Brooklyn's Progress
June/July 2006

By HAROLD EGELN

Chamber Member Daniel Vaccaro co-chaired the hugely successful NYU Entrepreneurship Conference 2006. The event, held at New York University’s Stern School of Business in Greenwhich Village, drew a crowd of about 1,200 Apr. 22.

"We're doing this to help make people's dreams come true!" exclaimed Mr. Vaccaro, Vice President, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., celebrating the conference's 10th anniversary, at a luncheon for the many conference speakers.

The event marked the 10th anniversary of the conference which was organized by the All University Conference on Entrepreneurship Committee, co-chaired by Mr. Vaccarro (Stern BS '82, MBA '86) and Louis Markstrom (Stern BS '92).

"Not everybody went to business school. So, our conference gives all the skills and resources, with actual case studies, to have a successful business," said Mr. Vaccaro.

Steve Kaplansky, Director of the Brooklyn Chamber’s Brooklyn Goes Global Program, was a speaker at the Conference's "Importing and Exporting: Circling the World for Profit," break-out session, one of 20 sessions. "Ninety percent of the people in this room have a dream. Never lose your dream," he said.

"The Brooklyn Chamber has all the resources that help people start their business. Brooklyn Goes Global helps companies market their products in the world's global society," Mr. Kaplansky said. "Be excited about your dream to make them come true!"

Speaking at the same breakout session, led by moderator David Rudofsky, Business Consultant, Rudofsky Associates, was Chamber Member Lillian Chan, Assistant Vice President, Overall Marketing and Asian Sales, TMI Food Group and Twin Marquis Trading Corp. (http://www.tmicorp.com/).

"It's very good to have this conference and to present Chamber Members experience and advice," said Ms. Chan. "Mr. Kaplansky helps support Chamber Members. The Chamber has many different resources to educate people. That really helps."

Shirley Leung, Director, Queens Community Network Office, Empire State Development also participated in the break-out session. She spoke about Empire State Development's Export Marketing Service Assistance Service (EMAS), one of the key components of BGG's work, according to Mr. Kaplansky.

"This Conference helps exploits the great resources of Kings County and the Brooklyn Chamber," said Chamber Member Frank Dito, NYU Class of 1949. Mr. Dito, Business Development Specialist and Veteran Business Development Officer, U.S. Small Business Administration, was a speaker at the Alternative Sources of Cash: Loan Programs and Government Incentives Breakout Session.

Brooklyn Chamber Member Jennifer Neil, Community Relations Manager and Director of Women's Link Programs at ACCION New York attended the session on loan programs a Chamber Member (http://www.accionnewyork.org/).

"This conference is an opportunity to expose the work of business owners in Brooklyn to a wider audience and through the Brooklyn Chamber we have been able to increase our presence," Ms. Neil said.

Conference keynote speakers were Paul Ofalea, Founder, Kinko's, Inc., and Kenny Dichter, Founder and CEO, Marquis Jet.