this is ... QUEENSBOROUGH August 2023

this is...

August 2023 . Volume 19 . Issue 8

Inside the Future of the HVAC

Industry

“It’s our job and our desire to be part of the solution,” Airlogix CEO Gerri Domenikos on New York’s green transition.

INSIDE:

- ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS - HOW TO RECOVER YOUR HOME FROM SUMMER SURGE DAMAGE - U.S. HEALTH SECRETARY VISITS FLUSHING

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queenschamber.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Queens Quickly ............................................................................ 4, 5

The Business at York College..................................................................... 11

Plaza College Court Reporter Symposium........................... .....6

Cover Story: Gerri Domenikos, CEO of Airlogix.............................12, 13

My Passion Became My Purpose...................................... .......... 7

Expecting Queens Mothers Can Apply for Cash.................................15

Queens Tech Corner ........................................................................ 8

Nourish Spot Elevates to Citi Field.......................................................... 18,19

A ‘Slice’ Of Queens: Go to Flushing for Good Pizza?........... 9

Southeast Queens Energy Affordability ............................................... 19

Health Secretary Comes to Flushing..................................................10,20

How to Recover from Summer Storm Damage to your Home...... 21

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2021 by Queensborough. All letters sent to the QUEENSBOROUGH should be brief and are subject to condensation. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the QUEENSBOROUGH. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the QUEENSBOROUGH within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. BQE Media assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the QUEENSBOROUGH and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.

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

It’s In Queens!........................................................................................... 22, 23 Stay Connected With the Queen’s Chamber ........................................ 25 Get to Know the Chamber’s Newest Members ................................... 28

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

queensboroughmagazine@queensledger.com

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

Field of Dreams

THOMAS J. GRECH PRESIDENT & CEO

These three words bring to mind America’s favorite pastime and naturally the very popular movie.

As a lifelong New York Mets fan, I can attest to the feeling I get every time I pay a visit to Citi Field for a game, pure joy and excitement. The cheers from the crowd, smell of the food and good energy in the air all contribute to the experience.

Speaking of baseball, Queens Chamber Mets Booster Club will be in the stands this month for an unforgettable night at the ballpark. We’ll cheer on our New York Mets as they face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It promises to be a memorable evening for diehard Mets fans as well as those passionate about the Pirates.

It promises to be a grand evening filled with camaraderie, socializing and cheering on our hometown team.

As summer 2023 winds down we’re taking advantage of the weather by offering a rooftop networking opportunity, something for everyone to aid in building your business connections.

We’re heading back to Bayside for our annual summer rooftop at Bourbon Street. Bring your business cards and your best elevator pitch as you mingle with fellow Chamber business owners.

Complimentary appetizers will be available and a cash bar. The atmosphere is always high energy, and you’ll definitely leave with a larger network than when you arrived.

For details and registration on our upcoming events and all our business resources please visit www.queenschamber.org.

I continue to count my blessings to have the best job ever, my role as President of the Chamber.

Everyday I’m fortunate to lead an organization whose sole purpose is you, the business community.

Thank you for your dedication and tremendous support.

We look forward to seeing you this month taking advantage of our “ultimate” experiences designed specifically for you.

Remember, Queens STRONG!

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Back to Business

HOWARD GRAF CHAIRPERSON

August is here, and three quarters of the year is gone and the “unofficial” almost end of summer as we know it is upon us. Schools are mak-

ing preparations to welcome students back and vacation mode is dwindling, which means it is time to get back to business.

For some of you the demands of your operation didn’t allow the opportunity to pause for vacation during the summer months, but as they say, “the show must go on.” With fall on the horizon, you’re turning your focus towards strategies for finishing the year strong and increasing your sales over last year.

Queens Chamber membership has its advantages as you’re fully aware, but I would like to highlight our Member Affinity Benefits. Created and designed to provide you additional savings, keep these opportunities at the forefront of your mind.

PC Richard & Son offers their VIP Discount Program to our Chamber members. With convenient locations in Forest Hills, Kew Gardens,

and Jamaica to serve you, they have numerous products designed to meet your business needs.

Staples, who focuses on the community of small businesses, is also offering a Chamber Discount, 10% off all in-store purchases and 20% off all print and marketing in-store orders.

The last time I checked, they were stocked with a tremendous number of products to support business.

Finally, Queens Chamber RX Discount Card. This program/card provides savings as high as 80% on prescription medications. Accepted at over 68,000 pharmacies around the country. All with no claim forms, referrals nor paperwork to complete. A real benefit to you and your staff, not to mention your wallet.

These are just a few of our Member Affinity Benefits available to you as a Chamber member which will certainly come in handy as you get back to busi-

ness and approach the fall.

Please visit our website www. queenschamber.org for these and all other benefits made available to you as a member. Not a member yet, no worries, our Manager of Business Development, Brendan Leavy, is more than happy to get you connected.

Please reach out Brendan at bleavy@ queenschamber.org .

We’re excited about what the coming weeks/months have instore for each and every one of you and your businesses. I see nothing but sustainable growth in your future and Queens Chamber is here to assist every step of the way.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for your passionate support of this wonderful organization.

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

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NONPROFIT NEWS

Plaza College Court Reporter Symposium Kicks Off Amid Worker Shortage

BY CAMO MONIZ The Court Reporter Symposium returned to Plaza College in Forest Hills for its seventh year on Friday, amid a current national shortage of people in the profession.

Court reporters exist at every level of the court system, and are responsible for creating official transcripts of legal proceedings. There is currently a shortage of around 5,000 court reporters across the country, with an estimated 27,000 in the industry, according to the National Court Reporters Association.

The event featured prominent figures in the court reporting industry in a discussion moderated by celebrity lawyers Arthur Aidala and Kevin McCullough, both Fox News legal commentators.

Plaza College has the largest court reporting program in the country, and is the last remaining court reporting school in New York City. The school’s program began when it took over the New York Career Institute’s program in 2016, according to Plaza College Court Reporting Program Adviser Karen Santucci.

“We thought it was important to let the court reporting community know that we were the only school left in the New York City area,” Santucci said in an interview. “This field is a field that most people don’t know about, the job opportunities are endless, and the problem is getting the word out.”

Nationally, court reporters can earn anywhere from around $30,000 to over $100,000 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the same data, salaries were found to be on the higher end in New York, averaging out at around $106,000.

David Gordon, said it took him about four years to get to typing at a rate of 225 words per minute, the program’s requirement for graduation.

Gordon said that he recently took a job at the grand jury across the street

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from the school.

“You don’t even need to graduate to get a job, but you will get a job immediately once you finish, ” Gordon said. “It’s very very rewarding, you turn out a transcript, you look at it and it’s perfect, and you just feel good. And the money is amazing.”

Cecilia Kurtz, who is currently enrolled in the program, said she is hoping to graduate by the end of the year.

“It’s definitely a lot of work, you definitely need dedication and practice,” Kurtz said. “Everybody keeps saying that there’s a shortage and pushing us to get out of class, get out of school, practice.”

Less than 10 years ago, in 2014, the number of court reporters was

enough to address demand across the country, according to a report sponsored by the National Court Reporters Association. The same report estimated that there would be a shortage of 5,500 court reporters by 2018, only a small overprediction of today’s numbers.

In New York’s court system, the shortage means that court reporters are not guaranteed to be available to cover arguments on motions, according to the New York State Unified Court System website. Assistant Supervisor of the Queens Grand Jury Pam Fuller said that court reporters play a critical role in grand jury operations.

“You just need to really be able to take down testimony at 175 words a minute,” Fuller said. “[Grand jury

proceedings] require an exact record of what occurred in each case that is being presented to a grand jury, so, with that you are really gearing yourself for lower courts and then moving on to the Supreme Court.”

New York State Court Reporters Association president Reid Goldsmith, who worked as a court reporter in the New York State Queens Supreme Court for nearly 40 years before retiring, said that he is not concerned about technology like artificial intelligence taking over court reporting jobs because the quality those technologies provide is not as high.

“We are often seen but not heard, so the tendency is to overlook us as a profession,” Goldsmith said in an interview. “But we’re at the front row of everything.”

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

My Passion Became My Purpose

BY CHARLINE OGBENI, MSED, IBCLC, FULL SPECTRUM DOULA August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and it is a time and opportunity to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is the natural process of feeding a baby human milk however the process does not come naturally to everyone. I was one of the many parents-to-be who attended every class, registered for every workshop, and took diligent notes at every prenatal visit. All of this work still did not prepare for the task I would face when I decided to put my goal of breastfeeding my daughter into action. It was not until mid-March where I was able to finally meet her for a few seconds before she was whisked away to the NICU of the hospital. I went through every note I left and every mnemonic I committed to memory, but nothing helped me when I was

separated from my baby for a full day when all I wanted to do was breastfeed her in my arms.

After Day 1 of life I was rolled into the NICU and I was able to finally have a full nursing session. Once I got her latched it felt like I had been doing this breastfeeding thing a long time. In the mid hours of the morning sleep deprived but committed to making this new journey work I fed my daughter my precious breastmilk.

During some of the feedings I chatted with another new mom across from me which need some help latching her daughter on. After my daughter got settled and was fast asleep, I helped her position and latch her little one. I jokingly committed this to memory as my first consult because there was no lactation consultant to be found. It was just us and our babies trying to figure it out. When I got discharged from the hospital, I kept having

Charline Ogbeni, MSEd, IBCLC, Full Spectrum Doula

this dream about supporting other families meet their breastfeeding goals and finally in July of 2020 Supporting Our Mothers Initiative was born.

