Brooklyn Progress by Schneps Media

BROOKLYN News for Brooklyn businesses

September/October 2018 • Vol 100, Issue 5

Hon. Felix Otriz, Assistant Speaker of the New York State Assembly with Brooklyn Chamber Acting President Rick Russo.

Andrew Kimball, Industry City CEO and State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon.

Building Bridges to Employment at the 5th Annual Career Expo O

n August 14, we hosted our 5th Annual Brooklyn Bridge to Employment Career Expo. It was a bustling event featuring over 76 employers with more than 700 jobseekers in attendance at the space in Industry City. Presented by Good Help Services, this Career Expo is just one aspect of how we work to connect businesses, both large and small, with potential employees, at no cost. At this year’s event, participating employers ranged from Kings Theatre, to Uncommon Goods, to FDNY. With the diverse variety of industries and roles, the Expo was a success.

After only two weeks post-event, there has already been 90 interviews scheduled! In continuation of our Centennial Programming, the Expo also featured a Centennial Talk led by Industry City CEO Andrew Kimball. He discussed the immense growth of Industry City; from its heyday in the early 1900s when it was a hub with a large workforce, to its underutilization and decline in the 1960s, and now, as it is revitalized into a hub of economic activity. Industry City has preserved its character and history, while contributing to and supporting the innova-

tion coast of Brooklyn. It has become a space for innovators to collaborate and contribute to the emerging innovation economy, once again supporting a large workforce. The State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon also joined us and gave remarks about how the New York State Department of Labor can support the needs of businesses across the state and mitigate any barriers between matching employers with potential employees. With Brooklyn’s private industry growth outpacing its population growth, along with the currently strong

Building Brooklyn Awards

Chamber Program Spotlight

In Photos

From Our Members

Brooklyn Metal Partnership

economy, employers must compete to hire in the current job market, and we’re all here to help all types of businesses approach competitive job market. As Brooklyn continues to grow and transform, so will its jobs, and the workforce is being equipped with the skillset they need for this changing environment. Thanks in part to our sponsors, Industry City, U.S. Army, Heaven’s Hands Community Services, Dime, New York State Department of Labor, Lyft and RBW Studio LLC for supporting another successful year of our Career Expo!

Operation Warrior Shield

Photo Gallery

Chamber Out… And About

14-15

Explore Brooklyn

Exploring all that Brooklyn Has to Offer

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BROOKLYN RUNS CORPORATE 5K | PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN

THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 5:00 P.M. START TIME The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will hold its first-ever 5K BROOKLYN RUNS Corporate Challenge. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Prospect Park Alliance, the nonprofit organization that cares for the park. Participate in a fun, team building event that strengthens community in Brooklyn and promotes health and wellness in the workplace.

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2 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

718-875-1000 www.ibrooklyn.com

INNOVATOR

CHAIR’S CIRCLE

What’s Coming Up? 9.27.18 Not-for-Profit Summit Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce 180 Remsen Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

10.11.18 BROOKLYN RUNS Corporate 5K Prospect Park Brooklyn, NY 11225

10.2.18 New Member Orientation Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce 335 Adams Street, Suite 2700 Brooklyn, NY 11201

10.24.18 Annual Membership Meeting & Trade Show Gargiulo’s Restaurant 2911 West 15th Street Brooklyn, NY 11224

Message From The Acting President

Rick Russo

Building a Healthier Brooklyn

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE CHAMPION

Health and wellness is certainly on the minds of those who live, work and play in Brooklyn. With so many parks and access to open space, autumn is a really great time to get outside and get active. That’s why we are excited to kick off our first-ever BROOKLYN RUNS 5K Corporate Challenge on October 11! This exciting initiative, aimed at both individuals and teams, allows for companies to come together, running or walking, around Prospect Park and take in the remarkable fall foliage. And If you can’t make the race, you can still be part of the celebration and register solely for the post-run reception hosted at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. We thank our presenting sponsor, Just Energy and our charitable partner, Prospect Park Alliance. Both have been instrumental in helping this event “fall” into place this year, and hopefully years to come! In August, we hosted our 18th Annual Building Brooklyn Awards at the beautiful 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. It was a great privilege to recognize 11 recently completed projects that have contributed to enriching and improving our great borough. Special thanks go to the evening’s honorees, Ken Daly of National Grid and Jeff Levine of Douglaston Development. It was a truly special night and we thank all the supporters who made it possible, particularly our Presenting Sponsors National Grid and TerraCRG. Brooklyn’s developers, architects and engineers are thinking beyond structural needs and interior design. They are thinking about the needs of residents and workers who will occupy the space they are constructing, and that often means providing an environment that is conducive to living. Whether that means a fitness center or a bike path or a community garden to grow your own food – it’s all about building a healthier Brooklyn.

FOUNDER Barclays Center/Brooklyn Nets Brooklyn Community Foundation Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP DeSales Media Group, Inc. Formula E Operations Limited

Highbrid Media Just Energy Macy’s McDonald’s Muss Development Company New York - Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital New York Building Congress, Inc.

NRA/NYSRA Park Asia Penda Aiken, Inc. Pfizer, Inc. Salmar Properties, LLC Sterling National Bank St. Francis College St. Joseph’s College Yoswein New York, Inc.

SUPPORTER AECOM Metro New York Alliance for Coney Island Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation Brooklyn Cyclones Brooklyn Daily Eagle Carver Federal Savings Bank Charter Communications CNG Cullen and Dykman LLP Deepwater Wind Est4te Four

FLANK iStar Inc. Lyft Mount Sinai Health System New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge New York Power Authority Nike, Inc. Northwell Health NYC & Company Plumbing Foundation City of New York, Inc.

Brooklyn Progress

Santander The Rogosin Institute T-Mobile Tully Construction Co., Inc. United Airlines United Healthcare VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans Waste Management of New York, LLC Wells Fargo Bank, NA YMCA of Greater New York

A publication of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Periodical postage paid in Brooklyn, NY. Published bi-monthly. USPS 008-995. ISSN 1065-6502.

And we continue with our Centennial programming through the end of 2018! In September, we have our Not-for-Profit Summit and Meet the Makers series. Our Annual Membership Meeting takes place in October at Gargiulo’s Restaurant, and in November we present another installment in our Centennial Talk series, this one focusing on the “Borough of Innovation.” Special thanks to our Brooklyn Bridge Sponsor TD Bank for their generous yearlong support. There’s still a bit of the warm weather season, so don’t miss the outdoor activities Brooklyn has to offer. Whether it’s a park, basketball court or just a stroll down one of the borough’s picturesque streets – don’t let the season ‘run its course’ without the opportunity to get moving. For inspiration, just check out ExploreBK.com -- and be sure to ‘run our course’ in October! Rick

Postmaster Send Address Changes to: Brooklyn Progress 335 Adams Street, Suite 2700 Brooklyn, NY 11201 Phone: 718-875-1000

Produced by CNG, One MetroTech North Brooklyn, NY 11201 718-260-2500 Send articles and photos to: csilversmith@brooklynchamber.com. Editor-in-Chief: Meredith Daniels Managing Editor: Chloe Silversmith Brooklyn Progress • VISIT ibrooklyn.com

Chamber news

Building Brooklyn Awards

Honoree Kenneth D. Daly (left) pictured with Peter M. Meyer, Centennial Chair

Honoree Jeffrey E. Levine (left) pictured with Peter M. Meyer

Hub accepts the Award for Residential High-Rise with Oliviera and Russo (left) and Cygler (right)

Il Centro accepts the National Grid Award for Efficiency with Russo (left), Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul (center), Cygler and Oliviera (right)

325 Kent accepts the Award for Iconic Design with Russo (left) and Cygler (right)

Acting President Rick Russo

Building 77 Brooklyn Navy Yard accepts the Award for Economic Impact with Acting President Rick Russo (left) and Chamber board co-chairs Gil Cygler and Ana Oliveira

Co-chair Ana Oliveira

Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams

Dan Marks from TerraCRG

4 Brooklyn Progress â&#x20AC;˘ September/October 2018

David Lombino from Two Trees Management Co.

