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TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
A Century of Building Queens
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More Than Auto Repair: 93 Years of Keeping Queens Moving
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Excelsior New York Field Opens at the Shops at Atlas Park
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Cord Meyer Development Today: A New Era for a Queens Institution
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Business Spanish Benefits: Spanish for Professionals & Corporate Teams
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Microsoft Copilot: Powerful Productivity Tool or Governance Wake Up Call?
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Why Your Staff Photos Are Costing Your Medical Practice, New Patients
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Queensboro Dance Festival
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce Today: How Tigerman Prepares Students for Employment...
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It’s in Queens
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Staff Profile: Oscar Varela
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Inside the Impact of Clean Rite Center & Darnell Cares’ Laundry Support Program...
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Jamaica Hospital to Open New Emergency Department
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Queens Chamber Launches Its 2026 Business Toolkit to Help Small Businesses & the World...
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A Decade of Excellence: Velocity Architecture & Engineering Celebrates 10...
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The Skills First Aid Advantage: How Queens Small Businesses Can Hire Better...
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Expanding Access to Breast Cancer Screening: Early Detection in Queens...
Shahriar Hossain - QCC Editor Ana Navarro - QCC Design Editor Joanne Persad - General Manager
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Queens Tech Corner: Aleph Leadership
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Constructive Partnerships: Unlimited Builds Communities in Queens
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Dine and Discover
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See Your Business Like a First Time Customer
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Helping Seniors Age Safely at Home
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Building an AI Ready Data Platform: The Foundation for Future Business Success
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Reliable Clean City: LIC Powering the Future of Long Island City
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Go for a Cause: Cornerstone Raises $51,000 for the American Heart Association
Can Your Business Survive an Interruption?
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Mental Health is a Community Project
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Cleanwave Corporation, Queens College, & Queens Chamber of Commerce...
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When It Comes to Shipping, a Box Can Make or Break Your Business
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Queens Tech Corner: West X East
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Small Businesses, Big Concerns
QUEENSBOROUGH EDITORIAL & PUBLISHING TEAM Walter Sanchez - Publisher John Sanchez - Marketing Director Noah Zimmerman - BQE Editor Jack Delaney - Contributor Cole Sinanian - Contributor
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH September - October 2026
BQE Media 34-23 47th St. 2nd Floor Woodside, NY 11377
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ABOUT THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH MAGAZINE This is Queensborough Magazine (ISSN 333068) is published monthly by the Queens Chamber of Commerce with its partner, Queens Ledger, 7520 Astoria Blvd. STE 140, East Elmhurst, NY 11370-1131 USA, Permit Number 452620. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections and change of address corrections to: This is Queensborough Magazine, PO Box 780376, Maspeth, NY 11378. Customer service and subscriptions: For assistance email ads@queensledger.com, or phone 718-426-7200.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH Dear Members,
As another memorable summer comes to a close, I want to thank everyone who helped make it such a successful season for the Queens Chamber of Commerce and our business community.
Over the past few months, we had the opportunity to connect with many of you at two of our signature networking events. Whether you joined us aboard our annual Summer Networking Cruise or spent an evening building new relationships at our Cigar Networking Event, these gatherings reflected what makes the Queens Chamber so special: bringing together business leaders to strengthen our community and create new opportunities.
This summer also placed Queens on the global stage. The FIFA World Cup welcomed visitors from around the world, and our businesses rose to the occasion. A recent Chamber survey found that 85% of hospitality businesses reported increased sales during the tournament, while 79% said the event introduced them to new customers they believe will return. Those results demonstrate not only the immediate economic impact of this once-in-a-generation event, but also the long-term opportunity for Queens as a premier destination for sports, tourism, and commerce.
As we turn the page to fall, we are also preparing to celebrate an extraordinary milestone. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Queens Chamber’s Building Awards, a century-long tradition recognizing the projects, organizations and visionaries helping shape the future of our borough. We look forward to honoring another outstanding class of award recipients while celebrating a legacy of excellence that has helped define Queens for generations.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are building on the momentum of an exciting summer and creating an even brighter future for businesses across Queens.
Sincerely, Tom Grech
President & CEO
Queens Chamber of Commerce
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COVER STORY
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
A CENTURY OF
BUILDING QUEENS For 100 years, the Queens Chamber of Commerce has honored the buildings that define our borough — from the banks and bridges of the 1920s to the stadiums, schools, and hospitals that followed. This year’s Annual Building Awards mark that centennial, and few honorees capture the moment better than Hillside Tower in Jamaica, where affordable housing meets ambitious design. Hillside Tower shares its site with a companion building, Sutphin Tower, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards attended Sutphin Tower’s grand opening. He’s been an outspoken champion of the development ever since. “It is very satisfying to see that a development that has a substantial amount of affordable housing can achieve praise and recognition for its outstanding design,” Richards said. “This goes to show that affordable housing can co-exist with thoughtful, innovative, and beautiful design.” Richards pointed to the building’s amenities as a standout feature of the project. “I was very impressed with the substantial number of amenities and community spaces found there, including a picturesque rooftop area,” he said. “The entire development is of high-quality and makes for a great place for anyone to live.” The timing couldn’t be more relevant. Queens, like the rest of the city, is grappling with a persistent housing shortage, and Richards sees developments like Hillside and Sutphin Towers as part of the solution.
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“It’s no secret that our borough and city is facing a shortage of housing, and in particular a shortage of affordable housing,” he said. “We need more projects like this one that can effectively reduce this shortage by bringing high-quality affordable housing to our community.” That kind of progress, Richards argues, depends on a strong partnership between government, developers, and the business community. “Our business community, and in particular our small business community, is the engine that drives our economy and needs to thrive in order for our borough to prosper,” he said. “We need our businesses to work hand-in-hand with other community stakeholders to develop projects that will keep Queens
thriving well into the future.” As the Chamber celebrates a century of recognizing the buildings that shape Queens, Richards’ message to the developers and partners behind this year’s honorees was simple. “This development is an amazing achievement that is well worth celebrating,” he said, “and I would love to see many more similar projects come to fruition in the years to come.” 100 Years, 10 Buildings As we mark a century of the Chamber’s Building Awards, we’re taking a look back at ten structures that have defined Queens, one for every decade since the awards began.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
Looking Back at 100 Years of Building Awards
1920s — Bank of Manhattan Building, Bridge Plaza, LIC (1927)
For decades this was the tallest building in New York City outside Manhattan, and it remains Long Island City’s most recognizable landmark. It anchored a once-industrial waterfront that has since become one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the city.
1930s — Triborough Bridge (1936)
This massive Robert Moses-era project connected Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx and reshaped how New Yorkers moved through the city. Nearly a century later, it remains one of the busiest crossings in the country and a symbol of Queens as the connective tissue of the five boroughs.
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1940s — Queens Borough Hall (1940)
The seat of Queens government since it opened, Borough Hall is still where the Borough President’s office operates today. Built in a stripped classical style, it has hosted decades of civic ceremonies and community milestones for the borough.
1950s — Aviation High School (1958)
One of the only public high schools in the country dedicated entirely to aircraft mechanics, it’s a fitting fixture in a borough shaped by two major airports. Generations of graduates have gone straight from these classrooms into careers at JFK and LaGuardia.
1960s — Shea Stadium (1964)
Home to the Mets and briefly the Jets, Shea hosted everything from World Series games to The Beatles’ famous 1965 concert. Though it was demolished in 2009, it remains one of the most beloved buildings in Queens history.
1970s — USTA National Tennis Center (1978)
Built in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the complex turned Queens into the annual home of the US Open and one of the biggest stages in international sports. It set the foundation for Arthur Ashe Stadium two decades later. “As we celebrate the 100th year of the Queens it incredible that we are also going into the next building in the history of not only Queens County, new gaming facilities, a new soccer stadium, an firmly in the drivers’ seat for jobs, development,
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026 1980s — Bulova Corporate Center (1985)
Originally built in 1953 as the Bulova Watch Company’s headquarters and manufacturing plant, the Jackson Heights complex was reimagined as a modern office center in 1985 and is home to the Queens Chamber’s own offices today. Its transformation from an industrial manufacturing site to a corporate hub tracks with Queens’ broader shift toward a diversified economy.
2000s — Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Center (2007)
This Year’s Honorees: 2026 Building Awards This year’s Centennial Building Awards Gala takes place October 15 at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, itself a past honoree and a fitting stage for a night celebrating a century of Queens construction. This year’s winners:
One of New York City’s first LEED Platinum certified buildings, this visitor center set a new bar for sustainable public architecture. It reflects the Garden’s environmental mission while welcoming visitors into its grounds in Flushing.
2010s — TWA Hotel (2019)
1990s — New York Hall of Science (1996)
**New Construction** *Mixed Use (Residential/Commercial/Industrial), Southeast Queens* Hillside Tower — Architect: J Frankl Architects; Builder: Heartfelt Townhouse Builders *Mixed Use (Residential/Commercial/Industrial), Western Queens* Vernon Central — Architect: Gerald J. Caliendo Architects; Builder: Federici Builders Corp. *Mixed Use (Residential/Commercial/Industrial), Western Queens* Link Apartments QPN — Architect: Handel Architects LLP; Builder: Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Originally built for the 1964 World’s Fair, the Hall of Science doubled in size with a major expansion in 1996 and remains one of the largest science centers in the country. It’s a cornerstone of Flushing Meadows Corona Park and a major destination for schoolkids and families citywide. Chamber Building Awards, I find century of the most prolific construction and but in NYC overall with two new airports, two addition to the USTA Tennis Center, Queens is and opportunities as never before. “
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*Residential (Multi-Family)* Roma Condominium — Architect: Gerald J. Caliendo Architects; Builder: Parksite Construction Corp. Eero Saarinen’s midcentury TWA Flight Center sat dormant for nearly two decades before its transformation into a hotel at JFK. The adaptive reuse project preserved one of the most architecturally significant buildings in aviation history while giving it new life for a new generation of travelers and this year, it’s where the Chamber will gather to celebrate the awards’ 100th anniversary.
*Schools & Colleges, Western Queens* Forte Preparatory Academy Charter High School — Architect: SBJ Group Architects; Builder: Apex Development Group *Schools & Colleges, Eastern Queens* St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University — Architect: CannonDesign; Builder: Shawmut Design & Construction
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH **New Construction / Sustainable Building** Grace’s Place — Architect: Paul A. Castrucci Architects; Builder: Mega Contracting Group
Bayside High School (405Q) – Music/ Computer Room Conversion — Architect: Velocity Architecture & Engineering Group, D.P.C. / A Company of BRAVO Group; Builder: LSS Contracting LLC
Tickets and sponsorship information are available through the Queens Chamber, or by contacting Joanne Persad at jpersad@queenschamber.org.
**Rehabilitation, Alteration or Addition** *Commercial, Southeast Queens* John F. Kennedy Airport – Terminal 5 (Fraport USA / JetBlue) — Architect: Corgan; Builder: CDS-Mestel Construction Group *Commercial, Western Queens* Maspeth Federal Savings, 31-42 Steinway Street, Astoria — Architect: MJM+A Architects; Builder: H.M. Hughes Vincent Massina *Commercial, Western Queens* Vibe Fitness — Architect: Gerald J. Caliendo Architects; Builder: Vibe Fitness with Showcase Designs *Health Care Related Facilities* Northwell Cancer Institute Queens Radiation Center — Architect: SBLM Architects, PC/Bladykas Engineering/ Xu Consulting Engineering; Builder: ADI Contracting, LLC *Residential (Multi-Family)* Baisley Pond Park Residence — Architect: Aufgang Architects; Builder: SD Builders and Construction LLC *Schools & Colleges, Western Queens* PS993Q at Long Island City High School (Q452) — Architect: Velocity Architecture & Engineering Group, D.P.C. / A Company of BRAVO Group; Builder: Empire Control Abatement Inc. *Schools & Colleges, Northeast Queens*
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The Queens Chamber has hosted its prestigious Building Awards since 1926, recognizing the projects and professionals that have helped shape the borough’s built environment. As part of this year’s centennial celebration, the Chamber will also recognize the Paul A. Vallone Queens Animal Care Center at 19-06 Flushing Avenue—a standout addition to the borough and Queens’ first full-service animal shelter. This magnificent 50,000-square-foot facility provides a thoughtfully designed home for hundreds of animals while honoring the legacy of the late Council Member Paul A. Vallone and his enduring commitment to the Queens community and his longtime advocacy for animal welfare.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
EXCELSIOR NEW YORK FIELD OPENS
AT THE SHOPS AT ATLAS PARK
This summer, Excelsior New York has transformed the Center Green at The Shops Atlas Park into a temporary soccer destination with the opening of Excelsior New York Field presented by Main Street Radiology. Designed to bring local players, families, businesses, and neighbors together, the field offers a rare, accessible soccer experience right in the heart of the mall. Excelsior New York Field officially opened on August 3 with youth pickup sessions and will remain active through the end of the month.
experience. We are grateful to both Main Street Radiology and Ashkenazy Acquisition Group (The Shops at Atlas Park) for sharing our vision for ENY Field and how soccer can be used to build community. We also want to thank T.D. Sannio for the quick turnaround in getting the field up and Don Nico/Queens Beer Garden for sponsoring the first week of youth pickup. We’re thrilled to welcome players of all ages from the Queens soccer community to Excelsior New York Field.”
It hosts daily youth and adult pickup play, private rentals, and tournaments. The project is the result of a collaboration among several local organizations: Excelsior New York, The Shops at Atlas Park, Main Street Radiology, and T.D. Sannio Construction. Their shared aim is simple: to strengthen community ties through sport. Adding to the welcome, the first week of youth pickup was offered free of charge thanks to neighboring businesses Don Nico NYC and Queens Beer Garden.
Excelsior New York is a minor league soccer club rooted in the Jamaica Bay and South Queens communities. Founded in 2023, the club fields a men’s team competing in The League for Clubs and operates Excelsior New York Academy, which offers both competitive travel teams and a recreational program.
Reflecting on the launch of Excelsior New York Field, Co-Founder and President Giuseppe Ilarda said: “Bringing this field to life has been an amazing
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pathway. The goal of the Academy is to develop players capable of progressing to the Excelsior New York first team, college programs, and professional soccer. To support that pathway, the club has built relationships with college placement services, professional agencies, and clubs in Europe. Excelsior New York Academy also invests in developing local coaches through licensing support and ongoing education, with the aim of giving players a better experience. The club’s mission remains clear: to provide a true neighborhood club for the communities it represents while creating genuine opportunities for young players to reach their potential. By placing a working soccer field inside a familiar commercial and community space, Excelsior New York and its partners are making the game more visible and more accessible—turning ordinary summer days into shared experiences for players and spectators alike. For schedules, rentals, Academy programs, and updates, visit excelsiornysoccer.com or follow @excelsior_newyork on Instagram.
The Academy’s travel teams, based at Southern Fields in South Ozone Park, compete across the NYC metro and tri-state area from U8 through U13. Its recreational arm, recently rebranded through a partnership with MLS Go, serves as the entry point for local players and feeds into the club’s broader development
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
BUSINESS SPANISH BENEFITS: SPANISH FOR PROFESSIONALS & CORPORATE TEAMS By Catalina L.
