The Queens Chamber of Commerce is going green and international with two marquee events that it hopes will elevate the Queens business community to new levels.
“Queens is the most diverse county in the entire world and there are many businesses that should be a part of the Chamber,” said Queens Chamber Executive Vice President Jack Friedman during a recent reception at The Queens Museum of Art (QMA).
Friedman spoke about the Chamber’s GreenBusiness Summit, which will be the first of its kind in the city, and will take place on Tuesday, September 23, at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. He also discussed the Chamber’s desire to form an International Advisory Council.
The Chamber will form the council with the intention of discussing the general climate of the Queens business community on a regular basis as well as hosting an international trade show in the borough with partners from all of the different ethnic communities.
“We need the involvement of minority- and women-owned businesses in our community,” said Queens Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer, who attended the reception with Assemblymember Mark Weprin. Both Pheffer and Weprin helped secure a $100,000 State grant for the Chamber in order to help facilitate programs in the Queens community that center around promoting minority- and women-owned business development.
In addition to Weprin and Pheffer, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky also attended the reception and praised the Chamber’s leadership in the Queens business community as well as their work throughout the borough.
“Our community revolves around the business community,” Stavisky said. “I look forward to working with the Chamber for many years to come. City Councilmembers Tony Avella, David Weprin and John Liu also attended the reception.
More than 100 representatives from a number of international businesses in Queens came to the QMA to express their desire to work with the Queens Chamber.
During the reception, Friedman and Steve Salsberg, Founder and Chair of the Salsberg Group, also promoted the Queens GreenBusiness Summit that will take place later this month. The Chamber and a growing list of partners will host an event that will both challenge and identify ways to innovate in a green economy by setting attainable, measurable and sustainable business practices.
“The Queens GreenBusiness Summit is designed to change the way Queens businesses do “business” and show how every industry can contribute to reducing our ecological footprint,” said Queens Chamber of Commerce President Al Pennisi. “This year’s inaugural event will be the largest of its kind in New York City and the first focused solely on what business organizations can do to help the environment.”
