A year ago, a group of concerned business people from Weehawken got together to form the township’s first Chamber of Commerce. In the year since, the organization has been growing in size, with more than 40 members participating in the regular events designed to help the township’s businesses network and enhance future business.
“We’ve collected a mailing list of nearly 500 business people in Weehawken with people from all walks of life,” said Ben Goldman, an accomplished artist and one of the founding fathers of the Weehawken Chamber of Commerce.
He added, “We have a lot of independent business people in the town. Weehawken has businesses of all kinds. We have Realtors, shipping firms, software consultants, technology consultants, artists, owners of independent film companies, musicians. It’s very diverse and a wide arena. We’re encouraged by what we’ve been able to achieve in our first year, but we’re still young and emerging. We’re always looking for new members.”
The Weehawken Chamber of Commerce is holding its third Business Card Exchange event, this one to be held Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Bank of New York at 1200 Harbor Blvd. in the UBS Financial Services Building, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
“We’re beginning our second year with a good event,” Goldman said.
The guest speaker will be Jim Kirkos, the president and CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce. Entertainment will be provided by the Alan Brady Trio, featuring Weehawken clarinet performer Brady, who has played with the Benny Goodman and Nelson Riddle Orchestras and for recording artists like Patti Austin and Tommy Tune.
“The guest speaker will talk about the business development issue,” Goldman said. “We’re excited to have Alan Brady perform for us as well. We’re all trying to network and meet other business people, in order to help the Weehawken business community grow and prosper.”
Goldman said that he was pleased to have a commitment from the Bank of New York, with bank manager Rosemary DiNapoli as one of the firm supporters of the Weehawken Chamber.
“We’re pleased to be able to hold the event in the Bank of New York,” Goldman said. “They’ve been strong supporters.”
Goldman said that the business card exchange events have been helpful.
“There have been networking opportunities, but people also have some great ideas,” Goldman said. “We’re also looking into the possibility to do some benefit work within the community in the future. Our primary focus is to continue the community networking events. We’re doing promotional efforts for the businesses in the community, but we need members to help do these events. We want new members, large and small.”
Any new business that would want to participate is encouraged to attend the event.
For further information about the business card exchange or the Weehawken Chamber of Commerce, contact the Bank of New York at (201) 319-0600 or the Chamber at (201) 422-9830.