Spanish has become one of the most valuable business tools in New York’s professional landscape. With millions of Spanish speakers across the city and a growing number of businesses serving bilingual communities, the ability to communicate in Spanish is no longer optional. It is a strategic advantage. Strengthening Client Relationships Professionals who use even basic Spanish immediately build trust. Clients feel acknowledged and respected, which leads to smoother interactions, clearer conversations, and stronger long‑term relationships. In fields like real estate, healthcare, hospitality, and customer service, this connection can directly influence business outcomes. Improving Workplace Communication Many organizations rely on a small number of bilingual employees to bridge communication gaps. This can create bottlenecks and slow down operations. When teams receive Business Spanish training, communication becomes more
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efficient. Responsibilities are shared more evenly, and the workplace becomes more inclusive and collaborative. Enhancing Community Engagement Businesses that invest in Spanish communication demonstrate cultural awareness and respect for the communities they serve. This strengthens their reputation, increases accessibility, and positions them as trusted partners within diverse neighborhoods, especially in boroughs like Queens. Why Business Spanish is Transforming Legal Practices In New York City’s legal landscape, a language barrier is more than a communication hiccup; it is a critical vulnerability. Every day, highly skilled lawyers navigate difficult moments trying to connect with their Spanish-speaking clients. During intense initial consultations or sensitive case updates, a lack of a shared language can create immediate friction. Many attorneys find themselves constantly forced to pause conversations, pull their bilingual administrative staff away from their
actual duties, and rely on them to translate. This creates operational bottlenecks, risks diluting the attorney-client privilege, and prevents the direct, empathetic connection that clients desperately need during stressful legal battles. Relying on staff as a permanent crutch is no longer a viable strategy. True legal advocates understand that communication is a strategic asset. I was recently reminded of this during a conversation with a lawyer from Miami who spoke fluent Spanish with me. I was deeply impressed by his command of the language, but even more so by the immense discipline and effort he put into mastering it. He didn’t just learn casual words; he invested the time to understand legal terminology in Spanish so he could advise his clients directly. That dedication builds unbreakable trust. A Skill With Immediate Practical Impact Business Spanish focuses strictly on real, everyday corporate situations: • Greeting clients and building immediate rapport • Scheduling appointments and managing timelines • Explaining services and contractual obligations • Discussing pricing, fees, and billing structures • Resolving customer concerns and handling escalations Professionals often see noticeable improvements within weeks, making it a high‑return investment for both individuals and organizations. Ready to upskill your team? To learn more about our corporate Spanish training programs, please contact us at scspanishclasses@gmail.com for a consultation.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
WHY YOUR STAFF PHOTOS ARE COSTING YOUR MEDICAL PRACTICE, NEW PATIENTS By Brandon
looks unprofessional. And it’s not just your website anymore. Your doctors and staff are showing up in more places than ever: Zocdoc, Healthgrades, insurance directories, LinkedIn. When a patient Googles your practice for the first time, they’re not just researching; they’re feeling. Within seconds, they’re scanning faces, deciding whether this place feels right, whether these people seem approachable. That decision happens really fast, and your staff photos are a big part of it. Most practices don’t dramatically lose patients over bad headshots. It’s quieter than that. Someone clicks your website, sees photos that look mismatched, outdated, or thrown together, and just... keeps scrolling. They never call. You never know why. It happens more than people realize. Busy offices add photos one at a time over the years, different lighting here, different backgrounds there, someone still using a photo from 2012. Nobody planned for it to look that way. This might seem trivial to some places, but to a new patient comparing practices, it
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A photo taken in bad lighting against a cluttered background doesn’t just live on your site. It follows your providers across every platform where patients are searching. In a borough like Queens where patients have endless options and are comparing practices across multiple sites before making a single call, that inconsistency adds up fast. The fix doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Pick one wall in your office with decent natural light. Photograph everyone against it on the same day, same framing, relaxed expression. Match that standard whenever someone new joins. That consistency alone tells patients your practice pays attention, and in healthcare, that matters a lot. It’s also worth thinking about staff turnover. Healthcare offices see a
lot of it. Every time someone new joins the team, there’s an opportunity to either maintain a consistent look or let the patchwork grow. Having a simple photo standard written down - background, framing, lighting, expression- means any new hire can be added without making the rest of the team look dated by comparison. Small practices especially benefit from this because every person on that page represents a bigger percentage of the team. Patients can’t always explain why one practice felt more trustworthy than another. But they feel it. And often it starts with something as simple as a photo that looks like you actually work there today. If you want to handle it in-house, start with that one consistent look; it costs nothing and makes an immediate difference. And if you’d rather have it done properly in one session with minimal disruption to your team’s day, that’s exactly what Big Apple Creative was built for. We come to your practice, bring everything we need, and get your whole staff photographed in a few hours so you never have to think about it again. Brandon is the Co-Founder of Big Apple Creative, a Queens-based mobile photography studio specializing in professional on-location headshots for healthcare teams across New York City. To learn more or book a session for your team, visit bigapplecreative. com or call 347-457-0287.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
BUILDING TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE TODAY: HOW TIEGERMAN PREPARES STUDENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT, INDEPENDENCE AND ADULT SUCCESS
By Irene Scalfani
For many schools, career readiness begins in high school. At Tiegerman, the foundation for employment, independence, and adult success begins during the elementary school years. As employers across Queens and Long Island continue to seek skilled, dependable workers, Tiegerman Schools and Community Services has spent more than four decades developing a model that prepares students with speech and language-based learning disabilities, autism, and developmental differences for meaningful employment, independence, and community participation. Beginning in the elementary school years, students are taught the communication, social, executive functioning, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills that serve as the foundation for future workplace success. These skills are reinforced and expanded throughout middle school, high school, and young adulthood
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through hands-on learning experiences, vocational training, community partnerships, and real-world work opportunities. What makes Tiegerman’s approach unique is that career readiness is not viewed as a separate program reserved for older students. Instead, it is woven throughout the educational experience, allowing students to gradually build the academic, social, communication, and vocational skills needed to achieve greater independence and employment success as adults. Founded in 1985, Tiegerman is a family of New York State-approved special education schools and community services programs serving children and adults throughout Queens, Nassau and Suffolk County, and Westchester. From its preschool programs in Glen Cove, Franklin Square, Far Rockaway, and Woodside to its elementary and middle school
in Glen Cove, K-12 school in Woodside, high school in Richmond Hill, and adult community and residential services throughout the region, the organization is committed to helping individuals develop the skills they need to thrive in school, at work, and in their communities. One of the most visible examples of this philosophy was showcased during Tiegerman High School’s student-led fashion show held in April at its Richmond Hill campus in Queens. The event, themed “Arms and
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026 Armor,” challenged students to transform inspiration into execution. After visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art to study historical armor and symbolism, students returned to school and worked collaboratively in four family teams to create original family crests, branding concepts, and fashion designs. The project integrated history, art, design, marketing, teamwork, and public presentation while teaching valuable workplace skills, including project management, communication, collaboration, and problemsolving. Under the leadership of Retail Marketing teacher Robert Viquez, students explored how creativity, branding, merchandising, and customer engagement connect to careers in retail and business. The fashion show also highlighted Tiegerman’s growing focus on career pathways and real-world workforce development. Through its longstanding partnership with PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, students gain hands-on experience through student-run retail stores located within Tiegerman schools as well as internships at PVH retail locations. These experiences expose students to merchandising, inventory management, customer engagement, workplace communication, teamwork, and the daily responsibilities of employment in a professional setting. More importantly, they help students build confidence, independence, and a stronger understanding of what it means to be part of a workforce.
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The event also showcased Tiegerman’s culinary and hospitality programs under the leadership of Loretta Radford, where students planned, prepared, and served the food for guests. Behind the scenes, students involved in media and event production documented the experience and contributed to the show’s planning and execution, developing valuable organizational and technical skills.
and language disabilities, and other learning challenges often focus on limitations. Tiegerman’s students demonstrate a much broader reality. Every student possesses unique strengths, talents, and potential.
Equally important, the fashion show provided opportunities for students to build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and refine their personal presentation abilities, all of which are essential for future interviews, internships, employment opportunities, and active participation in their communities.
Tiegerman’s approach focuses on identifying and nurturing those strengths, helping students build confidence as they prepare for meaningful futures in the workplace and beyond.
Tiegerman’s commitment to workforce development continues through its innovative Tiegerman Transition NYC program, which serves students ages 17 through 21 at both its Woodside and Richmond Hill campuses. The program combines classroom instruction with community-based work experiences, helping students develop the skills necessary for employment, post-secondary education, and independent living. Through coursework in career development, financial literacy, workplace communication, public speaking, and life skills, as well as internships and individualized coaching, students gain valuable real-world experience while preparing for successful transitions into adulthood. Public conversations about children with autism, speech
With the right support, opportunities, and expectations, many are developing the skills needed to become productive employees, engaged community members, and increasingly independent adults.
At a time when businesses across Queens and New York continue to face workforce shortages, Tiegerman is helping to create a pipeline of talented young people prepared to contribute to their communities and future employers. By starting early and maintaining a focus on communication, independence, self-advocacy, and practical work skills throughout a student’s educational journey, Tiegerman is helping students build futures filled with possibilities. For more than 40 years, Tiegerman has remained committed to its mission of helping children and adults find their voices, build confidence, achieve greater independence, and lead fulfilling lives. Through innovative education, meaningful business partnerships, and comprehensive transition services, the organization is preparing the workforce of tomorrow, one student at a time.
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STAFF PROFILE:
OSCAR VARELA
What is your current role at the Queens Chamber, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I’m the Financial Operations Manager at the Queens Chamber of Commerce. In this role, I work closely with the finance department, learning the details of our day-to-day processes and how they support the organization as a whole. What I enjoy most is the hands-on nature of the work: getting into the numbers, understanding how each piece fits together, and continuing to grow my knowledge of how the Chamber operates behind the scenes.
How does your work contribute to the Queens business community? My work supports the Chamber’s grant and outreach efforts, which help bring city funding back into the local community. By managing the financial side of these initiatives, I help make sure that resources reach the businesses and programs that rely on them, strengthening the Chamber’s ability to serve Queens more broadly.
Together, those experiences prepared me to step into a role where I could apply financial expertise in a way that has a direct, local impact.
What hobbies or interests do you pursue outside of work? Outside of work, I stay active by running, which helps me clear my head and stay disciplined. I also love to travel whenever I get the chance, since exploring new places gives me a fresh perspective I can bring back to everyday life. If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting a career, what would it be? Work somewhere that gives you the chance to meet new people every day. Building connections within the community is an invaluable skill, because you never know what opportunities can come from everyday interactions. Staying open to those conversations, even the small ones, can shape your career in ways you don’t expect.
What experiences led you to this role, and what has shaped your career path? My background in accounting gave me a strong foundation for this work, and my knowledge of small businesses in Queens has helped me understand the community I’m serving.
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QUEENS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS
Sunny P rtugal August 31 to September 9, 2027
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Sun-Drenched Days
Expert Tour Manager Portugal, Together
Fairy-Tale Sintra
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Ten golden days through Lisbon, Évora, the Algarve & the Portuguese Riviera, explored together as neighbors and friends.
Iconic Destinations
Authentic Experiences
Golden Cliffs of the Algarve
ONE PRICE, BEAUTIFULLY INCLUSIVE
$5,349 / person
Round-Trip Air from New York
Handpicked Hotels
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Meals Included
Air & Transfers Included
The Walled Village of Óbidos
Elegant Cascais & the Riviera
Register Here! Live Zoom Travel Presentation OCTOBER 21, 2026 AT 7:00PM
LIMITED GROUP SIZE. RESERVATIONS ARE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
JAMAICA HOSPITAL TO OPEN NEW EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT By Dr. Andrew Rubin
In the Fall of 2026, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center will open its newly constructed Emergency Department. This will be the first major expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Department in over three decades. The construction of the new Emergency Department was made possible through a $150 million grant from New York State as part of the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program. The new Emergency Department will effectively double the size of the current space. Jamaica Hospital’s current Emergency Department was built in 1999 and was designed to treat 60,000 patients annually. The new Emergency Department will have the capacity to treat over 150,000 patients every year. In addition to increased space, the new Emergency Department is designed with efficiency and safety in mind. It will also incorporate a layout that allows for better patient privacy and experience.
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The new Emergency Department’s design features more isolation rooms with negative air pressure to prevent the spread of airborne diseases. As New York City’s busiest trauma receiving hospital, Jamaica Hospital’s new Emergency Department will also feature four state-of-the-art trauma rooms equipped with the latest technology to treat our most critically injured patients. Another component of the expansion includes the addition of 22 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The need for an increase in ICU beds was made apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic when Jamaica Hospital found itself at the epicenter of the outbreak treating a surge of
seriously ill patients. Jamaica Hospital has been part of the Queens community since 1891. Today, the hospital cares for a culturally diverse population of nearly 800,000 people, and is the busiest trauma center in New York City, the only Joint Commission accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center in Queens, and a primary Heart Attack Center providing essential services to the community. Jamaica Hospital has also been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades.
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GET TO KNOW US!
ATTEND AN OPEN HOUSE LOWER SCHOOL
Saturday, October 3, 2026 Saturday, November 7, 2026
MIDDLE & UPPER SCHOOL Saturday, October 17, 2026 Saturday, November 14, 2026
NOW MORE AFFORDABLE. STILL EXCEPTIONAL.
