President's Bio
Randy Peers
Randy Peers joined the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO on September 9, 2019. He brings decades of workforce and economic development expertise, and several years of executive leadership experience growing not-for-profit organizations that serve the business community.
During his tenure thus far at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, which has been heavily influenced by the COVID pandemic response, Randy has overseen the launch of five significant new initiatives focused on supporting Brooklyn small businesses while advancing the overall theme of equity -- the Small Business Resource Network, which was adopted city-wide; the Brooklyn EXCELerate social justice lending program; the neighborhood development concentrations in Canarsie, Homecrest and Bushwick; the Brooklyn Entrepreneur Academy; and the launch of the Brooklyn Made Store, which have all led to meaningful investments and support for small businesses throughout the borough. In addition, Randy significantly expanded the Brooklyn Chamber’s international work, hosting over forty foreign delegations visiting Brooklyn, developing partnerships with Seoul, Korea, Ghana, Pakistan, and Dubai, and launching an international affiliate membership program.
Randy previously served as the inaugural President & CEO of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) in Berks County, PA. For over a decade he was CEO of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT), a Brooklyn-headquartered workforce development organization that was the leading provider of disconnected youth job training services in NYC. From 2002-2006, Randy served as Vice President of Economic Development at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Randy also serves as a Mayoral appointee to the NYC Industrial Development Authority and the NYC Workforce Investment Board.
Randy holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College and an MPA from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. Randy was born, raised, and spent most of his professional career in Brooklyn, having lived in five different neighborhoods across the borough.
OFFICERS
BOARD CHAIR
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank
VICE CHAIR
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
PRESIDENT
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
TREASURER
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick
SECRETARY
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce – President
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank – Chair
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.– Vice Chair
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick – Treasurer
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies – Secretary
Penda Aiken, Penda Aiken Inc.
Gina Argento, Broadway Stages
James Brennan, Consolidated Edison
Ralph Bumbaca, TD Bank
Susan Doban, Doban Architecture
Bryan Grimaldi, National Grid
Joseph J. Lhota, NYU Langone Medical Center
Sayar Lonial, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Phyllis Pressa, JPMorgan Chase
Thomas Sorrentino, PKF O’Connor Davies
Andrew Walcott, Fusion East Restaurant
BROOKLYN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INC.- TERM ENDING 2024
Gina Argento, Broadway Stages
James Brennan, Consolidated Edison
Ralph Bumbaca, TD Bank
Eladia Causil-Rodriquez, Eladia’s Kids
Ofer Cohen, TerraCRG
Robert Cornegy, Consultant
Fred Dixon, NYC & Company
Kenneth Fisher, Cozen O’Connor
Lindsay Greene, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.
Philip Guarnieri, Empire State Bank
John Abi Habib, MSI Net Inc.
Steven Klein, Northfield Bank
Joseph J. Lhota, NYU Langone Health System
Juan Perez, Highbrid Media
Blondel Pinnock, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp.
Mary Quinones, Law Office of Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.
Christopher La Raja, Citizens Bank
Thomas Sorrentino, PKF O'Connor Davies
Gary Terrinoni, The Brooklyn Hospital Center
Robin White, AT&T
BROOKLYN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INC. - TERM ENDING 2025
Penda Aiken, Penda Aiken, Inc.
Karen Auster, Auster Agency
Lisa Bing, Bing Consulting Group, Inc.
Donald R. Boomgaarden, St. Joseph’s College
Tim Cecere, St. Francis College
Kendall Charter, YMCA of Greater New York
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Susan Doban, Doban Architecture
Bryan Grimaldi, National Grid
Maggie Gu, Park Asia Restaurant
Dozier Hasty, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Timothy King, CPEX Real Estate
Bradley Korn, Mount Sinai Health System
Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, Connective Strategies
Jeff Lindor, The Gentlemen’s Factory
Sayar Lonial, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce *
Phyllis Pressa, JPMorgan Chase
Tucker Reed, Totem
Jessica Schumer, Amazon
Joy Sweet, Howell Industries
Kevin M. Thompson, ExxonMobil
Jed Walentas, Two Trees Management Co.
BROOKLYN ALLIANCE, INC. - TERM ENDING 2024
Gregory Anderson, Bridge Street Development Corp.
Lara Birnback, Brooklyn Heights Association
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies
Steve Cohen, Brooklyn Baseball Company
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Patrick Dugan, CBRE
Johari Jenkins, Consolidated Edison
Louie Liu, Brooklyn Community Improvement Association
Kenneth Mbonu, Flatbush Nostrand Business Improvement District
Toby Moskovits, Heritage Equity Partners
Regina Myer, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
Tiffany Joy Murchison, TJM and Co. Media Boutique
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank
Evelyn Ortiz, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce *
Dr. Patricia Ramsey, Medgar Evers College
BROOKLYN ALLIANCE CAPITAL INC. - TERM ENDING 2025
Penda Aiken, Penda Aiken, Inc.
Vincent Chirico, Chirico Law PLLC
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies
Robert Cornegy, Consultant
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Kenny Guan, Guan Realty Corporation
Nicole Henderson, Cross River Bank
Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, Connective Strategies
Kenneth Mbonu, Flatbush Nostrand Business Improvement District
Christopher Murtha, Wells Fargo
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick
Joseph Pellegrino, TD Bank
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce *
Joy Sweet, Howell Industries
Andrew Walcott, Fusion East Restaurant
(* no ending term)
FINANCE/AUDIT COMMITTEE
Pasquale Patrone, CohnReznick — Chair
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Kendall Christiansen, Gaia Strategies
Ana Oliveira, Valley Bank
Randy Peers, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
Thomas Sorrentino, PKF O’Connor Davies
Chandraban Motilall, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce **
(** non-voting member)
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Susan Doban, Doban Architecture — Chair
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Sayar Lonial, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Joseph Pellegrino, TD Bank
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Sayar Lonial, NYU Tandon School of Engineering – Chair
Penda Aiken, Penda Aiken Inc.
Gil Cygler, Cygler Warren Street Corp.
Susan Doban, Doban Architecture
Evelyn Ortiz, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
BOARD MEMBER DESIGNEES
Flavio Bollag, St. Joseph’s University (Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce)
Josephine Bruzzese, Northfield Bank
Kelly Curtin, NYC & Company
Kai-yan Lee, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.
David Lombino, Two Trees Management Co.
Ali Ryan Scott, St. Francis College
Oma Holloway, Bridge Street Development Corp. (Brooklyn Alliance, Inc.)
PAST BOARD CHAIRS
Denise Arbesu
Peter M. Meyer
Daniel Holt
David J. Manning
Alan H. Fishman
Patrick J. Fallon
Craig Matthews
Robert B. Catell
Philip F. Stenger