Brooklyn's Progress
June/July 2006

BY KHADIJA BATUTA

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce made its annual trek to Williamsburg on May 17 for its Business After Hours and Business Showcase, hosted by the Brooklyn Brewery and sponsored by Verizon Wireless.  Click here to view photos from the event.

Introduced at the event was a Business Showcase where 17 Member businesses and organizations displayed their products and services to nearly 200 attendees.  Showcase participants included A+ Abstract Inc., Ambush Alarm, AnswerOne, Atlantis Health Plan, Barton P. Levine Law Offices, Brooklyn Cyclones, Central Brooklyn Medical Group, PC, Community Energy, Econnergy, IPM Media Group Inc., North Fork Bank, On The Border, Pechter's of Brooklyn & S.I., Inc., PrimePay Payroll and Business Services, Public Energy Solutions, U.S. Small Business Administration and Verizon Wireless.

Besides great beer, hors d'oeuvres and networking, attendees were treated to gift bags sponsored by Verizon Wireless that included baked goods from the evening’s caterer CEO Group, LLC (Julienne Catering).  In addition, Verizon Wireless sponsored four of the evening’s door prizes that included two LG4650 Speaker Phones, a pair of box seat tickets to see the Mets play the Chicago Cubs and two Treo 700 Smartphones. The Brooklyn Brewery’s own Steve Hindy donated two autographed copies of his book, “Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery” as door prizes.

"We thank Steve Hindy, President of Brooklyn Brewery, for hosting this great event once again, and we welcome the sponsorship this year of Verizon Wireless, a great business," said Kenneth Adams, Brooklyn Chamber President. "We appreciate the enthusiastic participation of the businesses that are here in this evening's wonderful Business Showcase."

About the Sponsor
Employees at the company's seven retail locations in Brooklyn are specially trained and ready to assist with business needs.  Verizon Wireless has a long history of contributions to the Brooklyn community and throughout the New York Metro Area.  The company is a recognized leader for its commitment to domestic violence prevention, education and awareness. The Verizon Wireless HopeLine® program collects wireless phones and accessories from any wireless service provider, and refurbishes or recycles them in an environmentally friendly way. Proceeds from HopeLine benefit victims of domestic violence and nonprofit advocacy agencies. A leader in wireless voice and date services, Verizon Wireless built the nation’s first wide-area wireless broadband network, delivered the nation’s first wireless consumer 3G multimedia service, and launched one of the most comprehensive mobile music services in the world.

About the Host
The Brooklyn Brewery is the first Brooklyn-based brewery in the borough since Rheingold and Schaefer shut down in 1976.  Originally founded in Upstate New York by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter in 1987, the company moved to its current headquarters in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1996. Among America’s top 40 breweries, Brooklyn Lager is one of the top draft beers in New York City.  The environmentally conscious company is 100 percent wind powered, thanks to a contract with fellow Brooklyn Chamber Member Community Energy, Inc. with its NewWindEnergy™ product.

To find out how to host or sponsor a Business After Hours event or door prize, please contact Maggie Beaute-Lucien, Special Events Director, at 718-875-1000 ext. 105, or at mlucien@brooklynchamber.com.