Local leaders honored at Chamber installation dinner

East Meadow’s ‘volcano of business’ to keep flowing

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Frank Camarano, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, called East Meadow a “volcano of business” that has, this past year, presented many opportunities to the Chamber of Commerce and its members.

“Everything, big or small, came our way and we handled it wonderfully,” he said, shortly before he was re-installed as the Chamber’s president at its annual installation and awards dinner.

One of Camarano’s goals in 2018, he said, is to develop even stronger relationships with Chamber members. He described his plans to send them a questionnaire that will assess how their businesses are doing and how the Chamber can help them. He added, “There might be things that we could do for them that they weren’t even aware of.”

Last year, East Meadow saw the grand openings of new businesses such as Arby’s fast food restaurant and Stew Leonard’s grocery store. In the coming year, Camarano said, more new businesses are expected to open in East Meadow, such as the Mexican fast-food restaurant Quodoba and Starbucks.

When Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen installed Camarano as president, she said, of his success, “It shows that the chamber is here to stay,” she then added with a laugh, “Camarano runs the World Gym and he’s a World Class guy.”

The installation dinner featured an award ceremony, in which Walter Skinner, a past president of the Chamber of Commerce, presented the Marvin Bernstein Humanitarian Award to his brother James Skinner, also a past president.

Mitchell Allen, a past president of the Chamber of Commerce, presented the Dave Rothbaum Silver Fox Award to Rosemary Basmajian, its treasurer.

Eavh year, the Chamber honors one “Person of the Year,” as chosen by the president. However, Camarano chose to honor all of whom who previously honored as “Person of the Year.”

Following the award ceremony, Legislator Thomas McKevitt (R, D-13) installed the Board of Directors, including new inductees Richie Krug, Ross Schiller and James Skinner.

The Chamber of Commerce added a new award to the end of the installation dinner, surprising Norma Gonsalves when they gave her a “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“Norma Gonsalves has dedicated her life to this community,” said Rich Bivone, who presented to her the award. “We should never forget that a community, to be special, needs people like her to take a risk to make it better.”

Gonsalves said that she was grateful to receive such an honor. “This blessing is mine to give to you,” she added. “And I am proud to have served this community as an advocate, a legislator and a friend.”