Brooklyn Progress

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BROOKLYN APRIL/MAY2017 2016• Vol • Vol99, Issue 98, Issue52 November/December

BUSINESSES NEWS NewsFOR forBROOKLYN Brooklyn businesses

Brooklyn Celebrates 2017 Chamber of the Year Award at Annual Meeting

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he Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce celebrated winning the 2017 Chamber of the Year Award from The Business Council of New York State at its Annual Meeting and Trade Show in October. The event featured a keynote address from Joseph J. Lhota, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Senior Vice President, Vice Dean and Chief of Staff at NYU Langone Medical Center. In a press release, The Business Council said that the Chamber received the award for “extraordinary effort in advocating on behalf of their members and the state’s broader business community.” “We’re incredibly honored to be The Business Council of New York State’s Chamber of the Year,” said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Andrew Hoan. “This accolade encourages us to redouble our efforts serving over 2,000 member businesses throughout the borough and beyond—from enrolling small businesses in health insurance plans, to creating Brooklyn’s first economic development strategy in over 15 years, to providing loans to minority and immigrant-owned small businesses. On behalf of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce staff and our Board of Directors, many thanks to The Business Council and its President and CEO, Heather Briccetti, for this esteemed recognition.” In his keynote address, Lhota spoke on a wide range of transportation issues, with a particular focus on improvements the MTA will be making in Brooklyn, in addition to giving a short history of the borough’s transportation system and emphasizing that Brooklyn is a road map to the entire city’s transportation future. “Tonight I really want to talk about Brooklyn, and what it’s meant for our city’s transportation system,” he said. He also addressed the upcoming closure of the L Train, which will take place in April 2019, as well as new and improved Subway cars and subway stations to be launched. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul presented the Brooklyn Chamber with a letter on behalf of Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Chamber also received official proclamations from State Senator Martin J. Golden and Assembly Member Joseph Lentol. The elected officials congratulated the Chamber on being named 2017 Chamber of

the Year by The Business Council of New York State. Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Russo opened the dinner program and introduced Board of Directors Secretary Susan Doban of Doban Architecture, who delivered the nominating committee report. Other speakers included the Chamber’s Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Samara Karasyk, and Peter Meyer of TD Bank, a former Board Chair and currently the Chamber’s Centennial Chair. Meyer introduced Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President and CEO

Andrew Hoan. Hoan delivered an address on the Chamber’s 2016-2017 Annual Report and Strategic Plan Update, which covers the organization’s progress in fulfilling the goals set in the fiveyear 2016 Strategic Plan. Chamber accomplishments over the past year included the launch of a Community Development Financial Institution, Brooklyn Alliance Capital, which has begun to provide loans to immigrant and minority-owned small businesses, and a recent grant won by the Chamber that will allow it to complete the borough’s first Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy in over

#BCCinNYC City Legislative Visit

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Chamber Fellows

30 years. Hoan also spoke about the Chamber’s inaugural City Legislative Visit, a trip to City Hall to meet with elected officials and the Mayor’s Administration. “For the first time ever, and certainly not the last, the Chamber visited City Hall in September,” he said. He then introduced Lhota for the keynote address. After Lhota’s speech, Hoan presented him with a Brooklyn Chamber Lifetime Membership. Rep. Jerrold Nadler also attended the gala, as did Assembly Members Steven Cymbrowitz and Peter Abbate, Jr.

BK Newsmakers

Chamber Staffers Win Fellowships

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams

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Explore Brooklyn

Exploring all that Brooklyn Has to Offer

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Photo Gallery

City Legislative Visit and Annual Meeting

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