Brooklyn's Progress
July 2003

by Wilson Alexander Aguilar

When you ask an employee of JetBlue how long the company has employed them, chances are the answer is prefaced with, “I have been on board for...”  Employees of JetBlue are crewmembers.  JetBlue vendors are business partners.  As part of the training at JetBlue, crewmembers study at JetBlue University, and often times, its CEO, David Neeleman, teaches the leadership course himself.

JetBlue recently announced it has placed an order for 100 EMBRAER 190 jet aircrafts, with options for an additional 100 new aircrafts.  Fresh from a tour of its target cities, Mr. Neeleman addressed more than 300 Chamber Members from Chambers of Commerce in the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, Manhattan, and our very own Brooklyn.

David Neeleman shared JetBlue’s vision, motto, and personal approach to daily operations.  The airline, which started with a service from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Fort Lauderdale, Fl. in 2000, now serves 21 cities around the country with a fleet of 42 new, environmentally friendly, Airbus A320 aircrafts. Every JetBlue aircraft is outfitted with roomy all-leather seats, each equipped with the DIRECTV® System offering up to 24 channels of DIRECTV® programming.

In addition to Mr. Neeleman’s address, Kenneth Adams, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President, spoke briefly about the joint chambers’ areas of focus, including: 1) urging Congress to support the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the Twenty First Century (TEA 21) to preserve and enhance New York’s transportation infrastructure; 2) urging the NYS Legislature to amend Sections 240 and 241 of the Labor Law to clarify the responsibilities and liabilities of owners, contractors and other in the construction process; 3) negative workers’ comp bills at the state level threatening to increase cost; and 4) urge the New York State Legislature to oppose the repeal of the $110 sales tax exemption for clothing and footwear.

This first ever joint networking event was hosted and sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, in the executive offices of its Park Avenue buildings in Manhattan.  The event was a great networking opportunity for each chambers’ respective Members.  More than two weeks prior to the event it was sold out.

Additional support for this event was provided by Accutemps, Con Edison, Newsday, and Robert Half Finance and Accounting.