From our members

Seeking a diverse and inclusive workforce, NYC Businesses join with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

oday’s candidate-driven job market is disrupting the paradigm by which companies traditionally source candidates. With the national unemployment rate hovering around 4% and hundreds of thousands of new jobs being added monthly, businesses are struggling to source qualified candidates. The shrinking labor market is causing employers to overhaul the hiring process and improve candidate experience. Some larger employers are opting for relaxed drug testing policies with hopes of broadening the candidate pool. Meanwhile, the city’s largest untapped talent pipeline is struggling to find work. According to the National Disability Institute, 80% of New Yorkers with a disability are jobless. Through NYC: ATWORK, the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) is working to change that. NYC: ATWORK is the City’s first public-private partnership designed

to increase the employment of New Yorkers with disabilities. This initiative leverages the job market’s high labor-demand to facilitate the creation of quality employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Customized recruitment plans and disability inclusion strategies are provided to any employer partnering with NYC: ATWORK to fill their hiring needs. Recruitment plans consist of various candidate engagement strategies that lead to a targeted recruitment and direct placement; candidate engagement strategies include disability etiquette and awareness trainings, career exploration events, and employer-led job readiness workshops. At the center of NYC: ATWORK is MOPD’s Business Development Council – a robust consortium of employers convened by MOPD to identify current and future hiring needs. Currently at 90 member busi-

nesses and growing, a variety of highgrowth sectors are represented such as retail, technology, healthcare, finance, hospitality and government. NYC: ATWORK Talent Pipeline is comprised of hundreds of qualified job seekers who have been thoroughly screened by the NYC: ATWORK Team. The Talent Coalition is a consortium of community based organizations, high school, public and private colleges, as well as state and privately-funded workforce development agencies. Convened by MOPD on a quarterly basis, the Talent Coalition members exchange best practices as part of a citywide collaborative effort to make New York City’s employment landscape equitable for the disability community. If you are interested in learning more or in joining the Business Development Council. Contact Ian Straughter at IStraughter@mopd.nyc.gov.

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Chamber Program spotlight

Brooklyn Metal Partnership Sparks Further Workforce Development The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Partners with Non-Profit and Industry Experts to Train Future Metal Workers

he Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s latest program, the Brooklyn Metal Partnership is in the midst of its third session after recently completing a successful first year of preparation for metal working certifications. Ten men and women, who began the program in August, were trained in the fundamentals of welding and shop drawing for 12 weeks, free of charge. The program is designed for entry level metal workers with no formal training in the industry. The course seeks to prepare participants for metal working and welding certification tests. Although certification is not necessary to become a metal worker or welder, it gives people an added credential in a difficult job market. Participants also received their Fireguard Certification from the FDNY and opportunities to gain their American Welding Society (AWS) Certification. “It’s giving people an opportunity that didn’t exist before,” said Athena Hernandez, who led the partnership. Hernandez is the director of Good Help Services, the Chamber’s recruitment program. The course consists of several mock metalworking projects for the participants, including a cell holder, a decorative cube and a weld ticket. The participants were trained in a wide array of welding and fabrication processes, including shop safety, print reading, four types of welding, forming, finishing and the use of various kinds of machinery. Participants also used AutoCAD, a tech drawing program, to

plan out their projects. “I want to thank Brooklyn Metalwork [Partnership] for preparing me to enter my current field of elevator repair and modernization. It was only through this training that I was able to speak and work with confidence at my new job,” said Elia Roldan, a student

who completed the program. “I had an awesome time at Argosy. Eric and his staff really helped me learn to step out of my comfort zone. He told me how he taught himself to master his craft by reading and attending art school…how he built Argosy from the bottom up, and we can too by

being consistent, focused, and determined,” said Debbie Dunston, another student who completed the program. The curriculum and skills are taught by local Brooklyn metal shops Argosy Designs, Architectural Grill, Metal Shop Fantasy Camp, Bott Welding & Consulting, and Lee Spring, all of which are dedicated to training the next generation of metal workers. The metal works industry is currently in need of skilled laborers and craftsmen and women, and the program seeks to produce more qualified people in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Chamber created a collective of employers who are committed to identifying the specific skills needed in the industry and training people in those skills. In the U.S., the furniture and design industry supports over 60,000 jobs and is projected to grow by four percent over the next seven years. At community colleges and technical schools, the average welding training program costs between $5,000 and $15,000 and can last two years. The Brooklyn Metal Partnership is 12 weeks long and is completely free of charge. Hernandez helps participants in the Brooklyn Metal Partnership get jobs after completing the program. “The enthusiasm is definitely contagious. The program is creating sparks well beyond the arc of welding,” she said. For more information about, visit Brooklyn Metal Partnership webpage.

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Board Member Spotlight

Welcome Our Board Co-Chairs

Ana Oliveira Ana Oliveira is a Senior Vice President, Market Executive for Investors Bank, where she currently oversees 38 branches in the New York market. Ana joined Investor Bank in 2010 when the Bank acquired Millennium bcpbank where she was serving as a Regional Manager in the Retail division. Before joining Millennium, she spent 10 years with Penn Federal Savings Bank which was acquired by Garden State Community Bank (a division of NYCB) in 2007, where she served as 1st Vice President and Regional Manager in Northern New Jersey. Ms. Oliveira places a strong focus on serving the local communities in her New York market. Ana is an Executive Board member of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of the Queens Theatre. Ana has previously served on the Boards of the New Jersey City University Foundation and the Portuguese American Chamber of Commerce in NJ (PACCNJ). In addition,

Gil Cygler

she served as the Treasurer of the Portuguese American Congress (PAC) of NJ. In April 2016, Ms. Oliveira was honored as the Business Woman of the Year by the Federation of Italian American Organizations. She was awarded the Brooklyn Business Cornerstones Award by the Brooklyn Borough President in 2015. Ana has been the past recipient of the Women’s History Celebration Award from the Greater Chamber of New York and was recognized as a Brooklyn Woman of Distinction. Ana graduated from East Side High School in Newark, New Jersey before earning her Bachelors of Arts in English and Journalism from New Jersey City University.

Gil Cygler was born and raised in Brooklyn and spent his summers helping at his father Samuel Cygler’s gas and auto repair station. Samuel Cygler founded AllCar Rent A Car in 1979 and Gil joined the business some time later. By the early 1990s, AllCar Rent A Car became the largest independent car rental company in New York with 14 offices, over 2000 cars and a staff of 110. Realizing the shifts in the car rental industry, Gil founded Carpingo, a carshare company to compete with Zipcar and Enterprise Car Share in 2013. In June 2015, both Allcar and Carpingo were acquired by Enterprise Rent A Car. Today, as President of Glade Claim Management and President and CEO of Fleet Coverage Consultants, Gil works with several transportation companies helping manage their insurance risk as they navigate the cumbersome and expensive insur-

ance and no-fault laws of New York. Gil’s civic and philanthropic work has led him to sit on the Executive Board of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the Boy Scouts and the JCC of Canarsie, Community Board 18 among other organizations where Gil volunteers his time. Gil was a board member of the American Car Rental Association and the recipient of their 2012 Bruno Russell Award for Car Rental Executive of the Year. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Business Administration from NYU Stern School of Business. He is a life-long resident of Brooklyn raising five children with his wife Sari.

We invite you to join the largest and fastest-growing Chamber of Commerce in New York. The Brooklyn Chamber promotes economic development across the borough and serves as an advocate for its member businesses. To become a member of our 100 year-old organization, visit ibrooklyn.com or email llowe@brooklynchamber.com

“The Chamber has helped me to network with like-minded small business owners and provided invaluable advice and resources to grow my business. They even contributed a quote for my new book, ‘The Power of Perception’ and have helped with its promotion. I definitely feel like they value their members no matter how big or small the business.”

Aki C. Ashe

President and CEO, Brooklyn United Ties LLC

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Chamber Committee Spotlight

Young Professionals Take On Brooklyn

ften the mention of Millennials and work in the same article evokes images of entitled, lazy workers who apply for a new job shortly after starting one—which is precisely the image that the Young BK Professionals Committee wants to change. Established in 2015, the Young BK Professionals Committee has grown its network to over one thousand professionals between the ages of 21 and 35 years old aiming to gather the future leaders of Brooklyn through organizing networking events, fundraisers, and educational forums and panels. Jonathan J. Judge, a Brooklyn native and owner of Codacity, has been the Chairman of the Committee for the past year and has leveraged extensive leadership and organizational experience to grow the Young BK Professional’s network, guide programming, and mentor attendees. In fact, many of the most active committee members have been inspired by him and contribute their efforts to the same goal of reaching all future leaders of Brooklyn across industries in real estate, hospitality, media, tech, entertainment, and more, while growing their own businesses. At a typical meeting, about 10 to 15 young professionals gather to contribute their marketing, financial, planning, and fundraising skills to enhance events and exchange ideas amongst each other. Most recently, the Committee took to Red Hook in a sleek garage to gather around Tesla’s Model S, X, and 3,

and enjoy joy rides. The rides were followed by wine from a local distributor, Red Hook Winery and coffee from the local Abbotsford Road Coffee. As a result, several car enthusiasts and future leaders of Brooklyn joined to discuss new goals for the coming year. Judge’s goal for the upcoming year is to attract Young BK Professionals and entrepreneurs who have created something amazing and want to show the rest of world. He wants the Committee to grow into a space that leverages its events to highlight all the creative, and innovative successes of this generation.

