It was the party of the century!
Hundreds of Brooklynites packed a Downtown hotel on Saturday to celebrate the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s 100th year of boosting local businesses. But the organization’s centennial gala was just the beginning of its next ten decades’ worth of work to ensure resilient, sustainable, and equitable commercial growth in the Kings County, its president said.
“The centennial goes way beyond one night of celebrating,” said Andrew Hoan. “We’ve come a long way in the past 100 years, but we have a lot more work to do for the next 100.”
The group’s work supporting businesses across the borough fosters lifelong relationships among its members, as well as bonds between them and other city officials, according to one attendee who joined the festivities at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.
“It was great to see old friends again, especially the legislators,” said Dominic Mascara, who works at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. “I’ve used the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce as a great tool over the years. I was able to develop relationships with so many influential people from different sectors and industries, and made great friends.”
The swanky bash in America’s Downtown featured entertainers who dazzled its nearly 1,000 guests with talents including knife swallowing and snake charming. And several local leaders came out to toast the organization on its 100th year, including Councilmen Robert Cornegy (D–Bedford Stuyvesant) and Mathieu Eugene (D–Flatbush), Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio, Borough President Adams, and the beep’s predecessors Marty Markowitz and Howard Golden.
But the packed house came as no surprise to guests who’ve witnessed just how many people and companies the Chamber has helped in its century of service, according to the publisher of Courier Life Publications.
“When you think about the impact the Brooklyn Chamber has had on business in the borough, it makes complete sense that everybody would turn out for this,” said Clifford Luster, who was joined by Community News Group’s vice president of advertising Ralph D’Onofrio.
