve so many kids and “all about functionality” and effiit’s in such a great location,” she ciency.

“I love beautiful designs and said. “To have something like that beautiful buildings, but I think you coming, it’s amazing.”

Noting the changes in her home can do those things and still do borough –– Grillo now lives in them in an efficient, constructible Manhattan –– she said now it’s way,” Grillo said.

BUT I THINK YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS

”

T H E K E W- FO R E ST S C H O O L CENTENNIAL GALA Join Us to Make a Difference Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 6:30pm to 10:30pm The Queens Museum, Flushing Meadows Corona Park

O P P O R T U N I T I E S TO S U P P O R T I N C LU D E : Tickets • Sponsorships • Journal Ads • Auction Donations All funds raised support The Kew-Forest School For more information, please contact Jeanne K. Murphy, Director of Institutional Advancement at 718.551.3114 or jmurphy@kewforest.org www.kewforest.org/CentennialGala

P R E S C H O O L T H R O U G H G R A D E 12 119 -17 U N I O N T U R N P I K E • F O R E S T H I L L S , N Y 113 7 5 • W W W. K E W F O R E S T. O R G

15

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

COMMUNITY CURRENCY: KIM’S INNOVATIVE PLAN

BY BENJAMIN FANG When the Great Recession struck in 2008, the national and world economy went crashing down.

Homes were foreclosed, people lost their savings and unemployment soared.

But in Flushing, the local economy not only survived, but showed signs of growth.

Some credited the neighborhood’s ability to withstand the financial crisis to the work ethic of hardworking immigrants, but one local lawmaker doesn’t buy that stereotype. He instead pointed to another significant factor.

“When you peel the layers away, it’s because we have a community that traditionally never really relied on conventional currency systems to begin with,” said Assemblyman Ron Kim. “We have a very robust and strong peer-to-peer system and lending circles, and all of this existed in our community. When things are going bad up here, we’re still able to borrow money from our peers that we have on the ground.”

According to Kim, communities that typically have access to conventional institutions like global banks are vulnerable when the world economy tanks.

However, in a place like Flushing, which didn’t have the same kind of access, communities have to create their own local system.

That concept led Kim to propose legislation in Albany to create an Office of Financial Resiliency.

Learning from the pitfalls of the 2008 crash, the Flushing legislator wants a state office to help neighborhoods throughout New York create cooperative and peer-to-peer economies, and even come up with their own local currencies.

He believes these mechanism will help neighborhoods survive when the next financial crisis is upon us.

By Kim’s count, there are already more than 4,000 community currencies around the world. The idea has been in practice in the Berk-

Assemblyman Ron Kim discussed his plan with This Is Queensborough at his Flushing office. shires of western Massachusetts, in Ithaca and as close as the Hudson Valley.

The whole point of these local currencies, Kim said, is to keep money circulating within neighborhoods. With the influx of big box stores and sharing-economy apps like Uber, Lyft and Airbnb, money is being “extracted” out of local neighborhoods and into corporate companies.

But with a community currency, not only would money stay in the neighborhood, which would boost the local economy, but there would be incentives for customers to participate.

Kim said in the Berkshires, for example, residents use a point system where they can trade in a dollar for points. In other words, the more they spend locally the more points they earn.

That idea isn’t new to consumers who earn points for shopping with credit cards, fly using a certain airline, or stay at a hotel chain.

“Except when we use that, we just stay local to corporate brands,” Kim said. “What if we direct people to stay loyal to local shops?”

According to Kim, the community currency doesn’t necessarily have to be a point system. There’s no “cookie-cutter way,” he said, and it depends on the needs of each neighborhood.

Kim’s idea is to have the Office of Financial Resiliency, which would hire a chief cooperative economist and a chief financial resiliency officer, to work with local leaders and find the best model for that specific neighborhood.

The second bill in that package of legislation would pilot up to ten community currency programs in

the state. Kim said he would want Flushing to be one of those neighborhoods.

“If we were to apply this pilot in a place like Flushing, it would be easier to transition into because people are used to QR codes,” he said. “There’s a culture that’s used to going cashless that’s already ingrained in our community.”

Many Chinese and KoreanAmerican residents have already transitioned into using apps like WeChat to purchase goods just by tapping their smartphones. When Kim visited China last year, he saw that people in the suburbs or farm markets were already going cashless.

Instead of using WeChat’s currency, which is tied to a Chinese bank, Flushing’s residents can use CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

16

DID YOU KNOW: The Launch of Google’s animated Pac-Man Doodle in May 2010 to mark the 30th anniversary of the video game led to almost five million wasted hours and cost the economy around $120 million.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

BLOCKCHAIN TECH KEY TO CURRENCY PLAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 a more local currency to retain that economic spending in the community.

“In a place like Flushing, to be honest, we don’t need as much help with designing a community currency,” Kim said. “A lot of local merchants do business here, live here, eat here. They keep recirculating their dollar organically without us giving incentives to do so.”

This is where cryptocurrency comes in. Kim wants these currencies to be backed by blockchain technology, which would decentralize the system, make peer-topeer transactions safe and take any intermediaries out of the equation.

Every transaction would be verified by peer-to-peer networks, so users can’t lie about how much money they have or owe.

“It’s going to be on record, a permanent ledger, for eternity,” Kim said.

The lawmaker argued that type of system would actually make it easier for government to understand and evaluate the local economy.

He said instead of just regulating it, government should compliment its growth.

Community currencies could bump up against obstacles, especially from economists who question whether they undermine the national currency. Kim asserted that they don’t, and there are thousands of examples to prove it.

“What they’ve proven is it actually compliments the dollar because we’re actually making our communities robust from the bottomup,” he said. “We’re not competing against the dollar. We’re actually complimenting the growth of that dollar.”

Another barrier is getting community buy-in, which Kim acknowledged would be needed for a system like this to be enacted. To that end, the assemblyman has been meeting with local chambers of commerce and business improvement districts to sell the idea.

Kim is spending the rest of his time before the new legisaltive session starts in Albany meeting with as many potential stakeholders as possible.

When he’s back in Albany, he will work to pass the two bills, both of which are in the Banks Com-

mittee now. Kim said he already has a State Senate sponsor from Brooklyn.

While a measure like this may seem far off, the next economic crash could be around the corner.

Local communities can figure out innovative ways to defend their

economies from going down with it.

“It’ll take some time for everyone to understand it and feel comfortable with it,” Kim said. “But I’m getting positive feedback so far, especially from the younger generation. They’re all into it.”

EXPERTS: EMPOWER YOUR EMPLOYEES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 health care consumers have to be savvy because that translates into saving money. He noted that unless you work in the health care industry, the average person doesn’t know all about their coverage.

When receiving an Explanation of Benefits, Lurch advised attendees to read the explanation, and to ask questions when there’s something you don’t understand.

He also recommended reading every contract, requesting a receipt for payments made and always answering collections bills.

“If you don’t question it, you don’t know, and that gets you in a situation,” he said.

Lurch added that employers should want employees to be empowered so they can have a better experience with the health care system as well.

Shakira Gordon, vice president of human resources at St. John’s Episcopal, contributed her exper-

tise on the administrative side of health care. She advised employers to not only administer plans legally and on deadline, but also to write information down.

“It’s difficult to have a one-time conversation and expect people to remember or understand all of that information,” she said. “So having an actual document they can refer to is a requirement as well.”

Having a person in your organization dedicated to benefit administration or using a brokerage firm can help make sure all of the information goes out on time, she said.

Gordon also suggested having a system of “checks and balances” so that the company is meeting all of its deadlines and keeping up with regulations. Even St. John’s, which has a benefits officer, hires a broker just in case.

“Have your own internal checks and balances, some way you can audit yourself before an external agency has to audit you,” she said.

“I know for a smaller organization that may not always be possible, but having a professional to ensure that your benefits are administered properly is always a good thing.”