The people who show up at the events are impressive, wildly ambitious, talented young professionals and entrepreneurs. The Committee hosted an event last May at Rooftop Reds, collaborating with Devin Shomaker, a Brooklyn young professional, who forged a handshake deal with an owner from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to start up the first vineyard in Brooklyn and utilize his background in viticulture. Surrounded by the beautiful greenery, a panel of five other young professional manufacturers talked about how they got their starts in manufacturing, their successes, and

their plans for growth and expansion. One of the attendees, Andre Douglas, owner of Chroma (rental spaces for creatives) and Young BK Executive Board Member, stated, “It was such an all-star panel, and every person I spoke to and networked with was just high quality. The vibes and energy were right. It got me to the first meeting and the rest was history.” Meetings take place on the second Thursday of the month at 7pm. For more information on how to join the Committee, or collaborate on our next exciting venture, please email Kelly Sing at ksing@Brooklynchamber.com.

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Team photo

Thank you!

Just a word of “thanks” to the outstanding staff of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce for your continued professionalism and terrific work during my time as Acting President, which began May 14. Your tenacity, and steadfast dedication to service and success, is truly remarkable. Hats off to such a talented team! — Rick

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10 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

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From Our Members

Healing Their Hidden Wounds “S

tress is the Black Plague of the 21st Century; we live in a “gotta do this world”, says CMSgt (ret) Edward Schloeman, Chairman and CEO of Operation Warrior Shield (OWS), a not-for profit that supports active duty, first responder and veteran communities. Ed is a Marine Vietnam Veteran, who also spent 22 years after his tour with the NY Air National Guard, and was inspired to start his work after his friend’s Marine son was killed in Iraq (Captain John McKenna IV) and upon meeting a WWII Veteran who suffered from PTSD for many years, the late Jerry Yellin. It was Jerry who introduced him to Transcendental Meditation (TM) and The CEO of The David Lynch Foundation, Bob Roth. Ed and his wife Judy learned TM and he knew he had to bring this modality to help those who are suffering from PTSD. He reports that the alarming statistics of suicide in our country are that: every 13 minutes a person takes his or her own life. In addition, each day 20 Veterans and one Active Duty person also commits suicide. He continues to say, 33 percent of all those who served in Iraq/Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. CMSgt. Schloeman stresses that it is essential we have local communities behind organizations that support our heroes. We want to get the community involved and support those who have the courage to put on a uniform every day to protect us. Less than one

percent of our country is in the military, protecting the other 99% and where some of the latter take their freedom for granted. OWS is helping to “heal their hidden wounds” and is partnered with the David Lynch Foundation, which provides free training of the non-religious modality, TM, medically proven to help build resilience towards stress and helps to overcome symptoms of PTSD. OWS also recognizes the trend toward holistic care and is supporting the Tournesol Wellness Center in NYC to launch a program called VETWELL.

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This program provides a menu of complimentary and alternative therapies designed to address the most common conditions faced by our Veterans today. This includes anxiety and stress, as well as fostering a sense of community, often lost in today’s society. CMSgt. Schloeman continues to say, “we NYC Veterans are very fortunate to have so many great organizations such as the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce there to assist those that need to overcome their demons.” In 2017, OWS received the Innova-

tive Emerging Not-for-Profit Award by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Ed also has received many community awards for his veteran work. He strongly asks corporations to join his organization. “We owe it to those who allow us the opportunity to live well, stay employed and above all, sleep safely each night under the blanket that they weaved,” he said. To get your organization involved with Operation Warrior Shield and for more information, visit http://operationwarriorshield.com/

REAL ESTATE

CONFERENCE 2018 October 10 8AM-12PM

BROOKLYN EXPO CENTER, 72 NOBLE STREET, BROOKLYN

Meet the companies that are changing the Real Estate Landscape in Brooklyn and Queens. In Conversation: The Adaptation of Downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City and the Making of New Residential Neighborhoods

Regina Myer

Elizabeth Lusskin

President Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

President Long Island City Partnership

Design Matters: The Transformation of Brooklyn and Queens

Eran Chen

Founding Principal ODA

Panel 1: New Development Insights for the Brooklyn and Queens Markets

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John A. Catsimatidis

Chairman Steiner NYC

Chairmen and CEO The Red Apple Group

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Associate Broker Nest Seekers International The Serhant Team

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CEO, President, Founder Modern Spaces

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photo gallery

Brooklyn Chamber

Business owners learned how to promote their businesses using social media and e-commerce strategies at a workshop we hosted with Council Member Mathieu Eugene in partnership with NYC Small Business Services. Pictured here (left to right) Egaudy Gomez, Council Member Rafael Espinal, SVP of Public Affairs Melissa Chapman, Director of Neighborhood Business Outreach Luc Saint-Preux, and Finance Account Manager Calvin Fletcher.

Our Brooklyn Newsmakers keynote was led by NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett, pictured here (left to right) with Renee McClure from National Grid, Toni Yuille Williams from Con Edison, Acting President Rick Russo, Chamber board co-chair Ana Oliveira, NYU Tandon Dean Sreenivasan and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership President Regina Myer.

Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz and Navigator Enrollment Coordinator Marina Andreyev joined the ribbon cutting at the opening of the NetCost Market in Sheepshead Bay.

Chapman (3rd from right), and our Membership Coordinator, Lorraine Lowe (3rd from left) joined Joseph Bruno, President and CEO of Helen Keller Services for the Blind and leadership for a tour of their new, state-of-the-art facility at 180 Livingston Street, Brooklyn.

Russo joined Governor Cuomo and Lt. Governor Hochul in supporting women’s reproductive rights.

14 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

Brooklyn Chamber staff were joined by the office of Council Member Jumaane Williams and the Junction BID on a Chamber on the Go Visit.

Brooklyn Chamber staff celebrates City & State’s Brooklyn Power 50 honorees - Mariela Estrella, Brooklyn Tourism Director (fourth from left) and Russo (fourth from right).

photo gallery

â&#x20AC;Ś Out and About

NYC Department of Disabilities Commissioner Victor Calise (seated at right) visited the Brooklyn Chamber ahead of National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October.

The Brooklyn Chamber joined NYC Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop (center) and NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca (second from right) for Chamber On The Go in Sunset Park.

Recognizing women-owned business in Bed-Stuy. (From left to right) Chamber VP of Communications Meredith Daniels, Commissioner Penny Abeywardena, Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson, Consul General of Jamaica Trudy Deans, Commissioner Bishop and SaintPreux.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President and CEO John C. Williams (third from right) joined the Government Affairs Committee for a roundtable discussion

Brooklyn Progress â&#x20AC;˘ VISIT ibrooklyn.com

Exploring All That Brooklyn Has to Offer Explore Brooklyn is the go-to website for all things Brooklyn. Visit ExploreBK.com to discover all the best places to eat, stay, shop and play in your favorite borough. Trust us, we know Brooklyn.

featured event

featured venue

BROOKLYN RUNS 5K Corporate Challenge October 11, 2018 at 5 p.m. This October, The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Explore Brooklyn are promoting health and wellness for those who live, work and play in Brooklyn! Autumn is the optimal time to enjoy the outdoors in New York City, and where better to appreciate it than in Prospect Park? On Thursday, October 11 at 5 p.m., join the Chamber for its first-ever BROOKLYN RUNS 5K! Companies can participate in teams of four, or individuals can sign up to run/walk. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Prospect Park Alliance, the nonprofit organization that cares for the Park. There will also be an awards reception at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside following the run from 6-8 p.m. with food and drink. For more information about the run, and to register, please visit www.brooklynruns.nyc

LeFrak Center at Lakeside

Staying Fit in Brooklyn this Fall!

or fitness buffs looking for ways to stay inspired and in peak condition, Brooklyn delivers nonstop variety—from classes at warehouse-sized sports centers, year-round activities in Brooklyn’s beautiful parks to unique studios that spice up any routine. And for those just starting their fitness journeys, visiting the area or looking for organized sports with their families, Brooklyn has something for everyone. We’ve mapped out just a few of Brooklyn’s great fitness-focused spots. Be inspired and get fit!

