Sunnyside Chamber History

The Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce was organized back in 1947 when Sunnyside still had open fields. Under the elevated line, (which now provides car parking), weeds and wild flowers once grew beneath the trolley tracks. The trolley ran along the train all the way from the Queensborough Bridge. Bob Hoffman, the manager of Manufacturers Hanover Bank, was the Chamber’s first president and one of its main organizers.
  
          I mention  Bob  because he  would later  become famous  appearing in  newspapers  throughout  the  United  States when  he  was the  recipient of a very  large bank  withdrawal  of $64,000.00 by   the notorious bank robber Willie (the Actor) Sutton  back in March of 1950. Our Chamber  could sure use Willie  today  on our fund raising  committee.  

        
       Sunnyside Chamber history – (circa 1949) 
 May 18, 1949 Borough President James A. Burke heads the notables at the Chamber of Commerce Dinner. Rear from left to right, Joseph Sabba, Managing Editor of the Woodside Herald, co-chairman; “Bill” Erdey, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce; Edward J. Riley, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce; Louis Lodati, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and co-chairman; Stephen Sipos, co-chairman.
Front from left to right, Joseph M. Busch, Treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce; James A. Lundy, former President of the Queens chamber of Commerce/ Commissioner John M. Christensen, chairman of the Dinner; Honorable James A. Burke, Borough President of Queens, and “Bob” Hoffman, President of the Chamber of Commerce.

     
          We continue to be an organization built around assisting and helping local businesses, professionals, and merchants. We have a voluntary board of directors, who are trying to help build businesses and improve services in our community. Always mindful of the community services to which we are entitled, our Chamber acts as a watchdog in monitoring that these services are delivered.

          We work closely with all community groups and organizations; many of our board members live as well as work in our community. The Sunnyside Chamber meets for lunch on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 PM at Dazie's Restaurant, 39-41 Queens Boulevard. We welcome you to join us as The Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce continues to build on the sense of community that was begun so long ago. 


               See our current Board Members - click on Board of Directors

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