Attendees address the members of the panel during a Q&A session following the forum.

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

TRIVIAL FACTS: The term “brand name” was first used by whiskey producers, who branded their name on the sides of whiskey barrels before they were shipped out.

17

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

NYCFEC’S FALL PROGRAMS FOR FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES Investing in the next generation’s development and education are key for any family business that wants to survive beyond the current generation. The NYC Family Enterprise Center (NYCFEC) begins its fall educational programs in September with a variety of sessions to help family members prepare for and effectively manage their current and future responsibilities.

Queens Chamber of Commerce members get discounts using code QCC051. Sessions are led by experts from around the country

and family members from inspiring, successful family businesses.

Sessions are confidential, small and private, so you can feel safe discussing any of your challenges or raising questions throughout sessions.

You do not have to disclose your full name or identify your family business during the session, and there is no commercial influence, selling or solicitation of any kind allowed.

September

26th – NYCFEC NexGen Meeting (6 to 7:30 p.m.)

October

4th - NYCFEC Elective: Family Business Trusts and Trusteeship Part I (9 a.m. to Noon) 11th - AM Series: Raising Family Business Children – 9 to 11 a.m.

17th - AM Inspirational Series: Succession Planning for a Global, Family Business with Family Business Tour (8:30 to 10:30 a.m.)

17th - AM Series: Making Family Decisions Together (10:30 a.m. to Noon) 25th - NYCFEC Elective: Family Business Boards Part I (9 a.m. to Noon)

November

1st - NYCFEC Elective: Family Business Trusts and Trusteeship

Part II (9 a.m. to Noon) 9th - NYCFEC Elective: Recruiting Family Business Leaders (9 a.m. to Noon) 15th - NYCFEC Elective: Family Business Boards Part II (9 a.m. to Noon) 29th - NYCFEC Elective: Transferring Your Family Business (9 a.m. to Noon) If you are interested in learning more about programs or joining our community, a NexGen or senior generation special interest group, please contact us at info@ nycfec.org or call (212) 889-8332.

For updated information on programs, visit nycfec.org.

NYCFEC ON THE ROAD: D’ADDARIO STRING FACTORY TOUR At the “Succession Planning for a Global Family Business” session on October 17, John D’Addario III will share his insights into how his global family business thinks about and undertakes succession planning from one generation to the next.

D’Addario is the president of D’Addario & Company, and part of the ninth-generation of D’Addario string makers. He represents the fourth generation of the family business in America.

The D’Addario family immigrated from Salle, Italy, to Astoria in the early 1900’s, continuing their family’s long tradition of making strings for musical instruments since the 1600’s.

Through the centuries, generations of family members worked together making strings from sheep and hog guts for many types of musical instruments. With innovations using synthetic materials and highly engineered processes, D’Addario produces the finest products for string, drum, wind and other instruments.

The company markets its products in the United States through wholesale distributors and over 5,400 retail music stores. In addition, the export markets are han-

dled by hundreds of distributors in over 120 countries.

D’Addario has become the world’s largest designer, manufacturer and distributor of musical instrument accessories today. After almost ten generations of string making, 15 family members work for D’Addario & Company today.

The program also includes a tour of the stringmaking process, immediately followed by a special session at 10:30 a.m. on “Making Family Decision Together” led

by Barbara Hauser, an internationally known leader in family governance.

dale, New York. To register and for more information on this and

Who Should Attend

Family members (couples, husbands, wives, grandparents, next generation,), CEO’s, board members, and trustees, whose family business is based in the greater New York City area, or whose family business is based elsewhere, but live in the greater New York City area QCC Members receive a 25 percent discount on the event using code QCC051. A light breakfast is included. No solicitation is permitted.

D’Addario & Company is located at 595 Smith Street in FarmingMAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

18

other programs visit nycfec.org/ page-18103.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER 9/6, NOON

LOCAL LAW 196 IS HERE

Safety professionals at TSCTA will help employers and their workers learn how to prepare for the upcoming mandates of New York City’s Construction Safety Training Law. FREE Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste. 140 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 9/6, 5 PM

BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE AND RIBBONCUTTING CELEBRATION

Join the Queens Chamber and our new member, Prime Storage, as we host a business card exchange and ribbon-cutting for their newest location in Astoria.

Prime Storage 31-07 20th Ave. Astoria, NY 11105

understand the meaning of intellectual property and steps business owners can take in protecting the intellectual property of their business. The guest speaker will be Nancy Intagliata, relationship manager Queens Commercial Lending at TD Bank.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste. 140 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 9/24, 9 AM to 7 PM

QUEENS CHAMBER FOUNDATION ANNUAL GOLF OUTING AND DINNER

This year, we will be honoring the Honorable US Representative Joseph Crowley. This is a fun event filled with food, drink, and professional networking. You are welcome to attend the full day of golf or simply join us for the dinner/awards ceremony.

Register at queenschamber.org Garden City Country Club 206 Stewart Ave. Garden City NY 11530 9/26, 6 PM

STEPS TO HOME OWNERSHIP - FINANCE

This workshop is intended for business owners and the public in general who are seeking financing to either buy a home, commercial property and start or grow their business. The guest speaker will be Lucien Lapierre of TD Bank.

FREE Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC 60-20 Woodside Ave., 2nd Floor

OCTOBER Woodside, NY 11377 10/4, 9 AM

GET BETWEEN $500 & $5.5 MILLION TO START AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Veronica Ferrero, senior account executive At Emigrant Mortgage Company you will be able to learn about financing opportunities, tips on keeping your business safe from scams and identity theft and Small Business Administration’s loan programs.

FREE Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste. 140 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 10/6, 3 PM

CONDUCTING A MARKET ANALYSIS

Whether you are starting a new business or launching a new product, conducting a marketing analysis is the first step in determining if there is a need or audience for your idea.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste. 140 Jackson Heights, NY 11372

9/17, NOON

EXPORTING TO ASIA

An export seminar for U.S. based companies, focused on developing and managing sales opportunities in China and South Korea.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel 135-20 39th Ave. Flushing, NY 11354 9/17, 6 to 8 PM

BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE - KARAOKE NIGHT

A fantastic opportunity to relax and belt out some tunes after a long day at the office. Free appetizers and first drink on the house.

Resorts World Casino 110-00 Rockaway Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11420 9/19, 9 AM

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 101

This course will help you better

For the sixth year in a row, the USTA donated a kiosk to the Queens Tourism Council and the Queens Chamber of Commerce for the entirety of the U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Volunteers gave away guidebooks, swag items, and information on dining and hospitality, while also offering tips and inside information on the borough.

For any registration or more information on these events or any other events please call us at 718.898.8500 or visit us on the web queenschamber.org MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

TWEET, TWEET: “Was honored today to present an American flag flown

over the U.S. Capitol to Officer Osvaldo Nunez, who heroically saved the life of an infant during his first month on the job. Thank you for your bravery, Officer Nunez – Queens is grateful for your service!”

- Congressman Joseph Crowley (@repjoecrowley) on 8/30

19

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

AN EDUCATION IN FAITH AT ST. MICHAEL’S For over 165 years, the name St. Michael’s has brought fond memories of a strong academic curriculum enriched by the cultural diversity of the parishes of St. Michael’s and St. John Vianney.

As partners in the education of the children of our community, St. Michael’s welcomes you to join as it develops confident, selfsufficient, responsive and moral future leaders.

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy endeavors to develop the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical and social growth of children by integrating religious education with academic studies.

The total program of St. Michael’s Catholic Academy, preschool through grade eight, is designed to promote each student’s intellectual and spiritual growth grounded in a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ.

Honoring each child’s individual needs, the academy motivates the student to achieve his/ her potential in an atmosphere conducive to academic excellence, holistic growth and social responsibility.