I started out with a focus to help families in Queens because I am a Queens resident and I wanted to give back to my community but also because Queens is a resource desert when it comes to breastfeeding support. There is no weekly breastfeeding support group like I attended in Brooklyn called BabyCafe where you can go in-person to get the help that you need.

I also learned that there were not many people that looked like me in the field of lactation either. I started on my journey to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) while raising a young child of my own. This meant 40 hours a week working my full-time job, being a full-time breastfeeding mother, and 50 hours a week volunteering at the local hospital breastfeeding internship. Some nights I could not imagine getting to the end but when I

received my passing result for the examination in December 2021 it was the only present I wanted that Christmas.

This gave me the opportunity I needed to create real change for new and growing families in New York City. I still find it hard to believe it was 3 years ago I started on a journey to make breastfeeding help more accessible to New Yorkers. In that time I have served 100s of families locally and abroad. I have participated in dozens of community baby showers and fairs. One particular moment that has always stuck with me was when I was providing breastfeeding information at a community clinic.

After my presentation about all of the benefits of breastmilk a lovely grandmother asked me “Where was I in the 1940’s?” I smiled and said “I was not yet a thought or a prayer but I am here now.” I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve families locally and educate the community on the many benefits of breastmilk. To learn more about our programs and services visit us at www.somiclients.com

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QUEENS TECH CORNER

Brittani Cotton of SAITH - BI Solutions Q: Can you tell us a little more about your company and how you got your start?

This week’s featured tech entrepreneur is Brittani Cotton, Founder and CEO of SAITH - BI Solutions, a business intelligence, customer insights, and workforce analysis firm that provides businesses with the tools and resources they need to make robust, data-led decisions, exponentially grow key metrics and future-proof their business.

A: I founded SAITH after a decade in corporate data operations, business strategy & leadership. In these roles, I developed a love for information architecture, data visualization, and translating B2C and B2B interactions into operational objectives. I successfully championed data literacy and enterprise solutions in my work.

In most cases, these were inaugural efforts, and through perseverance and passion, I built entire teams dedicated to business intelligence and enterprise data strategies in historically data-averse environments. I made valuable and game-changing contributions to my corporate teams. I knew I wanted to deliver the same success to other industries and businesses. I wanted organizations of all sizes to know they can move with the

pace of emerging technology, even if they aren’t data scientists themselves. With that concept, SAITH was born! We are here to provide the expertise and knowledge-sharing to help organizations understand and utilize their data to its full potential.

Q:What is your latest project and why are you excited about it?

A: Currently, we are developing enhancements to our existing Membership Hubs. We offer a customized Membership Hub with each of our 3 SAITH - BI Solutions Packages. These are the CDO Package, the Business Intelligence Package, and the Automation Package. We are working on new custom features to improve our client’s experience and deliver more key insights directly to their Hub for faster action. To learn more, go

to https://www.saithco.com.

Q: How have you been working to support your local community?

A: SAITH - BI Solutions is excited to volunteer at the Queens County Farm Museum this summer! We continue to work with the Long Island City Partnership to participate in their business and community events, and we plan to do the same with the Queens Center of Commerce. My family and I regularly volunteer for community cleanup and many local family events in Long Island City.

We are active in school and local fundraisers. We donate to our local clothing, toy, and food drives. We support our local libraries and are strong consumers in local and small businesses. There’s so much more that SAITH can do to support Queens, and we hope to do so in many more ways.

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

A ‘SLICE’ OF QUEENS

Go to Flushing for Really Good Pizza?

BY ROBERT C. INTELISANO, THE INSURANCE DOCTOR Flushing, Queens has a long history since it was founded way back in 1645! It was originally inhabited by the Matinecoc Indians prior to being colonized and a European settlement on the eastern bank of “Flushing Creek!”

The Dutch, on October 10th, 1645, established Flushing as a settlement of “New Amsterdam” named “Vlissingen, named after the Dutch city! As per Wikipedia, the story goes that the British took control of “New Amsterdam” in 1664 and when Queens County was established in 1683, the “Town of Flushing” was one of the original “Five Towns.” In 1898, Flushing was consolidated into the City of New York!

Downtown Flushing (also known as Flushing Chinatown or the Chinese Times Square) is both a major commercial and retail business hub. Like many towns in America, “Main Street” runs through the center of Flushing. That is where the similarities end as Flushing is truly unique!

The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue is the 3rd busiest in New York City, trailing only Times Square and Herald Square!

Flushing now rivals Manhattan’s Chinatown as a center of Chinese culture! There are so many things to do in Flushing. My top 6 Flushing sightseeing places to visit are the USTA (United States Tennis Association) National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Tennis Open, Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, the Queens Zoo, the Queens Museum and the New York Hall of Science. In fact, the Queens Museum and NY Hall of Science were built during the 1964 World’s Fair!

All that sightseeing will get you hungry. Flushing is the mecca for authentic Chinese food! Fortunately, for pizza fanatics, there are also tasty pizza choices nearby. One of my top Flushing Pizza options is Amore Pizzeria and Restaurant, located in

a mini strip mall at 30-27 Stratton Street bordering Whitestone on the other side of Whitestone Lanes Bowling.

Amore features reasonably priced old-school New York Style pizza slices. They are known for their regular New York Style slice. Their delicious thin-crust slice melts in your mouth. Although the slices are large, they are on the light and airy side.

Their sauce has an orange-red tint and they always come hot out of the oven instead of being reheated.

Amore (means Love in Italian) also offers a variety of Italian dishes (lasagna, baked ziti eggplant parm), salads, appetizers such as calamari and they are BYOB (bring your own beverages) with no corking fee. I suggest trying to avoid going there during the 12p-2p lunch hours during the week as they get busy.

Amore went through a rough stretch as they had a fire in 2016 and were closed for 2 years. They reopened then Covid-19 hit, and they had a change in ownership. It is clear they have made a full comeback!

With available seating for about 20 people, they open from Monday to Thursday 11am-11pm. Friday and Saturdays from 11a-Midnight, and Sundays from noon-10pm. Amore is a great place to visit before going to a Mets game at Citi Field!

Standing about 1 mile from Amore is Lucia Pizza which I also really like and is in my top tier of Flushing pizza! Lucia is located at 136-55 Roosevelt Avenue (just off Main Street) in downtown Flushing by Macy’s, which used to be Sterns.

With a rich history, Lucia was one of the first pizzerias opened in Queens, serving Flushing since 1962!

I consider Lucia the quintessential no frills New York Slice joint. Lucia is about 350 feet from the New World Mall (which used to be called Caldors department store) in the middle of the high foot traffic area in Flushing’s Chinatown! If you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right past the narrow pizza shop with the bright red sign (pictured).

Lucia’s regular New York Style slice Lucia also features their solid traditional New York Slice and, like Amore, is reasonably priced under $4 per regular slice. Their (sweet) sauce to cheese ratio (see picture) is spot on with a crunchy crust! Unlike Amore, this is a straight up slice takeout joint with about 6 singular counter seats (no tables) on the left side as you enter. There is no parking out front. They always seem busy and the benefit to you is piping hot and fresh slices right out of the oven. It’s organized chaos as there is usually a steady flow of people walking in for “grab and go” slices.

Located at 136-55B Roosevelt Avenue, Lucia is open from Monday to Saturday 10:30am-10:30pm and on Sundays 11am-10:30pm. They

offer beef patties and wings; however, no Italian food. I suggest ordering slices and not a pie if you don’t want to wait. Lucia has opened a second location in Bayside near the 111th police precinct at 215-15 Northern Boulevard that has seating and is clean and modern with high ceilings!

One of the beauties of writing this column every month is I get to dig deep into the core of Queens pizza as good pizza can be found in almost every neighborhood. In addition to Amore and Lucia, there are several other solid Flushing options including, but not limited to Vinny’s, Cascarino’s and Mario’s!

Do yourself a favor when next in Flushing, try one of these pizzeria’s, you will be glad you did!

The iconic red Lucia Pizza sign

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QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

U.S Health Secretary Visits Flushing for Talk on Culturally Competent Healthcare

BY IRYNA SHKURHAN The U.S Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, visited Flushing on June 30 to join Congresswoman Grace Meng and immigrant advocates for a roundtable discussion on language access and culture competency in healthcare.

The dialogue centered around how to better serve immigrant communities, especially those who speak languages of limited diffusion, with physical and mental health resources in their spoken language.

Advocates say that current care and availability of public health info for immigrants whose primary language is not English or Spanish falls short, and can be disastrous in emergencies.

The issue is especially consequential in Queens where immigrants speak over 160 different languages, making it the language capital of the world according to the World Economic Forum. Close to a quarter of New Yorkers, about 1.8 million residents, are also not proficient in English, according to city data.

“80 percent of our patients want their care not in English. And we’re not talking about interpretation or translation, those can be helpful on the edges but what they really want is their care with someone who speaks the languages,” said Kaushal Challa, CEO of Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, which focuses on primary care in various offices across Flushing and Chinatown. “I’m not going to say that you cannot establish trust if you don’t speak the same language, but it’s a major, major component.”

