CACCI’s Record of Accomplishments – Chartered in the State of New York in 1985 Celebrating 36 years of service to the small business community (1985-2021)
The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CACCI), founded in August 1985, is a statewide membership organization, which has developed expertise in providing business assistance to small, start-ups and emerging businesses, in areas of business planning, financing, procurement, preparation for certification and business expansion, and export/import opportunities.
As we reflect back on our history of over 36 years of service to the small business community, we are reminded that with limited resources we have continued to promote small business development on behalf of women and other minority business owners. Time and time again, we have proven that “business networking really works.” For over 36 years we have forged a powerful evolving local, national, and international business network of small businesses and corporate members, elected officials, private and government partners.
CACCI’s extensive track record of service delivery includes: sponsoring over 700 business networking meetings, establishing partnerships with government and private business entities, establishing relationships with Caribbean-based trade associations and chambers of commerce.
CACCI also managed the Flatbush Caton Market, a 9,000 sq. ft. micro-enterprise incubator, with an indoor shopping mall in Flatbush, Brooklyn. This included over 40 vendors who sold a variety of African and Caribbean artifacts for over 17 years ending in 2017. This was owned by the City of New York’s SBS.
These fundamental relationships have enabled the organization to continue and strengthen the following initiatives:
- Sponsoring business development networking power breakfast and business networking seminars and meetings, attracting entrepreneurs and speakers from the public and private sectors, business and community leaders, corporate partners, elected officials, Caribbean-based Heads of State, CACCI members and other domestic and international leaders.
- Provide weekly CACCI/SCORE free on-site confidential small business counseling services and technical assistance for CACCI members and the wider small business community.
- Conduct seminars in areas of MWBE, Financial Literacy, and Business Services.
- Strengthen partnerships with CACCI members and with public and private business entities which have contributed to the success of such annual events as: Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King (January), Participation in Black, Puerto Rican and Asian Legislative Conference (February), Seminar focusing on Certification and Procurement Opportunities for Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBE) (March). Other CACCI sponsored events include: Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala; Celebration of Service to the Small Business Community; Doing Business with NYC, NYS and US government agencies; International Conference on Doing Business with the United States and the Caribbean focusing on Export/Import Opportunities; and Salute to Small Business Visionaries. CACCI’s monthly small business breakfast meetings have served as opportunities for members to network and explore business opportunities.
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Over the years, CACCI has sponsored numerous trade missions to the Caribbean, convened numerous business meetings and held briefing sessions on behalf of several Caribbean Heads of State including: Prime Ministers of Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Barbados, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Chief Minister of Montserrat and several other government officials and ministers of Haiti. CACCI has also hosted H.E. Julian Robert Hunte, then President of the 58th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dr. Edwin Carrington, then Secretary General of CARICOM and a recipient of CACCI’s Roving Ambassador Award, Premiers of Nevis and Chief Minister of Anguilla. CACCI also hosted NYS Governors, NYC Mayors, NYS and NYC Comptrollers, NYC Advocates, NYS Attorney Generals, US Congressional, NYS and NYC Legislators NYS and NYC Commissioners and other business and community leaders.
Update on Caribbean American Trade and Culture Center Development
As we celebrate our 36st Anniversary we express our gratitude to our partners – Federal, State, City, and Borough for their continued commitment to assist CACCI in bringing our initiatives initiative to fruition.
CACCI has received considerable support for the development of the first ever Caribbean Trade and Culture Center in East Flatbush 40th NYC Council district in Brooklyn. In October 2015 NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) announced the selection of a developer who was chosen to work on the development of the project which will include affordable housing; CACCI’s Trade and Culture Center; re-developed Flatbush Caton Market, a museum and community space.
The CTC project has received widespread support and financial commitments from the Brooklyn Borough Presidents, NYC Mayor’s Office, Councilmember Dr. Mathieu Eugene and the New York City Council Brooklyn Delegation. Additional support was received from the Brooklyn Congressional Delegation, New York State Brooklyn Legislators, CACCI’s board of directors as well as numerous CACCI members and partners.