Intellectual growth is stimulated with academic programs offered at the Academy. St. Michael’s is an original member of the TwoWay Immersion Network of Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS) sponsored by the Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College, providing bilingual education in English and Mandarin beginning in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The program provides students with a strong academic foundation to succeed in a global environment.

Rigorous academic programs meeting New York State Common Core standards are supported by St. John’s University Project TIE (Training Innovative Educators) and Curriculum Leaders Training (CLT’s) programs.

Faculty is well prepared to pursue higher academic standards integrated with Catholic identity as part of the daily curriculum for all students. A learning lab, resource room and speech therapy are also available on site.

Qualifying students receive support through Title I in ESL, math, reading and counseling.

Fine arts instruction is offered in the areas of music, band, violin and Tae Kwon Do. Enrichment in math and science is offered with STEM classes. In addition to a Gifted and Talented program for students who perform above their grade level, Merit Scholarships are

20

awarded to high-achieving 7th Grade students who exhibit a commitment to community service.

Two technology labs, a fully equipped science lab and a state-of-the-art Media Center enhance the learning experience for all.

St. Michael’s recognizes each child as a unique creation gifted with talents and attributes that need to be nurtured and cultivated. Faculty cooperates with each family in the education of the children entrusted to its care.

The diversity of each child’s gifts challenges the administration, faculty and staff to engender

in themselves and their students qualities of mutual respect and esteem.

The academy is open year-around with a sixweek summer program available. It offers free breakfast and lunch programs for all students.

Partnering with the Department of Education, St. Michael’s also offers Pre-K for All with fullday classes, early drop-off, and late dismissal for eligible students.

Located in the heart of downtown Flushing, St. Michael’s is easily accessible to all public transportation and a two-minute walk from the Flushing Library.

For more information or to arrange an appointment please visit stmichaelsca.org or call (718) 961-0284 (English & Spanish) or (347) 399-8500 (Chinese).

ONE-STOP SHIPPING SOLUTION

BY TESS LAI At WhiteCloud Fly, we provide integrated U.S. domestic and international shipping solutions, including small parcel shipping, truck shipping, air and ocean freight, and warehouse service.

We also provide over 30 shopping cart integrations for e-commerce companies.

As a small business owner, we know it is crucial to find a good shipping company to partner with, not only to keep shipping costs low, but provide after-sales service as well.

If you can’t get good rates from big firms due to limited shipping volume; if you need a reliable long-term partner to create your shipping labels; or if you do not fully understand shipping regulations and need professional assistance, partner with us.

When you register with us, a specialist will be assigned to provide instant responses and professional service to all of your questions. We provide you an easy, dependable label creating platform, and a fixed shipping volume is not required to enjoy great discount rates.

Here’s some examples of what we do for our customers:

• Mr. Zhang sells computer parts on eBay and Amazon and ships a lot of packages every day.

Through WhiteCloud Fly, he enjoys a 50 percent discount for express services, saving him more than $1,000 per month.

Since WhiteCloud Fly’s shipping system is linked to eBay and Amazon to create real-time shipping labels, he now saves a lot of time and trouble making waybills.

• Ms. Li owns a printing company and ships heavy printing materials, often to her customers in different states. Her original shipping account has a 10 percent discount for ground shipping services, but with WhiteCloud Fly she enjoys a 35 percent discount, saving close to $500 a month.

• Ms. Chen has been shipping her products from U.S. to Taiwan for many years. Since she started using WhiteCloud Fly, she enjoys 70 percent off international shipping service, saving close to $800 each month.

For more information, call (914) 315-9314, email CS@wflyshipping.com, or visit wflyshipping.com.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

EXPERT ADVICE

TRUST YOUR SMILE TO AN ORTHODONTIC SPECIALIST cation, followed by a single year of mandatory general practice residency training is required in order to practice general dentistry in the State of New York.

These professionals are extremely knowledgable in all areas of their practice, however they do not focus on only one area of treatment.

An additional three years of specialized training is required in order to become an orthodontic specialist, just as additional training is required to become a cardiovascular surgeon. Would you trust your heart to a physician who doesn’t focus his or her practice solely on heart surgery?

The same should ring true for orthodontic treatment. And while general dentists can treat simple orthodontic cases if they have the proper training, the majority of patients should visit an orthodontic

specialist for their treatment, starting with consultations at the age of seven.

Risks of Do-It-Yourself Orthodontics Imagine you need heart surgery, but instead of going to the hospital you perform all of the pre-surgical testing at home by yourself. You receive the surgical supplies in the mail with a how-to video giving instructions on how to do your own operation. This sounds outlandish, right?

Well, this is essentially what happens when you treat yourself with a straight-to-consumer orthodontic appliance. There is no dentist to determine the health of your teeth, gums or bone prior to treatment.

An x-ray is not even required to start. Treatment plans are not created by orthodontic specialists, and

there is no medical monitoring of your treatment.

The results could be disastrous.

Existing dental conditions like undiagnosed periodontal disease could be exacerbated. The roots of your teeth could be damaged without your knowledge. Your bite may end up worse than when you started, with back teeth that no longer touch, making chewing and eating difficult and frustrating.

And when these problems occur, you have no recourse.

Most likely, you will end up in the office of an orthodontist who is trained to diagnose and treat not just crooked teeth, but the way your teeth fit together and influence your facial appearance as well. Why not just start there to begin with?

Most orthodontists offer free consultations. Call your local orthodontic specialist today.

ASK A REAL ESTATE EXPERT: DO I NEED AN ENGINEER?

BY STACY WOLF, DDS Moving teeth is both an art and a science, best left to an orthodontic specialist who is extensively trained to safely and efficiently move teeth and create beautiful, healthy smiles.

Do you want to straighten your teeth? Improve your smile? Fix your bite? There are so many options for treatment, where do you even start?

Your general dentist has a sign advertising Invisalign treatment in her waiting room. You saw a commercial for a direct-to-consumer product that gets shipped straight to your home. Your neighbor has raved about the local orthodontist in the elevator.

What is the difference between seeing an orthodontist, seeing your general dentist and skipping the doctor visits all together and treating yourself at home? Believe it or not, the difference is greater than you may think.

Becoming a dentist is hard work.

Four years of rigorous dental edu-

Q. I am purchasing a co-op There could be an issue with apartment. My friend who the roof, and it might be worth the bought a house said additional investment. that he hired an engiSimilarly, if you were neer. Do I need an purchasing an apartengineer to inspect ment on the ground floor my co-op? or a sub-level and you A. Because you are notice anything out of purchasing an apartthe ordinary, once again ment in a building, it you may want to have a falls on the co-op board professional take a look and management to at it. maintain the building.

Even though the co-op Additionally, if there Jacques Ambron is is responsible for the are any problems that executive director repairs, you might not affect your apartment of sales for Halstead wish to be in a situation Forest Hills, LLC. because of the buildwhere you have to live ing structure, it is the through them, especially co-operative’s responsibility to if they are severe or could recur. repair it.

Q. I was recently looking at For this reason, you do not need a property that faced the train to get an engineer. There are some tracks. I’m concerned that it’s unusual circumstances, however, not a good idea to buy something where it might be a good idea to so close to the train. What do you seek out an engineer’s expertise, think? e.g., if you were purchasing an A. While it is true that some apartment under the roof and you people object to the noise from the notice some unusual cracking or train, part of the answer depends on plaster falling from the ceiling. you. If you don’t have any problem

with the train, and you’re able to purchase the property at a lower price, then it is probably worth it.

When it comes time to sell, however, keep in mind that you might also expect a lower price.

We regularly sell properties that face the train.

Q. I was recently discharged from the military, and my lender told me that I qualify for a VA loan. However, when I met with the real estate broker, I was informed that won’t work for a co-op purchase. Is that true?

A. Unfortunately, what your real estate broker is telling you is correct. VA loans, which are basically FHA loans, are only approved for houses and condominiums. The same applies to FHA loans.