The discussion, held at Flushing’s Glow Cultural Cen-

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ter on 41st Ave, was especially timely, as June’s Immigrant Heritage Month comes to an end. Meng and Becerra were joined by representatives from several community advocacy groups, including South Asian Council for Social Services and Women for Afghan Women.

“I remember growing up and translating for my parents when they needed to see a doctor,” said Secretary Becerra, who was confirmed into Biden’s cabinet in March 2021 as the first Latino to hold the office. “While I am proud to have been able to help, no child should have to feel the weight of translating complex medical terminology.

And no parent should have to share their private medical history with their young child.”

Since taking on the role, he has worked with state governments to push providers and insurers to increase language access. He says he is no stranger to working with immigrant communities after representing the downtown Los Angeles area as a congressman for over two decades.

Meng, who represents a significant chunk of northern Queens, which includes Flushing, Fresh Meadows and Forest Hills, previously worked with Beccera to open the city’s largest vaccination site in the center of Elmhurst in 2021.

Everyone agreed that during the pandemic, immigrants whose primary language is not English had difficulty even getting the most basic information on Covid-19, such as where and how to get tested.

“We found that, especially in the beginning of the pandemic, how limited access to language services really hurt folks,” said Theodore Moore, Vice President of Policy at New York Immigration Coalition. “And even

in New York City, where you have one of the best language access policies in the entire country, we couldn’t get information past English or Spanish.”

City data also shows that multilingual immigrant communities in the outer boroughs were hit the hardest by Covid-19. Central Queens neighborhoods such as Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, where more minority and indigenous languages are spoken became the “epicenter of the epicenter” with thousands of cases within the first month of the outbreak.

Meng’s proposed legislation, COVID-19 Language Access Act, would require federal agencies to translate memos in the top 20 spoken languages during times of emergency. Two language access bills, spearheaded

by Councilmember Julie Won, passed in the city late last year.

The bills were also born out of an emergency, when warnings about the severity of flooding from hurricane Ida were distributed in English, resulting in the deaths of eleven Queens residents who died when their basement apartments flooded.

“We need more authority to be able to tell health care providers, health insurance companies, that they must do a better job of communicating with their patients,” said Beccera.

“And with those additional authorities that Congresswoman Meng could provide us, we have more leverage to try to move in that direction.”

Moore also noted that there is rarely accessibility in languages from the African continent. And indigenous languages, which are spoken by many new migrants arriving from Central and South America, are even harder to find translators Continued on Page 20

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

The Business at York College tions. The program provides industry standards and principals of management and leadership by experts in the field of Aviation. Inclusive in the program is airport and airline economics, aeronautical science, accounting, finance, marketing, airport planning and management, commercial airline safety, aviation safety, asset protection and global business strategies. CUNY York College also has an FAA Dispatcher Certification Program (AVMGT-CERT Program | York College Catalog (cuny.edu) and flight simulators for those interested in more hands-on flight training by qualified staff.

BY FENIO ANNANSINGH-JAMIESON DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CUNY York College, http://www. york.cuny.edu boasts a modern curriculum for potential students to acquire the tools to transition seamlessly into the business field. Our Business and Economics Department, https://www. york.cuny.edu/business-economics offers majors in Aviation Management, Business Administration, Economics, Human Resource Management, Information Systems Management and Marketing. Our dedicated faculty and staff will be here to assist you to the best of their ability, to help you succeed and soar beyond expectations. Our instructors will teach you the coursework you need to know, our staff members will aid you by connecting you to available resources that you might need, and our advisors will help you map out the path that will lead to your most productive and expedient graduation. For students who have full-time obligations, we also offer online courses that may help fit your schedule.

The Business Administration program: (https://york-undergraduate. catalog.cuny.edu/programs/BUS-BS) aims to develop professionally competent and socially responsible potential hires for careers in business, government, and other entities requiring the organizational, managerial, and analytical skills necessary in today’s rapidly changing global economy.

The program is further developed to have students focus their education on a concentration of their choice; Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, International Business or Logistics and Supply Chain Management. If you are uncertain which concentration is right for you, we have faculty members and staff to advise you on your best fit.

The Economics program: https://york-undergraduate.catalog.

cuny.edu/programs/ECON-BA, at York College is designed to develop, through teaching and research, professionally knowledgeable and wellinformed men and women with critical reasoning, quantitative thinking, and problem-solving skills to solve complex problems. The program is further split into two concentrations: General Economics and Environmental Economics. Environmental Economics is the study of the economics of ecological and environmental issues. It focuses on the monetary value of ecosystems and the costs and benefits of environmental policies.

The Information Systems Management program: https://york-undergraduate.catalog. cuny.edu/programs/INFOSYS-BS seeks to educate students with an indepth understanding of all aspects of Information Systems and their relationship to the world. Students will combine their technical understanding with their broad-based general education to visualize systems, work in teams, communicate effectively, think analytically, and implement solutions. This program has two concentrations namely, Information systems Management and Informatics. We also offer a Cybersecurity minor and a concentration.

The Human Resource Management program: https://york-undergraduate.catalog. cuny.edu/programs/HUMANRM-

BS will provide students with fundamental knowledge, educational experience, and skills to think critically and creatively while applying Human Resource principles to changing legal, social, economic, and technological environments. The purpose is to develop professionally competent and socially responsible individuals for careers in business, government, and other entities requiring the organizational, managerial, and analytical skills necessary in today’s rapidly changing global economy.

The Marketing program: https://york-undergraduate.catalog. cuny.edu/programs/MARKET-BS is designed to educate students to enter today’s dynamic business world as well-prepared college graduates.

This program provides a student-centered education approach that will prepare them for challenging careers in marketing fields. At the completion of this program, marketing students will be equipped with knowledge and skills to satisfy consumer needs and wants and ensure business profitability.

For more information, call 718-2622502 or email BusinessEconomics@ york.cuny.edu.

To enroll in our program, please contact us our admissions team at: https://www.york.cuny.edu/ admissions/team.

We cannot wait to have you join our Business and Economic Community.

The Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management: https://york-undergraduate.catalog. cuny.edu/programs/AVMGT-BS is designed for CUNY York College students to hold management posi-

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COVER STORY

Airlogix CEO talks about future of HVAC Industry

By Matthew Fischetti Summers are getting hotter. But Airlogix is one of the companies trying to keep it cooler.

The Queens founded business began in 1984, helping provide maintenance, repairs, emergency service and construction of commercial air conditioning systems largely aimed at the business-tobusiness market throughout the

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larger tri-state area but most of their work focuses around the greater New York Area.

Today the company is led

by CEO Gerri Domenikos, the daughter of her immigrant father and founder of the company.

“Our goal is to be a provider of choice for all things climate cooling, and food preservation,” Domenikos said in a sit-down interview at Airlogix’s building in

Astoria.

Currently, Demonikos said that Airlogix serves 2800 active clients which encompasses around 1000 buildings right now between some government contracts and working with commercial and industrial businesses.

“Our goal is to make sure that we set ourselves apart, because what we do is kind of simple – it’s an “on time and under budget”

kind of thing, deliver and do the right job,” said Demonikos “It’s a matter of providing not just quality, but like you’re getting the service that you would expect from like a major, large major company, but you’re getting the personal touch of a small business.”

In the hot humid months of August, air conditioner systems can get strained. But Domenikos said that this issue can be avoided

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

COVER STORY

Airlogix CEO talks about future of HVAC Industry with regular maintenance.

“It’s super important to have a regular maintenance program, whether you’re performing the basic maintenance yourself where your facilities team is doing it, or you have a trusted vendor that’s going to make sure that your equipment is unobstructed – that things are clean, and that they’re going to operate properly,” said Domenikos. “When you need them most [HVAC systems] is in high heat, high humidity scenarios, that’s when the equipment gets stressed the most, right? So what we’ve seen is like lack of maintenance is just the best way to set yourself up to not have equipment when you most need it.”

While she understands some clients wanting to cut costs and provide maintenance “as needed”, the measure can hurt them in the long run.

“So one of the things that we see in most scenarios is things

that break – but it’s like, well, when’s the last time you had Maintenance performed?,” said Domenikos.

“We try to encourage proper prevention.. And then, of course, there’s stress on the equipment, especially in confined spaces, like in New York City where you’re working in smaller footprints, You might not have a lot of space, and then you know, your condensers get clogged and debris and things like that – so that’s one thing that you’ll see a lot, right when, especially when the weather changes.”

Airlogix also works with businesses trying to comply with the new environmental regulations like Local Law 97, helping companies with the financing, installation, maintenance, repairs and retrofits of commercial heat pumps. Heat pumps can be used as alternatives to furnaces or boilers by transferring heat from a cool space to a warm one

by using thermal energy.

While some parts of the building trades have been more skeptical or outright opposed to energy efficiency upgrades mandated by laws such as Local Law 97, which provides greenhouse gas emission limits for buildings over 25,000 square feet, Demonikos said that she and Airlogix that it’s “our job and our desire to be part of the solution.”

“You can hear a lot of mixed feelings, even from ownership sides as well. I like to stay positive and say that this will hopefully contribute to a lower carbon footprint.”

Airlogix has been a member of the Queens Chamber since 2013. While the company is a member of other various chambers as well, Demonikos said the Chambers ability to foster natural networking “We’re members of multiple chambers, and they’re all great.