OR YOU CAN Schedule a CAMPUS TOUR Set up a DAY IN THE LIFE VISIT (Middle & Upper School)
CONNECT with a current parent (Lower School)
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THE KEW-FOREST SCHOOL PRESCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 12 FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK KEWFOREST.ORG
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A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE:
VELOCITY ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING CELEBRATES 10 YEARS AND COMMUNITY IMPACT By Kenny Pimenta
As Queens continues to evolve into a premier hub for innovation, economic resilience, and vibrant community life, the built environment must evolve alongside it. At Velocity Architecture & Engineering Group DPC, we believe modern engineering is about more than structural integrity; it is about fostering sustainable, resilient neighborhoods. This year, we are proud to celebrate a major organizational milestone—marking 10 years in business and driving standards of design, safety, and energy efficiency across New York City. Reaching a decade in business offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on where we have been and where we are headed. For Velocity, our journey has always been intertwined with the growth of the boroughs we serve. This ten-year celebration is not merely a reflection on past projects but a renewed pledge to the local communities that form the backbone of our city. Elevating Communities Through Partnership True community impact cannot be achieved in isolation. Velocity’s core philosophy centers on collaborative partnerships designed to uplift local neighborhoods, businesses, and institutions. Over the past decade, we have consistently focused our efforts on bridging the gap between complex technical expertise and community-focused advocacy. A proud highlight of this commitment is our recent collaboration with the Police Athletic League (PAL). In close coordination with the
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New York Knicks, Velocity donated pro bono, comprehensive design services to reimagine PAL’s Garden of Dreams facility. This meaningful transformation was part of the prestigious NBA Cares Finals Legacy Project, creating a revitalized, dynamic space for local youth. By ensuring these vital recreational and educational hubs are beautifully designed, safe, and highly functional, Velocity helps keep community programming vibrant and accessible. For our team, using our professional skills to elevate spaces where city youth can learn, play, and grow alongside iconic local institutions like the Knicks is the truest expression of civic partnership as we celebrate our tenth anniversary. Award-Winning Innovation for a Greener Tomorrow Our dedication to engineering excellence was celebrated earlier this year at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Awards. In recognition of its achievements in superior skill and design ingenuity at PS 250K - The George H. Lindsay School, Velocity, A Company of BRAVO Group, was awarded the 2026 Diamond ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Award and the ACEC 2026 National Recognition Award. This recognition from our industry peers underscores our firm’s decade-long commitment to delivering top-tier, innovative solutions to the complex structural and environmental challenges facing modern urban infrastructure. This award-winning approach is especially critical as the
architecture and engineering industry faces a turning point. The push for building electrification and deep decarbonization is no longer a distant goal; it is an immediate operational necessity. With the strict enforcement of New York City’s Local Law 97, Velocity has positioned itself at the cutting edge of sustainable design. Our organization is actively pioneering high-performance building solutions that help property owners navigate this green transition smoothly. We specialize in designing advanced, dual-fuel HVAC systems and deploying state-of-the-art thermal envelope insulation strategies. By engineering high-efficiency heat pump integrations and advanced air-sealing techniques, we help both public facilities and private developments drastically reduce their carbon footprints while lowering long-term operating costs. Looking Ahead As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, our ACEC Diamond Award, and our proud partnership with the Police Athletic League and the New York Knicks, Velocity Architecture & Engineering Group DPC remains deeply committed to the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the entire borough. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships with local businesses, agencies, and civic leaders over the next decade. Together, we will continue to build an inclusive, sustainable, and architecturally resilient New York City, one project, one partnership, and one community at a time.
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THE SKILLS-FIRST AI ADVANTAGE:
HOW QUEENS SMALL BUSINESSES CAN HIRE BETTER WITHOUT A BIGGER HR DEPARTMENT Small businesses rarely lose the hiring race because they lack ambition. More often, they lose time because the traditional hiring process does a poor job of translating what a business actually needs and what a candidate can actually do. A job description may ask for a familiar title, a specific number of years, or a list of software tools. Yet the real need may be simpler: someone who can calm an unhappy customer, organize information, learn quickly, communicate in two languages, coordinate schedules, or keep a process moving when the owner is busy. When employers hire only by titles and keywords, strong candidates can remain invisible. A skills-first approach changes the question from “Has this person held the exact same job before?” to “What evidence shows that this person can perform the work?” Three practical improvements Artificial intelligence can help small businesses make that shift without building a large human resources department. Used responsibly, AI can support three practical improvements. First, it can help clarify the role before it is posted. A business owner can describe the actual problems the new hire must solve, then use AI to organize those needs into essential skills, trainable skills, daily responsibilities, and measurable outcomes. This often produces a clearer job description and prevents the common mistake of combining three different jobs into one unrealistic position. Second, AI can help identify transferable experience. A candidate who worked in hospitality may have strong conflict-resolution,
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By Leonardo Montefuego
sales, scheduling, and operations skills. A caregiver may bring documentation, reliability, time management, and high-pressure decision-making. An immigrant entrepreneur may have managed vendors, customers, budgets, and logistics without ever using a conventional corporate title. Skills-first hiring makes this experience easier to recognize. Third, AI can help create a more consistent interview process. Instead of relying only on instinct, employers can prepare the same core questions for each applicant, define what a strong answer should demonstrate, and use a simple scorecard tied to the work. This does not remove human judgment; it gives that judgment a better structure.
Where human judgment still matters There are important limits. AI should not make final hiring decisions, invent qualifications, or become the only basis for rejecting an applicant. Employers should protect candidate information, review AI-generated materials for bias or errors, and follow applicable employment and notice ROLVIO.IO | SKILLS-FIRST CAREER AND WORKFORCE INTELLIGENCE requirements. The goal is not to automate people out of the process. The goal is to reduce confusion, improve preparation, and give qualified people a fairer opportunity to be understood. Why this matters in Queens This matters especially in Queens, one of the most diverse business communities in the world. Local employers regularly meet bilingual
workers, immigrants, career changers, veterans, people with disabilities, students, parents returning to work, and professionals whose experience does not fit neatly into a standard resume. That diversity is not a hiring obstacle. Properly understood, it is a competitive advantage. A practical first step Small businesses can begin with one open position. Write down the five outcomes that matter most during the first 90 days. Separate the skills that are truly required from those that can be taught. Ask candidates for examples of results, not only titles. Then use AI as an assistant to organize the information, not as an authority that replaces responsibility. The businesses that learn this early will not simply hire faster. They will see talent that competitors overlook, build stronger teams, and make better use of the skills already present in their communities.
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
EXPANDING ACCESS TO BREAST CANCER SCREENING
EARLY DETECTION IN QUEENS | AMERICAN-ITALIAN CANCER FOUNDATION By Kathirvel Kumararaja
Every October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as an important reminder of the role early detection plays in improving health outcomes. Yet for many women in Queens, accessing routine mammograms remains a challenge. Lack of insurance, language barriers, transportation difficulties, and limited access to healthcare providers often prevent women from receiving timely screenings. Founded in 1980, the American-Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF) supports cancer research and promotes early detection, emphasizing the outstanding resources of Italy and the United States, recognizing world-class scientific excellence in medicine, and serving economically disadvantaged, medically underserved New Yorkers through cancer screening, outreach, and education. One of the Foundation’s flagship initiatives is its Mobile, No-Cost Breast Cancer Screening Program, which brings mammography services directly to underserved communities across New York City. Today, Queens represents one of AICF’s largest areas of service, accounting for approximately 23% of all screenings provided. AICF launched its program in 1987 with a simple goal: ensuring that all women, regardless of income or insurance status, have access to high-quality breast cancer screening. Since then, the organization has provided more than 132,000 no-cost mammograms to medically underserved women throughout the five boroughs.
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The need remains significant. According to the New York State Department of Health, more than 6,400 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in New York City in 2022, and nearly 1,000 died from the disease. While regular mammograms support earlier detection, disparities in access to care continue to affect many communities, particularly women of color, immigrants, and those with limited financial resources. These challenges are especially evident in Queens, one of the most diverse counties in the nation. Home to more than 2.3 million residents, the borough faces shortages of healthcare providers, high uninsured rates, and significant language barriers that can make preventive healthcare difficult to access. In 2025 alone, AICF provided screenings to 888 women in Queens on its Mammogram Bus. Of those patients, 70% reported household incomes below $25,000, 76% were uninsured or underinsured, 95% identified as women of color, and 51% spoke a language other than English. In addition, 119 women received patient navigation services to help them access follow-up care. AICF’s success is rooted in its community-based approach. The foundation currently partners with more than 40 organizations across the borough, including healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, immigrant service organizations, and local businesses. These partnerships help raise awareness, recruit participants, and build trust within communities that often face
barriers to preventive care. Beyond screening, AICF also provides breast health education and patient navigation services to help women overcome obstacles related to insurance, language, transportation, and healthcare literacy. For nearly 40 years, AICF has demonstrated that healthcare is most effective when it meets people where they are. Through strong community partnerships and a commitment to serving underserved populations, the Foundation continues to improve access to preventive care for women across Queens while advancing its broader mission of cancer research, education, and early detection. As Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches, AICF invites Queens businesses, community organizations, and civic leaders to join this effort. By hosting screening events, supporting outreach initiatives, or helping spread awareness, local partners can play a meaningful role in expanding access to breast cancer screening and early detection services. To learn more or support the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, please visit: www.americanitaliancancer.org or contact Giorgio Castoldi, Director of Philanthropy, at 646-951-4898 or gcastoldi@americanitaliancancer.org.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
MORE THAN AUTO REPAIR: 93 YEARS OF KEEPING QUEENS MOVING
By Audra Forbin When my great-grandfather opened the doors to Great Bear Auto Repair in 1933, in the farmlands of Sanford Avenue in Flushing, he wasn’t just starting an auto repair shop; he was building relationships. Ninety-three years later, those same values continue to guide everything we do. As a fourth-generation family-owned business, we’ve had the privilege of serving generations of Queens families. We’ve watched first-time drivers become parents, parents become grandparents, and many of our customers have trusted us with their vehicles for decades. That kind of loyalty isn’t built by repairing cars alone. It’s built by earning trust. One lesson has stood out over the years: most people aren’t afraid of auto repair—they’re afraid of not understanding it. That realization transformed the way we do business. At Great Bear, on Sanford Avenue, we believe that an educated customer is an empowered customer. That’s why our philosophy is built around four simple principles that guide every conversation and every repair: Educate, Not Intimidate. We take the time to explain what your vehicle needs and why, in language you can understand.
These principles have shaped our culture for decades. We believe trust is earned through transparency, communication, and treating every customer the way we’d want our own family to be treated. Our commitment to education eventually inspired something even bigger. In 2010, I founded Women Auto Know, our community education initiative and nonprofit organization dedicated to helping drivers better understand their vehicles through hands-on learning. What began as conversations with customers inside our repair shop has grown into workshops held at libraries, schools, businesses, community organizations, and municipalities throughout the region. Participants learn practical skills like understanding dashboard warning lights, checking tire pressure, inspecting fluids, replacing wiper blades, and recognizing the early warning signs of mechanical problems. The goal isn’t to turn people into mechanics; it’s to help people become confident, informed drivers.
Show and Tell, Not Sell. We believe in showing customers what we see, helping them understand the condition of their vehicle so they can make informed decisions, not pressured ones.
We believe every educated driver creates a ripple effect. They make safer decisions, care for their vehicles, share their knowledge with family and friends, and build stronger relationships with trusted repair professionals. That’s good for drivers, good for local businesses, and good for our community.
Service, Not Sales. Our goal has never been to sell repairs. Our job is to provide honest recommendations, exceptional service, and solutions that keep our customers safe on the road.
Giving back has always been part of who we are. Whether we’re mentoring future technicians, supporting workforce development, educating drivers, or helping businesses keep their fleets operating
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safely, we’re proud to be part of what keeps Queens moving. This year, Great Bear Auto Repair proudly celebrates 93 years of serving the Queens community. We could never have reached this milestone without the loyalty of our customers, the dedication of our employees, the support of our business partners, and the incredible community we’ve been honored to serve since 1933. To celebrate, we’d like to invite our friends, neighbors, customers, fellow Chamber members, and local businesses to join us at our 93rd Anniversary Celebration. We’d love the opportunity to thank you personally, celebrate our shared history, and look ahead to the future together. After 93 years, our mission remains as strong as ever: To educate, not intimidate. To show and tell, not sell. To provide service, not sales. And above all, to keep Queens moving, one vehicle, one family, and one business at a time.
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A STRUCTURE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS FOUNDATION. WE’RE EXPERTS AT BOTH. "ELEGANT SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS"
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George J. Cambourakis, P.E., C. Eng. – President Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. 40-12 28th St., Long Island City, NY 11101 (P) 718-706-7196 • (E) info@set-ny.com www.set-ny.com
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CORD MEYER DEVELOPMENT TODAY: A NEW ERA FOR A QUEENS INSTITUTION
At its Bay Terrace Shopping Center, Cord Meyer Development is adding 145 Class A rental apartments in two five-story buildings on underutilized parking areas. The project is introducing much-needed housing while complementing one of Northeast Queens’ premier shopping destinations.
Since its founding in 1904, Cord Meyer Development has played a significant role in shaping Queens. From helping transform farmland into the neighborhoods of Forest Hills and Elmhurst to developing the Bay Terrace Shopping Center and other high-quality properties, the company has built a reputation for long-term ownership and thoughtful investment. Today, that legacy is entering an exciting new chapter. Cord Meyer is once again actively developing its portfolio, with new residential and mixed-use projects underway, major investments in existing assets, and a leadership team focused on the company’s next generation of growth. “As a Queens-based company, we’re keenly aware of the need for additional housing in the borough,” said Matthew B. Whalen, President and CEO of Cord Meyer Development.
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“The lack of housing is a concern among elected officials, business owners, families, young professionals, and anyone who wants to see Queens continue to thrive. We’re helping to address that need through thoughtful development.”
At the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, the company is building a total of 145 rental apartments in two five-story buildings on underutilized parking
Since joining Cord Meyer in 2019, Whalen has spearheaded the company’s growth, overseeing the expansion of its development, construction, operations, and leasing teams while positioning the company to take on larger and more complex projects. In recent months, Cord Meyer has completed six financings totaling nearly $500 million, helping advance a growing pipeline of projects. In Elmhurst, Cord Meyer is developing a seven-story mixed-use building at 90-32 Queens Boulevard that will include 93 apartments, retail space and a community facility, bringing new opportunities to one of Queens’ busiest corridors.
Club Studio is among the tenants drawn by Cord Meyer’s multi-million-dollar renovation of the Bay Terrace Shopping Center.
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
areas. The project will introduce much-needed housing while complementing one of northeast Queens’ premier shopping destinations. Future residents will enjoy convenient access to shopping, dining, fitness and everyday services, creating a true mixed-use environment where people can live, shop and connect. Beyond Queens, Cord Meyer has partnered with Saber Real Estate North on the development of 70 Westchester Avenue in White Plains, where a 10-story mixed-use project featuring 203 apartments and ground-floor retail is now under construction. The project reflects the company’s growing ability to pursue important development opportunities outside New York City while remaining rooted in Queens. Ongoing Investment in a Diverse Portfolio
In Elmhurst, Queens, construction is underway on one of Cord Meyer’s most visible projects, a seven-story mixed-use building at 90-32 Queens Boulevard that will deliver new housing and commercial opportunities to one of the most traveled corridors in the borough.
Cord Meyer remains a long-term steward of many of the neighborhoods and commercial districts it has helped shape, with the company’s investment extending well beyond new construction. At the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, Cord Meyer recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation and continues to introduce popular shopping, dining and service offerings. Across its retail and office portfolio, the company is attracting nationally recognized retailers and restaurants as well as leading medical providers and financial institutions. In Forest Hills, the Cord Meyer Office Building has undergone significant capital improvements as part of the company’s ongoing investment in its commercial portfolio.
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The recent groundbreaking ceremony for 70 Westchester Avenue in White Plains, New York.
“We’re building on more than 120 years of history, but we’re equally enthusiastic about what’s ahead,” Whalen said. “The opportunity to create new housing while strengthening our commercial properties is what makes this such a remarkable time for Cord Meyer.”
For a company whose history is closely tied to the growth of Queens, today’s activity represents more than a robust development pipeline. It marks an exciting new era for one of the borough’s most enduring institutions.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
MICROSOFT COPILOT: POWERFUL PRODUCTIVITY TOOL OR GOVERNANCE WAKE-UP CALL?