If you do plan on using your VA or FHA loan for a condominium, you must make sure it is on the approved list, which can be checked at benefits.va.gov.

Send your real estate questions to jambron@halstead.com.

21

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

PAUL SIMON TO GIVE FINAL CONCERT IN QUEENS Before winning 16 Grammy Awards and being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Paul Simon grew up in Kew Garden Hills. The singer-songwriter returns to his hometown to offer the final concert of his farewell tour in September.

He’ll probably want to spend the entire month in Queens, though, as the borough also hosts the world-famous Maker Faire, a rose celebration, a honey festival, a county fair, a food fest, and a Shakespeare revival, among other activities. Please read the below column for a roundup of September events.

And please check out the following list of activities by Queens Council on the Arts award winners.

Sept. 13, Hamlet: What Dreams May Come, Sept. 30. A four-person cast presents this fastpaced version of a Shakespeare classic. Prince Hamlet seeks to revenge his father’s murder, but he must sacrifice his love, his life, and perhaps his very mind to accomplish it. Shows at 7:30 pm and 3 pm. The Secret Theatre, 44-02 23rd St., LIC, secrettheatre.com.

Sept. 14, A Whole Different Ball Game, March 10, 2019. The world’s first video game, Tennis for Two, debuted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1958. For some, this was the beginning of the end. For others, it was just the beginning. This exhibition features 30 games that simulate tennis, football, track and field, basketball, baseball, and soccer, and esports—multiplayer games that have developed their own professional leagues. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District, movingimage.us.

Sept. 15, NYC Honey Festival, 11 am to 5 pm.

This eighth-annual bonanza unites bees, beach, beers, and bites. Activities include a bee marketplace, a honey-tasting competition, a costume contest, a honey-extraction demonstration, and a chance to meet NYPD’s bee police officer.

The 106th Street Boardwalk, Rockaway Beach, nychoneyweek.com.

Sept. 15, Viva La Comida Festival, noon to 7 pm. Food, art, and fun are everywhere in the vicinity of Roosevelt Avenue and 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, vivalacomida.com.

Sept. 16, Autumn Rose Celebration, noon to 5:30 pm. Photo sessions, arts-and-crafts, walking tours, watercolor workshop, family-friendly activities, and a concert by highly respected Spanish singer/songwriter Marta Hernández (aka Mar Salá). Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, queensbotanical.org.

Sept. 20, Daylight Loft Buildings in Long Island City, 10:30 am. Official Queens historian Jack Eichenbaum leads a walking tour through LIC. Meet at the northeast corner of

22

21st Street and 44th Drive. Register at jaconet@ aol.com.

Sept. 22, World Maker Faire New York, Sept. 23. The East Coast’s largest celebration of invention, creativity, and curiosity showcases the best of the global Maker Movement. Marvel at hundreds of projects and multiple stages focused on making for social good, health, technology, electronics, 3D printing/fabrication, food, robotics, and art. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, makerfaire.com/new-york.

Sept. 22, Paul Simon, 7 pm. This Kew Garden Hills native, who is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, returns to his hometown for the final concert of his farewell tour. Flushing Meadows Corona Park, paulsimon.com.

Sept. 22, Queens Country Fair, Sept. 23.

This 36th annual weekend features pie-eating and corn-husking contests, hayrides, carnival rides, pig races, and children’s entertainment by jugglers and acrobats. Then there are Blue Ribbon competitions in produce and livestock, a Beer Garden with the Shannon Breeze Irish Band (Saturday) and Spitzbuam German Band (Sunday). 11 am to 6 pm. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks, queensfarm.org.

Sept. 29, Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, Sept. 30. This all-female troupe is one of the premier Indian classical dance companies currently. Shows are Sept. 29 at 8 pm and Sept. 30 at 3 pm. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, queenstheatre.org.

NRITYAGRAM DANCE ENSEMBLE

The Queens Council on the Arts offers grants to local artists through the Queens Arts Fund.

This year’s QAF recipients will present their art throughout the borough in September. Here are eight events that are open to the public.

Sept. 7, Walking on Sunshine, 2 pm. Live theater with short plays and songs presented

by Senior Theatre Acting Repertory. Queens Village Library, 94-11 217th St. Sept. 8, Seven, 2 pm. A site specific sound project presented by Joseph Di Ponio. Sunnyside Municipal Parking Field, Queens Boulevard between 40th and 41st streets, under the 7 train.

Sept. 8, Opening for My White Dress, 6 pm.

An exhibition inspired by the Bride’s March against Domestic Violence presented by Diana Behjarano. LIC-A at the Plaxall Gallery, 5-25 46th Ave. Sept. 9, Morning Raga, 11:30 am. An Indian classical musical presented by Paromita Mumu.

P.S. 69, 77-02 37th Ave., Jackson Heights.

Sept. 15, Opening for Home Scar, 2 pm.

A solo show presented by Heather Simon.

RISE: Rockaway Institute for Sustainable Environment, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Sept. 15, New Music Horizons, 3 pm.

Classical composer Yui Kitamura and jazz composer Mark Wade in concert. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.

Sept. 16, Star Tracks and Collapsar, 2:30 pm. A modern dance performance fused with new media art presented by Yahui Lu. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Sept. 25, Mechanical, 7 pm. A reading of Sara Cooper’s new musical Mechanical. Astoria First Presbyterian Church, 23-35 Broadway.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

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.

The 82nd Street Partnership is hosting its 7th annual food, art and music festival, Viva la Comida! This festival brings together some of NYC’s best street food vendors and local restaurants, which will be showcasing the variety of delicious ethnic foods found in Queens and throughout the city.

The festival also brings a full slate of eclectic live music representing New York, Latin American, Indian and Afro-Caribbean roots, Viva la Comida is a celebration of diversity and culture. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, September 15, from Noon to 7 p.m. along 82nd Street, between Roosevelt and Baxter avenues.

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.

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.

The Bell Boulevard Sunday Stroll will take place on September 23 from Noon to 5 p.m. between 38th Ave and 41st avenues. There will be live music and dancing on the Main Stage at 40th Avenue, as well as on 41st and 38th avenues Restaurants will be serving food outside and there will also be plenty of family-friendly games and activities

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.

Loans range from $500 to $50,000 with terms up to three years. Loan officers help clients with creating business plan and financial statements, and offer credit counseling to help clients understand, improve and repair credit. They offer workshops on small business management, social media, credit building and home ownership.

• Thinking of starting your own business? The Business Center for New Americans can help make your dreams a reality. Join us for a threepart workshop where you’ll learn everything you need to know, including legal necessities, developing and pricing your product, marketing, developing a business plan, and raising money for your business.

• Part 1: Monday, September 17, from 5 to 9

Continue a Chocolate Tradition, or Start a New One

103-02 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills, NY Aignerchocolates.com Open 7 Days a Week 23

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES p.m.: Legal Necessities for Your Business/How to Develop and Price Your Product • Part 2: Tuesday, September 18, from 5 to 9 p.m.: How to Market Your Product/ How to Develop a Long-Term Business Plan • Part 3: Wednesday, September 19, from 5 to 9 p.m. :- How to Develop a Long-Term Business Plan/How to Raise Money for Your Business

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.

Fall Shop Forest Hills Street Fair will take place on Sunday, September 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Austin Street between 69th and 72nd roads.

The event is an open-air market that will include a wine and beer garden, tables with products from chamber merchants, various food options, and a bouncy house. The street fair will be seven blocks

long and has attracted tens of thousands of people in the past.

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 representing over 200 businesses.

Litter in the area is rampant, and the chamber is making it a priority. The chamber is partnering with the city for locations for up to 50 new garbage cans in Downtown Flushing.

On Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Chamber-organized Greenmarket returns to Maple

Playground at 136-50 Maple Avenue.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 www.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, the BID features six supermarkets. They

CHAMBER OFFERS FREE TOURS DURING OPEN

BY BENJAMIN FANG After watching matches during the U.S. Open, tennis fans were invited to hop over to Flushing, where they can learn about the historic neighborhood’s past and present.

As part of the “Flushing Fantastic” community marketing campaign, the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce hosted free, hour-long walking tours during the two weeks the Open was in town.

Dubbed “Discover Flushing,” visitors learned about the neighborhood’s significant history, popular shopping destinations and foodie spots.

John Choe, executive director of the chamber, said not only will participants learn about how Flushing was one of the centers of American colonial history, but also how contemporary communities arrive, struggle and make a living in modern-day New York City.

“Whether it’s the Mets or the U.S. Open, we want to make sure the local community, the mom-and-pop stores, benefit,” Choe said. “This is a way to connect visitors who come to these sporting events to our town.”

Choe added that Discover Flushing is just a pilot program. “I think we want to get an idea of MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

24

what the demand is before we expand it or make this a permanent program,” he said.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans. The BID is planning for its annual street fair on Jamaica Avenue, which this year takes place on September 30.

JAMAICA CENTER BID

161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc @JamaicaAvenue QUICK GLANCE: Budget of over $1 million.

Founded in 1979, the Jamaica Center BID serves over 500 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street. 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.

The BID’s sanitation team is out on Jamaica Avenue 360 days a year. The BID offers marketing and promotion for the district, including a value card program, banner and rubbish bin sponsorship opportunities, and supports business owners in opening or expanding their operations.

The BID is the proud recipient of a three-year, $300,000 Avenue NYC grant and is currently con-

ducting a Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA), which will inform future programing.

Upcoming events include: • Monday September 10 - Public Art Installation at the Parson’s Public Space in conjunction with Greater Jamaica Development Corporation • Happy Hour hosted by the Jamaica Center BID at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning at the end of September (date, location and time still TBD)

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

616 Duke Street, Westbury, NY 11590 Executive Director: Mercedes Altman 516.492.0513 jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has over 200 members.

JFK Airport is the only airport in the country to have its own chamber of commerce wholly dedicated to the airport business community, which employs 35,000 people. The airport handles more than 50 million passengers a year, using almost a half-million square feet of warehouse space to handle more than a million tons of air freight cargo a year. Upcoming events include:

• Tuesday, September 11, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. JFK Chamber of Commerce and the Port Authority of NY and NJ cordially invite you to join them at the JFK Airport Ball Field to pay respect and remember all those who perished on September 11, 2001. Donations & sponsorships accepted and greatly appreciated. Contact Clorinda Antonucci with any questions at JFKCoCExec@gmail.com.

• Wednesday, September 12, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. - JFKCoC Directors General Monthly Meeting- JFK International Airport, Building 14, Conference Room A. Guests are welcome but must RSVP. Light breakfast will be served.

• Monday, September 17 - JFKCoC Golf Outing at Lawrence Yacht and Country Club. Checkin begins at 10 a.m., brunch will be served at 10:30 a.m, and shotgun start at Noon. Lunch on the course, and cocktail hour starts at 5 p.m. and Dinner is at 6 p.m.. No Chamber members will be turned away. Register by September 10. The event will be honoring Phil Jenson.

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com

GJDC INTRODUCES NEW ART WALL TO DOWNTOWN JAMAICA The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) unveiled a new art installation at the 165th Street Mall.

The first-of-its-kind illuminated art wall will feature a rotating line-up of artists, the first of which was Queens-based Jocelyn Goode of CultureCocoa ArtHouse.

“We wanted to develop a simple amenity that would tell the story of the neighborhood and enliven the district at all hours,” said GJDC CEO Hope Knight.

Goode created the inaugural piece around the theme “Jamaica on the Move,” which was inspired by a half-day street art session held in May with local students, residents, and passersby.

The ideas of the more than 30 people who participated are woven throughout the piece on display.

“This art represents the residents whose humanity becomes more apparent when we take a moment to slow down and inhale all that makes Jamaica so special,” said Goode.

With funding from Councilman Rory Lancman and additional support from M&T Charitable Foundation, the project is an effort to promote Jamaica’s rich cultural history and legacy.

Pictured from left to right are artist Jocelyn Goode, Councilman Rory Lancman, Derek Irby, Laurel Brown, J. Manuel Mansylla of Totem, and Vignike Anderson of GJDC. (Photo: Walter Karling) “Downtown Jamaica is transforming right before our eyes, and this innovative art wall will help showcase what makes this community so special,” said Lancman.

The design of the modular art wall was created by urban design firm Totem. Each wall is six-feet tall and eight-feet wide and is constructed with two-way art panels that feature a unique nighttime luminescence.

The wall, which sits atop a repurposed Jersey barrier, is easily moveable, not only allowing the public to visit the featured art, but the featured art to move with the public.

“Art is a very important part of place making in downtown Jamaica, and the mall has a tradition of hosting interesting and creative works of art,” said Derek Irby, executive director of the 165th Mall Association.

MAJOR CORPORATE SPONSORS

25

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 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 mixeduse community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

• Wednesday September 12, 5:30- 7:30 p.m.: Fall Networking Night Join the partnership for its Fall Networking Night at Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge in Long Island City. Connect with your peers in the LIC business community as you enjoy bites and refreshments from local vendors. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the space and participate in a climbing activity.

Please wear or bring comfortable clothes (including socks) if you plan on participating.

Shoe rentals are provided for free by Brooklyn Boulders. All attendees will receive a discount voucher from Brooklyn Boulders to use for your

next visit. Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge is at 23-10 41st Avenue.

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.

The next chamber meeting is on Tuesday, July 10, at noon at Connolly’s Corner, 71-15 Grand Avenue. The majority of their budget is spent on holiday lights, banners, beautification and festivals, including replacing the street banners on Grand Avenue. There has recently been a push to form a BID on Grand Avenue.

MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA) BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368 Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773

ANNUAL GOLF OUTING AND DINNER MONDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Garden City Country Club, 206 Stewart Ave, Garden City, New York 11530 ADMISSION INCLUDES

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Queens Open...............................$10,000

Greens Fee, CART, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, COCKTAILS AND DINNER BUFFET

Full day package for 8, tee and green sponsorship, pre/post publicity

9:00 AM: Breakfast

Masters.........................................$5,000

10:30 AM: Registration 12:30 PM: Shotgun Start 5:00 PM: Cocktail Hour/Dinner Awards/Silent Auction/Raffles

Full Day Package for 4, tee & green sponsorship, pre/post publicity

Dinner Sponsor..............................$3,000 Signs & banner. pre/post publicity, tee sign

Brunch Sponsor.............................$2,500 Signs & banner. pre/post publicity, tee sign

SPECIAL GUEST HONOREE Congressman Joseph Crowley

Please make checks payable to Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation Mail to: Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation 75-20 Astoria Blvd. Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370

Cart Sponsor..................................$2,000 Cart signs & banner, pre/post publicity, tee sign

Golf Ball Sponsor...........................$1,500 Rain & Hole in One Insurance.......$1,800 Signs & banner, pre/post publicity

Foursome......................................$1,700 + Tee Signage

Tee or Green Sponsor.......................$200 Dinner Only.......................................$150 Single Ticket....................................$400

OR REGISTER ONLINE AT www.queenschamber.org

qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Roughly 600 businesses with 30 active members.

The Maspeth Industrial Business Association, a project of the Business Outreach Center Network, 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. Annual membership fee is $150, and they are looking to gain momentum through attracting new members. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.

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. One of the longest running BIDs is also one of the more innovative in its approach to helping maintain an active business corridor by helping landlords rent vacant properties. The website ridgewood-ny.com shows properties that are currently for rent in the district. There are currently ten stores looking for tenants Upcoming events include:.