But one of the things that I real-

ly loved about being a part of the Queen’s Chamber is the engagement. They care about their members, they know you by first name, they they’re always interested in making valuable connections.”

“I do have to commend them [Queen’s Chamber] since they not only do connect local businesses, but they facilitate resource exchange between their members, which is really great,” she continued.”

While the company has been in business for over 30 years, Demonikos said that she is very excited for the future of the company.

“The company has a pretty bright future. One of the things that we’re most excited about is working on more green technologies, and looking into what the future of our industry will be, which is definitely more electrification, greener technologies, smart buildings and smart automation,” she said.

Specifically, she said that one of the things she is most excited about is their hydroponics division, which Demonikos believes will be a crucial technology for the future of food production and tackling issues like food deserts.

“We have some proprietary methods that are very exciting that will support very agile execution of those technical applications but also supporting the higher yield of crops. And then our competence with managing the equipment on both the refrigeration and in the moisture on those things,” she said. Demonikos also hinted at a recently developed electrical division with more details to come in 2024.

While new things are on the horizon, Airlogix isn’t pivoting away from their core business model.

“Our goal is to ensure that if there’s something we could support with that of a related trade, that we offer it to them so that we’re expanding our offerings.”

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

Expecting Queens Mothers Can Apply For Monthly Cash

BY IRYNA SHKURHAN A philanthropic program that gives unconditional cash payments to expectant mothers for the first 1,000 days of their child’s life is expanding into Queens.

The Bridge Project, birthed in June 2021 through the Monarch Foundation, is the first to launch a direct cash program in NYC. After an impactful first phase in the Bronx, they announced that the program will pivot from pilot status and continue to serve new mothers in all five boroughs, while still remaining a research study.

“It’s the first time that we’re actually opening applications in a borough and then leaving them open,” Megha Agarwal, the Executive Director of The Bridge Project, told the Queens Ledger. “The goal behind this is so that every mother who’s currently pregnant, and potentially could be eligible over the course of their pregnancy to join the Bridge Project, has the opportunity to do so.”

To qualify, expecting mothers must live in Astoria, Corona, Elmhurst, Flushing, Jackson Heights or Jamaica and have an annual household income of under $52,000. In this third phase, women will also need to be pregnant with their first child at 23 weeks or less.

The rollout into Queens on July 10 also brought specific changes to the payments participants will receive.

Now for the first 15 months, participants will receive $1,000 in cash a month to spend how they choose.

And for the last 21 months, they will receive $500 a month, all in biweekly installments.

The drawdown creates a recognition that the program will eventually end, and tries to help mothers adjust to that loss of a safety net slowly. An upfront prenatal allowance of $1,500 was also introduced to cover the costs of preparing for the baby such as purchasing a crib, and stocking up on diapers and formula.

The organization says they focus on “upstream solutions” to

address the root issues of inequality instead of attempting to solve the aftereffects.

To facilitate the research, a control group is selected that does not receive the financial benefit. The formal application to apply acts like a baseline survey. And every six to nine months, participants respond to quantitative surveys and can also be asked to participate in interviews and focus groups, all of which participants are compensated for.

“We just find that cash is the most effective tool to help support children and babies in their earliest years,” said Agarwal, who pointed out that oftentimes, mothers will spend the initial payments catching up on rent or paying off debt.

“It’s not until a little bit later into the program, do folks actually feel that they can use the money towards their child,” she added. “And so the prenatal allowance really allows them to do that.”

Nearly one in five children in New York experienced poverty in 2021, with them more likely to experience poverty than in 32 other states.

According to a report released by Annie. E. Casey Foundation, child care costs have increased by 220% since 1990 and infant care is even more expensive.

The concept of universal basic income is gaining traction across the world, and while it is seen as a radical solution by many, there is strong evidence that can alleviate poverty and facilitate a better quality of life.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams expressed support of guaranteed income for parents in her State of the City address on March 8.

“We will work with organizations like the Bridge Project, Children’s Defense Fund, and Chapin Hall to support programs that provide monthly financial assistance payments to vulnerable young people and low-income mothers with infants,” said Adams during the address. “These efforts have shown great promise in helping people out of poverty and into stability.”

On June 22, the city council passed a bill, spearheaded by Councilwomen Crystal Hudson and

Carolina Rivera, that will establish a pilot program to provide unconditional cash assistance for qualified individuals. Similar policies to address poverty have been introduced in San Francisco, D.C and Philadelphia.

During the pandemic, federal programs such as the childcare tax credit were initiated to ease the burden. And data showed that they were highly impactful with the majority of mothers spending the cash on food and childcare. Megha says that the success of the federal program reinforced their own findings about the power of direct cash assistance for those with children.

And unlike other governmental programs, the cash is completely unrestricted, meaning that receivers can spend it on anything they want.

One research study conducted on refugees in Kenya found that when cash they were given could only be spent on food, subjective well being was reduced.

With SNAP benefits, the monthly payment which averages $121 and cannot be used for hot food at the point of sale, hygiene products, medicine and cleaning supplies.

“The power of our intervention is that it’s unconditional, and then it’s additionally flexible,” said Agarwal.

“That’s completely different than the benefit system that we have in place today in our safety net. And it makes it really challenging and difficult, because it provides a lot of assumptions in terms of what people need at a certain point in time.”

While they have access to spending data of participants, the numbers

are aggregate to provide individual privacy.

Data collected from the first six months of the program showed that 46 percent of spending was taken out as cash, likely for rent and other living expenses. Mothers also spent 18 percent on food and 19 percent went to merchandise.

The rate of respondents reporting that they have more than $500 in savings went up by 242 percent, and 13 percent more said that they can now pay for a $400 emergency.

“Both the flexibility and the conditionality of the funds is really meant to allow people to take the autonomy and have self determination over what it is that they need, what their family needs and what their baby needs,” said Megha. “You know, your life much better than I do, so you should be able to make your own decisions the same way that I’m able to, in order to best serve yourself. It ends up being counterproductive if you place restrictions on top of people’s ability to make their own decisions.”

As of now, all their funding comes from private philanthropy which is made up of high net-worth individuals and private foundations. But with the possible infusion of government funding from NYC, the program can be sustained with both provide and public funds to reach more mothers.

“What we’re trying to do here is provide some sort of model for child allowance across the United States,” said Megha. “We think this is an effective policy and could be a solution for our nation moving forward.”

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS The Nourish Spot, Jamaica’s Own Elevates to the Major League at CitiField

The Nourish Spot is pleased to announce their residency at CitiField at the Taste of Queens cart in Taste of the City on the field level beginning July 5, 2023, through September 8, 2023.

CEO Dawn Kelly shared that the opportunity came about at an event at Citi Field she attended earlier this year where she spoke with Mets owner Steven Cohen about her family juice bar. As a Black, woman-led, family owned, and local business who also participates at the U.S. Open on the same grounds of Flushing Meadow Park in the Corona area of Queens, this residency is indeed a huge elevation for the brand. The Nourish Spot values its Queens community roots, having held residency at Forest Hills Stadium and catered at Queens Theatre and the City University of New York (CUNY) at York College.

“I’m honored to have this extraordinary opportunity to showcase The Nourish Spot, my ubiquitous brand dream at

CitiField among sold out crowds. I am extremely thankful to Steve Cohen and the Aramark squad for establishing a community showcase of this nature which affords local food and beverage operators the chance to be featured at the major leagues.” Ms. Kelly shared.

Throughout the course of the season, the Taste of Queens will feature four Queens based businesses. The goal is to highlight and provide exposure for local businesses to the Mets fan base and give back to the local community. Attendees of sporting and live entertainment events will have the chance to sample some of Queens’ best, with the hopes of drawing more crowds to small businesses like The Nourish Spot.

COO Jade Duncan added, “The Nourish Spot at CitiField is a serendipitous dream come true. The fact that we’re able to showcase our flavorful, healthy options to the illustrious CitiField supporters and Continued on Page 19

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

Energy Efficiency Upgrades Are More Affordable Than Ever In Southeast Queens JAMAICA, NEW YORK - Con Edison’s Small-Medium Business Neighborhood Program is expanding into southeast Queens with additional incentives and special offers that may cover up to 100 percent of the cost of installing energy efficiency upgrades for eligible customers.

That means small-medium businesses and nonprofits can benefit from an immediate return on their energy saving investment boosting their bottom line.

The energy efficiency investments include LED lighting, lighting controls, refrigeration, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.

Now the Neighborhood Program includes business and nonprofit customers who use a peak of 300 kilowatts or less and are located in the neighborhoods of Briarwood, Jamaica, Queens Village, Bellerose, Floral Park, Hollis, South Jamaica, St. Albans, Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Brookville, and Rosedale.

More than 10,000 Con Edison Neighborhood Program customers in Brooklyn and Queens have already reduced their energy use by 219 gigawatt hours annually.

One gigawatt is enough energy to power 110 million LED lights.

Neighborhood Program customers have reduced the cost of their projects by an additional $59 million.

“This is a fantastic opportuni-

ty for our local organizations to reduce their energy consumption, lower utility bills, and contribute to a more sustainable future,” said Council Member Nantasha Williams. “I encourage all eligible businesses and nonprofits in Southeast Queens to take advantage of this program, and make a positive impact on both their bottom line and the environment.”

