It is hard to believe that it has already been one year since we launched our MAPLE New York Chapter under the leadership of John Costanzo. And despite the challenges of launching and growing a community during a pandemic, it has truly been a very special year full of great events, new members, new partnerships, media coverage and a wonderful base upon which to continue to grow. Thank you to our MAPLE New York Executive Director, John Costanzo, for your vision, leadership, and dedication to our mission. Here are some of John’s thoughts and reflections on “Year One” that he recently shared in our June e-newsletter.
In June we will celebrate the one-year anniversary of MAPLE’s NY chapter. In reflecting upon the past year, I would like to thank several people for enabling MAPLE NY to get off the ground and prosper here in the East Coast. First, our co-founders, Stephen Armstrong and Robert Kelle, for all their support in launching our chapter, creating a MAPLE NY Twitter site, hosting events, and building our membership. Without their help, our chapter here would not have taken hold so quickly.
I am also greatly appreciative of Khawar Nasim, Acting Consul General of the Consulate General of Canada in New York and his team, for their endorsement and amazing collaboration in bringing interesting content to our membership throughout the year. Especially Nigel Neale, Senior Trade Commissioner and Meaghan Sunderland, Consul, for their excellent help and the engagement of their teams in our events.
In addition, with the support of the Consulate General of Canada, the Quebec Delegation in NY led by Catherine Loubier, and the Ontario Government’s NY team, we have held 5 virtual events covering the Energy sector, the USMCA, Hofstra’s Supply Chain Index, entry to the Canadian market, and the long and highly integrated relationship between NY State and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. And, we have formed strong alliances with The Long Island Association, Hofstra University’s Frank Zarb School of Business, the Empire State Development Agency, and the US Commercial Service in NYC and Long Island.
And of course, we would not be a chapter without our members! I’m pleased to report that throughout the year we have added or upgraded ten members in our chapter and one for MAPLE’s chapter in BC, representing both Private Industry and Government, as follows in alphabetical order: Challenger Motor Freight & Logistics; Christopher Annunziata, National Corporate Housing; David Manning, Brookhaven National Lab; Dorsey & Whitney, LLP; Investissement Quebec; Lee Smith, Reliable Logistics; Livingston International; Purolator International; Quebec Delegation, NY; Robert Catell, Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center; and, Lorraine Duclos of Hemlock & Harding who joined our British Columbia chapter. And we have also had excellent engagement and support from New York based representatives of West Coast chapter members like Reid Hamilton of the Toronto Stock and TSX Venture Exchanges and Vincent Gauthier of Air Canada.
As productive the past year has been, we are planning for an even better second year for MAPLE NY… hopefully to soon include in person chapter meetings in the fall. Thank you, all, for the opportunity to help expand this amazing association here in the East Coast… have a happy and healthy summer!