By Len Kaplan
Artificial intelligence has moved from a business trend to a practical tool inside everyday workplace platforms. For many organizations, Microsoft Copilot is becoming one of the first AI tools employees encounter directly inside Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But Copilot should not be viewed simply as a smarter writing assistant. When properly deployed, it can help leaders and teams summarize information, identify risks, improve documentation, and make better decisions. When deployed without planning, it can also expose weaknesses in permissions, file organization, and data governance. CDML recently explored these issues in two blog posts focused on what leadership and operations teams should be asking Microsoft Copilot. For leadership, Copilot can act as an executive intelligence tool. Imagine asking it to summarize all emails, Teams discussions, and documents related to a major project from the past week, then highlight key decisions, missed deadlines, unresolved risks, and required executive actions. Instead of manually reviewing dozens or hundreds of messages, leadership can receive a structured briefing focused on accountability and impact. Copilot can also help review risk registers, compare quarterly financial results, summarize vendor contract terms, and convert incident reports into executive-level summaries. These are not replacements for leadership
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judgment, legal review, financial oversight, or compliance expertise. They are ways to speed up the first layer of analysis so better questions can be asked sooner. For operations teams, the value is different but equally important. Copilot can help turn meeting transcripts into task lists, draft client proposals from notes, generate standard operating procedures, and convert informal workflows into structured documentation. Many organizations rely heavily on tribal knowledge stored in inboxes, Teams chats, and scattered files. Copilot can help transform that fragmented information into repeatable processes, defined responsibilities, and clearer documentation. This can be especially valuable for onboarding, client intake, vendor coordination, internal escalation procedures, and business continuity planning. The goal is not to remove people from the process. The goal is to reduce wasted time, improve consistency, and help teams execute more effectively. However, there is a critical warning every organization should understand: Copilot can summarize and analyze all data it is allowed to access. If your SharePoint permissions are too broad, if Teams channels are poorly organized, or if sensitive documents are not properly labeled, Copilot may surface information that was technically accessible but never intended to be widely visible. That is why AI readiness is really governance readiness! Before rolling Copilot out broadly, organizations should review role-based access, SharePoint
permissions, Teams structures, sensitive data labeling, audit logging, and document organization. AI does not fix chaos. It often amplifies it. A messy Microsoft 365 environment can lead to messy results, missed context, and unnecessary exposure. The organizations that benefit most from Copilot will not be the ones that simply buy licenses first. They will be the ones that prepare their data, define internal usage guidelines, train employees on responsible prompting, and align AI use with cybersecurity and compliance requirements. Microsoft Copilot has the potential to strengthen decision-making, improve operations, and increase productivity. But it should be implemented as part of a larger strategy that includes security, compliance, documentation, and governance. For business leaders, the right question is no longer, “Can AI help us write faster?” The better question is, “Is our organization structured well enough to use AI safely and effectively?” To learn more, visit the CDML Computer Services blog at https:// cdml.com/blog-2/, where we share practical cybersecurity, compliance, and technology guidance for organizations looking to stay productive, secure, and prepared.
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
QUEENSBORO DANCE FESTIVAL
By Cole Sinanian
The summer-long Queensboro Dance Festival concluded its 13th season with a vibrant final show at Queens Theater on Saturday, August 18, showcasing both traditional and contemporary dance from around the world with performances by 20 Queensbased dance collectives. The festival’s finale — broken into three performances at 2pm, 5pm, and 7pm — comes on the heels of a more than two-mo nth-long tour around the World’s Borough, with free per formances held at public parks, swim ming pools, amphitheaters and open streets throughout Queens. Saturday’s first performance featured traditional Latin flamenco from Flamenco Latino, contemporary dance from RH Moves, Mexican folkloric dance from Manhatitlan and Argentine tango from Silvana Brizuela Weigel, as well as a Hawaiian Hula performance from Na Pua Mai Ka Lani Nuioka and a contemporary jazz/house performance by the Ah-Molla Dance Collective.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
IT’S IN QUEENS Summer was great. Luckily, Queens hosts fantastic entertainment and enrichment activities during September and October, too. Stay local for dance, books, juggling, dogs on parade, forest bathing, and a corn maze. Please read on. Sept. 1, 8pm – Hologram A live performance by Kyle Driggs and Jay Gilligan that combines juggling, light, and sound to create evolving visual phenomena. Choreographed objects move through precisely designed lighting, producing images that seem to hover, dissolve, and transform. The result evokes the qualities of holograms. 3AM Theatre, 9-20 35th Ave., Long Island City. Sept. 2 - Sept. 6 – Rockaway Film Festival Screenings, guests, workshops, and discussions every day. Arverne Cinema, 72-02 Gouverneur Ave. Sept. 5 - Nov. 1 – Amazing Maize Maze New York City’s only corn maze mixes clues, puzzles, and walking on the way to Victory Bridge, where a stunning vista of a three-acre living labyrinth is revealed. 10-17. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks/Floral Park. Sept. 5 - Sept. 6 – NYC Unicycle Festival Races, workshops, exhibitions, and games like unicycle basketball and hockey along with opportunities for newcomers to learn how to ride. 34th Avenue Open Streets, 34th Avenue between 69th Street and Junction Boulevard, Jackson Heights. Sept. 9 - Nov. 30 – Memento Mori: 9/11 Twenty-Five Years Later An exhibition consisting of dramatic,
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oversized photographs that pay tribute to the 9/11 attacks. Accompanying materials include books, magazines, and ephemera, as well as documentary photographs and digital prints of works. Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Queens College, 405 Klapper Hall, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing. Sept. 12, 6pm – Beach Session Dance Series This 12th annual show premieres Amusement, a new site-responsive work by Alexa West with dancers Tim Bendernagel, Isabelle Dayton, Cayleen Del Rosario, Benin Gardner, Amelia Heintzelman, Jordan Lloyd, Owen Prum, and Molly Ross. On the sand at Beach 110th St., Rockaway.
Sept. 18 - Sept. 20 – Making Moves Dance Festival 2026 Three days of dance featuring Vasialys Solae Rodriguez, Project Oviasu, Marley Poku-Kankam, Forza Dance, MOVE|NYC|, Young Professionals Ensemble, Tommy Wasiuta, Trey Singletary, Jatary Sunchy Danza y Proyección Escénica, and Blacks in Ballet 7.50-10. Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave. Sept. 19, 7pm – Catch! This Obie Award–winning, itinerant,
rough-and-ready series of performance parties is organized by Andrew Dinwiddie, Caleb Hammons, Jeff Larson, Matt Romein and Leah Plante-Wiener. It gives stage to an ever-expanding universe of emerging artists and downtown luminaries, pouring equal portions of community, love, and beer. The Chocolate Factory Theater, 38-33 24th St., Long Island City.
Sept. 23, 11am – Pop Up Market Local crafters, artists, and chefs sell their small-batch products over four hours. Bulova Corporate Center, 75-20 Astoria Blvd. S., East Elmhurst. Sept. 24 - Sept. 27 – Art Book Fair Interdisciplinary artists, collectives, small presses, self-publishing artists, rare book dealers, institutions, and distributors gather to do their thing and celebrate the 50th anniversaries of MoMA PS1 and Printed Matter. Expect networking, book launches, lectures, exhibitions, discussions, performances, and workshops. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City.
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026 Sept. 26, 10:30am – A Morning Bird Walk for Adults Wing Kong, a birder, nature educator, environmental artist, leads this walk to discover NYC’s birds and natural wonders. $15. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 229-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston. Sept. 26, 5pm – SpeakEasier Language Exchange Intermediate-to-advanced level speakers of Arabic, French, Farsi, and Spanish practice their speaking skills through engaging conversation on the fourth Saturday of every month. Culture Lab LIC, 5-25 46th Ave. Oct. 3 - Oct. 4 – Agriculture Fair Enjoy a vast array of country activities, like corn-husking contests, hayrides, square dancing, carnival rides, and Merry-go-rounds. A stage hosts live music and theatrical performances. From 10 am to 5 pm on both days. 10-25. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks/Floral Park. Oct. 3, 12pm – Rockaway Dog Parade With an ‘Under the Sea’ theme, organizers invite dogs (and their humans) to dress as mermaids, sailors, sea creatures, pirates, tropical fish, and ocean-inspired characters for this fifth annual, pet-friendly event. $5, proceeds benefit Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue. Meet at the 94th Street Amphitheater in Rockaway Beach. Oct. 9, 8pm – Las Áñez The Áñez twins blend folk and avantgarde music with a loop pedal, beats, and small instruments. The sister’s original songs are featured on four award-winning albums and have captivated audiences in 11 countries across the Americas and Europe. $25. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Oct. 9 - Oct. 11 – Conch Shell International Film Fest
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Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora filmmakers, film lovers, and industry professionals gather for three days of screenings, conversations, professional development, and community. The program screens 47 films from 14 countries, including Aruba, Canada, Colombia, Curaçao, Dominica, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Regal Midway Cinema, 108-22 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills. Oct. 15 - Oct. 17 – Liz Santoro + Pierre Godard: This Is Unreal Onstage, Liz Santoro recounts her childhood, ballet school, life in New York, move to Paris, motherhood, and the works she has created with Pierre Godard. But here, truth and fiction cannot be disentangled: some memories are real, others are generated by artificial intelligence; some movements originate from her body, others are fabricated by an algorithm trained on her dancing. The Chocolate Factory Theater, 38-33 24th St., Long Island City. Oct. 17 - Oct. 18 – El Día de los Muertos Calpulli Mexican Dance Company presents choreography and storytelling inspired by El Dia de los Muertos. Shows are on Oct 17 at 2 pm and 8 pm; and Oct. 18 at 2 pm. 25-50. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Oct. 17, 7pm – Allan Harris: The Poetry of Jazz Brooklyn-born vocalist/guitarist/ composer Allan Harris has earned his place as one of the most exceptional Jazz singers of his generation. His
artistry shines through his 14 recordings, globally acclaimed performances, and numerous awards. $25. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Oct. 18, 11am – Fall Forest Bathing Walk Certified guide Linda Lombardo leads a 90-minute stroll through the forest to inspire mindful connections with natural elements of the woods for a range of health benefits. $25. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 229-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston. Oct. 25, 9am – Totten Trot The Bayside Historical Society hosts a 5K race and children’s fun run for the 25th year. The Halloween-themed, waterfront course winds through Fort Totten Park on Little Neck Bay in Bayside. Registration begins at 7:30 am; the race starts at 9 am. The starting line is in the vicinity of 208 Totten Ave. Oct. 31, 10am – Halloween on the Farm Wander through the historic Adriance Farmhouse for spooky ghost stories, then trick-or-treat at nine candy stations across 47 acres of farmland, where you’ll meet animals and soak in agricultural history. Get lost in the three-acre Amazing Maize Maze, then hop a festive hayride with kid-friendly tunes. Pick the perfect pumpkin at the patch, snap a fall photo, and warm up with cider, donuts, and pies. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park. More information is available at https://bit.ly/3JABukh.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
INSIDE THE IMPACT OF CLEAN RITE CENTER & DARNELL CARES’ LAUNDRY SUPPORT PROGRAM AT A QUEENS SCHOOL
At The Susan B. Anthony Academy IS238, the initiative a collaboration between Clean Rite Center, the NYC-based laundromat chain, and Darnell Cares, a nonprofit focused on community well-being has been in motion since the second phase launched last winter, installing in-school hygiene pantries stocked with toiletries, free laundry cards, and detergent pods, paired with free laundry services at nearby Clean Rite locations. The Impact at The Susan B. Anthony Academy – IS238: For students without access to laundry facilities, the ripple effects of this program go well beyond clean clothes. Staff report that students who once faced teasing or embarrassment over wearing the same unwashed clothing for days can now attend school with more confidence and, staff believe, more consistently. The hygiene pantry has become a quiet but essential fixture at the school: pantries are stocked year-round, and hygiene packs are distributed proactively before long weekends and extended breaks, ensuring students without access to laundry facilities don’t go without basic necessities when school and its resources aren’t accessible. The program has also fostered a strong sense of student ownership and pride. Participants in the school’s Girls Inc. Mind + Body wellness program, co-led by Bianca Signez, LMSW, Social Worker, and Tracey Haqq, help pack the break-time hygiene bags themselves,
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transforming a support service into a shared act of care and compassion among peers. On the Ground: Tracey Haqq, LMSW: Bridging the Gap Social Worker - Students in Temporary Housing & Foster Care. Tracey Haqq works directly with (The Susan B. Anthony Academy IS238) families living in shelters, and sees the impact firsthand: “We see families without access to laundry facilities causing students to come to school with dirty clothes or skip school altogether because of the bullying they face, which contributes to the issue of chronic absenteeism. This issue also extends beyond school e.g., if someone needed to go to a job interview, so the pods and laundry cards are a major help. We have purchased laundry cards for STH students from Clean Rite in the past and we still have parents calling asking if there are more cards available it is a big support for our school community, helping students come to school feeling clean and confident.”
support during the gaps like long weekends and breaks when families are otherwise on their own. By the Numbers: With 950+ NYC public schools within a 1-mile radius of Clean Rite’s 45+ NYC locations, since becoming a DOE-approved vendor in 2022, Clean Rite Center has: • Delivered over $3 million in laundry card value to NYC public schools, including the 20% in additional value they donate with each card order. • Provided 60,000+ NYC public school families with laundry cards to boost attendance. • Filled a critical gap for schools that do not have laundry facilities on site What’s Next: Clean Rite Center is renewing its partnership with Darnell Cares for the upcoming school year and expanding into additional boroughs, building on the model piloted at schools like (PS121 and IS238).
Why It Matters Now: Chronic absenteeism in NYC schools has continued to climb — roughly one in three public school students was chronically absent last school year. Clean Rite Center and Darnell Cares designed this program specifically to knock down the hygiene- and laundry-related barriers keeping kids out of the classroom, and (The Susan B. Anthony Academy IS238) experience shows what that looks like in practice: fewer reasons for kids to miss school, and more
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
QUEENS CHAMBER LAUNCHES FIFA 2026 BUSINESS TOOLKIT TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES TURN WORLD CUP EXCITEMENT INTO CUSTOMERS By Nasreen Hussain small businesses the tools they need to make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
Earlier this year, the Queens Chamber of Commerce launched its “Celebrate Soccer in 2026” Business Toolkit, a free resource designed to help restaurants, bars, retailers, and other small businesses prepare for and benefit from the economic opportunities surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The launch event was held at Murphy’s Sports Bar (45-01 23rd Ave) in Astoria. Made possible through a grant from the ABNY Foundation, the toolkit provided practical, easy-to-use marketing resources that businesses could customize and deploy immediately. Resources included printable and digital promotional templates, social media assets, watch party marketing materials, menu and product promotion templates, digital marketing guidance, accessibility and inclusivity recommendations, and best practices for engaging international visitors.