• Sunday, September 23: The Annual Fall Street Festival will take place on Myrtle Avenue from Wyckoff Avenue to 71st Avenue Plaza from noon to 5 p.m. Music from Joe Fuoco’s Music Center will be featured.

• Every Saturday in September the Ridgewood Youth Market will be between Cypress and Myrtle at the Ridgewood Memorial Triangle. On September 8, in addition to the regular market,

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES there will be the Kids Items Free Swap. People are encouraged to bring toys, books, clothes, and school supplies for children. Children can come and swap out their belongings for something new or even take what they want without adding anything to the drive.

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.

Funded by Department of Small Business Services, they strive to create and retain jobs via programs that grow neighborhoods and assist small businesses. QEDC assists by providing one-on-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events.

Queens StartUp! Orientation: The Queens

StartUp! Business Plan Competition assists and awards start-up entrepreneurs with a grant worth up to $10,000 in funding and services to help make their business successful. Information for this program will be offered throughout September at several locations. Please RSVP and attend so you can know how you can win! Here are the different dates this event will be taking place: • Saturday, September 8, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica.

• Monday September 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Cambria Heights Library, 218-13 Linden Boulevard, Cambria Heights.

• Wednesday, September 12, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Broadway Library, 40-20 Broadway, Long Island City.

• Thursday, September 13, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Peninsula Community Library, 92-25 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Rockaway Beach.

• Monday, September 17, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Long Island City Library, 37-44 21 Street, Long Island City,.

• September 20, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Flushing Library, International Resource Center (IRC), 41-17 Main

Street, Flushing.

On Thursday, September 27, from 10 a.m. to Noon, learn about getting certified as a Minority/ Woman Business Enterprise with NYC & NYS, what you will need to do to obtain government contracts, and how you can leverage your certification to get more business. The Entrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th Street, Long Island City.

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. RBA seeks to create and curate an inviting atmosphere for all to enjoy year round.

The Shop Small Summer Market will be held Saturday, September 29, from 2 to 7 p.m. at the B109 ferry landing adjacent to Jamaica Bay.

CHAMBER OPPOSES AUSTIN TRUCK LOADING ZONES

BY JEN KHEDAROO

Chamber of Commerce and its members: the installation of truck loading zones.

For years, the central commercial corridor in The DOT added 12 new 60-foot loading zones Forest Hills has faced issues with congestion that are in operation Monday through Friday and double-parked trucks, as from 7 to 11 a.m. They prowell as a lack of parking and vide 36 spaces for trucks for a safe crossings for pedestrians.

30-minute limit.

In an effort to combat those Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. issues, the Department of there will be eight loading THE DOT AND THE Transportation (DOT) started zones providing 24 spaces, and CITY OF NEW YORK testing a number of new meabetween 1 and 4 p.m. there will KNOW THAT THIS HAS sures last month along Ausbe three loading zones with FAILED ELSEWHERE AND tin Street and its side streets nine spaces.

THAT IT HAS KILLED from Yellowstone Boulevard to But Brown says the removal BUSINESSES, AND YET Ascan Avenue. of parking spaces in favor of THEY CONTINUE ON Those changes will include loading zones is detrimental to WITH THE PLAN EVEN Plus Time metered parking, the businesses in the area.

THOUGH THEY KNOW which will allow a third hour She said while there are times IT’S NOT GOOD. of parking at a higher rate, that congestion is a problem on - LESLIE BROWN enhanced crossings for pedesAustin Street, it’s not an everytrians, and more blocks that day problem. have metered parking until 10 “There is an overwhelming p.m. to increase availability for amount of hours where there restaurant patrons and movie-goers. isn’t congestion,” Brown said. “The trucks “The DOT are changing the meters until 10 aren’t there for a long period of time, they have p.m. because they have this crazy idea that other places to go. They’re not spending the day it creates more turnover,” said Forest Hills here, they’re making deliveries all over.”

Chamber of Commerce president Leslie Brown.

The goal of the loading zones, according to “They don’t care that over 70 percent of the DOT project manager Matt Garcia, is to limit spots turnover already.” space to promote deliveries during off-peak However, there is one change that is caus- hours. ing even more controversy for the Forest Hills “We want to dedicate commercial space at the

“

”

curb so trucks can do their deliveries and keep moving,” Garcia said during an earlier presentation to Community Board 6. “Because customer parking is so important to the businesses on Austin Street, these commercial spaces at the curb will revert back to passenger parking as the day progresses.”

But Brown said the changes back and forth from commercial to regular parking is confusing for drivers.

“We’ve polled a lot of people, and they told us that whenever they see a loading zone sign, they don’t park their car because they’re worried it will be towed,” she said.

A DOT representatives said that if the changes aren’t having a positive impact, they will make adjustments. Brown doesn’t buy it.

“The DOT and the City of New York know that this has failed elsewhere and that it has killed businesses, and yet they continue on with the plan even though they know it’s not good,” she said.

Brown said other chambers of commerce around the borough have reached out to her about forming a coalition to fight DOT initiatives like loading zones, metered parking and bike lanes.

Brown said she heard from several business owners that they may not renew their leases with all of the changes coming.

“They think their businesses are going to be so adversely affected,” she said.

27

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 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 group has 30 members.

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 longstanding partnerships with city and state agencies.

RDRC is governed by a twelve-member board of directors and a five-member merchant advisory board.

RDRC’s current city and state collaborations include the Downtown Far Rockaway Storefront Improvement Program, The Downtown Far Rockaway Public Wi-Fi Project, The Rockaway East Workforce Development Program and most recently, the planned $288,000,000 Downtown Far Rockaway Redevelopment Project.

With over 250 businesses and 61,000 or 53 percent of the Rockaway’s entire population living within 2 miles of downtown Far Rockaway, one of RDRC’s goals is to reduce the over $91 million in market leakage to neighboring downtown shopping districts.

To address this challenge, in 2014 RDRC rejuvenated the Rockaway East Merchants Association (REMA). Today with RDRC as its administrator, REMA membership now includes 40-plus local businesses with an active calendar of events that includes an annual merchant’s fair, talent show, fashion event, holiday tree lighting and live concerts.

REMA membership meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month at 1 p.m. at RDRC,

located at 1920 Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway.

STEINWAY STREET 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.

Board meetings are held seven times a year.

The BID’s vision is to make Steinway Street user friendly, while highlighting the local businesses on the street and bringing together the Astoria community in a positive way.

The BID works to improve sanitation, marketing, security, holiday lighting, beautification and Internet access along this famous street in Queens.

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Patricia Dorfman 718.729.4688 www.sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: 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.

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org

sunnysideshines.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella.

The BID is still looking for sponsors for Sunnyside Street Banners along Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue. There are still a number of locations still available, call the office for more info. Companies that are not located in Sunnyside are invited to participate as well. Sponsorships start at $350 and last for one year. Upcoming events include: • Monday, September 3, 4 to 7 p.m. - Beats in Bliss Plaza: Join us for dazzling performances from the dancers of the Woodside Ballet. The Woodside Ballet is a local dance school for people of all ages interested in learning ballet, modern, Salsa, hip-hop and more. Located at Bliss Plaza at 46th street under the 7 train.

• Tuesday, September 11, 4 to 7:00 p.m. - Beats in Bliss Plaza with the Queens Opera Theatre: Founded

by Brian Gill and Andy Anderson, the duo has had extensive experience working in musical theatre production across the United States. Located at Bliss Plaza at 46th street under the 7 train.

• Tuesday, September 18, 4 to 7 p.m. - Beats in Bliss Plaza: Join us for live Irish music and dance with the McManus Irish Dancers. Our giant games and craft activities add to the fun for all. Located at Bliss Plaza at 46th street under the 7 train.

