Harlem Business Economic Summit

Adam Clayton Powell State Building

New York, NY

The Harlem Business Alliance, along with numerous co-sponsors, just had a whopping Business Economic Summit was an outstanding event. The theme was very clear and to the point. It was to arm existing small businesses within the Harlem and Upper Manhattan community with the necessary resources they need to become successful, and to help fulfill the dreams of would-be entrepreneurs who, were it not for Harlem based organizations such as Harlem Business Alliance (HBA) and the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI)., would never have those dreams become a reality.

The event started out with a wonderful breakfast, complete with all the trimmings, Danishes, fresh yogurt, juices, and more. Then, everyone went up to the round table discussion where we heard Mr. Lloyd Grant, Publisher of KIP Communications, LLC, and the moderator of the round table panel, introduce all of the speakers, Ms. Lucille McEwen, Esq., President & CEO of the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc., Clydee E. Williams, Jr., Domestic Policy Liaison of the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation, Mr. Kevin McGruder, Secretary/Treasurer of Harlemade, Inc., Mr. Paul A. Santamaria, Sr. Vice President/Regional Manager of North Fork Bancorporation, and Percy E. Sutton, Co-Founder, Chairman & Chairman Emeritus of Inner City Broadcasting, Corp., and [let’s not forget] The Honorable Charles E. Rangel, who is one of the most influential Congressmen in the entire country, and, single-handedly, responsible for much of the Upper Manhattan’s business growth, talk about what these powerfully influential support organizations can do to help businesses within the Harlem community expand and grow.

Charles Rangel said a few words about a goal which should be everyone’s in the community, namely, to ally with other established organizations such as Columbia University in the forming of partnerships. David Hargraves, VP of Community Relations of Citibank, stressed the importance of a financial institution getting involved in the communities of the prospective clients as a measure of tremendous support to those businesses, many of who don’t have adequate credentials for loans of capital through traditional banking channels.

We heard from Mr. Kenneth Knuckles, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ), spoke about the importance of technical assistance for business that borrow money for growth and expansion purposes. Also mentioned was an organization called BRISC, which partners with a variety of banks and lending institutions, and assists businesses in becoming borrowers qualified to receive loans through traditional banking channels, and also assists these businesses with their leases in an effort to help them demonstrate more stability, and thus better qualify them as borrowers.

One of the panels I attended was the Real Estate Seminar, with some very qualified speakers, I must say. The moderator was Mr. James A. Lynch, Jr., Of Counsel, The Figuro Law Firm, LLC, and such panelists as Ms. Nnena Lynch, Project Manager for a&f Commercial Builders, Karen A. Phillips, Commissioner of the City of New York.

Back on September 27, 2004, the HBA sponsored a wonderful boat ride, with over 300 people in attendance, and many of the restaurants of Harlem donating food for the catering. This was a wonderful event that everyone enjoyed.

We at Liberty News Online would like to Ms. Thelma Russell, the Executive director of the Harlem Business Alliance, and Keith McHenry, the President of the Harlem Business Alliance, for inviting us to this wonderful, information-packed event. Anyone interested in learning more about the Harlem Business Alliance may visit their offiicial website, at http://www.hbany.org/.

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