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Designed with small businesses in mind, all printable materials could be produced on a standard 8.5” x 11” printer, offering a low-cost, high-impact marketing solution that required no professional design experience. “Queens is uniquely positioned to benefit from the World Cup, with millions of visitors expected to travel through our airports, stay in our hotels, dine in our restaurants, and explore our neighborhoods,” said Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, at the time of the launch. “We wanted to create something practical that any business could use, whether it’s a family-owned restaurant hosting watch parties, a retailer promoting World Cup-themed specials, or a local shop looking to reach new customers. Thanks to the ABNY Foundation’s support, we’re giving
“ABNY is proud to support the Queens Chamber of Commerce and 29 other community organizations across all five boroughs to help create welcoming spaces for fans, engage local businesses, and engage our youth with programming inspired by this historic tournament,” said Emma Pfohman, CEO of the Association for a Better New York. “From neighborhood watch parties to organizing small business corridors to free youth soccer tournaments, the ABNY Foundation’s World Cup for All community grants will bring the spirit and excitement of the World Cup to communities in every corner of our city.” “Queens represents so much of what makes New York City special. Growing up in a Ghanaian family where soccer was front and center and now as a soccer mom, I’ve always seen football as a connector that brings people together. With the World Cup at NYC’s doorsteps, we want to make sure our mom-and-pop businesses are ready to welcome the world and benefit from the excitement and economic opportunities that come with it. The Queens Chamber’s toolkit gives our mom-and-pop businesses simple, practical tools to prepare and be part of the celebration!” said Delia Awusi, Mom-and-Pop Czar, City of New York. “As a lifelong soccer fan, I can’t think of a more exciting time to be doing business in Queens,
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
and I’m thrilled to welcome fans from around the world to the World’s Borough for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” said Maya Kurien, Founder and Principal of Main Street Wisdom and Co-Chair of the “Celebrate Soccer in 2026” Initiative. “I’m proud to serve as co-chair of this initiative, and grateful to the ABNY Foundation for making it possible to put these tools directly in the hands of the small businesses that make Queens so special.” “People talk about the World Cup bringing the world to New York. But here in Queens, the world already lives here — every flag in that tournament is somebody’s neighbor, somebody’s restaurant, somebody’s family. As a Queens native and the daughter of immigrants, I started companies to uplift the small businesses that carry that culture every day. This toolkit helps them do what we do best: welcome the world home, and let visitors taste, hear, and feel why this is the most diverse place on the planet,” said Deepti Sharma, Serial Entrepreneur, Community Builder and Co-Chair of the “Celebrate Soccer in 2026” Initiative. “If soccer is the world’s game and Queens is the world’s borough, then the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our restaurants, bars, and small businesses to welcome the world and showcase the hospitality, diversity, and energy that make our neighborhoods so special.
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The Queens Chamber’s Business Toolkit gave businesses practical resources to prepare for the tournament, attract customers, and maximize the economic opportunities that came with this historic event,” said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, New York City Hospitality Alliance. “Long Island City was ready to welcome the world to the World’s Borough this summer. More than 30 local LIC businesses launched special promotions for New Yorkers and visitors celebrating soccer’s biggest stage. We’re grateful to the Queens Chamber of Commerce and ABNY Foundation for creating the ‘Celebrate Soccer 2026 Toolkit,’ helping local businesses capture the economic opportunities of the World Cup,” said Laura Rothrock, President, Long Island City Partnership. “As Co-Founder and CEO of The Nourish Spot, I was thrilled that the world came to us. From our brick-and-mortar roots in Southeast Jamaica, Queens to our hot and cold grab-and-go concession at Dear NYC in JFK Terminal 8 near Gate 43, we were perfectly positioned to welcome hundreds of thousands of soccer enthusiasts as they flew into the gateway of New York’s true world borough. This was our moment to greet global visitors with the same love and nourishment we’ve always given our community. We were ready to nourish the world, one cup at a time,” said Dawn Kelly,
Co-Founder & CEO, The Nourish Spot Inc. “Queens is the world’s borough, making it the ultimate destination for the World Cup. For historic institutions like Neir’s Tavern, this tournament wasn’t just about hosting watch parties — it was an unprecedented opportunity to drive hyper-local economic growth. This toolkit took the guesswork out of event marketing, giving every small business owner in the borough the direct tools they needed to score big with new and returning customers alike,” said Loycent Gordon, Owner & CEO, Neir’s Tavern. The toolkit included: •Three customizable printable marketing templates: o Watch Party Flyer o Special Menu Promotion o Product Promotion Flyer • Three matching digital templates optimized for: Instagram, Facebook, Other social media platforms • Digital marketing and social media guidance • Best practices for welcoming international visitors • Accessibility and inclusivity recommendations • Tips for promoting events, specials, and fan experiences during the tournament The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought unprecedented international attention to the New York-New Jersey region. As the home of two major airports and one of the world’s most diverse dining and cultural destinations, Queens served as a primary gateway for visitors throughout the tournament. The Queens Chamber developed the toolkit to help ensure local businesses were prepared to welcome those visitors and share in the economic benefits of the event. The “Celebrate Soccer in 2026” Business Toolkit remains available free of charge to Queens businesses and can be downloaded at www. queensbest.org/queens-tool-kit.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
BQE Media Digital Marketing Initiative Partnering to Help Queens Small Businesses Thrive Lines wrapping around neighborhood bakeries. Dining rooms filled with firsttime customers. Restaurants selling out of signature dishes. That’s the kind of real-world impact the Queens Economic Development Corporation’s (QEDC) digital marketing initiative has been creating for small businesses across Queens. Through its work with grant sponsor New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), as part of the Neighborhood 360° Grant, QEDC has developed new ways to strengthen commercial corridors and drive foot traffic through digital marketing and community programming. A major component of that effort is Astoria Storefronts, a campaign led by QEDC Program Manager Victor Prado that commissions local content creators to spotlight independently owned businesses. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, the initiative uses authentic storytelling to introduce restaurants, cafés, bakeries and retailers to new audiences. One of the program’s most successful collaborations has been between Prado and local content creator and BQE Media & Marketing VP John Sanchez and his team. Together, they have featured more than 40 independently owned restaurants and small businesses throughout Astoria. Their videos have generated nearly three million social media impressions and are estimated to have produced more than $200,000 in new revenue for participating businesses. “Economic development looks different today than it did even five years ago,” said Prado. “If we can help a family-owned restaurant reach hundreds of thousands of potential customers through authentic storytelling, we’re creating opportunities that simply didn’t exist before. Supporting local creators while supporting local businesses has become a win-win for Queens.”
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By Fernanda Nuñez Nasta
Among the campaign’s biggest success stories was Astoria’s legendary La Guli Pastry Shop, whose feature video reached more than 400,000 people across social media. The video introduced one of Queens’ iconic pastry shops to a new audience, leading to an influx of first-time visitors while reconnecting longtime residents with the neighborhood institution. Other standout performances included Hellenic Aesthetic, which reached more than 125,000 views; Coffee Pro, with more than 60,000 views; Unmei Taiwanese Fast Casual and Favela Brazilian Grill, each surpassing 200,000 views; Gaia Masala & Burger, with nearly 50,000 views; and Somedays Bakery, with nearly 35,000 views. The Honey House’s feature video also reached more than 200,000 local residents, while Pot Liquor & Cornbread’s feature reached more than 65,000.
But the impact extended far beyond likes and shares. Business owners whose videos gained significant traction reported noticeable increases in customer traffic and revenue. Restaurants regularly reported customers walking through their doors and saying they discovered them through a QEDC-sponsored video on Instagram,
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026 Facebook or TikTok. In many cases, the content continued attracting customers long after it was published. “The greatest compliment isn’t when someone tells me a video went viral,” said Sanchez. “It’s when a restaurant owner calls and says they had to bring in more staff for the weekend, or when customers tell their server they drove from another borough because they saw one of our videos. That’s when you realize this is about much more than social media—it’s about helping families, preserving local businesses, and strengthening the neighborhoods that make Queens so special.” QEDC has also taken digital discovery into the streets through community food crawls organized by Prado. To date, seven food crawls have attracted more than 600 attendees, bringing residents and visitors directly into neighborhood restaurants, cafés, bakeries and specialty businesses. The events include the Broadway Food Crawl, Ditmars & Friends Food Crawl, 23rd Avenue “Restaurant Row” Food Crawl, Astoria Boulevard Food Crawl, 30th Avenue Winter Food Crawl, Ditmars Dessert Crawl, and World Artisan Market Food Crawl. The crawls complement the digital campaign by converting online engagement into real-world foot traffic. Participants discover multiple businesses within a commercial corridor, often visiting establishments they may never have encountered otherwise. Together, the videos and neighborhood events create a powerful cycle: digital content generates awareness, community programming brings customers through the doors, and positive experiences can turn first-time visitors into repeat customers. The campaign also showcases the diversity that defines Astoria, from historic Italian bakeries and Greek specialty shops to Taiwanese restaurants, Brazilian steakhouses, artisan coffee shops and Indian fusion concepts. Each feature promotes an individual business while celebrating the cultures and entrepreneurs that make Queens one of the
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world’s most diverse communities. “Queens has no shortage of incredible small businesses—the challenge is making sure people know about them,” said Ben Guttmann, Executive Director of QEDC. “We’re not just generating views; we’re helping businesses reach new customers, increase foot traffic, and become destinations beyond their immediate neighborhoods.” As consumer behavior continues shifting toward digital discovery, the success of Astoria Storefronts offers a model for how economic development organizations can combine modern marketing, local content creators and experiential community programming to support entrepreneurs.
can create measurable economic impact. What began as a way to increase visibility for neighborhood storefronts has generated millions of impressions, brought hundreds of residents together through food crawls, and helped participating businesses generate an estimated six figures in new revenue. For the restaurants, cafés, bakeries, retailers and entrepreneurs that give Queens its identity, the program has delivered something far more valuable than viral videos: new customers, increased foot traffic, lasting visibility and renewed confidence that local businesses can continue to survive and thrive.
And the initiative is getting bigger. QEDC is expanding the digital campaign into East Elmhurst and additional neighborhoods throughout the borough, with Astoria Storefronts evolving into “Queens Storefronts.” The goal is to bring the same model of digital storytelling and small-business promotion to entrepreneurs across Queens. The expansion represents the next chapter of a partnership that has demonstrated how locally produced content
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
CAN YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE AN INTERRUPTION? By Dave Grumer Revenue can stop at once. Payroll, rent, debt payments and customer expectations do not. A fire, power failure, equipment breakdown, cyberattack or loss of a critical supplier can halt operations without warning. Protecting people comes first. After immediate safety needs are addressed, preparation can make the difference between a temporary disruption and a permanent closing. Put your responses in writing, assign responsibilities, and review and test the plan annually. 1. Prioritize What Must Continue First Identify the products, services and processes most important to customers and cash flow. Determine how long each can be unavailable, who can make emergency decisions and what is required to restart. A CFO can estimate the revenue, margin and cash lost each day, helping management decide which operations, customers and products should receive priority. 2. Protect Liquidity and Understand Insurance Estimate the cash needed if revenue stops while fixed expenses continue. Review cash reserves, available credit and the records required by insurers, lenders and government agencies. Examine insurance limits, deductibles, exclusions, and business-interruption coverage; do not simply renew the policy. A CFO can prepare cash-flow scenarios and identify financing gaps. 3. Develop Practical Alternatives Maintain secure off-site backups and contact information. Identify
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alternate suppliers, temporary work locations, equipment sources and employees who can assume essential duties. Dependence on one building, vendor, computer system or employee leaves a business vulnerable. A CFO can compare the cost of safeguards with the consequences of extended downtime. 4. Plan How to Communicate When a company goes silent, others fill the silence with questions, guesses or rumors. Customers, employees, suppliers, lenders and the business community should hear directly from management. Decide who will communicate, how updates will be delivered and what the company can realistically promise. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s “Seven Ways to Start Your Business Continuity Plan” recommends assessing risks, planning for power loss, developing alternate suppliers, reviewing insurance, protecting data and testing the plan. A Queens Business Recovers “It took 65 years to build it, four hours to destroy it and two years to rebuild. I’d say we’re not doing too badly,” said Jorge Farber, president and CEO of Madelaine Chocolates. Hurricane Sandy flooded Madelaine’s Rockaway Beach factory in October 2012. Farber estimated $30 million in equipment damage and $10 million in lost inventory. The company could not meet customers’ seasonal needs. Madelaine promised to return the following season and supply most—not all—of its customers’ requirements. Its maintenance team
repaired equipment one machine at a time, enabling seasonal production within eight months. Management decided what to restore based on demand, customer expectations, service and financial return. Suppliers extended payment terms, the lender remained supportive and government financing helped fund the recovery. At a September 2013 regional economic-development hearing, the Queens Chamber of Commerce publicly supported Madelaine’s recovery project. But rebuilding did not mean full recovery. By October 2013, only four of 14 production lines were operating. Madelaine did not return to its pre-Sandy production level of 20 million pounds annually until 2018, nearly six years after the storm. Madelaine could not prevent the flood. Its recovery demonstrates several of the priorities described above: management decided what equipment and production to restore first, made a realistic commitment to customers, and obtained financing and support from suppliers and its lender. Perseverance mattered, but it was supported by difficult financial and operational decisions. The time to ask, “Can your business survive an interruption?” is before revenue stops.