•Tuesday, September 25, 4 to 7 p.m. - Beats in Bliss Plaza with Thalia Spanish Theater: For the grand finale of Beats in Bliss Plaza, we have invited Thalia Spanish Theatre to perform their popular Variety Show. The show will give the audience a taste of their upcoming fall season offering, Queens of the Night (“Reinas de la Noche”). Located at Bliss Plaza at 46th street under the 7 train

DOT ENDS CLEAR CURBS ON ROOSEVELT EARLY

BY BENJAMIN FANG A city initiative that banned curbside loading and parking on Roosevelt Avenue during rush hours was sent packing last month.

The Department of Transportation’s Clear Curbs pilot program, which was meant to ease congestion but stirred frustration among local businesses, terminated five weeks earlier than planned.

Leslie Ramos, executive director of the 82nd Street Partnership and an outspoken opponent of Clear Curbs, said the last few months have been “extremely difficult” for small businesses.

“Not only are these businesses essential for local residents, but they also serve Latinos living throughout the city and tri-state area,” she said. “Now that the program is over, we look

28

forward to working with the city to help this once-vibrant corridor bounce back.”

The initiative was supposed to run for six months.

“In practice, it left small businesses decimated and put nearby residents at risk as delivery trucks pushed off the main roads flooded residential side streets,” Moya said in a statement. “This is welcome relief for the affected residents and small business owners.

Time after time, small business owners told me they feared they wouldn’t survive the sixmonth pilot period.”

Three months into Clear Curbs, Moya, along with Councilman Mark Gjonaj from the Bronx and Assemblywoman Ari Espinal, toured Roosevelt Avenue with DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and the NYPD to understand how the initiative affected businesses.

In response to the Clear Curbs initiative, the City Council introduced the Protect NYC Jobs and Businesses Act, which would require city agencies to notify community boards, business improvement districts, and local elected officials if any project significantly disrupts street usage.

Lawmakers say those actions were not taken prior to the implementation of the initiative on Roosevelt Avenue.

“When decisions are made that affect the small businesses of our district, the community needs a seat at the table,” Espinal said.

Philip Papas, chair of Community Board 3, added that the impact on local shops was “devastating.”

“Several businesses closed or were on the verge of closing,” he said. “The negative effects of the project outweighed any potential positive outcome.”

this is...

July 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 7

MASPETH FEDERAL

BANKING IN ...AND ON...

COMMUNITIES

MARKETING THE EXPERIENCE AT QUEENS CENTER MALL “We’re really a community company that happens to do some banking.”

PRESIDENT & CEO THOMAS RUDZEWICK

5

PAGES OF COVERAGE OF THE QUEENS CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO

this is...

August 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 8

SCRAP

METTLE

THE WOMAN BREAKING GENDER STEREOTYPES AT CITY SCRAP METAL IN LONG ISLAND CITY CHAMBER TAKES TO THE SEAS FOR ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT

OWNER AND PRESIDENT MICHELE ROTHMAN

Profiling Queens’ Most Dynamic People.

They read it.... so should you!

This is Queensborough is published by

To subscribe to this monthly, glossy magazine, visit thisisqueensborough.com or call BQE Media at 718-426-7200. To place an ad, call BQE Media at 718-426-7200

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE

CHAIRPERSON’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Thomas Santucci

Richard Dzwlewicz

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Howard Graf

Fran Biderman-Gross

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patrick Yu Nash Roe

Mayra DiRico

President & CEO

Chief of Operations

Alejandra Espejo Financial Controller

Secretary

Business Development Manager Strategic Program Coordinator

Brett Swanson

Membership Outreach Coordinator & Member Engagement

William Blake Dominick Ciampa Joseph Farber Louis D. Laurino

Joseph M. Mattone, Sr John E. Roe, Sr. George Rozansky Gerard Thornton

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 Fran Biderman-Gross Joshua E. Bienstock Michael Billia Susan Browning Kenneth J. Buettner Charles E. Callahan KY Chow Adam Cohen

Carol Conslato Sal Crifasi Mayra DiRico Richard Dzwlewicz Thomas Eagar Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf

Raymond Irrera Peter Klein Kenneth Koenig Henry Kuykendall Neil Levin Jeffery E. Levine Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul

Michael Moran Michael Onghai Jeffrey Owens Nayan Parikh Albert F. Pennisi Vincent L. Petraro Esq Adam Reece-Cohen Nash Roe

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

Henry Wan Swain Weiner Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

CORPORATE MEMBERS AARP ABS Partner Real Estate Age Well New York AKI Development Alma Realty Corp.

Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View Hotel Aloft Hotel New York LaGuardia Airport Alphapointe Altria Client Services Inc. Amna Construction Corp.

AmTrust Title Anchin, Block & Anchin Ashnu International, Inc. ATCO Properties & Management Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP Bank of America Bank United Berkeley College Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel, PC Bethpage Federal Credit Union Better Home Health Care Borchert & LaSpina, PC Boro Hotel Boyce Technologies Inc. Broadway Stages Capital One Bank Cathay Bank Care Connect Insurance Co. Inc. Carmel Car & Limo Service CDS Mestel Construction Center for Automotive Education & Training Cerini & Associates Certilman Balin Champion Elevators Chaney Construction & Development Charles Schwab Ciampa Organization

City MD City Scrap Metal Cleaning Systems Co. Clickable CoAdvantage Constant Contact Construction Safety Network Inc. Cord Meyer Development LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Costco Wholesale Court 16, Inc. Courtyard New York CPEX Real Estate Crown Container Cumming Corporation Curaleaf Cushman & Wakefield FedCap D&B Engineers & Architects, PC Daniels Norelli Cecere & Tavel PC DY Reality Services, LLC Dignity Memorial Funeral Provides of Queens E. Gluck Corporations East Coast Energy Group Edible Arrangements Elite Palace Elmhurst Hospital Center Emigrant Mortgage Co. Empire Merchants EMU Health Services, LLC. Enterprise Holdings EXIT Realty New York Metro Fabini Cohen & Hall, LLP Fantasy Forest Amusement Park Farrell Fritz, PC Fedcap Fidelis Care New York Financial Resources Brup Investment Services LLC Firecom, Inc.

First American International Bank First Central Savings Bank Flushing Bank Forest Hills Financial Gerard T Dolan Agency Farmers Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Queens Greater New York Auto Dealers Association Inc. Greiner-Maltz of NY GUM Studios HF Management Services Haks Hanover Community Bank Healthplex, Inc. Health Republic Insurance Healthy Corner Pharmacy, Inc. Hilton Garden Inn/ LIC Manhattan View Holiday Inn LaGuardia Airport Home2Suite LIC Hyatt Place Flushing Ibis Styles New York LaGuardia Airport Hotel INDA Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry International Asbestos Removal Inc. J.F.A. Insurance Brokerage JRT Realty Group, Inc. James F. Capalino & Associates Jaros Baum & Bolles JetBlue Jetro Resataurant Depot JustWorks KMK Restorations, LLC Kasirer Consulting Inc Kaufman Astoria Studios Inc. Kimco Realty Corporation Klein Wealth Management HighTower LaGuardia Plaza Hotel La Technology Group

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS Joshua Bienstock NYIT bienlaw@aol.com

ENERGY

Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com James Sheuchenko PM Advisors js@pmadvisors.co

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

Susan Browning Long Island Jewish Forest Hills sbrowning1@northwell.edu Evangeline Rosado-Tripp Queens County Medical Society ertripp@queensmedicalsociety.org

30

HOSPITALITY

REAL ESTATE

Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Michael Zayas Real Hospitality Group michael.zayas@rhgcorp.com

Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Michael Wang G8 Real Estate / Flushing Chamber mwang121@gmail.com

MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY

Geoffrey Smith NY Grant Company Geoffrey@nygrants.com Thomas Powell Boyce Technologies tpowell@boycetechnologies.com

Bobby Giurintano TGI Office Automation bgiurintano@tgioa.com Eugene Erichsen Connect Me Voice Eugene@connectmevoice.com

NONPROFIT

TRANSPORTATION

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

Kris Amato TD Bank Kristin.amato@td.com Tammy Petsios VHB tpetsios@vhb.com

Lee & Associates Levine Builders Lessing’s Inc. Luna Park in Coney Island Lyft Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&T Bank M&V Provisions Co, Inc. MCR Development LLC MTA-Long Island Rail Road Madeline Chocolate Novelties Marriott NYC Airport Hotels Mazars USA LLP Merritt Engineering Consulting PC Metroplus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxi Cab Board of Trade Melrose Credit Union Metro Franchising Commissary Molloy College Mortgage Depot Moses & Singer LLP Motiva Networks Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corporation Muss Development Company National Supermarket Association Newtown Creek Trusted PRI USD New York Building Congress New York Life New York Oil Heaing Association Inc. New York Racing Association Northfield Bank Northwell Health Northwestern Mutual NY Building Congress OnForce Solar Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehab Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates People’s United Bank Petro Energy Solutions Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Associations, Inc. Prager Metis CPAs, LLC Premier Payroll Solutions Prime Storage Progressive Waste Solutions Qside Federal Credit Union Quadlogic Controls Corp.