Aviator Sports and Events Center 3159 Flatbush Ave, Marine Park With hundreds of five-star Google reviews, the secret is out on this fitness oasis. One review captures Aviator’s universal appeal: “Lots of fun, and great for people of all ages.” This cavernous Marine Park recreation complex, housed in former airplane hangars, keeps fans loyal with diverse options such as indoor and outdoor turf fields, two ice rinks, a rock-climbing wall, sky jump, arcade and a gymnastics center with trampolines. Try the gymnastics class for adult beginners, just $22 for 90 minutes. Parents rave about the afterschool and summer camp activities, as well as organized sports. Full-day passes to Aviator let you explore its diverse fitness options.

Court 16 526 Baltic St., Boerum Hill Are you addicted to the U.S. Open? Did you catch the new movie Battle of the Sexes, based on the world-famous 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs? For tennis neophytes, Court 16 is the place to learn the sport. With its perfectly kid-sized, USTAapproved courts, this tennis club is dedicated to giving kids a foundation that cultivates a life-

16 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

time love of the game. Court 16 has group classes and private lessons taught by international tennis coaches in a modern, sleek setting. Its after-school, holiday and summer programs are a favorite with kids (and their grateful parents). Court 16 offers a free trial to its exceptional facilities, so there’s no excuse not to incorporate tennis into any fitness regime.

Gateway National Park and the Brooklyn-Queens Gateway Floyd Bennett Field: 50 Aviator Rd., Mill Basin Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge: 175-10 Cross Bay Blvd, Broad Channel Gateway’s tagline is “many places, one park,” a fitting description for a treasure with locations in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island as well as in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The Brooklyn component, on the shoreline easily reachable by the Belt Parkway, includes Canarsie Pier and Floyd Bennett Field, sites for bird-watching, fishing and soaking up nature. The park is a welcoming base for physical activities: in summer, there is swimming off the beaches or kayak rentals in Marine Park, and in winter, there is cross-country skiing through the North Forty Natural Area. Year-round offerings are horseback-riding, archery, hiking trails and miles of paved bike paths.

Brooklyn Boulders 575 Degraw St., Gowanus Brooklyn Boulders opened in 2009 and has since brought a bit of Brooklyn to new sites in Queens, Chicago and Boston. Brooklyn Boulders’ success is built on its artistry in making rock climbing accessible and exciting. First-timers are encouraged to get out of their comfort zone and try a new experience. The site offers introductory classes nearly once an hour on weekends for newcomers, as well as

intermediate classes in grip and finger strength for veteran climbers. The 22,000-square-foot facility is spectacularly designed with graffitisplattered walls and neon-painted boulders. For a break from the boulders, there are weight-lifting, yoga and fitness classes.

New York Road Runners This nearly 60-year-old nonprofit arranges races all over the city, including the famous TCS New York City Marathon. While the Brooklyn Half Marathon is the largest race of its kind in the country, NYRR offers lots of other Brooklyn events or running clubs: the NYRR Striders is a running and walking club geared toward adults over 50, while open runs are weekly jaunts through four Brooklyn parks: Brooklyn Bridge, Highland Park, Canarsie and Marine Park. Weekly runs are mostly free.

Trapeze School New York 467 Marcy Ave., South Williamsburg With an easily accessible site that borders Williamsburg and Bushwick, this trapeze school says most students are able to nail holds and flips on their very first lesson. Once you’re hooked on the experience, build on your skills in an advanced tricks class, or take part in an Intensive Flying Workshops. There are static trapeze classes with a stationary bar for seated positioning and lessons in aerial silks and on the trampoline. Optional landing spots include nearby Brooklyn eateries that will satiate any post-workout appetite. Within a ten-minute walk, you can find comfort food at Sweet Science, ramen at Samurai Papa and an American/Middle Eastern menu at EastWick. Mexican restaurant La Lupe, craft cocktail bar Skytown and café Little Skips are also good neighborhood options.

Lakeside is the largest and most ambitious project in Prospect Park since its creation nearly 150 years ago. Spanning 26 acres, this $74 million restoration by the Prospect Park Alliance transforms the southeast corner of the Park into a popular scenic and recreational destination. The Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside provides seasonal ice skating, roller skating, biking, boating and water play. The Bluestone Cafe at the Chase Pavilion provides light fare and beverages year-round. For more information, visit prospectpark.org.

YMCA Multiple locations in Brooklyn A true Brooklyn staple, YMCAs are synonymous with fitness. The YMCA maintains a proud standing in Brooklyn, with nine facilities across the borough. Offerings include weights, exercise equipment, swimming and fitness classes such as spin, Pilates, yoga and kettlebells. There also are adult and kids sports programs. Try them all with free passes for a few visits.

Brotherhood Boxing 82 Wyckoff Ave., Bushwick This community-focused gym is about so much more than boxing. For two decades, this nonprofit arm of the New York Boxing Academy lets trainees learn the basic skills of boxing. The gym is known for supporting local community and businesses with its after-school program for kids, including homework help, as well as a networking and employment board for adult boxers who are job hunting. Founder Ray Cuadrado, who runs the gym with his wife and children, has coached more than 70 amateur tournament champions and 17 Golden Glove finalists. His facility is an enticing entry point–friendly and non-intimidating–to the sport of boxing. Among Brotherhood’s most popular offerings is a daily workout that starts with a morning bootcamp, then on to work on the pads or bags, with plenty of expert coaching advice.

From our members

Manhattan Beach student wins global contest with password-protector invention

his kid’s in a class of his own. A Manhattan Beach high-school student won a prestigious global competition with his invention of a password generator and manager that helps prevent hackers from stealing peoples’ passwords. Sixteen-year-old Leonard Melnik took home the Leonardo da Vinci Prize for high school students in the Inventor’s Challenge for his program, which he said he was inspired to create after seeing friends and family repeatedly complain about forgetting their many passwords and being unable to protect their online accounts. “On Facebook, I always saw friends and family making posts about how they lost their password or their account was hacked,” said Melnik, a rising junior at Stuyvesant High School on the distant isle of Manhattan. “We realized there should be an easier solution to this that doesn’t require the user to really do anything.” Melnik’s creation, called Securlio Passgen — which users can download as a browser extension on Google Chrome — only requires users to remember one master password. The technology then creates a different, hackerproof password — encrypted as a string of random numbers, letters, and symbols — for every website that requires a password, Mel-

nik said. “It allows you to use the same password for every single website, yet to each and every website it sends a different encrypted password,” he said. “It never stores your

information anywhere, so there’s no risk of hacks.” Melnik created the technology with a family friend, David Nagli, who lives in Florida. The pair plan to create an app version of the

password generator for smartphones in the future, are also in the early stages of creating a startup company, Securlio, which they hope to use to build other web-security products, Melnik said. But for now, the pair just want Securlio Passgen to make people’s online lives a little bit easier, according to Melnik. “Overall, we just wanted to make everything simpler and more secure,” he said. The third-annual competition, sponsored by AT&T and Imagination.org, had more than 240 entries from more than 180 cities worldwide, and selected only five winners, separated by age, plus one honorable mention. Entries were supposed to respond to challenges in students’ schools and communities, and judges made their decision based on originality, inspiration, and creativity. Melnik said he was shocked to find out he won the competition for his age group when he got the results in April. “I was on the bus home from school and saw this e-mail and didn’t even realize what it was at first, and as soon as I saw it I was so excited,” he said. In addition to bragging rights, Melnik received a Samsung tablet, and a coding kit. This story was originally published by Courier Life’s Brooklyn Daily on July 31, 2018.

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From Our Members

Breaking Down Barriers for the Underemployed The League Center expands into Employment Services

he League Education and Treatment Center (LETC) is excited to announce its expansion into employment services for both adults with disabilities and youth aging out of school. LETC was recently awarded a New York State Education Department ACCES-VR contract to serve adults with disabilities, as well as an Office of Mental Health Contract to serve youth transitioning out of specialized high school, both to start in January of 2019. Along with these two state contracts to serve these underserved populations, LETC is also excited to be working with the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities to implement Supported Employment services. To develop these services, LETC is proud to be partnering with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Members of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce team will participate on the LETC Business Advisory Council, which will help the agency network with other Brooklyn businesses as well as break down the barriers to employing people with disabilities.