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CLEONMAYE CORPORATION,
QUEENS COLLEGE, & QUEENS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP By Dr. Ryan Letts, DBA, Stanly Munoz, and Raima Yusef
The Cleonmaye Summer Research Internship, made possible through the partnership between Cleonmaye Corporation, the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and Queens College, provided students with the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful community-focused research initiative. The project explored how faithbased organizations across New York City can play a larger role in advancing clean energy adoption and sustainability. Through hands-on research and collaboration, interns developed practical recommendations that support nonprofit organizations while strengthening connections between higher education, industry, and the local community. Throughout the internship, our team conducted an exploratory study examining the adoption of clean energy within faith-based organizations across New York City’s five boroughs. The research focused on three key questions: the current adoption of clean energy technologies, the barriers preventing implementation, and the factors that encourage organizations to transition toward renewable energy solutions. By reviewing government resources, academic literature, nonprofit publications, and industry reports, we identified trends and opportunities that can help support
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future clean energy initiatives and community outreach. One of the project’s most significant findings was that houses of worship represent an untapped opportunity to expand clean energy awareness and adoption. As trusted community institutions, faith-based organizations have the ability to educate their congregations, encourage sustainable practices, and serve as leaders within their neighborhoods. At the same time, the research identified several challenges, including aging infrastructure, high upfront costs, outdated building systems, and limited financial resources, which often make clean energy projects difficult for nonprofit organizations to pursue. The research also demonstrated that these challenges can be addressed through education, collaboration, and available financial
resources. Programs offered by organizations such as NYSERDA and NYC Accelerator, along with grants, tax incentives, and innovative financing models, can significantly reduce the cost of implementing clean energy technologies. Beyond environmental benefits, these opportunities can help faith-based organizations lower operating expenses, improve long-term financial sustainability, and strengthen the communities they serve. A major outcome of the internship was the proposal of the Queens Clean Energy Readiness Initiative, designed to create lasting value beyond the completion of the research project. The initiative recommends developing educational guides, sustainability toolkits, workshops,
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026
online resource hubs, surveys, and short educational videos that can continue supporting Queens businesses, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based communities. Rather than ending with a research report, the internship produced ideas and resources that can continue benefiting the community well into the future. This internship demonstrates the value of collaboration between the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Queens College, and Cleonmaye Corporation. Through the Chamber’s support and Cleonmaye’s mentorship, students gained meaningful realworld experience while contributing research with practical community applications. The partnership showcases how experiential learning can produce lasting educational resources, strengthen community engagement, and
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support New York City’s transition toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. Key takeaways: • 6-week independent research project • Three research questions investigated • Focused on New York City faith-based organizations • Identified barriers, drivers, and opportunities for clean energy adoption • Proposed the Queens Clean Energy Readiness Initiative • Developed practical educational resources for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Summary The Cleonmaye Corporation, Queens College, and Queens Chamber of Commerce Summer
Research Internship explored how faith-based organizations across New York City can increase clean energy adoption and sustainability. The research identified key barriers such as aging infrastructure, limited funding, and high upfront costs, while highlighting available grants, incentives, and educational resources that can support implementation. Findings showed that houses of worship are uniquely positioned to promote environmental awareness and lead community-based sustainability efforts. As a result, the team proposed the Queens Clean Energy Readiness Initiative to provide educational tools, workshops, and resources that help organizations transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
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QUEENS TECH CORNER:
THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
WEST X EAST
It’s Queens Tech Corner time! The Queens Tech Corner is a monthly profile where we shine a spotlight on tech entrepreneurs doing exciting things right here in Queens. This month’s featured tech entrepreneur is Tania Kottoor, Founder and CEO of WEST X EAST, a high-touch fashion platform favored by a discerning audience that wishes to feel connected to their cultural identity. To learn more, go to https://westxeast. com/. Can you tell us a little about your company? WEST X EAST enables brands to co-create with their customers. The design tool offers made-to-order, personalized products through an intuitive digital experience, reducing inventory waste while increasing customer engagement. I started the company after seeing firsthand how outdated and inefficient the MTO and on-demand industry was and wanted to modernize it through technology.
We’re excited to launch the next evolution of our company: 3D Configurator powered by WEST X EAST. This AI-powered platform enables manufacturers and brands to offer real-time digital customization experiences, making personalized commerce faster, more scalable, and more accessible than ever before. Why are you excited about the future of tech in Queens? I’m excited to see Queens continuing to emerge as a hub for AI innovation and entrepreneurship. Every borough in New York City has developed its own unique innovation ecosystem, and Queens’ diversity, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit position it to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of technology. As someone who collaborates across New York City’s startup ecosystem, I appreciate Queens’ incredible global perspective and strong sense of community. It’s a place where innovation is driven by people from many different backgrounds and industries.
How did you get your start in tech? I transitioned into tech as a founder, learning by building products, participating in startup accelerator programs, and raising venture capital. Over the years, I’ve worked closely with engineers, designers, and AI specialists to bring our vision to life. What is your latest project, and why are you excited about it?
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ALEPH LEADERSHIP improve retention, and build stronger workplace cultures. We work with employers, educational institutions, government agencies, and workforce development organizations to deliver leadership training, supervisor development, executive coaching, and workforce development programs in both English and Spanish. I started Aleph because I saw organizations promoting talented employees into leadership roles without providing It’s Queens Tech Corner time! The Queens Tech Corner is a monthly profile where we shine a spotlight on tech entrepreneurs doing exciting things right here in Queens. This month’s featured tech entrepreneur is Estefania Palomino, Founder and CEO of Aleph Leadership, a Queens-based leadership development and workforce training company. To learn more, go to www. alephleadership.com.
the tools and training necessary for success. Across industries, leadership gaps contribute to turnover, burnout, communication challenges, and missed opportunities for growth. Today, our work focuses on helping organizations build stronger leaders at every level, from frontline supervisors to senior executives, while creating pathways for workforce advancement and long-term organizational success.
Can you tell us a little about your company?
How did you get your start in tech?
Aleph Leadership is a leadership development and workforce training company that helps organizations strengthen management capability,
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My path into tech came through innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of leadership, education,
and technology, helping founders, executives, and emerging leaders navigate growth and change. At Aleph Leadership, we increasingly leverage technology to expand access to high-quality leadership development. We use virtual learning, digital coaching platforms, AI-enabled tools, and data-driven approaches to make leadership training more accessible and effective for organizations of all sizes. I am particularly interested in how technology can democratize access to professional development and create opportunities for people who may not otherwise have access to executive coaching and leadership training. What is your latest project, and why are you excited about it? We are helping New York employers access workforce development grants to train supervisors, managers, and frontline leaders. Many employers don’t realize they may qualify for grants that can provide 60% reimbursement of eligible training costs for companies with 125 employees or fewer, and in some cases up to $400,000 in workforce training services. We are especially focused on healthcare, construction, and facilities employers looking to improve retention, leadership, and workforce performance.
It’s exciting because it helps businesses solve real challenges while creating growth opportunities for workers and reducing costs for employers.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS UNLIMITED BUILDS COMMUNITIES IN QUEENS By Jeremy Willinger
In 1946, a group of parents came together to advocate as a collective voice for better services for their children with cerebral palsy. Today, eight decades later, the organization known as Constructive Partnerships Unlimited (CPU) is a leader in disability care and support in New York City and Hudson Valley, with a network of programs throughout Queens.
sionals who accompany and empower the people we support to achieve fulfilling lives and see cheerful drivers and assistants from CP Transport helping safely convey them to programs and activities.
CPU believes that strong communities empower people with disabilities as valued neighbors and we have been welcomed as a provider in areas that reflect the diversity and character of Queens; from Long Island City and Little Neck to Jamaica and Howard Beach, the Agency has more than 25 homes supporting nearly 200 adults with disabilities and a day program in Long Island City with nearly 50 daily participants.
Up through the 1970’s people with disabilities were warehoused in places like the notorious Willowbrook State School on Staten Island. CP Unlimited was one of the first agencies to take people from those horrifying conditions and create a suite of services, including homes in Queens, where they could live their days in dignity, free of their previously institutionalized settings.
What you’ll find in each home is a custom-built oasis of care, comfort, education, and entertainment. Where needed, a nurse is on call at every hour of every day. While you would not know it from the outside of the residence, the entire inside is retrofitted to accommodate wheelchairs and make life as accessible as possible. In many instances, community members will also see the people we support working at local businesses, out at advocacy events, and engaging with area officials. Neighbors will get to know our Direct Support Profes-
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Life wasn’t always so happy for people with disabilities in New York.
humanity and accessing cultural and creative resources that enhance the world around you. As Queens continues to grow and evolve, CP Unlimited remains committed to the vision that inspired its founders nearly eight decades ago: building communities where every person—regardless of ability—is valued, included, and empowered to live their fullest life. It is the enduring promise of Queens, and the continuing mission of CP Unlimited.
Today, systemic protections and strong activism undergirds disability outreach and care but more can still be done. One issue recently championed is the mandating of height-adjustable adult changing tables in major public venues across the state to ease the ability of people with disabilities to access more of our state. The Traveling with Dignity Act is on the Governor’s desk and we hope to see its passage this year. The story of CP Unlimited is, in many ways, the story of Queens itself. It is about welcoming communities and varied experiences that make up the tapestry of
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DINE AND DINE AND DISCOVER QUEENS
THIS THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH IS QUEENSBOROUGH
Are there any memorable moments from the restaurant you can share? As the owner of London Lennie’s I am always moved by people’s gratitude and when they share with me how they used to come here with their grandparents or how they met their spouses there. There is a lot of history here and an even brighter future ahead. It’s “Dine and Discover Queens” time! “Dine and Discover Queens” is a monthly spotlight on some of the best food and drink options from around the borough! This month, we are featuring Jonathan Cannaux, owner of London Lennie’s, a New York seafood destination where tradition, quality, and hospitality has come together for generations. To learn more, go to https://www.londonlennies.com/. What inspired the creation of your restaurant? I have other businesses in the neighborhood and when I heard London Lennie’s was going to be bought to be turned into condos I couldn’t let it happen. There is way too much history there. I was born and raised in France so culinary arts and hospitality are second nature to me. Now, the restaurant is undergoing renovation and the place is going to be more modern, more spacious, and more intimate.
Are there dishes or drinks that have become beloved by the Queens community? I have been learning about what the neighborhood people are expecting to get at London Lennie’s. I have been trying new things while paying attention to customers’ needs and feedback. I always readjust based on their needs. Our new seared sea scallops in a beurre blanc sauce are our newest dish. They usually get caught in the sea the day before and delivered to your plate the next day. I also brought back a dish that was so successful decades ago it is called the fried seafood platter.
What makes your business unique? London Lennie’s is unique for its 60 years of history and freshness of our seafood. We have a strict protocol in place to ensure freshness and quality. Nowadays, restaurants increase margins by getting cheaper products. We don’t.
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DISCOVER QUEENS DINE AND DISCOVER QUEENS
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER | 2026 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2026
It’s “Dine and Discover Queens” time! “Dine and Discover Queens” is a monthly spotlight on some of the best food and drink options from around the borough! This month, we are featuring Cullie Poseria, Founder and Owner of Bar Nun Life, a business bringing people together through alcohol-free dining and events focused on wellness, art, and technology. To learn more, go to https:// barnun.life/.
help with my starter cocktail menu which includes drinks that replicate alcoholic taste using analog spirits, food-based mixed drinks, and beverages that are completely unique in taste and/or function.
What inspired the creation of your restaurant? My friends and I love nightlife, so I was compelled to create a fun, innovative, and alcohol-free community. While in the Hot Bread Kitchen Seed program and networking at entrepreneur and industry events, I built an initial business plan. I was inspired and motivated when I pitched those in my target demographic and got continuous positive feedback and stories of those that stopped drinking or had a partner, etc. that had. In one year, we reached nearly 500 people through pop-up events, proving demand for what we’re creating and that our group doesn’t need alcohol to have a great time. That’s when I knew Bar Nun provides an approach to preventative healthcare that combats loneliness with real-life experiences inspired by wellness, arts, and technology.
What makes your business unique? I think my drinks provide a more elevated and diverse selection than I have seen at most establishments, especially in my locale. I see my outsider perspective and curiosity as a plus, as I’m not focused on how to make my drinks or food taste better as much as I’m focused on figuring out what experiences bring people together and wanting to come back. Are there dishes or drinks that have become beloved by the Queens community? My drinks vary by event and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback on my drinks, but I don’t want to highlight one specific product or drink as that may be partial to a brand. Our goal is to find the best options for our audience. To do that, I have tried more than 300 products and visited multiple non-alcoholic shops and bars around the country. I have also worked with various mixologists and bartenders to
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SEE YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A FIRST-TIME CUSTOMER By Bob Namar
Every Interaction Is Branding Think about the last time you visited a business for the first time. Before anyone said a word, you’d already formed an opinion. When you’re busy running a business, it’s easy to see it the way you always have. You’re focused on today’s customers, appointments, deadlines, and emails. You know where to park, which door to use, and how everything works. Someone experiencing your business for the first time doesn’t. Long before someone becomes a customer, client, patient, donor, or referral partner, they’re already forming impressions. They notice your website, your sign, your office or storefront, your vehicle, your email, the way you’re dressed, and how they’re greeted when they call. Individually, none of those details defines your business. Together, they do. Many people think branding begins with a logo or a marketing campaign. Those things matter, but your brand is really the sum of every interaction someone has with your business. Every touchpoint either builds confidence or quietly raises questions. One of the simplest ways to evaluate your brand doesn’t require a consultant or a marketing plan. It just requires a fresh perspective. Here’s a simple exercise I call a Brand Walk.
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Start where someone first encounters your business. It might be your website, LinkedIn profile, storefront, vehicle, referral, proposal, or even the way you arrive for a meeting. Experience that first impression as though you’ve never encountered your business before. Now ask yourself: • Is it immediately clear who you are and what you do? • Does the experience feel professional and welcoming? • Is it easy to know what happens next? • Do your various touchpoints, online, in person, in print, or on the road, feel like they belong to the same business? Most people won’t remember every individual interaction. They’ll remember how all of those interactions made them feel. For many Chamber members, you are a big part of the brand. Clients don’t just remember the company, they remember the person who answered the phone, showed up prepared, solved a problem, or kept a promise. Whether you’re a salesperson, consultant, contractor, nonprofit leader, accountant, attorney, retailer, or service professional, every interaction contributes to your reputation. The good news is that strengthening your brand doesn’t necessarily require a major investment.
Often, it starts by paying closer attention to the small details that people experience every day. The strongest brands aren’t always the biggest. They’re the businesses that create a consistent, professional experience wherever people encounter them. The next time you have twenty minutes, invest it in seeing your business the way someone else does. Take a fresh look. Experience your business through the eyes of someone working with you for the first time. You may discover that your greatest branding opportunity isn’t changing who you are—it’s making sure every interaction reflects it.
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BUILDING TOGETHER WITH LOCAL EXPERTISE
PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS IN THE QUEENS COMMUNITY. TOGETHER, WE BUILD RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND LASTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
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INVESTING IN THE TALENT PIPELINE
Together with community organizations, workforce agencies, and schools we connect with local talent to meet project needs.
We partner with clients and agencies to create supplier forums and offer free training, certifications, and hiring support.
We invest in local youth through earn-and-learn programs that make a classroom to career connection.
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HELPING SENIORS AGE SAFELY AT HOME By Julia Bolt
companionship, transportation to appointments, or specialized support for Alzheimer’s, dementia, or Parkinson’s disease, our care plans are thoughtfully tailored to fit each individual’s lifestyle, preferences, and health goals.
As our loved ones grow older, many wish to remain in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by familiar faces, cherished memories, and the communities they know best. This desire, known as aging in place, has become increasingly important for seniors who value their independence while still receiving the support they need to live safely and confidently. At Senior Helpers of Northern Queens, we believe that growing older should never mean giving up the comforts of home. Our mission is to provide compassionate, personalized in-home care that allows seniors to maintain their independence while giving families peace of mind. Every senior has unique needs, which is why personalized care is at the heart of everything we do. Whether someone requires assistance with personal care, meal preparation, medication reminders,
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One of the greatest benefits of receiving care at home is the ability to help prevent unnecessary hospital visits while giving families greater peace of mind. In addition to hands-on care, Senior Helpers of Northern Queens offers innovative technology solutions that help seniors remain safe and independent in their homes. Our Circadia monitoring system tracks important vital signs while seniors sleep, helping identify potential health concerns early. We also offer StackCare sensors, an AI-powered monitoring system that learns daily routines and alerts families or caregivers when unusual activity occurs, such as a fall or unexpected changes in movement patterns. Combined with regular caregiver visits, medication reminders, mobility assistance, and personalized care, these technologies provide an extra layer of safety that allows seniors to continue aging comfortably at home. Home care also provides invaluable support to family caregivers. Caring
for an aging parent or loved one is rewarding, but it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. Many families balance caregiving with careers, raising children, and other responsibilities. Having a trusted caregiver provides much-needed relief while ensuring loved ones continue to receive compassionate, professional care. Whether families need assistance for a few hours a week or around-the-clock support, our team is here to help. Beyond providing exceptional home care, Senior Helpers of Northern Queens is committed to being an active member of the community. Over the past few months, we’ve had the opportunity to connect with local families through events that promote healthy aging, inclusion, and community engagement. We participated in Golden Zumba at Raíces, where we began building our volunteer initiative dedicated to spending meaningful time with older adults in our community.