Queens Center Queens Ledger Queensborough Community College Quontic Bank Radisson Hotel JFK Airport Register Abstract Co. Inc.Related Retail LP

Rent A Throne Royal Waste Services Inc. Russo’s On The Bay SL Green Realty Corp.

Sahn Ward Coshchignano PLLC Sandrine Capital LLC Seagis Property Group Sears Maid Service Sholom & Zuckerbrot Realty LLC Signature Bank Silvercup Studios Simon Baron Development Sleep Numbers Solomon Agency St. John’s University Staples #1722 Sterling Risk Structural Engineering Technologies PC Suffolk County National Bank Suation Solar Systems Super-Tek, Products, Inc. Sutton Alliance Terrace on the Park Thales USA, Inc. The Durst Organization The New York Times The Parc Hotel Trinity Solar TSC Training Academy LLC Tully Construction Co. Inc. United Airlines United Health Care United Nations Federal Credit Union United Public, Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Valley National Bank Van Guard Insurance Agency Verizon VHB Engineering Surveying & Landscape Architecture Vic Kesser Signs, LTD Victory Pharmacy Villa Russo Venture House Vornado Realty Trust Waste Management of NY LLC Watchguard 24/7 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Welllife Network WeWork York College Zwanger Pesiri Radiology LLP

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.

September 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 9

NEW MEMBERS CORPORATE

Adria Hotel and Conference Center ShiftPixy Complete Orthopedic Services OTJ Architects McBride Consulting & Business INTRODUCTORY

B3 Alliance, Inc. Wow Payments/Solid as Gold Consulting Epiphany Manhattan Academy Padilla & Company, LLP AXA Advisors Forest Hills Biergarten Adria Hotel and Conference Center

221-17 Northern Blvd Bayside, NY 11361 adriahotelny.com 718.631.5900 Adria Hotel and Conference Center in Bayside is near everywhere you need to be. Adria’s central location provides fast and easy access to New York’s five boroughs. In fact, Adria is less than 20 minutes from New York City. Additionally, the hotel is near Brooklyn and Bronx. Adria is also right next door to Long Island’s Gold Coast. You can relax in their comfortable and quiet rooms. They offer many great amenities.

You get high-speed Wi-Fi, refrigerator, highdefinition TV, and more. All their guests receive complimentary breakfast buffet and on premises parking. Also, you can enjoy free hot coffee, hot chocolate and lemon-flavored water in the hotel lobby seven days a week.

ShiftPixy

450 Lexington Ave. WeWork - 4th floor New York, NY 10017 Shiftpixy.com 949.484.4303 ShiftPixy is designed to enable their operator clients to better connect with today’s part time workforce. The Gig Economy is your new com-

petition for part time workers. The new gig platforms are creating better connections, flexibility and visibility for part time work opportunities.

ShiftPixy equips your business to re-think and re-engage human capital to run your business like the Gig Guys. ShiftPixy was designed to sync work opportunities from job providers with the open time slots of available shift workers.

ShiftPixy manages relationships with job providers to take open shift opportunities that are filling their schedules and offer them as work opportunities to qualified workers without the formal job interview and commitments. The ShiftPixy app allows shift workers to enroll, profile and pre-qualify based on their work and training experience for open shift opportunities.

“Shifters” can earn provider specific qualifications to boost their score and access to more shift opportunities.

Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc.

57-13 Main Street Flushing, NY 11368 cosi.nyc 718.321.0407 Founded in April 1999 in a home on Long Island, a husband-and-wife team created Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc. It has since been servicing the tri-state area for 19 years. The company is an accredited A.B.C. and B.O.C. facility with trained and certified orthotists, prosthetists and pedorthists. They specialize in O&P services for a broad spectrum of conditions including trauma, pediatric, geriatric, limb loss. In addition, they provide a full range of D.M.E. products, including C.P.M. rehab devices. All O&P and D.M.E. services will be provided to patients in a timely manner and by trained professionals. They have offices located in Long Island, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. C.O.S.I. offers 24 hour/7 days a week emergency contact and the ability to respond to any situation in a prompt manner. Staff attends weekly in-service training on new protocols for immediate implementation. A newly designed lab enables them to offer on - site repair capabilities for equipment and to custom fabricate any Orthotic/Prosthetic product. Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc. also accepts all insurance plans, with the expertise in no-fault and workman’s’ compensation cases.

Professionalism and outstanding customer service are their hallmarks and, as such, are held to the highest standards throughout the company.

OTJ Architects

1407 Broadway New York, NY 11018 otj.com 646.846.3951 OTJ Architects is a leading interior architec-

ture firm, working with organizations throughout the country. They are workplace designers who focus on you – your goals and your opportunities – to create a unique vision of your future work environment. The workplace is evolving constantly, and more importantly, so are the people who occupy it. They develop design solutions with the people who will use them, resulting in unique spaces that will adapt and grow with you. Their approach is rooted in the belief that design is a tool to improve people’s lives: good design strengthens workplace culture, communicates brand and improves wellness. Their goal is to constantly challenge ourselves to design better, smarter workplaces that allow people to work strategically, flexibly and with a better quality of life.

McBride Consulting & Business

215 Willis Avenue Mineola, NY 11501 mcbrideny.com 516.414.8400 McBride Consulting and Business Development Group provides strategic business planning and consulting services. They partner with their clients to identify problems, come up with strategic and achievable plans to solve them, and lay the groundwork for future growth and prosperity. Their wide breadth of experience combined with astute business acumen, founded in the honest desire to always do better, allows them to provide their clients with exceptional results. They never stop thinking about how to improve in business. They’re always striving to do better for themselves, their clients, and their employees. They want to work with people who are as committed as they are.

Statement required by the Act of August 12, 1970, section 3685. Title 39, United States Code, showing the ownership, management and circulation of QueensBorough magazine, published 12 times per year, and owned by the Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens, 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, New York 11370. Statement filed September 1, 2017. Publisher: Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens Editor: Thomas Grech Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities, none. Extent & nature of circulation: Avg. each issue, Actual single issue, Preceding 13 mos., (Nearest to filing date). Total number of copies 3,712 (3,500). Paid and/or requested circulation: Dealer, carrier sales 1,785 (532), Mail subscriptions, 611 (1,937), Total 2,396 (2,469). Free Distribution By mail 187 (400), By other means 0 (0), Total 187 (400). Total distribution 2,583 (2,869), Office Use, leftover, spoiled 1,129 ( 6 3 1 ) , Return from news agents 0 (0), Total 3,712 (3,500), Percent paid 92.76 (86.05).

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Thomas J. Grech, Editor

31

My

is

The First Savings Bank in Queens Bank Anywhere You See NYCB! (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com

All services not available at all locations.

© New York Community Bank - Member FDIC