“Con Edison’s Neighborhood Program is going to provide a serious leg up for eligible small businesses and nonprofits in Southeast Queens who have not had the means to tackle energy efficiency upgrades until now,” said Senator Leroy Comrie. “I’m grateful to see this initiative move forward from Con Edison and I strongly encourage those who are qualified to apply and participate to learn how the Neighborhood Program can benefit them and Southeast Queens consumers.”

“Con Edison’s Small-Medium Business Neighborhood Program expanding into Southeast Queens offers incentives and offers for eligible customers and businesses to save. The offer includes lighting, refrigeration and HVAC equipment that would allow for an immediate return on energy saving investments to businesses and non-profit customers who use 300 kilowatts or less,” said Assembly Member Alicia L. Hyndman. “This opportunity’s availability to members of Southeast Queens allows for busi-

nesses and customers to use the most of their energy, while saving money.”

Con Edison pays the contractor directly and the customer pays the difference if there is one. There is no waiting for rebates and the energy savings begin right away.

Queens neighborhoods in the program include Richmond Hill, Howard Beach, Broad Channel, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park,

Woodhaven and Kew Gardens.

The Neighborhood Program also offers incentives for Multifamily residents and Commercial & Industrial businesses.

For more information visit www. coned.com/neighborhood.

Commercial customers can also earn incentives from Con Edison’s smart usage programs under which they agree to conserve at times when the demand for power is high.

The Nourish Spot, Jamaica’s Own Elevates to the Major League at CitiField

Continued from Page 18

New York residents alike, is amazing.”

Founded in 2017, The Nourish Spot is a Jamaica, Queens based brick and mortar quick serve plant-based brand serving up healthy food and beverage options. The fast casual cafe offers cus-

tomizable smoothies, salads, natural juice blends, sandwich wraps, protein waffles, yogurt parfaits and more. The Nourish Spot is located at 107-05 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11433. If you are at CitiField between now and September 8, 2023 make a short stop at The Nourish Spot cart and let them nourish you!

19

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS NEWS

U.S Health Secretary Visits Flushing for Talk on Culturally Competent Healthcare Continued from Page 10 for.

To address this inequality, his team created three language access cooperatives: one for African languages, Asian languages and one dedicated to Central and South American indigenous languages. Immigrants who need access to information in a language of limited diffusion, may not be able to get it from city services, but can rely on groups like New York Immigration Coalition to support them with translated resources.

A big chunk of the discussion was devoted to mental health, which has risen to a level of prominent awareness and resulted in an increase in funding from federal, state and local governments. While Beccerra pointed out that the federal government does not control or manage healthcare, it does have the power to work with states in guiding new initiatives.

He discussed the wide impact that 988, a centralized phone number for mental health crises that connects people with local suicide and crisis hotlines, has had across the country. Over two million people called or texted 988 within its first six months of operation, indicating a significant demand for crisis level mental health assistance, according to officials.

Some call centers have Spanish speaking staff members, but an official Spanish speaking line is still in the process of being established. Beccerra said that in the future, he hopes the service will be able to offer more languages.

“A lot of the times when providers are talking to the patient, they’re talking to translation services, they’re not looking at the patient’s eyes,” said Carmen Garcia, Community Health Worker at Make the Road. “And

20

that is very important because those people want to be seen and we also want to see eye to eye and understand.”

In her experience working with patients who speak a different language, she notices that translators do not always translate in the way that she asks her questions. Garcia says that she will use motivational interviewing techniques and applications to try to get to the root issue of patients’ distress, which get lost in translation.

Garcia, and other advocates present, shared that expanded recruitment and retention of healthcare staff that speaks the languages of the community

members they serve should be prioritized. Besides language, an awareness of cultural backgrounds and circumstances can be just as important when delivering healthcare services.

“Prioritizing and promoting equitable access to language assistance for health services to people with limited English proficiency is crucial for our immigrant neighborhoods, and I am excited to partner with Secretary Becerra on this effort,” said Congresswoman Meng. “I thank the Secretary for returning to Queens to shine a light on the importance of language accessibility in our healthcare system.”

Congresswoman Meng also introduced the bipartisan Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act in 2021, which would establish a grant program to deliver federal funds to community health centers to recruit and employ bilingual behavioral health specialists. The current retention gap has been attributed to a lack of competitive salaries compared to private hospitals, and high rates of burnout in the healthcare field.

“It doesn’t matter if you have access to coverage, if the person next to you doesn’t,” said Moore. “Quite frankly, you’re in the same boat as them and we’re all in this together.”

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

How to Recover Your Home from Summer Storm Damage homeowners are shocked to realize that the funds will not cover the cost to restore their premises, but also will not cover the rental property they have been forced to live in due to extensive damage to their home. What can they do at this point? And what should you do to avoid finding yourself in this same scenario?

BY PHILIP L MALTAGHATI You’ve probably heard the saying, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”? Prudent homeowners will have done just that by opting for home and property insurance, usually at the time they initially apply for their mortgages. Then comes the day, or more specifically the storm, that causes considerable property damage. That’s when homeowners open their insurance policies, generally for the first time, and scan the document in the hope that they will be adequately covered for any asset losses or will receive the settlement money necessary to begin rebuilding or restoring their home to its former state. Then they will prepare a storm damage insurance claim, submit the document to their carrier, and hope for the best. When the settlement offer is presented, all too often these same

To begin, before the 2023 storm season is upon us, contact United Public Adjusters & Appraisers to assist you by reviewing your property and homeowners’ insurance policies. We will gladly make suggestions as to areas where your assets are not fully protected and any gaps in coverage you’ll want to consider closing. For example, if you have lived at your current address for several years, it is likely that the property has increased in value. If you have installed solar panels, an inground pool, even a storage shed, these are assets that will need to be covered.

Then should your property be damaged by a seasonal storm, be sure to contact United Public Adjusters & Appraisers before you call your carrier who will send out a storm damage insurance adjuster. Why? We are public adjusters who have your best interests in mind, not your insurance company’s. Our team of professionals will assist you to fully document the damage and prepare and submit a claim. Our job is not

over until you receive a settlement check in line with your policy allowances.

Here is an important fact for you to consider: claims submitted by homeowners without assistance from a public adjuster are generally lowballed by their carriers by as much as 75%. Even if you have submitted a claim and have received a low offer, it is not too late. Contact United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, and we will take the reins and negotiate with your carrier on your behalf to bring about the highest settlement your policy allows.

What else can you do to protect your assets and restore your peace of mind? Prepare. You can begin by taking stock of what you have. According to an insurance industry survey, only about 45% of homeowners have prepared an inventory of their personal belongings. This list should include appliances, furnishings including furniture and floor coverings, electronics, technology, entertainment systems, your security system, computers, decor such as artwork and mirrors, even custom window coverings such as wooden plantation shutters and draperies. One reason for low settlement offers is that many storm damage claims fail to include a full list of asset losses.

Yet another way to prepare for potential storm damage is what

most homeowners do anyway – ensure that their property and residence is properly maintained. In other words, if your roof is more than 20 years old, take a hard look at it. If you see rippled or missing shingles, it is likely time to have it replaced. A new roof will weather most storms well, and you can avoid interior damage to your home due to roof leaks.

Perhaps the best way to recover from any storm damage to your home and possibly avoid having to submit a storm damage insurance claim is to have United Public Adjusters & Appraisers on standby. In the event your home sustains storm damage, and you have to submit possibly several storm damage claims, instead of contacting your carrier and waiting to schedule a storm damage insurance adjuster visit, our team will be at your side immediately to provide professional guidance and support. UPA’s clients often state that we treat them like family, and that is our main objective: to treat our clients fairly and in the wake of an event that impacts their lives, to assist them to return to normalcy as fully and quickly as possible.

Learn more by contacting our team today!

646-369-3099 Unitedpublicadjusters.com

21

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

IT’S IN QUEENS!

BY ROB MCKAY August has some curious traditions. It begins with National Girlfriends Day (Aug. 1), followed immediately by National Ice Cream Sandwich Day and National Watermelon Day. Other annual celebrations are dedicated to black cats (Aug. 17), spumoni (Aug. 21), the bow tie (Aug. 28), and toasted marshmallows (Aug. 30). It’s all good in Queens, which hosts outdoor Shakespeare, dragon boat races, kayaking, orchids, cutting edge parties, and Chinese theater this month.

Please read on.

Aug. 2, Shakespeare in the Park, Aug. 26. Woodside-based Hip to Hip Theatre Company presents “Richard II” and “The Comedy of Errors.” Times

vary. Bayside, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Staten Island, New Jersey, and Long Island, www. hiptohip.org.

Aug. 3, See It Big: 70mm!, Aug. 27. Classic and contemporary movies (i.e. ‘Malcolm X’ and ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’) in 70mm format, which offers a bigger, brighter image than 35 mm. Times vary. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District, www.movingimage.us.

Aug. 4, Festival of Cinema NYC, Aug. 13. More than 100 films with panel discussions and related events. Times vary. Regal UA Midway, 108-22 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, www.festivalofcinemanyc.com.

Aug. 5, Kayaking and Canoeing, noon. LIC Community Boathouse

provides watercraft and equipment on a first come, first serve basis. Hallet’s Cove, 31-10 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, www.socratessculpturepark.org.

Aug. 8, Queens Symphony Orchestra Summer Concert, 7 pm. This 23rd annual show is entitled “Four Seasons: A Musical Voyage from Italy to Argentina and Back.” St. Johns University Great Lawn, 80-00 Utopia Pkwy., Jamaica, www. queenssymphony.org.

