2010

Led by co-chairs Nancy Ploeger and Laura Bucko, the MCC Green Business Steering Committee had an aggressive line of programming in 2010 with 12 events. This committee now has over 250 MCC members and sub-committees for Green Design and Construction, Green Finance, Green Energy, Green Retail and Hospitality and Social Responsibility. This year the Green Finance Committee, led by Ann Kayman of New York Grants and David Pospisil of Con Edison, began their series Funding Green Business: A Constellation of Events with a kick off reception at Hearst Tower. Their follow up events this year included Traditional and Non-Traditional Funding Opportunities, Venture Capital and Green Finance and Financing Energy Efficiency Improvements of Large Multifamily and Small Commercial. Green Design and Construction sub-committee chair Andy Daquesian hosted Urban Agriculture: Practical Applications for NYC at Sukyo Mahakari as well as Design and Construction networking and informational meetings held at high end showrooms throughout the year. The Green Energy subcommittee held an event with the EPA Become a NYC Climate Leader and the Social Responsibility sub-committee held Social Responsibility and Your Business Today. This year this committee saw an upswing in international interest. MCC partnered with the Consulate of Slovenia for a special Invest in Green Conference. In addition, this committee held quarterly events which showcased its members and provided discussion in this important field. The Retail and Hospitality sub-committee will lead off 2011 with Food for Thought: The MCC Green Film Festival which will discuss sustainability in the food and restaurant industry.

2009

MCC’s Green Business committee grew exponentially in 2009 and has developed into chamber’s largest and most active committee with over 150 member businesses ranging from representatives from large corporations to sustainability professionals who have been in the field for many years. The committee now has a steering committee to direct its initiatives as well as several sub-groups for green design and construction, green retail and hospitality, green energy and the newly launched green finance group. They produced the “Greener New York Summit,” a half day event at Con Edison on March 27, 2009. This large-scale event featured speakers such as Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Councilman Jim Gennaro and Rohit Aggarwala, Director of NYC’s Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability, and boasted over 150 attendees. Most recently this committee hosted “Getting the Most Green Back for Your Greenbacks: How Sustainable Building Benefits Tenants and Owners” on October 15, 2009 at the Herman Miller showroom which included a case study of the Empire State Building and its tenants, how they have improved energy efficiency and upgraded their interior space. They also held quarterly committee meetings, a networking event hosted by Citibank and a reception and viewing of the film “Fuel.” The Green Design and Construction sub-committee, led by Andy Daquesian of AKA Construction Consulting, held monthly networking meetings throughout the year in various showroom spaces with typically 75 attendees for each meeting. MCC’s Green Business Committee was pleased to partner with many organizations throughout the year including Green Drinks, Womensphere, The Economist, Columbia Business School Alumni and Green Spaces as well as participated in the Go Green Expo.

2008

After holding several events directed toward helping businesses to go green, Laura Bucko, MCC's Director of Communications, launched the MCC Green Business Committee in June of 2008 with 10 local business leaders. Founding members include Jude Jussim, of Jussim Communications, who organized the first green events for the chamber, and Anselm Doering of EcoLogic Solutions.  The committee grew rapidly in its first several months and launched its Green Business website www.manhattanccgreen.org. They held their first event "Making Green by Going Green: Roadmaps from the Front Lines" in October, 2008 at Con Edison, which featured a panel discussion with local businesses about their green business success stories.