In the fall of 2017, LETC partnered with Smile Farms, a nonprofit organization that works with organizations to create employment opportunities in agricultural settings for individuals with disabilities. LETC opened

a Smile Farm on the grounds of one of their Flatbush locations. This site currently employs ten individuals, most of whom are employed for the first time in their lives. LETC has a long history serving adults

with intellectual disabilities in a work readiness program that provides job training within local community organizations. LETC has always believed in a continuum of services for the people in their programs and this expansion into Employment services is the next step. Gaining competitive employment increases an individual’s self-esteem and sense of self-importance. Michael, a participant in LETC’s work readiness program who recently gained a job at Smile Farms, said working “makes me feel like I’m somebody”. The League Education and Treatment Center (LETC) has been a key player in serving people with disabilities for over 50 years in Brooklyn. As one of the first programs that believed that persons with Autism are better served by multidisciplinary teams in a community setting rather than an institution, they have been committed to serving those with emotional and intellectual disabilities from early childhood to older adults. For more information or to find out how you can get involved, please contact SChizzik@ leaguecenter.org

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From Our Members

Judith D. Grimaldi Elected Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association

udith D. Grimaldi is Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association, and she is a partner in the Elder Law Firm, Grimaldi & Yeung LLP in Brooklyn & Manhattan. She has been a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section since 1993 and has served on the Executive Committee as a section chair of the Health Care Committee, Mediation Committee as well as a member of the Section’s Legislation and Advocacy Committees. Ms. Grimaldi has been an elder law ad-

vocate on a national level and now serves on the Board of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and chairs NAELA’s Practice Management and Practice Development Section, as well as serving on the Public Policy Committee. She is a frequent presenter at their national trainings. Ms. Grimaldi is also past president and board member of NY NAELA, New York’s local chapter and past chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Legal Problems of the Aging Committee. She is a 1993 graduate of Brooklyn Law School, where she also taught Elder Law.

Ms. Grimaldi holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Hunter College of the City of New York and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marymount Manhattan College with a certificate in Gerontology, where she was an adjunct professor of Sociology. Ms. Grimaldi is active in her community and a local aging advocate serving on New York City’s Community Board 10, chairing the Senior Issues Committee. She is on the board of the New York Memory Center and a founder of the Bay Ridge Age Friendly Project which recently staged a Senior Tech Fair at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Renovating Fearlessly in Brooklyn A lawyer-turned-cafe-owner opens a dream business

s a small business owner, opening up a bar, restaurant, retail store or new office is an exciting time. Once you’ve found the right location, it’s easy to get carried away imagining what the space will look like, but it takes more than imagination to get it built. Enter Sweeten, a free service that helps business owners find the right team for their commercial build-out. Sweeten matches renovating owners with vetted general contractors--and architects, if needed--based on the specific project. The company also monitors progress to make sure things run smoothly from beginning to end. Cassandre Davilmar was planning to open a cafe in her Crown Heights neighborhood when she came across Sweeten during a search for general contractors online. A former corporate lawyer, she became an entrepreneur and was looking to combine two of her passions--creativity and community--in a business. “Entrepreneurship appealed to me because it’s a ‘sink-or-swim’ environment that happens to be super creative,” she said. “Also, it’s amazing to be able to provide value to customers. My neighborhood needed a beautiful place for fellowship and an escape from this tough New York life, and I’m glad to provide an oasis for them.” Determined to translate her dream into a reality, Cassandre first found the perfect location: a spot on Utica Ave that sees a lot of daily foot traffic. She teamed up with designer Elisa Shankle of Simplexity Designs, posted

her project details on Sweeten’s website, and was matched with six local, trusted general contractors for the build-out. Starting the search with a hand-selected list of good options made the overall process much more efficient. After site visits and bids, she chose her contractor and got to work. Lakou Cafe, a welcoming place to grab a healthy bite and get to know the people in the community, opened to glowing reviews in Spring 2018. Crêpes, smoothies, Haitian treats, and hospitality are specialties. “Lakou” means “backyard” in Haitian Creole, and the cafe’s design brings the outdoors inside, with lots of plants and greenery, wood, and natural stone. Those organic elements are offset by pops of bright color, including quartz countertops that cleverly echo the orange of the cafe’s logo. Working with Sweeten to launch her business provided an extra layer of accountability, which gave Cassandre peace of mind. Despite delays due to the landlord and the lease, the contractor bidding process happened quickly, and her Sweeten contact offered to help “level the bids” (evaluate different contractors’ estimates). The company also checked in throughout the renovation. “The most valuable thing about Sweeten is that the contractors really appreciate being a part of that community,” she said. “With Sweeten behind the scenes, I was able to have faith that the project would be completed in full.” Sweeten’s free renovation service was born in Brooklyn in 2011; the company has been named “Best Contractor Locator” by New York magazine and one of “America’s Hottest New Companies” by Inc. For more details, go to www.sweeten.com or call (212) 671-1713.

visit us at www.ibrooklyn.com. where brooklyn business clicks. 20 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

New Members Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations

Beauty & Wellness

Davler Media Group 213 West 35th Street New York, NY 10001 5163992045

19 Harbor Park Drive Port Washington, NY 11050 www.absolutenewyork.com 212-315-0800

Mane Moves Media, Inc.

D.S. & Durga

Absolute New York

1270 Ocean Avenue, 2D Brooklyn, NY 11230 www.manemovesmedia.com 718-623-4023

259 Clifton Place Brooklyn, NY 11216 https://dsanddurga.com/ 845.309.9093

Salem Media of New York, LLC

Louis C. Cutolo, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

111 Broadway Suite 302 New York, NY 10006 am970theanswer.com 646.290.9560

1557 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, NY 10314 www.drcutolo.com 917-750-4891

The Soko Team at Nest Seekers International

Business & Financial Services

578 Driggs Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211 www.thesokoteam.com 212-971-0011

Architects, Designers & Engineers OTJ Architects 1407 Broadway 28th Floor New York, NY 10018 www.otj.com 718-737-7163

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Music Viva Brooklyn Fest 8800 SW 123rd Court, Apt J309 Miami, FL 33186 www.vivabrooklynfest.com 646.281.4029

Automobile Services & Transportation Catch-a-Ride Bus Lines

381 Stuyvesant Avenue, Apt 2B Brooklyn, NY 11233 www.moneytalksny.org 917.697.3745

Money Talks 381 Stuyvesant Avenue, Apt 2B Brooklyn, NY 11233 www.moneytalksny.org 917-750-4891

Construction Services & Supplies Jadecum Construction 572A Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225 718.279.5628

Energy & Utilities

Moving & Storage

Ashlawn Energy, LLC

FlatRate Moving

6564 Loisdale Court, Suite 600 Springfield, Va 22150 www.ashlawnenergyllc.com 212-372-0097

27 Bruckner Blvd Bronx, NY 10454 www.flatrate.com (718) 720-9400

Home Furnishings

Office Supplies & Equipment

The Blinds Place

CCP Solutions LLC

2285 Bragg Street, Unit 4B Brooklyn, NY 11229 www.theblindsplace.net 16314147945

74 Marine St Farmingdale, NY 11735 www.ccpcopy.com 646.493.9149

Neopost 1 Penn Plaza, Ste 1429 New York, NY 10119 2127692710

210 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.bartlettsystem.com 646.596.2638

Restaurants & Caterers Pollo Campero 4518 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.pollocampero.com 718.285.0330

Insurance RPC Insurance Solutions 147 Union Street, Suite 1B Brooklyn, NY 11231 516-357-9113

Retail Suzette LaValle Co

Medical Facilities & Service Providers

726 Franklin Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11238 suzettelavalle.com 718-732-0222

Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc 387 Linden Blvd Brooklyn, NY 11203 www.cosi.nyc 347-391-2805

Telecommunications Network Voice and Data Communication 152 West 36th street suit 506 New York, NY 10018 www.nvdtel.com 703.461.3600

Maiden Lane Medical-Bay Ridge

Educational Institutions CHP International, INC 585 Dekalb Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11205 7865549638

7206 Narrows Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209 www.maidenlanemedical.com 914.804.9906

Tourism & Travel

Oasis Medical PLLC

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205 Smith Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.zwangerpesiri.com 866-315-8261

The Bartlett System

Money Talks

45 Wall Street, Apt 1019 New York, NY 10005 212.532.6800

Zwanger Pesiri Radiology

122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023 www.veinternational.org 347.935.7430