Aug. 10, Yesterday & Today, 7 pm. This Beatles tribute band performs as part of a series organized by the Northern Woodside Coalition and Goliard Concerts.

Sgt. Collins Triangle, Broadway and 59th Street, Woodside.

Aug. 11, Warm Up 2023, 5 pm.

Outdoor electronic dance music and dancing with Fatherhood, TT, DeSe, and Dosha. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, www.momaps1.org.

Aug. 11, Taiwan: A World of Orchids, Aug. 13. Presented via

GantrySlavo Rican Assembly on stage

22

a partnership with the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in New York, this tenth annual showcase features several hundred pots of orchids on display with purchase options. Queens Botanical Gardens, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org.

Aug. 12, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Races, Aug. 13. More than 100 teams compete in crew races while food vendors and entertainers fill the shore. Start times are 10:30 am on Aug. 12 and 11 am on Aug. 13. Meadow Lake, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.hkdbf-ny.org.

Aug. 13, BIM Featuring Fariyah Preema, 6 pm. Bangladeshi music, songs, and poetry as part of the annual Summer Sundays series. Travers Park, vicinity of 78th Street and 34th Avenue, Jackson Heights, www.jhbg.org.

Aug. 15, Slavo Rican Assembly, 7 pm. This seven-piece band combines Latin Jazz with South Slavic music. Gantry State Park Plaza, in the vicinity of Center Boulevard, 47th Avenue, and the East River in Long Island City, www.kupferbergcenter.org.

Aug. 16, Lightyear, dusk. An outdoor movie on a huge screen in the center green. The Shops at Atlas Park, 80-00 Cooper Ave., Glendale, www.shopatlaspark. com.

Aug. 18, An Afternoon of Chinese Theater, 1 pm. The Chinese American Arts Council helps present opera plays, each one with a unique storyline, music, vocals, mime, and dance.

Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org.

Aug. 18, The Modern Gentlemen, 8 pm. These four singers have appeared alongside the legendary Frankie Valli for the last decade. Individually, Landon Beard, Todd Fournier and brothers Brian and Brandon Brigham have extensive Broadway, television and film credits. Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, www.qpac.

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

IT’S IN QUEENS!

qcc.cuny.edu.

Aug. 26, Beach Sessions Dance Series, Time TBA. Several performances on the sand with the ocean as a backdrop. Rockaway Beach, vicinity of Beach 97th

Street, www.beachsessionsdanceseries.com.

Aug. 26, An Evening with Mae, 7 pm. An evening dedicated to mid-1900s actress Mae West that includes a screening of the 1933

film “I’m No Angel.” King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.kingmanor.org.

Aug. 27, Bang on a Can, 4 pm.

This monthly music series offers performances by cellist Issei Herr

and drummer/producer Matt Evans.

The Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd., Long Island City, www.noguchi.org.

More information is available at https://bit.ly/3JABukh.

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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.

120 Wall Street, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10005 aafederation.org QUICK GLANCE: The Asian American Federation’s mission is to raise the influence and wellbeing of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness and organizational development.

Established in 1989, the Federation is a pan-Asian non-profit

213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Executive Director: Christine Siletti 718.423.2434 info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of

BAYSIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

41-16 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 President: Ed Probst Vice President: Judith Limpert

718.229.2277 info@baysideba.com baysideba.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded

in 1997, the Bayside Business Association services all of Bayside business to address issues and concerns those businesses have with regards to running their businesses. Golf Outing at Clearview Golf Course on Wednesday, September 20th at 11:30 a.m. Looking for golfers and sponsors.

ACCOMPANY CAPITAL (FORMERLY BCNA)

78-27 37 Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@accompanycapital.org QUICK GLANCE: Accompany

Capital is an award-winning Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Small Business Administration (SBA) micro lender that provides small and micro business owners in

New York City with low-cost loans, access to business training & technical assistance, and one-on-one counseling.

Accompany Capital has disbursed over $34 million in loans and assisted over 10,000 immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in New York City since its founding as Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) in 1997, as well as provided workshops and one-on-one advice on business management and marketing to over 10,000 businesses.

BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK (BOC, INC.)

85 S. Oxford Street #2 Brooklyn, NY 11217 718.624.9115 bocnet.org QUICK GLANCE: Business Outreach Center Network’s mission is to improve the economic prospects of traditionally underserved groups, with a focus on low- and moderateincome entrepreneurs and their Continued on Page 26

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August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS FAR ROCKAWAY BUSINESS FAIR

August 12, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

REMA4US presents the annual Business Fair 2023 on Saturday, August 12, 2023, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Special event for small business owners and the community!

Open to the public - Complimentary admission.

You will find: Business promotions and resources, Fashion Show, Live Music, Giveaways, DJ & Dancing. Tabling opportunity for local vendors Beach 21st Street Far Rockway, New York

THE CX PARADIGM SHIFT

August 15, 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Registration Required!

The panel webinar will focus on

the transformative role of generative AI in shaping the customer experience landscape. The session brings together industry experts, thought leaders and CX professionals to explore the potential of this groundbreaking technology and its impact on customer interaction to discuss the fundamental shift occurring in customer experience strategies due to the integration of generative AI.

Rester on ThisIsQueensborough.com

”NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION”

August 16, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Committee for a timely event. Hear from key career leaders at Queens College and St. John’s University how to tap into the student pipeline and how to leverage those relationships and resources.

Queens College, CUNY 65-30 Kissena Boulevard Jamaica, New Yor

3RD ANNUAL NYC’S BURMESE FOOD FESTIVAL

Aug 13, 11:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Join a full day of activities in Elmhurst on Sunday, August 13 at the 3rd Annual NYC’s Burmese Food festival.

Lest celebrate Queens diversity! This event is organized by the National Humanitarian Fundraising for Myanmar -NHFMM, local business owners and Burmese community in Queens.

Open to the public from 11 am to 4pm

Woodside Avenue between 78th St and 79 St, Elhurst, New York

MWBE CERTIFICATION August 22, 2:00 p.m.. - 3:00 p.m.

(M/WBE) gives you exclusive access to opportunities to sell to the government, to networking events, to inclusion in the City’s

Online Directory of Certified Businesses, and many other benefits.

Register online to attend at queenshchamber.org

BOURBON STREET ROOFTOP MIXER

August 22, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

We’re back at Bourbon Street in Bayside!

Join us for an evening of business networking on the roof.

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow business owners and Members of the Queens Chamber. Come prepared with business cards and your elevator pitch. As always, we are here to make the room smaller for YOU. Appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks will be served complimentary. There will be a cash bar.

Bourbon Street Restaurant 40-12 Bell Blvd Bayside, New York

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES

communities, and thereby create genuinely brighter futures.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that whatever their differences, people and communities share a common goal: to achieve economic stability and growth. Working in partnership with culturally diverse individuals and organizations in support of this shared goal is the hallmark of BOC.

from 69th Road to Ascan Avenue, September 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fair will include vendors, food and rides.

CHHAYA CDC

vate partnership providing neighborhood services, improvements and advocacy for the District’s off-airport cargo community and all who live, work or visit the area. A vital link in the global supply chain, GatewayJFK is a distinct and unique NYC neighborhood of major economic significance to the region, the nation, and the world. “

37-43 77th Street, #2 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718.478.3848 chhayacdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Core to our strategy is organizing and advocating for systemic changes that remove the barriers to well-being, housing stability, and economic mobility for our communities. For over 20 years, Chhaya has served tens of thousands of individuals and led the charge on key policy issues for immigrants, such as basement legalization, language access, tenants’ rights, and more.

CHINATOWN DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CHINATOWN PARTNERSHIP)

217 Park Row, 2nd Floor, Suite 9 New York, NY 10038 chinatownpartnership.org QUICK GLANCE: Chinatown Partnership, led

by Wellington Chen, was formed in 2006 as new start-up from grounds up to bring residents, business owners and community groups together to rebuild Chinatown following 9/11, and to preserve the neighborhood’s unique culture while ensuring its vitality in the future through strategic positioning.

With the highly popular Weekend Walks street festive series, Mid-Autumn Festival, One Day in NYC, annual Beautification/Earth Day, East West Parade with Little Italy, Double Valentine’s Day to promote the softer side of Chinatown and the Jewelry District and all the cafes, eateries in the area. Explore Chinatown marketing initiative, Lunar Stages outdoor film screenings, and Taste of Chinatown street events, Chinatown Partnership helps promote the area as a special destination to live, work, and visit.

FOREST HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PO Box 751123, Forest Hills, NY 11375 President: Leslie Brown 718.268.6565 FHChamber11375@gmail.com FHChamber@aol.com QUICK GLANCE: Re-formed in 1995, the group

has over 225 members. Chamber meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, in Forest Hills. Street fair on Austin Street

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GATEWAYJFK

Interim Executive Director: Barbara J. Cohen 516.730.3400 info@GatewayJFK.org GatewayJFK.org QUICK GLANCE: GatewayJFK is a public-pri-

GREATER FLUSHING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

39-01 Main Street, Suite 511, Flushing NY 11354 Executive Director: John Choe john@flushingchamber.nyc 646.783.8985 flushingchamber.nyc QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2014 and repre-

senting over 200 businesses.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 gjdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1967, the group

has 75 members. GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, well-planned, and sustainable metropolitan growth.

