Facebook LIVE - Taking Care of Business | Queens Chamber of Commerce on Glue Up

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Save the date

Save the dateAugust 28, 20201:00 PM - 1:30 PM (EDT)

Organizer

Organizer: Balkan Sewer and Water Main, Dedline AV, Queens Chamber of Commerce

Phone: +1 7188988500

Contact Person: Jef Gross

Email: jgross@queenschamber.org

Event Details

Please join us for our weekly Facebook LIVE program. It's an opportunity for the Chamber to share what we're doing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week we'll be joined by David Balkan from Balkan Sewer and Water Main will talk about their family-owned business and how they've been involved in the community during the pandemic.

Michelle Stoddart who serves as Co-Chair for Arts & Entertainment Committee and Chamber Board will discuss her volunteer involvement and challenges facing their industry.

Jayson Simba from Festival of Cinema NYC who also serves as Co-Chair for Arts & Entertainment Committee will share the challenges he's faced during the pandemic and the impact it's had on the cinema industry.

Click to watch: https://www.facebook.com/QueensChamberOfCommerce

We'll see you at 1 p.m. LIVE

Speakers

David Balkan

CEO of Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service

David Balkan

CEO of Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service

https://www.balkanplumbing.com/

David Balkan is CEO of Balkan Sewer and Water Main, the largest water main and sewer contractor in New York City. David is extremely active in various NYC plumber organizations being the Chairman of the Subsurface Committee in the Master Plumber Council, and Vice President of the Subsurface Plumbers Association.

In addition, David's expertise in respected by officials of New York City agencies such as the NYC DEP, NYC DOB, and NYC DOT. David frequently provides valuable input on a variety of industry related matters.

When David Balkan joined the family business full-time around 1980 it was a small family run sewer and water main business comprised of ten employees. David’s father, Joseph L. Balkan, had built a pristine reputation for personal service, being a man of his word, and for high quality subsurface plumbing installations.

By adding systems and organization but retaining the personal service and high quality standards David and his brother Paul built the business into the largest sewer and water main services company in NYC. Balkan routinely sends out a dozen or more water repair and replacement crews each day and provides a level of service unmatched by any other NYC sewer contractor.

David Balkan is proud to carry on the fine tradition of honest plumbing services and pricing initiated by his father Joseph L. Balkan well over 68 years ago.

When New York City property owners, fellow tradesmen, or building managers are in distress over sewer and water main issues ‘Balkan provides answer not excuses’.

Michelle Stoddart

VP of Community Development at Resorts World Casino New York City

Michelle Stoddart

VP of Community Development at Resorts World Casino New York City

https://www.jcal.org

Michelle Stoddart is the VP of Community Development for Resorts World Casino New York City (RWNY). She was a member of the executive team that handled record-breaking attendance during the Casino’s debut weekend in October 2011.

In her role, Ms. Stoddart manages public relations, community partnerships and she’s responsible for coordinating charitable support to 110 nonprofit organizations. Ms. Stoddart also serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls of Metro Queens, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Louis Armstrong Museum, Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Queens Botanical Gardens, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Queens Council on the Arts, the Jamaica YMCA and York College. She holds the position of Board Chair for the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. She is also a member of the Links Incorporated, Greater Queens Chapter.

As Resorts World Casino New York City begins the challenge of expanding its footprint in Queens, Ms. Stoddart will be responsible for keeping the community updated and being responsive to their feedback. By working directly with community leaders, her role showcases the casino’s mission to be a good neighbor in Queens, and the City of New York.

Prior to her position with RWNY, Ms. Stoddart was the Director of Marketing & Tourism for the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) where she was charged with the research, development, and execution of projects that promoted business and new neighborhood revitalization in Queens County. During her tenure, Ms. Stoddart initiated and enhanced several significant projects that directly contributed to QEDC’s growth and prominence throughout the borough and beyond.

She made Queens’ tourism digitally relevant by spearheading the renovation of DiscoverQueens.info, the first NYC county-based tourism website, which has logged over two million visitors since going live in 2003. She also experienced success with Queens Restaurant Week - a two-week event intended to promote dining establishments in the borough - increasing restaurant participation from 30 to 120 and making it a major fundraiser.

Ms. Stoddart’s most significant achievement while at QEDC was the evolution of the organization’s flagship fundraiser, “Queens--A Taste of the World.” Through stellar marketing plans and strategic partnerships with companies such as CitiField, USTA, Delta Airlines, NYC & Company and Expedia, Ms. Stoddart helped to build the annual food festival from a 300-person event to more than 1,200 attendees over a six-year span. In 2009, the “Queens Taste” became the first non-sporting event to be held at CitiField, the new home of the New York Mets; in that same year the event attracted the then Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

For over five years, Ms. Stoddart worked with SBA Women’s Business Center, the Women’s Venture Fund, where she served as a special events manager and client services associate. Prior to joining the WVF, Ms. Stoddart was the Chief Executive Officer of ElleDeuce Communications, a privately held marketing and event production company specializing in marketing for start-ups to mid-size businesses and non-profit organizations.

Jayson Simba

Executive Director of Festival of Cinema NYC

Jayson Simba

Executive Director of Festival of Cinema NYC

http://www.festivalofcinemanyc.com/

Jayson Simba attended the famous LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts where he got a taste of the entertainment business. Shortly after he studied acting with renowned acting teacher James Price of the Acting Studio, as well as doing scene study Oscar nominated director Susan Seidelman at NYU, Stephen Kennedy Murphy, founder director of Yale's O'Neill Studio. He has also studied with Cathy Russel and Rob Sedgwick.

After Starting his own independent film production company in 2000, Jayson turned his artistic endeavors towards creating a film festival for independent artists around the world.

In 2016, Jayosn founded the not-for-profit organization Festival of Cinema, Inc. which today has become the fastest growing independent film festival in New York City. In 2019 Jayson was named Co-Chairman of the Arts & Entertainment Committee for the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

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