Information Technology

20 Jay Street, Suite 436 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.adp.com 646.320.9107

You Are The Shift

565 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.catcharidebus.com 917.213.4668

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Virtual Enterprises International

153 Warren Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.seedsinthemiddle.org 844.366.8800

CharterUP NYC

225 Parkside Avenue, Suites 1C & 1D Brooklyn, NY 11226 www.oasismed.com 718-514-5564 Medical Facilities & Service Providers

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Renewed Members Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Bolt Digital Agency 73 Wortman Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11207 http://www.dcdad.com (718) 647-3000 Brooklyn Research 630 Flushing Avenue, 6th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11206 www.brooklynresearch.org 9176754445 Capalino+Company 233 Broadway, Suite 710 New York, NY 10279 www.capalino.com (212) 616-5810 Marino 747 Third Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10017 www.marinopr.com (212) 889-0808 Visual Blast Communications 3215 Avenue H, Suite 10P Brooklyn, NY 11210 www.visualblastcommunications.com 9175353970 Yoswein New York, Inc. 111 Broadway, Suite 1504 New York, NY 10006 www.yny.com (212) 233-5700

Architects, Designers & Engineers Design 2147 Limited 52 Diamond Street Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.design2147.com (718) 383-9340

Lyft, Inc. 548 Market Street, #68514 San Francisco, CA 94104 www.lyft.com Virgo Fleet Supplies, Inc. 8520 Foster Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11236 www.virgofleet.com (718) 251-6000

Banks & Credit Unions Chase 4 Chase Metrotech Center, Floor 18 Brooklyn, NY 11245 www.chase.com 718-242-8564 First American International Bank - 8th Avenue 5503 8th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.faib.com (718) 567-8788 Kearny Bank 689 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.kearnybank.com 718-768-4800

www.erpsgroup.com 347.462.2778

Money Talks 381 Stuyvesant Avenue, Apt 2B Brooklyn, NY 11233 www.moneytalksny.org 917-750-4891 PKF O’Connor Davies 665 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10022 www.pkfnewyork.com (212) 867-8000 Timothy Mullins - Edward Jones 113 South 6th Street, Suite 201 Brooklyn, NY 11249 www.edwardjones.com/timothy-mullins (718) 388-1768

Cemeteries & Funeral Homes The Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232 www.greenwoodcemetery.org (718) 788-7850

Clothing, Jewelry & Fashion

Spring Bank 69 E. 167th Street Bronx, NY 10452 www.springbankny.com

Bridgestone Cleaners 109 Front Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.bridgestonecleaners.com (718) 222-9958

Sterling National Bank 16 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11241 www.snb.com 718.687.1031

Kinfolk 90 Wythe Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11249 https://kinfolklife.com/ 347-799-2946

U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management 300 Broad Hollow Road, 4th Floor Melville, NY 11747 www.ustrust.com/ust/pages/index.aspx (631) 547-7764

Community Service Organizations

Beverage

AARP NY 750 Third Avenue, 31 Floor New York, NY 10017 www.aarp.org 212-407-3702

Adi Audible Difference Inc 110 8th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.adiworldwide.com 646-461-2220

BORN DANDY LLC 93 Kingsland Avenue, #3F Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.borndandy.com 717-538-2216

Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy 334 Furman Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.brooklynbridgepark.org (718) 802-0603

PopGun Presents 599 Johnson Ave Brooklyn, NY 11237 www.popgunpresents.com

Brooklyn Seltzer Boys, Inc. 855 East 92 Street Brooklyn, NY 11236 www.brooklynseltzerboys.com (718) 649-0800

Brooklyn Community Foundation 1000 Dean Street, Suite 307 Brooklyn, NY 11238 www.Brooklyncommunityfoundation.org 718-480-7500

ITO EN (North America) INC 20 Jay Street, Suite 530 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.itoen.com (718) 250-4028

Brooklyn Community Improvement Association 720 57th Street Brooklyn, NY 11220 http://weblink.ibrooklyn.com/businesscoachingdevelopment/brooklyn-communityimprovement-association-173057 718-853-3302

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Music

Rough Trade Retail LLC 64 N 9th Street Brooklyn, NY 11249 https://roughtrade.com/ 718-388-4111

Athletic & Fitness Clubs Ms. J’s Gymnastics and Dance 43 South 1st Street Brooklyn, NY 11249 www.msjsgym.com (646) 296-1175

Automobile Services & Transportation EDGE Auto Rental 460 Kingsland Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 https://edgeautorental.com/ 212-947-3343

Business & Financial Services Creative Business Inc. 20 Jay Street, Suite 1016 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.creativebusinessinc.com (718) 797-2673 Dime Savings Bank - Greenpoint 814 Manhattan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.dime.com 718.383.0561 ERPS Group 1580 Dahill Road Brooklyn, NY 11204

CAMBA 1720 Church Avenue, 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11226 www.camba.org (718) 287-2600 Camp Brooklyn Fund 141 Nevins Streert, Suite 145 Brooklyn, NY 11217 www.campbrooklyn.org (718) 923-9730

Friends of BQX 55 Washington Street, Suite 732 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.bqx.nyc 347.875.0332 Helen Keller Services 180 Livingston Street, 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.helenkeller.org (718) 522-2122 Junior League of Brooklyn 55 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.brooklynjuniorleague.org (718) 624 3288 Little Flower Children & Family Services of New York 186 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.littleflowerny.org (718) 875-3500 Norwegian Christian Home and Health Center 1250 67th Street Brooklyn, NY 11219 www.nchhc.org 718-306-5645 Outreach 960 Manhattan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.opiny.org (718) 847-9233 PIETROSFIGHT.ORG 50 Blackhourse Court Staten Island, NY 10306 www.pietrosfight.org/ (646) 582-0800 Polish & Slavic Center 177 Kent Street Brooklyn, NY 11222 www.polishslaviccenter.org 917.750.8143 The Guild for Exceptional Children 260 68th Street Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.gecbklyn.org (718) 833-6633

Economic Development 86th Street Bay Ridge Business Improvement District 9201 Fourth Avenue, 7th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11209 http://86bid.net/portal/ (718) 680-2420 Grand Street Business Improvement District 246 Graham Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11206 www.grandstbklyn.com (718) 218-8836 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership 472 Myrtle Avenue, 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11205 www.myrtleavenue.org (718) 230-1689 Sunset Park BID 5116A Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 Brooklyn, NY 11220 http://www.sunsetparkbid.org (718) 439-7767

visit us at www.ibrooklyn.com. where brooklyn business clicks. 22 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

Renewed Members Educational Institutions American Friends of Ariel University 3145 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11235 http://www.afau.org/ 718-434-1628 Brooklyn Law School 250 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.brooklaw.edu (718) 780-7950

Employment & Training The HOPE Program 1 Smith Street, 4th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.thehopeprogram.org (718) 852-9307

Energy & Utilities Columbia Utilities 8751 18 Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11214 www.columbiautilities.com (718) 851-6655 Goldstar-Energy Group 5429 Harding Highway, Building 500 Mays Landing, NJ 8330 www.goldstar-energy.com 9177537523 Williams 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 900 Houston, TX 77056 http://co.williams.com/ 713-215-3092

Facility Management & Janitorial Services Colony Pest Management 9301 Avenue L Brooklyn, NY 11236 www.colonypestnyc.com (718) 856-1400 William Hird & Co., Inc. 255 40th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232 www.hirdco.com (718) 499-4881

Food Products De An’s Pork Products, Inc. 899 Fourth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11232 http://weblink.ibrooklyn.com/food-products(manufacturersdistributors)/de-an’s-porkproducts,-inc-157618 (718) 788-2464 Gillies Coffee Company 150 19th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232 www.gilliescoffee.com 718-499-7766 Granola Lab 169 54th Street, Suite 5 Brooklyn, NY 11220 www.granolalab.com (917) 539-6438 Jacques Torres Chocolate 66 Water Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.mrchocolate.com 212-414-2462 Sahadi Fine Foods 4215 First Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11232 www.sahadifinefoods.com (718) 369-0100

The Matzo Project 575 Union Street, Floor 3 Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.matzoproject.com 917-972-4062

(718) 649-1750

Linda Tool 163 Dwight Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 www.lindatool.com (718) 522-2066

Information Technology

TMI Trading Corp 7 Bushwick Place Brooklyn, NY 11206 www.tmitrading.com (718) 744-6862