GREATER WOODHAVEN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOODHAVEN BID

84-01 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY 11421 718.805.0202 gwdcbid@hotmail.com woodhavenbid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $257,000 with

more than 350 businesses under its umbrella on Jamaica Avenue from Dexter Court to 100th Street. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.

JAMAICA CENTER BID

161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 Executive Director: Jennifer Furioli 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc

@JamCenterBID (Twitter) @jamcenterbid (Instagram) @Jamaica Center BID (Facebook) QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Jamaica

Center BID serves over 400 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street. With a budget of over $1 million, the BID’s goal is to promote and maintain Downtown Jamaica as a thriving business hub and an enjoyable destination to shop, work, live and visit.

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

P.O. Box 300687, Jamaica, NY 11430 Executive Director: Clorinda Antonucci President: Al DePhillips Vice President: Joseph Morra JFKCoCExec@gmail.com jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group

has over 200 members. The chamber was chartered in 1978 by a group of business people in and around JFK Airport. It is the only airport in the nation to have its own Chamber of Commerce. The chamber seeks to create an environment in which members of the business community can work together to enhance the growth, well being and economic development of the airport community and its aviation industry.

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1979, the Long

Island City Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors.

The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixed-use community.

The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone. Networking night at Five Iron Golf, August 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets, which include a drink and light bites, are $15 for members and $30 for non-members.

MASPETH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

120 members and a budget of $115,000.

MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA) BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773 qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Covering roughly 600 busi-

nesses with 30 active members, the Maspeth Industrial Business Association provides a collective voice in advocating the needs and interests of industrial and manufacturing businesses in Maspeth. They help companies in the Maspeth Industrial District in developing workforce, accessing tax credits, obtaining financing, navigating government regulations and, in some cases, finding real estate.

MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

79-47 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379 President: Salvatore Crifasi 718.894.8700 Sal@Crifasi.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $8,000 with 35

businesses under its umbrella. Formed in 1929.

MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.

MURRAY HILL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NY

P.O. Box 1897 New York, NY 10156 212.886.5867 murrayhillnyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Murray Hill is a unique residential neighborhood in midtown Manhattan.

While there is no formal boundary for the neighborhood, the area served by The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association and its sister organization the Manhattan East Community Association (MECA) extends from Fifth Avenue eastward to the East River and from 42nd Street down to 26th Street (encompassing the 10016 postal code).

MYRTLE AVENUE BID

62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over

300 retail and service businesses under its purview. Board meetings are held four times a year with the annual meeting in June. The district includes Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue. Program support is provided by the Ridgewood LDC.

QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424

Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and

a resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens. Register online for upcoming virtual events, including:

ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE

info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $40,000 and a

resource for over 200 businesses. The Rockaway Business Alliance was founded in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. RBA’s vision is to create business corridors that are clean, safe, and welcoming, with shopping, dining, attractions, and engagement for the local community and the visitors drawn to Rockaway’s beaches and open spaces.

ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION

1920 Mott Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 President: Kevin Alexander 718.327.5300 www.rdrc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the

Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating long-standing partnerships with city and state agencies.

ROCKAWAY EAST MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION (REMA4US)

1032 Beach 20th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 rema4us.org QUICK GLANCE: REMA 4 US, Inc. seeks to engage in economic development and revitalization in the Rockaway Peninsula. To strengthen our community revitalization programs and community development efforts in the Rockaway Peninsula REMA works alongside businesses, civic groups, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. REMA works to inform the public about opportunities that exist to strengthen the community, and to create a welcoming and safe environment to help expand economic opportunity in the Rockaway Peninsula.

Annual business fair August 12 at Beach 21st Street Plaza, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can expect a fashion show, live music and giveaways.

STEINWAY ASTORIA PARTNERSHIP BID

25-69 38th Street, Suite 1C, Astoria 11103 Executive Director: Marie Torniali 718.728.7820 info@steinwaystreet.nyc steinwaystreet.org

QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1991, the BID

has over 300 members. The Steinway Street Business Improvement District encompasses all 300 business located on Steinway Street from 28th Avenue to 35th Avenue. National chain stores such as Victoria’s Secret, The Gap, Benetton, and Express are side by side with local family-owned shops.

SUNNYSIDE COMMERCE

CHAMBER

OF

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

$55,000, the chamber is an organization built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources to increase business, safety and historical preservation throughout the neighborhood.

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org sunnysideshines.org QUICK GLANCE: The BID has a budget of

approximately $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella. The mission of Sunnyside Shines is to invigorate and enrich the economic life of the neighborhood by creating a safe and dynamic commercial district.

SUTPHIN BOULEVARD BID

89-00 Sutphin Boulevard, Suite 204C Jamaica, NY 11435 Executive Director: Glen Greenridge 718.291.2110 sutphinblvdbid@verizon.net QUICK GLANCE: The BID was founded in

2004 and represents 134 businesses, 56 properties and 39 property owners along Sutphin Boulevard between Hillside Ave. and 94th Ave.

URBAN UPBOUND

40th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 CEO & Co-Founder: Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor QUICK GLANCE: Urban Upbound, originally

known as East River Development Alliance (ERDA), was co-founded in 2002 by DebraEllen Glickstein, a strong advocate of economic development inclusion, and Bishop Mitchell Taylor, a lifelong resident of Queensbridge Houses, with the intention to develop highquality services that address resident-identified needs. Since then, the organization has grown to serve thousands of youth and adults living in public housing and other low-and moderate-income neighborhoods annually

27

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH CORPORATE CRSP Connect LLC 37-05 74th Street, 3rd Floor Queens, NY 11372 https://www.crspconnect.com Contact: Ronak Agrawal, ronak@ crspconnect.com CRSP Connect is an Outsourcing Firm and a trusted provider of efficient finance & accounting outsourcing services for businesses in various sectors. With an experienced team of qualified accountants backed by a well-functioning infrastructure, we specialize in finding effective offshore solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients.

Praxis Health Technology LLC 213-37 39th Avenue, Suite 230 Bayside, NY 11361 Contact: Pete Pannuccio, praxishealthtech@ gmail.com

Terrace on The Park 52-11 111th Street Flushing Meadows Park, NY https://www.terraceonthepark.com Contact: George Makkos, info@ terraceonthepark.com Terrace On The Park’s extensive portfolio of distinctive indoor and outdoor spaces – each adaptable to many purposes and set-ups, all fully-wired for business – make it absolutely one-of-a-kind for every form of corporate event.

The Halal Guys 26-44 Borough Place Flushing, NY 11377 https://www.thehalalguys.com Contact: Jordan Lynch, jlynch@ thehalalguys.com The Halal Guys Way has been the same for 30 years: we believe in treating every customer with sincere appreciation, honor, dignity, and respect. Our customer commitment goes beyond our carts and stores; it is the foundation of who we are and the principle behind what we stand for.

28

queenschamber.org

NEW MEMBERS SMALL BUSINESS PARTNERS COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP Alfred Technologies Whitestone, NY 11357 125, Boulevard Charest E, 2nd Floor https://www.lombardoconsultinginc.com Québec, Canada Contact: Edward Lombardo, edcremortage@ https://www.alfredtechnologies.com gmail.com Contact: Marylise Trépanier, marylise.

Ming Properties LLC trepanier@alfredtechnologies.com 261 Gramercy Drive Jericho, NY 11753 Contact: Ming Li, mingprollc@gmail.com

ARCA Solutions, LLC 34-18 Northern Blvd, Suite 505 Long Island City, NY 11101 Contact: Luz Martinez, luzmartinez@ arcasolutionsnyc.com

B&S Bookkeeping Services LLC 114-35 131st Street South Ozone Park, NY 11420 https://www.basincpro.com Contact: chris.basinc@gmail.com

GNSKP Associates LLC 7 Broad Street W, Suite 209 Mount Vernon, NY 10552 https://www.GNSKP.com Contact: George Sotrillis, george@gnskp. com

Lombardo CRE Consulting, Inc. 17-06 147th Street

The Parkside Group 80 Maiden Lane New York, NY 10038 https://www.parksidegroup.com Contact: Lauren Bush, lauren@ theparksidegroup.com As the preeminent campaign management firm in New York, our staff leads the

Selena’s Gourmet LLC 3601 36th Avenue, Suite 2 – Lektra Astoria, NY 11106 https://www.selenagourmet.com Contact: Selena Blake, contact@ selenagourmet.com

Supporting Our Mothers Initiative LLC 177-19 120th Avenue Jamaica, NY 11434 https://www.somiclients.com Contact: Charline Ogbeni, admin@ somiclients.com

The French Workshop 38-39 Bell Boulevard Bayside, NY 11361 https://www.frenchworkshop.com Contact: Theodora Christophorou, theodora@thefrenchworkshop.com

industry in a 360-degree approach to designing and producing integrate polling, data-filled research, and strategic communications. Our proprietary sophisticated voter modelling system works in a multifaceted approach to propel our diverse group of clients to victory on Election Day.