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We also shared valuable caregiving resources with families at the Astoria Family Enrichment Center and celebrated Disability Awareness Month by participating in the Access Oasis Garden event, where we enjoyed face painting and connecting with community members of all ages.
to our clients’ stories, and treating every individual like family.
These experiences reflect our belief that supporting seniors extends far beyond the home. It means building relationships and creating a stronger, more connected community.
We are committed to being a trusted partner in our community by providing reliable care, educating families about available resources, embracing innovative technology, and ensuring every senior receives the respect and attention they deserve.
At Senior Helpers of Northern Queens, we are proud to serve the diverse communities of Northern Queens with dignity, respect, and compassion. We understand that exceptional care extends beyond helping with daily tasks. It means building meaningful relationships, listening
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Our vision is simple: to help older adults live safely, comfortably, and independently at home for as long as possible while supporting the families who care for them.
If you or someone you love is considering home care, know that you don’t have to navigate the journey alone. Together, we can help make aging at home not only possible, but fulfilling, safe, and full of dignity.
As the need for quality home care continues to grow, we remain dedicated to improving the lives of seniors throughout Northern Queens-one family, one caregiver, and one meaningful connection at a time.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
BUILDING AN AI-READY DATA PLATFORM: THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE BUSINESS SUCCESS By Kathirvel Kumararaja Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept—it has become a strategic imperative for organizations of every size. From automating routine operations and enhancing customer experiences to predicting market trends and enabling datadriven decisions, AI is transforming how businesses compete. Yet, while many organizations are eager to adopt AI, a surprising number struggle to realize meaningful value from their investments.
Artificial Intelligence requires a trusted, unified view of organizational data. Without it, AI models produce inaccurate insights, automation becomes unreliable, and business leaders lose confidence in AI-driven decisions. Building an AI-ready data platform begins with treating data as a strategic enterprise asset rather than simply an operational byproduct.
The reason is simple: AI is only as effective as the data that powers it.
The Core Components of an AI-Ready Data Platform
An AI-ready data platform is not merely a technology upgrade. It is a strategic business asset that enables organizations to collect, manage, govern, and analyze data in ways that support innovation, operational excellence, and long-term growth.
Organizations seeking to leverage AI effectively should focus on several foundational capabilities.
Why Data Readiness Matters Many businesses have accumulated vast amounts of data over the years. Customer information resides in CRM systems, financial records in ERP platforms, operational data in legacy applications, and documents across multiple cloud storage services. While each system serves a purpose, the data often remains fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to access.
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Unified Data Architecture enables businesses to consolidate structured and unstructured information from multiple systems into a secure and scalable environment. Rather than maintaining isolated data silos, organizations create a single source of truth that supports enterprise-wide analytics and AI initiatives. Data Quality and Governance ensure that information remains accurate, consistent, secure, and compliant with regulatory requirements. High-quality data improves AI outcomes while reducing operational risks and strengthening trust
across the organization. Scalable Cloud Infrastructure provides the flexibility to process growing volumes of information without significant capital investment. Cloud-native platforms allow businesses to innovate rapidly while optimizing infrastructure costs and performance. Advanced Analytics and Machine Learning transform raw information into actionable insights. Instead of relying solely on historical reporting, organizations can predict customer behavior, optimize operations, detect anomalies, and uncover new growth opportunities.
Preparing for Generative AI The rapid emergence of Generative AI has further elevated the impor-
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tance of data readiness. Large Language Models (LLMs) can dramatically improve employee productivity, customer support, knowledge management, and decision-making. However, these models are only valuable when connected to accurate, governed, and current enterprise data. Organizations that establish strong data foundations today will be significantly better positioned to deploy AI assistants, intelligent search capabilities, automated reporting, and industry-specific AI applications tomorrow. Conversely, businesses that continue operating with disconnected or poorly governed data will struggle to realize the full promise of Generative AI.
Security and Responsible AI As AI adoption accelerates, organizations must also prioritize responsible governance. Protecting sensitive information, maintaining regulatory compliance, and ensuring transparency in AI-generated insights are no longer optional—they are essential components of business resilience.
One of the most common misconceptions is that AI is solely an IT project. In reality, successful AI initiatives require collaboration across business leadership, operations, finance, marketing, and technology teams. Business objectives should drive AI adoption—not the other way around. Organizations that clearly define measurable outcomes, identify high-value use cases, and establish strong data foundations consistently achieve better results than those pursuing AI for its own sake.
An AI-ready data platform incorporates robust security controls, role-based access, data lineage, auditing capabilities, and governance policies that enable organizations to innovate responsibly while safeguarding customer trust. Responsible AI begins with responsible data management.
Whether improving customer experiences, reducing operational costs, accelerating decision-making, or creating new digital services, the greatest value comes when AI initiatives are aligned with strategic business priorities.
AI Is a Business Transformation Initiative
The organizations that will lead the next decade are not necessarily
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Looking Ahead
those with the largest technology budgets; they are the ones that invest in building trusted, intelligent, and scalable data ecosystems today. An AI-ready data platform serves as the foundation upon which future innovation is built. It empowers businesses to respond faster to market changes, unlock valuable insights, improve o perational efficiency, and confidently embrace emerging AI technologies. For business leaders across Queens and beyond, the message is clear: the journey to AI success does not begin with algorithms. It begins with data. Those who invest in creating modern, well-governed, and AI-ready data platforms today will be best positioned to compete, innovate, and thrive in the increasingly data-driven economy of tomorrow.
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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
RELIABLE CLEAN CITY – LIC: POWERING THE FUTURE OF LONG ISLAND CITY By Dana Linton
Whether it’s new apartment buildings, thriving local businesses, or the growing number of electric vehicles on the road, Long Island City continues to evolve. Behind that growth is an increasing demand for reliable electricity. To help meet these changing needs, Con Edison recently completed the Reliable Clean City–Long Island City (LIC) project—an investment that will strengthen the electric grid and support the neighborhood’s continued growth for years to come.
To mark the project’s completion, New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez joined community leaders on July 22nd for a tour of Con Edison’s Newtown Substation and learned more about how it will benefit Western Queens. Representatives from Sunnyside Shines BID, Long Island City Partnership, and Andromeda Community Initiative Inc., participated in the tour which was led by Con Edison’s Vice President of Substation Operations and included
members of the company’s Queens Regional & Community Affairs and Substation Operations teams. At the heart of the project was the construction of a new transmission line which increases the system’s ability to meet rising electricity demand while improving overall service reliability for customers throughout LIC and neighboring communities. The transmission line connects the Vernon and Newtown substations and has the capacity to carry 200 megawatts (MW) of power-enough to power two million flat-screen televisions or charge 40 million cellphones simultaneously. Since entering service in 2011, the Newtown substation has helped meet the area’s growing energy needs while reflecting Con Edison’s broader commitment to sustainability. That same year, the facility received first place at the Queens Chamber of Commerce Building Awards for excellence in new construction. It also earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally responsible design. Sustainable features include recycled construction materials and a reflective “cool roof” that helps reduce heat absorption.
Syed Musab (Con Edison Substation Operations), Ben Goodman (Queens Regional & Community Affairs), Arturo Henriquez (Substation Operations), David Nidus, Executive Director, Andromeda Community Initiative Inc., Evelyn Chango, Deputy Executive Director, Dirk McCall, Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines BID, NY Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Veronica Smolinski, Community Liaison, Office of Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Laura Rothrock, President, Long Island City Partnership, Sean Csaszar (Con Edison Substation Operations), Kamalia Amole (Con Edison Substation Operations), Maggie Walters, Vice President, Con Edison Substation Operations
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Residents may never see the transmission lines that power their homes or the planning that goes into expanding the electric grid, yet these investments make it possible for neighborhoods to continue to grow safely and sustainably.
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GOLF FOR A CAUSE: CORNERSTONE RAISES $51,000 FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION By Jason Hudson
On July 20, Cornerstone Land Abstract welcomed golfers, colleagues, friends, and community supporters to The Muttontown Club in East Norwich for our sixth annual Golf for a Cause outing benefiting the American Heart Association. This year’s event raised an extraordinary $51,000, bringing Cornerstone’s total contribution through the outing to $300,000 to date. Those numbers are worth celebrating, but they represent something much greater than a successful day on the golf course. They reflect six years of people choosing to come together in support of an organization whose work touches families throughout Long Island and beyond. The event drew 110 golfers and approximately 150 total attendees. Some came ready to compete. Others came to support friends, colleagues, and a meaningful cause. A few may have discovered that a golf ball has an uncanny ability to locate the nearest bunker, pond, or patch of shrubbery. Fortunately, the real measure of the day was not anyone’s scorecard. It was the generosity shown by everyone who participated.
A Day of Golf, Giving, and Community
Cornerstone organizes the outing
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each year with one goal: to create an enjoyable event that also makes a meaningful contribution to the community. The day offered plenty of opportunities to connect, build relationships, and enjoy some friendly competition in a beautiful setting. One of the highlights was a lively auction featuring signed New York Knicks jerseys and other sports memorabilia, vacation packages, and a variety of donated items and experiences. The response from attendees was enthusiastic, and the auction played an important role in helping the event reach this year’s fundraising total. The success of Golf for a Cause also depends on the many sponsors who contribute their time, resources, and support. Although there are too many to recognize individually here, each sponsor helped make the event possible. Their involvement demonstrated what can happen when members of the business and real estate communities work together around a shared purpose.
Remembering Why the Cause Matters
Each year, Cornerstone recognizes a survivor and provides an opportunity for that individual to share their story. It is one of the most meaningful moments of the outing. Hearing directly from someone whose life has been affected by heart disease or stroke brings the mission of the American Heart Association into focus. Fundraising totals are important, but a survivor’s story reminds us that behind every contribution is a person, a family, and a future that may be changed through research, education, advocacy, and access to care.
My service on the American Heart Association Long Island Board, as well as my role as the co-chair of the Queens Chamber of Commerce Real Estate Committee, has given me the opportunity to see how committed volunteers, professionals, and community partners can help advance that mission. It has also reinforced why Cornerstone continues to organize this event year after year. Six Years of Making an Impact Reaching $300,000 in total contributions is a milestone we are proud to share with everyone who has supported Golf for a Cause since its beginning. It belongs to the golfers, attendees, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and team members who continue to show up and give generously. At Cornerstone, we believe being part of a community means doing more than conducting business within it. It means investing time, building partnerships, and supporting organizations that improve people’s lives. Our sixth annual outing was a memorable day, but its greatest success will be measured by the good that continues long after the final putt was made.
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MENTAL HEALTH IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT
By Doug Uhlig, Ph.D.
Those small moments do more than most people realize. A person who has been given permission by someone they trust to say “I am not doing well” is far more likely to make the call for help. The clinical work starts with an ordinary conversation.
Bringing Care Closer
We live in an age of uncertainty, economic hardship, and anxiety about the future. Many people lack a vision for their lives. Many suffer from burnout, addiction, career and relationship issues. In more than twenty years of practicing psychology in New York City, the most consistent thing I have seen is a delay. People wait. They wait until the anxiety starts showing up at work, until the marriage is strained past the point of easy repair, until the grief has hardened into something heavier. They wait because they are busy, because care feels far away, because asking for help still carries a stigma in many of the cultures that make Queens what it is. Shortening that delay is, to my mind, a community project. It is not something a single practice solves. It happens when a primary care doctor knows where to refer, when a house of worship talks openly about grief, when a manager notices an employee is struggling and says something kind instead of nothing at all.
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As a result of this need in the community, our practice has grown significantly. We now serve clients across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, with our Queens office in Rego Park, and we offer telehealth throughout New York State. Our team has increased to meet this need. We have psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, and clinical social workers who reflect the neighborhoods they serve.
Evidence Plus Something Human As a positive psychologist and a teacher of meditation, I have always worked from a holistic perspective, helping people contact the wiser, steadier part of themselves that is available even in difficult moments. Our approach combines proven methods with practices that treat the whole person. We use cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-focused approaches including EMDR, couples and family work, and structured mindfulness and meditation training. In our business coaching, we support entrepreneurs, managers and other professionals to succeed financially. The ability to navigate relationships, provide emotional regulation, establish a vision for the future, and make difficult decisions at work and
at home are all part of functioning at an optimum level.
An Invitation to Fellow Chamber Members Business owners are among the least likely people to seek support and among the most likely to need it. Payroll pressure, stress, burnout, isolation at the top, and the blur between work and home take a real toll. We do business and career coaching alongside clinical work for exactly this reason, and I would encourage every member of this Chamber to treat their own mental health as seriously as they treat their finances. If your organization is looking for a speaker on stress, burnout, or building a workplace where people can be honest about what they are experiencing, I am glad to help.
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WHEN IT COMES TO SHIPPING, A BOX CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BUSINESS By William K. Balash Why the cheapest shipping option can become the most expensive decision. That may sound strange. Every business wants to control costs, and they should. Shipping expenses can eat into margins quickly, especially for e-commerce companies, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and any business moving products regularly. But this is where many businesses get into trouble: they focus only on the price of the shipping label.
If it arrives late, damaged, or with confusing tracking information, the customer usually does not think about what happened somewhere inside the carrier network. They think about the business they purchased from. That is why the better question is not: “Which carrier is cheapest?” The better question is: “Which shipping option gives my business the right balance of cost, reliability, speed, tracking, protection, and customer experience?” That is where shipping becomes strategy.
They do not always look at the total cost of the decision. If you want to move quickly, schedule a call with William.
Not Every Shipment Should Be Treated the Same. Whether it is a $1,200 product or a document, the shipping profile is different.
A lower rate may save a few dollars today. But what happens if the package arrives late? What if tracking is poor? What if the shipment is damaged? What if an employee spends 30 minutes chasing down a delivery issue? Or worse, what if a customer has such a frustrating experience that they decide not to order again?
A lightweight residential package is different from a heavy commercial shipment. A delivery going one state away may require a different approach than one traveling across the country.
Suddenly, that inexpensive shipment becomes very expensive. Shipping Is More Than Transportation Shipping touches much more than getting a package from Point A to Point B. It affects customer experience, operations, cash flow, reputation, and ultimately the ability of a business to grow. Schedule a call with William today to dive deeper. For an online business, the package arriving at the customer’s door may even be the first physical interaction that customer has with the company. That box represents a promise.
