Chamber of Commerce's New Awards Thank Clarkstown, Shops at Nanuet

The Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce presented its first Partnership in Progress Awards at a recent networking event.

Also at the event, the Chamber’s new president Tony Pallogudis thanked retiring president Risa Hoag for her service to the organization. Hoag helped found the Chamber three years ago with the encouragement of Clarkstown Councilman George Hoehmann and served as president for the past two years.

Hoag said the partnership awards were created this year to acknowledge organizations or individuals who are instrumental in the growth of the Chamber during the previous 12 months. The Chamber board selected the Town of Clarkstown and the Shops at Nanuet to receive the inaugural awards.

Hoag detailed the support the Chamber has received from Clarkstown for its Annual Street Fair which, in its second year this past June, saw a record 15,000 people enjoy the fair throughout the day. She noted that the Town of Clarkstown has also been supportive of the Chamber’s efforts to improve Main Street and coordinate with the appropriate authorities to explore options for improving or even moving the Nanuet train station.

Hoag noted that the Shops have been supportive by providing space and promotion for several successful events that the Chamber has held over the past year including last year’s first joint networking tent event, the Art Showcase held in conjunction with the students of the Nanuet School district and the Halloween Event which attracted over 300 people last year to the Shops to paint pumpkins and participate in various games and a costume parade. (The event will be held again this year.)

The recipients received Lucite awards engraved with the Chamber’s logo and the recipient’s name. Alex Gromack, George Hoehmann and Frank Borelli were on hand to accept the award for the Town and Briana Puncar accepted for the Shops at Nanuet as the Director of Marketing and Business Development for the Shops.

The joint networking tent event, which was attended by more than 120 business professionals from around Rockland County, was sponsored by The Rockland County Times, HV Biz/Westchester County Business Journal, Connections Contact Center, Rockland VIP, Hudson Barter Exchange, and Raymour & Flanigan. Every restaurant at the Shops participated by providing food including Zinburger, Bonefish Grill, BJs Brewhouse, Patsy’s Pizza, Qdoba (to open this month), Corner Bakery Cafe (to reopen in August) and PF Changs.

Interested in the Nanuet Chamber of Commerce? Any business can join the Chamber by visiting www.nanuetchamber.com and signing up for membership which is $125 per year. Residents can also join for $25 each year. The Greater Nanuet Chamber of Commerce hosts a variety of programs throughout the year for businesses as well as community members. The Chamber is dedicated to promoting and supporting the business, civic, and cultural vitality of Nanuet through advocacy, leadership and networking to create a vibrant, prosperous, environmentally sound, and strong community.

For more information on the Nanuet Chamber events and activities, visit www.nanuetchamber.com.

PHOTO: left to right, Nanuet Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors: Jim Flynn, Kevin Hardy, Susan Farese, Erica Sallahian, Tony Pallogudis, Risa Hoag, Chamber Administrative Assistant Denise Formoso, George Mollo and Linda Stankard. In front Eric Graff and Joe Brunelli. Missing are Michael Kitt and Ryan Hidalgo/contributed