CMIT Solutions Brooklyn 320 7th Avenue, Suite 106 Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.cmitsolutions.com/bklynnorth (347) 599-0737

Tower Isle’s Frozen Foods, Ltd. 2025 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11233 www.towerislespatties.com (718) 495-2626

Eurokids Inc. 305 15th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 https://www.eurokids.com/contact 646-373-6834

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream 56 Dobbin Street Brooklyn, NY 11211 www.vanleeuwenicecream.com 7187011630 Whipped Pastry Boutique Inc. 37 Richards Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 www.whippedpastryboutique.com (718) 858-8088

Grocery Stores & Supermarkets Flatbush Food Cooperative 1415 Cortelyou Road Brooklyn, NY 11226 www.flatbushfoodcoop.com (718) 284-9717 Sahadi Importing Co 187 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.sahadis.com (718) 369-0100

Health Insurance AgeWell New York 1991 Marcus Avenue , Suite M201 Lake Success, NY 11042 www.agewellnewyork.com 718-484-5076

Insurance State Farm Insurance Agency 169 Avenue U Brooklyn, NY 11223 www.robagency.com (718) 627-4500

Landscaping Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping Inc. 1875 Ralph Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11234 http://www.dragonettibrothers.com 718.241.3172

Law Firms & Legal Services Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A 260 Broadway Brooklyn, NY 11211 www.bka.org (718) 487-2300 Legal Shield - Peggy Griffiths 330 Lenox Road, 4L Brooklyn, NY 11226 www.legalshield.com/hub/griffithspa 866.8755185

Home Furnishings

Seddio Associates & P.C. 9306 Flatlands Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11236 http://weblink.ibrooklyn.com/legal-services/ seddio-associates-pc-167708 (718) 272-6040

IceStone 63 Flushing Avenue - Brooklyn Navy Yard Bldg.12 Brooklyn, NY 11205 www.icestoneusa.com 718-624-4900

Subin Associates - Gregory T. Cerchione, Esq. 150 Broadway, 23rd Floor New York, NY 10038 www.subinlaw.com 212.285.3800

Vesta Kitchen & Bath Consulting Inc 353 7th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 http://www.houzz.com/pro/vestakb 6462611908

Libraries

Hotels & Accommodations Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel / LAM 228 Duffield Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.sheratonbrooklynnewyork.com (917) 281-5192

Industrial & Manufacturing Services Coronet Parts Manufacturing Company, Inc. 883-893 Elton Street Brooklyn, NY 11208 www.coronetparts.com

Brooklyn Public Library 10 Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11238 http://www.bklynlibrary.org/ (718) 230-2162

Mailing & Courier Services Active Transport Messenger Service, Inc. 285 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 www.activetransport.net (718) 965-1300

Medical Facilities & Service Providers Alzheimer’s Association 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 2240

New York, NY 10165 www.alz.org/nyc 646.793.3524

Greenlife Healthcare Staffing 495 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225 www.glhstaffing.com 917.975.3800

Moving & Storage SNL Development Group LLC 2050 Eastchester Road, Suite 202 Bronx, NY 10461 www.snlstorage.com 347-281-8989

Real Estate Brokers Empire State Realty Group 156 Bay 14th Street Brooklyn, NY 11214 www.empirestatebrokerage.com (347) 462-9500 Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Avenue U Brooklyn, NY 11229 www.fillmore.com (718) 368-2900 M C Realty Consulting & Management Inc. 1431 Nostrand Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11226 (718) 484-8582

Real Estate Development & Management Baumrind & Baumrind 201 Clinton Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 http://weblink.ibrooklyn.com/real-estatedevelopmentmanagement/baumrindbaumrind-159439 (718) 858-8426 Brennan Real Estate, LLC 45 Main Street, Suite 1022 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.brennanrealestate.com 9175686525 Crosstown Companies 97-77 Queens Boulevard, Suite 1120 Rego Park, NY 11374 www.ctnyc.com 7189378100 Gotham Organization 432 Park Avenue South, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10016 www.gothamorg.com 212.716.2619 Kalmon Dolgin Affiliates, Inc. 101 Richardson Street Brooklyn, NY 11211 www.kalmondolgin.com (718) 388-7700 Park Tower Group 535 Madison Avenue, 35th Floor New York, NY 10022 http://weblink.ibrooklyn.com/real-estatedevelopment-management/park-towergroup-162127 (212) 310-9766 Second Development Services 132 Remsen Street, Suite 1 Brooklyn, NY 11201 http://www.sdsbrooklyn.com/about-us/ (718) 875-7257 Continued on Page 24

visit us at www.ibrooklyn.com. where brooklyn business clicks. Brooklyn Progress • VISIT ibrooklyn.com

Renewed Members Continued from Page 23

The O’Connell Organization 175 Van Dyke Street, Suite 322A Brooklyn, NY 11231 www.redhookwaterfront.com (718) 624-0160

www.anellabrooklyn.com 718-938-2661

Applebee’s - Apple Metro 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension Brooklyn, NY 11201 http://www.applemetrorestaurants.com/ (212) 262-4022

Toll Brothers, Inc. 75 Broad Street, Suite 2100 New York, NY 10004 www.tollbrothers.com (212) 742-0835

Religious Organizations Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn 243 Prospect Park West c/o The Catholic Foundation FL 3 Brooklyn, NY 11215 http://www.dioceseofbrooklyn.org (718) 965-7300

Restaurants & Caterers Anella 222 Franklin Street Brooklyn, NY 11222

Bartleby & Sage 630 Flushing Avenue, 5th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11206 www.bartlebyandsage.com 917-208-4240 Bella Gioia 209 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217 www.bellagioianyc.com 347-223-4176 Marco Polo Ristorante 345 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 www.marcopoloristorante.com (718) 852-5015

Retail Trophy World, Inc. 46 Hoyt Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.trophyworld.com (718) 797-1200

Special Events Services & Venues Avant Gardner LLC 67 West Street, Suite 232 Brooklyn, NY 11222 http://www.avant-gardner.com 347-987-3146 RCP Design Inc 148 19th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232 www.rcp-design.com (718) 643-6132

Long Island City, NY 11101 http://alticeusa.com/ 929-418-4041

AnswerOne 7014 13th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11228 www.answer1.com (718) 748-8888 Motorola Solutions, Inc 335 Adams Street, Suite 2706 Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.motorolasolutions.com 718.330.2163

Tourism & Travel Jets.com 8723 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11209 www.jets.com (646) 961-4454

Telecommunications Altice One Court Square, 49th Floor

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At Your Beat NY LLC 347 305 0088 15% to all classes and memberships 2/1/2019 www.atyourbeat.com/new-york 445 Albee Square West Brooklyn, NY 11201

Beverage Abbotsford Road Coffee Specialists 646-983-0448 15% Off Any Order 1/1/2020 https://abbotsfordroad.com/ 573 Sackett Street Brooklyn, NY 11217

Energy & Utilities Just Energy (845) 228-3401 $50 VISA gift card + 2 Free LED light bulbs for every new gas and/or electric enrollment 12/31/2019 https://www.justenergydeals.com/BCOC 4 Executive Boulevard, Suite 301 Suffern, NY 10901

Drift 1-844-292-9295 $100 off your first month 12/31/2018 https://joindrift.com

Buckwhat Foods 631.523.1529 15% Off Any Order 12/31/2018 www.buckwhat.com 50 Court Street, Suite 710 Brooklyn, NY 11201

Home Furnishings Ming’s Monsters 646-431-5499 10% off orders of $100 or more 12/31/2018 www.mingsmonsters.com 220 Adelphi Street Brooklyn, NY 11205

Hotels & Accommodations Even Hotel Brooklyn 718-552-3800 25% Discount to All Brooklyn Chambers of Commerce Members for entire 2018 12/31/2018 www.evenhotels.com/brooklynny 46 Nevins Street Brooklyn, NY 11217

Information Technology SoloSpas.com 914.236.0247 Own an Appointment Scheduling Website Cheaper than a Coffee a Month! 12/31/2018 www.solospas.com 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228

Insurance New York Life Insurance - Robert Jones 347-585-9130 Free Consultation 12/31/2018 https://www.newyorklife.com/ 120 Broadway, 29th Floor New York, NY 10271

Restaurants & Caterers DISH Food & Events 347-455-0077 10% off your first order from our Dish Food To Go Menu 12/31/2018 http://www.dishfoodnyc.com/ 190 North 14th Street, Suite 101 Brooklyn, NY 11249

iBrooklyn.com Where Brooklyn business clicks 24 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