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The product itself matters. So do urgency, value, fragility, destination, customer expectations, and the consequences if something goes wrong. Shipping is not one-size-fits-all. When businesses treat it that way, money can start leaking in places that are easy to miss: unnecessary service upgrades, poor packaging choices, carrier mismatches, avoidable reships, claims, customer service time, and delivery problems that could have been prevented. A few dollars here and there may not seem significant. Multiply them across hundreds or thousands of shipments, and the picture changes quickly.
experience? Contact William The Goal Is Not “Cheapest” The goal is to choose the right shipping option. Sometimes that means saving money. Sometimes it means spending a little more to protect a valuable shipment or an important customer experience. Sometimes the solution is different packaging. Sometimes it is a different service level, carrier mix, or simply taking a closer look at shipping data that has not been reviewed in a while. That’s why getting a Benchmarking Assessment is a great place to start. Shipping should not be treated as an afterthought once the sale is made. It can be a business development tool. Handled correctly, it can help protect margins, improve customer satisfaction, reduce unnecessary risk, and support growth. Because the cheapest label is not always the lowest cost. And one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make is assuming that price is the only number that matters. If your business ships regularly, it may be worth asking a simple question: Is your current shipping setup helping the business move forward, or is it simply moving boxes? Schedule a call to learn more about getting your Benchmarking Assessment.
Ready to improve your customer
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SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG CONCERNS By Gabriela Flores
Board 14, REMA4US, the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and the Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) said market-rate rent of commercial spaces have discouraged potential business owners from opening up shop in Downtown Far Rockaway.
City officials tour Far Rockaway as business owners raise concerns over high rents and vacant storefronts Kenny Minaya, the newly appointed commissioner of the city’s Small Business Services (SBS), joined NYC Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers for a corridor walkthrough in Far Rockaway on Tuesday, Aug. 18, to visit small businesses, speak directly with owners, and share SBS resources. During their walkthrough, Minaya and Brooks-Powers visited five small businesses in City Council District 31: Alizé Clothing NY, Purrfect Pets, La Cabaña, Fair Fare Supermarket on Mott Avenue, and Pepe’s Barbershop on Cornaga Avenue. “The concerns I heard on my tour with Council Member Brooks-Powers echo what I have been hearing citywide: between high rent and inflation, too many small business owners are barely breaking even – which is why, since day one, this administration has been committed to making sure that government is not another cost incurred, or hurdle to success,” Minaya wrote in an email to The Wave. Though only two business owners were available to share their experiences, Brooks-Powers and local Queens leaders from Community
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High costs have also led to vacant storefronts, a lack of diversity when it comes to the kinds of businesses that open in the area, and negative impacts on local families who either own or are employed by a local business, advocates explained. “Many of these business owners are homeowners in our community, so I often say it creates a domino effect when the health and well-being of our businesses aren’t well,” Brooks-Powers told The Wave after her tour with Minaya. “Because if a business owner has to close, that means they can’t make their mortgage. If they’re a worker working for a business and get laid off, they can’t make their rent, and it has a trickle-down effect on our community.”
Community leaders also expressed a need to lower rents for the ground floors of newly-erected, mixed-use apartment complexes to give nonprofits a chance to open their own offices.
“We have a lot of community-based organizations out here,” Felicia Johnson, the district manager of Community Board 14, said during the tour. “Everybody is looking for space just to set up their business, so the look is not good that you have all these apartments and everything on the ground floor is vacant.” A June report from the city comptroller’s office does not explicitly note Downtown Far Rockaway as experiencing persistent vacancies for small businesses. However, it does note neighborhoods in Rosedale, which is a part of City Council District 31, experiencing “long‑term vacancy rates still above 60%.” “While storefront vacancy has dropped in District 31 and across southeastern Queens for four consecutive quarters, we understand there is still much to be done,” Minaya wrote in an email, noting that SBS offers free legal services through its Commercial Lease Assistance Program to eligible small business owners across the city to help with lease negotiations, renewals, landlord disputes, among other resources. The day before the walkthrough, Mayor Mamdani and SBS announced a $8.4 million investment to support small businesses and commercial corridors. 19 Queens-based organizations will be receiving grants that total to over $1.5 million. BlaQue Community Cares in Rosedale, Chhaya Community Development Corporation in Richmond Hill, and the Rockaway Civic Association in Rockaway Park are all slated to receive funding, according to SBS. Gateway JFK BID in Springfield Gardens will also receive a grant to address resource access and equity issues.
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NEW MEMBERS CORPORATE PARTNERS
SMALL BUSINESS PARTNERS Astoria Roofing Sean Levin royalrenovators1@gmail. com BuyCheapCentral Vivian Saunders
service@buycheapcentral .com
Landair Advisors Dean Abouelhasan da@landairny.com LIONS DEN LAW PLLC Brandon Nunez brandon@lionsdenlawpc. com
Care All Services Inc. Lotus Cheng chenchen6834@gmail. com
New York Life Quinn Matheis Quin Matheis ematheis@ft.newyorklife. com
Cheyenne Chao LLC Cheyenne Chao
NYCakes Boutique Martin Miranda
cheyenne@cheyennechaollc .com
nycakesboutique@ cakesboutiquenyc.com
NY Building Systems ebb & bloom cafe Consultant Inc. Nicol Martin nicol@ebbandbloomcafe. Aminul Islam mdIslam@nybsinc.com com Enso Acupuncture Brian Kelly Ensoacupuncturarts@ gmail.com Human Interest Giselle Vargas
Giselle.Vargas@humaninterest .com
Jahlour Laundry Corp Luis Alvarenga luisalvarengamercado@ gmail.com Kalita Muku Creative Inc Mitra Kalita mitra@epicenterny.com Kasvi Beauty LLC Satu Wollsten
Pivot Engineering, PLLC Jose Rivera jrivera@pivotengr.com
Verse Architecture PLLC DBA studio-verse.com Dmytry Prakash dmytriprakash@studio-verse .com
Approved Oil Company Leena Lalla LeenaL@approvedoil.com Capri Industrial Partners Joseph Barretta joe@capriip.com Clean Rite Center Grace Otto graceottopr@gmail.com Flex Space NY Joe Ogno joe@flexspaceny.com Hanover Community Bank Annette Esposito
aesposito@hanoverbank.com
Mavec Group LLC Gabriel Gengler
ggengler@mavecgroup.com
Spring Bank Glamis Haro glamis@spring.bank
Restoration Masters Inc Aga Kon clientservices@ restorationmastersny.com Rolvio LLC Leonard Montefuego leonardo@rolvio.io Sisters of St. Joseph Emily Monem monem@csjbrentwood.org SongsofLove Foundation John Beltzer info@songsoflove.org
SatuWollsten@kasvibeauty .com
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MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS
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Thomas Grech President & CEO Richard Grebinger Chief Financial Officer Joanne Persad Chief Operating Officer Arlene Diangkay Financial Controller Brendan Leavy Vice President of Business Development Jacqueline Donado Vice President of Strategic Programs Shahriar Hossain Vice President of Member Committees
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STAFF
George Hadjiconstantinou Vice President of Strategic Programs RaeAnna Persad Vice President of Events Theresa Lenz Manager of Strategic Projects Summer Clevenger Digital Program Manager Vicky Ferreira Strategic Program Manager Joanna Chen Business Support Specialist Angela Calcano Business Development Coordinator
Daphne Smirniotis Project Manager Kirstie P. Gordillo Digital Media & Publications Manager Melbin Margoya Outreach Specialist Rony Kaliya Outreach Specialist Daniel Gonzalez Manager of Committee Development Kauri Kilburn Business Support Specialist Julio Perez Business Support Specialist
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kenneth J. Buettner
Jeffrey Rosenstock
Charles E. Callahan, III
Bert Lurch
Juan Santiago
Lorraine Chambers-Lewis
Meredith Marshall
Thomas J. Santucci
Salvatore Crifasi
Carl Mattone
Mark Schienberg
David Daraio
John Mascialino
Richard Siu
Steven DeClara
Patricia Mezeul
Michael Sullivan
Richard Dzwlewicz
Jamie McShane
Sher Sparano
Tamara Gavrielof
Melinda Murray-Nyack
Michelle Stoddart
Howard Graf
Maria Odysseos
Terri Thomson
Lindsay Haggerty
Patricia Ornst
Henry Wan
Patrick Jenkins
Hersh Parekh
Patrick Yu
Kevin Kim
Stephen Preuss
Daniel Zausner
Kenneth Koenig
Nash Roe
EXECUTIVES Carl Mattone Chairman
Lorraine Chambers Lewis
Howard Graf
Michelle Stoddart
Maria Odysseos
Immediate Past Chair
Associate Treasurer
Nash Roe
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Associate Secretary
David Daraio Treasurer
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CORPORATE MEMBERS
A&T Iron Works, Inc. Access411 Admiral Staffing Inc AFGO Mechanical Services, Inc AI Engineers AlianzaDuffy LLC All Boro Allied Risk Management, Inc Amna Construction Corp Andromeda Anthem Antun’s of Queens Village Apex Development Group LLC AquaPro Restoration LLC Ariel Property Advisors LLC Arrow Security Astound Business Solutions Atlas Acon Electric Avison Young Baker Tilly US LLP Balkan Sewer & Water Main Service Bandana Bath Fitter BedRock Real Estate Partners, LLC Benenson Capital Partners, LLC Boldyn Networks Transit US, LLC Bonanza Contracting LLC Bourbon Street Cafe Boro-Wide Brite Building Services Capital One Bank Capitol Fire Sprinkler CareerPoint LLC Carver Federal Savings Bank Cazar Logistics LLC Catholic Charities Catholic Health CBRE Center for Automotive Education and Training Century Development Group Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP Charney Companies LLC Champion Elevator Corp CITYWIDE CONTAINER SERVICE CORP City Underwriting Agency, Inc. Cipico Construction, Inc. Clear Clear Channel Outdoor CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) CMG Home Loans Comcast Business Connect One Bank Cornell Tech Cornerstone Land Abstract Cort CPower Energy Management CRS-Corporate Relocation Systems Inc. Crystal Window & Door System CSS Building Services Cygler Warren Street Corp
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Dack Consulting Solutions Dawkins Development Group Inc. Dedline AV Delta Railroad Services Dial A Bug Diaz Electric of NY Inc. DO & CO New York Catering, Inc. Douglas Elliman Real Estate Commercial Division Edge Auto Rental Edgewise Energy Edward Jones EMU Health Emigrant Mortgage EMCOR NY/NJ Enterprise Fleet Management ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP Episcopal Health Services Exo Industries Corp. Expense Reduction Analysts EW Howell Construction Group Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. F & T Group Fidelis Care First Central Savings Bank First Development Group Firstlight Cloud Xchange Fluid Mechanics Corp Forest Hills Financial Group, Inc. Forte Preparatory Academy Charter School FourLeaf Fraport USA Ginsburg & Misk LLP. Giant Industrial Installations GOLDEN AGE HOME CARE INC Goodwill Industries NYNJ Graf & Lewent Architects Gramercy Surgery Center Gravity, Inc Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association H2M architects + engineers HANAC, Inc. Harmony & Keen of NY, dba HKNY Healthfirst Healthy Corner Pharmacy Heatherwood Communities HE2PD, Inc. HNTB HOK Holt Construction Corp Holy Cross High School Hornblower Group, operator of NYC Ferry Hotel Indigo Flushing HUANG, CHEN, WU & ZHU PLLC Hugh O’Kane Electric Company, Inc. Hyatt Place Flushing Innovo Property Group International Shoppes LLC
Invenergy / energyRe James E Fitzgerald JGM Construction Development, LLC JME Group LLC J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co., Inc. Kasirer, LLC Kelair Inc. Koeppel Auto Group Laffey Real Estate Leather Street Realty LLC Lenoblelumber Co LiveOnNY Loconsolo Paints Lyft M & R Concessions LLC M&T Bank Madison International Realty Mark Medical Care Marriott New York LaGuardia Mayer Malbin Company, Inc. McGowan Mechanical Energy Solutions LLC MEDAID Mega Contracting Group LLC Mike The Glazier Molina Healthcare of NY Molloy College Muretti, LLC New Empire Corp New York & Atlantic Railway New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P. New York State Energy Coalition Neris Planning & Compliance LLC Nonprofit Sector Strategies & BellesBoard Northwell Health NY Transco O&S Engineers & Architects On-trac Construction Associates One Group Outside Legal Counsel LLP Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Perch Advisors Philips Emergency Care Pink’s Windows Queens Ponce Bank Prudential Advisors - Ken Marable Pro-H Development Inc Quent Capital, LLC Queens Center for Progress Queens College CUNY Queens Garden Florist Inc Queens Public Communications Corp. Queens Workforce1 Career Center QSIDE Federal Credit Union Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Right at Home Nassau & Queens Ripco Investment Sales RKTB Architects, P.C. Royal Waste Services Russo’s on the Bay Sacco & Fillas LLP
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SEPTEMBER MAY - OCTOBER - JUNE | 2026
COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP: BANKING & LAW
John Renda John.Renda@edwardjones.com Edwin Wong EWong@flushingbank.com
COMMUNICATIONS
Jake Oliver Anat Gerstein jake@anatgerstein.com Henry Ramos Dedline AV henry@dedlineav.com
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
HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS Nirmal S Pandya Npandya@northwell.edu
Christine Deska BellesBoard / Nonprofit Sector Strategies christine@nonprofitsectorstrategies. org
TRANSPORTATION
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Jason Hudson Project Queens jhudson@cltitle.com
Jay Solly Sol Strategies jaysolly@gmail.com
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
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MANUFACTURING COMMITTEE
Larry Zogby larry@rdsdelivery.com
Matthew Mccue Matthew.Mccue@cpowerenergy. com
Ryan Letts Cleanomaye Corporation rletts@cleonmaye.com Md Aminul Islam mdislam@nybcsinc.com
Kevin Louie RIPCO klouie@ripcony.com
Shahriar Hossain Shossain@queenschamber.org
Lina DeLaCruz lina@controlelectropolishing.com
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Iris Lentjes iris.lentjes@fcxnyc.com
FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES Michael Shoule JW Hampton mikes@jwhampton.com
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Youth Accounts
Put your child on the path to a secure financial future. Open Youth Checking and Savings accounts today!
APY1
10.00% Youth Savings2 Special Minimum balance $1.00
Scan for more deta ils
1 The Youth Savings rates are tiered. The Bank pays the stated interest rate and Annual Percentage Yield (APY) only on that portion of the balance within a specified tier. For illustrative purposes, for an account with a balance of $10,000, the bank would pay interest of 9.57% on the first $6,000 and 0.50% on $4,000 (the difference between $10,000 and the first tier cutoff of $6,000). The APY on the first $6,000 would be 10%. The combined APY for the second tier will be 10% on a balance of $6,000.01 and an APY of 6.20% on a balance of $10,000. The 10.00% Tiered APY is limited to 1 (one) Youth Savings Account per Child, additional savings accounts owned by the same child are subject to the Standard Youth Savings Account Rate of 0.50% APY. The APY may change at any time without notice.
Account is joint between parent and child. When the child turns 18, the Youth Savings account will convert to a Statement Savings Account. The parents/guardians from the Youth Savings account will remain as a co-owner of the Statement Savings account unless removed. To remove the co-owner, both account owners will be required to visit a branch to change account ownership. 2