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8 EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE Howard Graf

Patrick Yu

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Richard Dzwlewicz

Michelle Stoddart

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chair

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patricia Mezeul Nash Roe

President & CEO

Thomas J. Santucci

Secretary

Business Development Manager

Chief of Operations

Strategic Program Coordinator

Arlene Diangkinay

Jef Gross

Financial Controller

Neil Wagner

Business Service Program Manager

Kenneth J. Buettner Stephanie Baldwin Chad E. Callahan Salvatore Crifasi David Diraio Steven DeClara

Richard Dzwlewicz Charles Everett, Jr. Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf Fran Gross

1st Equity Title & Closing Services A&L Cesspool Services Corp A+ Technology & Security AARP Abrams Fensterman Ads Engineers, DPC AES Allied Risk Management, Inc Amna Construction Corp Andromeda Antun’s of Queens Village APC Specialist LLC ARK Import Export Center, LLC At Your Side Home Care Service Avison Young Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service Barn Truck Rental Barone Management LLC Berkshire HathawayHomeservices Laffey International Realty Blumenfeld Development Group, Ltd. Broadway Stages Brooklyn Tile and Design

Manager of Committee Development

BRP Companies Bulovas Restorations Inc Capital One Bank Carben Construction Inc. Carter Milchman and Frank Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens Catholic Health CBRE CDS-Mestel Construction Center for Automotive Education and Training Century Development Group Cerini and Associates, LLP. Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP Champion Elevator Corp.

Ciampa Organization Cine Magic LIC Studios, LLC Cipico Construction, Inc. Coastal Flooring Solutions Combs & Company Community Care Rx INC Cornell Tech Cornerstone Land Abstract Cort

Kelsey Brow King Manor Museum director@kingmanormuseum.org

BANKING & LAW

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

John Renda Edward Jones John.Renda@edwardjones.com

COMMUNICATIONS Jake Oliver Anat Gerstein jake@anatgerstein.com Henry Ramos Dedline AV henry@dedlineav.com

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Ryan Letts Cleonmaye Corporation rletts@cleonmaye.com

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS Prabhleen S. Virk Citrin Cooperman pvirk@citrincooperman.com

TRANSPORTATION Phil Jones LIME philip@li.me

William Blake Vincent L. Petraro, Esq. Dominick Ciampa George Rozansky Joseph Farber Gerard Thornton Louis D. Laurino Jeff Levine Joseph M. Mattone, Sr

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Raymond Irrera Kenneth Koenig Lorraine Chambers Lewis Bert Lurch Meredith Marshall Carl Mattone

Patricia Mezeul Melinda Murray-Nyack Maria Odysseos Stephen Preuss Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock

CORPORATE MEMBERS CPower Energy Management Crann Integrated Solutions Crescent Properties, Inc CRISP Connect LLC Cross County Mortgage LLC. Crown Castle Crystal Window & Door Systems, Ltd Dedline AV Diehl & Sons Inc. D.b.a New York Freightliner Direct Clean Service Solutions E-J Electric Installation Co. Elite Builders and Management EMCOR NY/NJ EMU Health ENP Environmental, Inc. ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP EW Howell Construction Group First Central Savings Bank Forest Hills Financial Group, Inc. Gil-Bar Industries, Inc. GOLDEN AGE HOME CARE INC Goodwill Industries NYNJ Graf & Lewent Architects

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF

FOOD, BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Rachel Kellner Aigner Chocolates rachel@aignerchocolates.com

NOT FOR PROFIT Larry Grubler Transitional Services of NY lgrubler@tsiny.org Christine Deska BellesBoard/Nonprofit Sector Strategies christine@nonprofitsectorstrategies.org

FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES

REAL ESTATE

Chad Callahan Plaza College cec4@plazacollege.edu Michael Shoule JW Hampton mikes@jwhampton.com

Kevin Louie RIPCO klouie@ripcony.com Michael Wang Project Queens michael@projectqueens.com

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

Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Grubb Properties HANAC, Inc. HE2PD, Inc. Healthy Corner Pharmacy Heatherwood Communities Himmel + Meringoff Properties Holt Construction Corp HQUS DBA Hydro Quebec Hugh O’Kane Electric Co., Inc. IKEA Queens INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Inggroups Innovo Property Group J Strategies, Inc J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co., Inc. Jamaica Multiplex Cinemas / Showcase Cinemas James E Fitzgerald Janney Montgomery Scott Jason Office Products JGM Construction Development, LLC Kasirer, LLC Kaufman Astoria Studios, Inc. KMN Builders, Inc. Krispy Kreme Lenoblelumber Co Levine Builders Liberty Ashes Inc. Littler Mendelson, P.C. Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&J Commissary Inc. Macerich Madison International Realty MediSys Health Network Mega Contracting Group LLC Mesirow Financial Molloy College Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp.

NBCUniversal Nelson + Pope New York + Atlantic Railway New York Crystal Cleaning New York Life Insurance Company New York State Energy Coalition, Inc. NOLA CONSTRUCTION INC Nonprofit Sector Strategies, PBC Northwell Go Health Urgent Care NYEEQASC, LLC Omni Funding Corp. of America Onegroup Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates PGA Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Ponce Bank Praxis Public Relations Praxis Health Technology LLC Priority 1 Security LLC ProCleanings Co Prospect Cleaning Service, Inc. QSIDE Federal Credit Union Queens College CUNY Queens Community House R.A.M.S. Mechanical Inc.

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.

Terri Thomson Henry Wan Mark Weprin Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

RBH Restaurant LLC. Red Eye Group LLC Regal Heights REIL Capital Renaissance New York Flushing Hotel At Tangram Ripco Investment Sales Ronald Fatoullah & Associates Rosco Inc. Royal Waste Services Russo’s on the Bay RXR Realty Samaritan Daytop Village Securitech Group, Inc. Signature Bank Silvercup Studios SkyTrac Access Group, LLC SL Green Realty Corp.

SourceBlue Spectrum Reach Spoton Squad Security Inc. St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s Episcopal Hospital St. John’s University Standard Group Starbucks Corporation Stellar Global Trading Inc Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Sullivan Engineering LLC SUNation Solar Systems Target Terrace on the Park The Durst Organization The Halal Guys The L Grp The Liquidity Source The Parkside Group The Sandhu Group Triumvirate Environmental Tully Environmental Inc. Ultrasound Solutions Corp.

United Airlines United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. Universal Healthcare US Bank Valley National Bank Vassilaros & Sons Coffee Vista LIC Hotel, Best Western Premier Collection VOREA W & M Fire Protection Services Waste Management of New York LLC Watch Guard 24/7 Waymo Webster Bank WellLife Network White Coffee Corp Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C. YMCA of Greater New York / Queens Branches Zara Realty

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS NEWS

Council Passes Permanent Outdoor Dining Bill

By Iryna Shkurhan ishkurhan@queensledger.com

Outdoor dining is here to stay, given some changes that the city council outlined in a new bill that passed last week.

Under the new laws that build on the emergency pandemic program, sidewalk dining outside of restaurants will be allowed year round. But dining sheds on the roadway will only be allowed to stay up for the warmer eight months of the year, from April to November.

Intro. 31-C, sponsored by Bronx City Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez by request of the Mayor, passed with

a close 34-11 vote on August 3. Those who voted against the bill in Queens included Councilmember Robert Holden and Vickie Paladino. In Brooklyn, Councilmembers Lincoln Restler, Charles Barron and Inna Vernikov said no to the plan.

“This bill preserves the best parts of the temporary program and eliminates the worst. After decades of deliberation and a temporary program that showed us so much potential, I’m proud to lead the administration that will deliver a superior permanent outdoor dining product to New Yorkers and all those visiting the five boroughs,” said Mayor Adams in a statement.

The council also added a provision that simplifies the application process while also lowering the cost for restaurants to participate, compared to the prepandemic outdoor dining licensing program. It also established the Department of Transportation as the permanent agency responsible for enforcing rules and administering licenses to restaurants.

As outdoor dining proved to be a staying feature of the city, it drew various complaints from locals. Many dubbed the sheds “eyesores” while others complained about less available parking spots. Some restaurant owners complained of the high costs of maintaining the sheds, as well as

MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

30

dealing with vandalism and loitering that the structures attracted.

“The new law will cut the red tape and fees for restaurants to participate when compared to the overly restrictive prepandemic sidewalk café licenses, which excluded so many restaurants throughout the five boroughs from offering al fresco dining,” said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of th eNYC Hospitality Alliance.

“We look forward to Mayor Adams’ signing this legislation into law and working with the Department of Transportation on the design guidelines and additional details to address issues that are important to restaurants and the communities they serve.”

August 2023 • Volume 19 • Issue 8 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

We hope you are enjoying the newly designed, expanded Queensborough, the monthly publication of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. We, the Chamber, direct and approve all content deciding what stories are covered in each issue, editing all copy and forwarding information that is contained in the publication. BQE Media produces it for the Chamber. We look forward to continuing to highlight the outstanding business persons, services and activities that make our borough unique. We welcome all your letters, manuscripts, etc. Please send all materials to the Queens Chamber of Commerce at 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370 or call 718.898.8500 for more information. We reserve the right to edit for space limitations. Your support of the magazine is critical to its success. We encourage you to include Queensborough in your advertising plans. To place your ad, please call BQE Media at 718.426.7200.

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As a valued neighbor of the Holiday Inn Express Maspeth, we would like to offer you a 15% Local Loyalty discount.

Pick up a Local Loyalty card at a participating Maspeth business, and present it at our front desk to receive your special 15% OFF rate! Scan the barcode to see the list of participating businesses.