Chambers meet and greet at the Bristal

Debra Oliveri and Paul Oliveri, Esq. of Oliveri & Schwartz chat with Linda Stephenson of Bethpage Credit Union.

Lynbrook Village Trustee Hilary Becker with Bill Gaylor, of Lynbrook Gift and Hallmark Shop, Pres. Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendricks listens to Brian Curran speak.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Demi Mikedis and Steven Bogdanos, both of ENOPI Learning Center, chat with David Walsh of Walsh Funeral Home and Annie Stempfel of the Malverne Cinemas.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Tina Martinez of NY Brain Center and Richard Horan of NGL Ins. Group.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Herald sales Associate Nancy Friedman chatted with Dave Smollett.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Gerardo Filippone, left, and Robert Baccari, both of Lynbrook’s Sons of Italy Per Sempre Membership Committee, chat with Henry Stempfel of Malverne.

Susan Grieco/Herald

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Business owners exchanged information about overcoming the tough economy at a joint meeting between the Lynbrook and East Rockaway Chambers of Commerce and Malverne Merchants’ Association at the Bristal at Lynbrook on Oct. 25.

More than 100 attendees dined and dished over refreshments and appetizers. “It’s a very nice event where the merchants can get together and talk about things,” said Lynbrook Little League Treasurer Nick Deninno.

State Assemblyman Brian Curran spoke about the latest legislative developments and the news concerning the Regional Economic Development Council. The goal was to fill the entrepreneurs in on what the Assembly is working on to make New York more business-friendly, said Steve Wangel, an organizer and vice president of membership for the Lynbrook chamber.

“Decisions made in Albany affect you as small business owners, and as citizens,” Curran said. “… I look to a brighter path for Malverne, Lynbrook, and East Rockaway …” After he spoke, he answered questions from the audience.

The event brought the three organizations together, Wangel said, to discuss fresh approaches to creating “booming business.” Bill Gaylor and Denise Rogers, the Lynbrook chamber’s president and executive vice president, had contacted East Rockaway chamber President Debbie Hirschberg and Malverne Merchants’ President Henry Stampfel to get the ball rolling this year.

“This is a giant networking event where people are introduced to everyone, and they know what products are available here so they can go here instead of Walmart and other places,” said Wangel.

Representatives of all three organizations shared their news, and details of upcoming events, with the crowd. The Lynbrook chamber discussed its new cost-saving program with JJT Energy, a Rockville Centre company, to save local businesses and homeowners money on their gas bills. Another topic was new ways to attract business and provide services during the ongoing recession.

Antoinette Tolomeo, secretary of the East Rockaway chamber, said spoke on behalf of Hirschberg, who could not attend. She offered a positive outlook on the future, saying, “I look forward to building business relationships with all of you.”

“This is an amazing thing because it’s good for all people from the chambers to come together to share thoughts,” said Shirish B. Mohile, a partner with AVM DeMars CPA P.C. of Williston Park, who is a member of the Lynbrook chamber.

“It was real nice for Lynbrook to invite East Rockaway and Malverne,” said Lynn Arena, owner of Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine in East Rockaway, who found out about the event in a chamber email. “… [I]t’s great to get all three groups together.”