From Our Members

Wheels on the Wall: a Brooklyn Bike Maker Shows Its Stuff A Greenpoint manufacturer opens a showroom designed to feel like an art gallery

The Greenpoint showroom is in the same building as the company’s office, in the old Eberhard Faber pencil factory. Presenting the bikes on the wall like art in a gallery, the display showcases the intricacies of their design in a bright, open space. A companion display tells the story of how a bike is designed, and other elements pay homage to Brooklyn. “There’s a rope wall, which to us looks like the cables for the Brooklyn Bridge or the Williamsburg Bridge,” said Zagata. The showroom will give the company’s employees a chance to watch customers engage with the products and answer questions in person. The process of buying a bike, however, will be much the same as before. Showroom visitors can pick out and purchase their bike in the store, but then will head to their local bike shop to pick up their assembled bike. This process makes things especially easy for out-of-towners. The company also has plans for its showroom to feature a rotating display of other brands, some local and some not. “I think as time goes by, we will try to do some sort of reciprocity with brands from other cities and invite them into our showroom for two weeks and then we go into their showroom for two weeks so that we have an ever-changing roster of partners in the showroom,” said Zagata. “They might not even be bike-industry brands. Just different brands that we feel good about that are synergistic or somewhat aligned with our ethos and that we would be excited to welcome into our showroom.” The showroom is at 61 Greenpoint Ave., suite 410, and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 11 a.m. 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

hen Ryan Zagata and his wife moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan in 2008, they left, as he puts it, “kicking and screaming.” But within a week of living here, they were already warming up to their new neighborhood, Williamsburg. “When we first moved there, the radius of our community was the 10 to 15 blocks that you can walk in each direction. The bicycle basically represented a vehicle by which we could expand the radius of our community,” said Zagata. And it was this idea of the bicycle as a tool to connect with one’s surroundings that first inspired Zagata to launch Brooklyn Bicycle Co. Three years later, in 2011, the company was officially founded after Zagata took a trip to Vietnam and saw the types of “utilitarian” bikes that he had been looking for in the U.S. but had not yet found. Zagata originally worked with Worksman Cycles in Queens to design the first series of bicycles, but now the company designs all its products at the company’s headquarters in Brooklyn. Until now, Brooklyn Bicycle was solely an online brand and wholesale distributor, selling their bikes through other bike shops. But last month the company unveiled a showroom and design studio. “Having a physical presence allows us to give a customer a completely different experience than what they have when they order from us online,” said Rachel Wideman, the company’s director of operations. And while you may be greeted by a mechanic with a wrench in his hand at many bicycle shops, you’ll be greeted much differently here (for one, they don’t do repairs). “We have a lounge in the back and we have an espresso machine and we have a bar cart,” said Zagata.“We really wanted to create this comfortable experience,” he added. “We wanted people to be able to walk in and put their guard down. We don’t want someone to feel like someone is trying to shove something into their face.”

“Part of making good decisions in business is recognizing the poor decisions you’ve made and why they were poor. I’ve made lots of mistakes. I’m going to make more. It’s the name of the game. You don’t want to expect perfection in yourself. You want to strive to do your best. It’s too demanding to expect perfection in yourself.”

By ARDEN PHILLIPS for THE BRIDGE. The Bridge, launched in 2017 at thebridgebk. com, is a website dedicated to covering business in Brooklyn.

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From Our Members

Kings Plaza: Giving Brooklyn More K

ings Plaza – Brooklyn’s largest shopping center – is giving Brooklyn more, thanks to an exciting collection of new stores and new experiences. In a major grand re-opening planned for fall 2018, the fast-evolving shopping destination will celebrate the arrival of four terrific new retailers: Two European fashion leaders, Primark and Zara, making their Brooklyn debuts, plus brand-new JCPenney and Burlington stores. The entire community is invited to Kings Plaza for this incredible celebration, with live entertainment including a meet and greet with WKTU radio personalities Lulu and Lala, strolling performers from National Circus Project, Radoes Steel Orchestra, DJs Shia, Robi D. Light and others, dancer/choreographer Jose Xtravaganza, girl group June’s Diary, and the Brooklyn Youth Music Chorus. The exciting weekend-long celebration also includes fun giveaways, special savings, and a chance to win a getaway grand prize from Fantasea Resorts. Kings Plaza is delivering on the promise of giving Brooklyn more. “The four new stores are part of our major redevelopment of the former Sears space at Kings Plaza, and all reflect the growing interest in on-trend, well-priced fashion among shoppers here in Brooklyn,” said Steve DeClara, Senior Property Manager, Kings Plaza. “What these

stores deliver is a fun shopping experience, always fresh merchandise and all-new styles for everyone in the family.” Kings Plaza’s new set of in-demand retailers is the latest in a series of new retail names for

the property since owner Macerich acquired the shopping center in late 2012. Other new retailers include Michael Kors, ULTA Beauty, HOLLISTER Co., Adidas, American Eagle Outfitters, Aerie, Vans, Zumiez, Foot Locker,

House of Hoops, Guess, Champs, Solstice, NYX Professional Makeup, Journeys Kidz, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and more. Kings Plaza is anchored by Macy’s and Best Buy, along with dozens of well-known specialty retail stores including Forever 21, H&M, Victoria’s Secret, A│X Armani Exchange and M.A.C Cosmetics, to name a few. But it’s not just the expanded store roster – it’s an updated, refreshed look and feel that make the Kings Plaza experience even more appealing. Significant improvements include a reconstructed parking garage; a civic urban park that will serve as the welcoming “front door;” a refreshed exterior façade; a sophisticated and easy-to-use wayfinding program; and new soft seating areas complete with new lighting and free Wi-Fi throughout the center. “Great new stores, plus refreshing, colorful and attractive furnishings and amenities, fit with the atmosphere and vibrant culture that are uniquely Brooklyn,” added DeClara. “Everything is lining up for an exceptional fall and Holiday season here at Kings Plaza.” For more information about Kings Plaza stores, special events, programs and deals – including the celebration held this fall – visit www.kingsplazaonline.com

Urbanstrong Greening Our City Through Vibrant Lush Installations B

rooklyn-based Urbanstrong was founded to convert the spaces where New Yorkers live, work, and play into vibrant green. They work with building owners, designers, developers, and architects to install green roofs, living walls, and integrated solargreen-roof systems. Green infrastructure provides significant benefits. Green roofs increase property values by providing stunning amenity spaces. These rooftop gardens also insulate to slash A/C bills, protect roof membranes from leaks and UV degradation, and boost solar panel output. Living walls are trendy works of green art that also cool and clean stale indoor air, while boosting mental and physiological health of residents. “Our goal with every project is to create an urban oasis that calms the mind and restores the senses,” explains Urbanstrong’s Alan Burchell. Urbanstrong is a one-stop-shop, taking care of the entire greening process from design to installation and ongoing maintenance. They use a variety of products and systems to custom match the needs and budget of each project. This summer, Urbanstrong greened several commercial and residential spaces, using a different technology for each project: In June, Urbanstrong installed a 24-foot tall living wall as part of a major lobby reno-

26 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018

(Left) Automatically irrigated Living Wall Garden at IFF in New Jersey. (Right) Living Walls at Rosé Wine Mansion on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

vation of International Flavors and Fragrances’ R&D facility in New Jersey. The vertical garden features 27 different plant species and has an remotely-monitored automatic irrigation system. Most recently, Urbanstrong completed the installation of dual living walls - adjacent canvases of tropical flora - and an entryway canopy of abundant greenery at Rosé Wine

Mansion, an immersive art and wine pop-up at 445 Fifth Ave. “We wanted to bring the ‘other New York,’ the lush and green part of the State, into the City. Urbanstrong has done that,” said Tyler Balliet, co-creator of the venue. Another one of Urbanstrong’s latest projects included putting a mobile, self-contained green living wall into the lobby of City and Country,

an eco-conscious school in Manhattan. Urbanstrong is passionate about working with local businesses and residences throughout Brooklyn to help green spaces and is excited to continue to do so in the coming months! For more information on greening your space, visit www.urbanstrong.com or contact info@urbanstrong.com or 914.893.2782.

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD. BUILT TO LEAD. Cushman & Wakefield is a leader in the global real estate marketplace, putting the client at the center of everything we do. With over 43,000 employees in over 60 countries. 4.3 billion square feet of space under management.

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28 Brooklyn Progress • September/October 2018