New members of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce board of directors were sworn in on Jan. 22, 2026 at Manhattan University.
Photo by Emily Swanson
New and returning members of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce board of directors took their oath of office on Jan. 22, as representatives of the borough’s expanding business landscape.
In an event at Manhattan University, Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz administered the oath, which in part said: “I will act in the best interests of the organization, uphold its mission and values, exercise my responsibilities with integrity and care, and support the Chamber’s role as a trusted voice for the Bronx business community.”
Six board members were appointed for the first time, including Kenny Burgos, president and CEO of the New York Apartment Association; Susan L. Parish, president of Mercy University; Mike Nunez, a JPMorgan Chase executive; Paul Ramirez, managing partner of Mainland Media and Bronx Beer Hall; Kathleen Kearns of Montefiore Einstein and Cleon Chung of Optimum.
Returning to the board were Joanna Simone of Simone Development; Dr. Susan Burns, president of the University of Mount Saint Vincent; Eve Colavito, CEO of The Dream School; Joseph Gallitto of D&J Ambulette Services; April Horton of Verizon; Gilbert Vega of TD Bank and Anthony Mormile of Orange Bank & Trust Company.
The Chamber is growing rapidly, with more than 100 new business members in 2025, according to its annual report. These included familiar brick and mortar names such as the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, Shake Shack, Wells Fargo, the White Plains Road Business Improvement District and Airbnb. The Chamber also has many longstanding members, including the New York Yankees, Bay Plaza Mall and BronxWorks.
“Our membership has reached new heights, our events have seen record engagement, and the momentum across our network continues to grow,” said President Lisa Sorin in the annual report.
Members swore the oath of office and received a pin appointing them to the board of directors.Photo by Emily Swanson
Speaking to the new board members, Sorin said the formal ceremony was about “setting a tone for transparency, for seriousness of purpose and for collective responsibility.”
“Too often, board service happens quietly, behind the scenes,” she said. “Today is about making that responsibility visible, both to recognize those who serve and to affirm the standards of leadership we expect.”
Several elected officials were on hand to congratulate the board: Council Members Amanda Farias and Justin Sanchez, Assembly Members Yudelka Tapia and John Zaccaro Jr. and State Senators Robert Jackson and Nathalia Fernandez.
Sanchez, a new council member representing the South Bronx, encouraged business leaders to set up shop in his district, which includes the neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Hunts Point, Longwood and Melrose.
As the newly-appointed chair of the Committee on Sanitation, he promised that business owners, residents and everyone else will experience “the cleanest streets that you have ever seen in the history of our borough,” in his district and throughout the Bronx.
Phillip Grant, a Bronx Chamber executive vice president and chief operating officer of Armand Corporation, delivered remarks on behalf of leadership.
Grant said the ceremony marked “a moment to recommit ourselves to work that truly matters.” In challenging economic times, he said the chamber has been a stabilizing force and facilitator of advocacy and fellowship for business leaders.
The Chamber, together with elected officials, works to “ensure that the Bronx continues to be seen not as an afterthought, but as a priority,” Grant said.
The swearing-in ceremony was especially exciting for those new to the board, including Paul Ramirez, owner of Mainland Media since 2006.
He said he was a social entrepreneur “before this existed as a title,” with a mission of representing the Bronx in a positive way.
Ramirez said his business grew out of a concern that there was no visible way for people, especially youth, to rep the borough. “How do you instill pride and confidence in someone who’s not proud of where they’re from?” he said.
In his work, Ramirez sought to overcome old narratives about the Bronx as a downtrodden borough. Before drones and Google Earth, Ramirez said he hired a helicopter to shoot aerial shots throughout the Bronx — literally offering a new perspective that most people wouldn’t see.
He also created “From The Bronx” merch and a social media presence, and opened the Bronx Beer Hall in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market 13 years ago.
Now, after 20 years in business and partnership with the Bronx Chamber, “It just felt right to make it official,” Ramirez said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!