By: Lidia Evita, Staff Writer for World Liberty TV

The New York Small Business Titan Awards was created by a host committee of presidents of six New York’s leading chambers of commerce in order to collectively honor their distinguished colleagues.

Each of the five honorees has over three decades led his or her respective organizations and has been at the forefront of defending the rights of New York’s small businesses and MWBE’S  .

Today as thousands of long established and thriving businesses face eviction due to exorbitant increases at lease renewal time, these titans are leading the fight pushing for long overdue legislative relief.

On January 26^th 2018 ,the business community will rock the house at Stage 48’s Cantina Rooftop to honor their elders and the business institutions that they represent .

The 2018 Titan Award Winners were: Maria M.Khury: graduated magna –cum-laude from Manhattan College with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administrations. She is the President of the Association of Latin America Travel Agents, which was established in 1968 and has members in New York, New Jersey ,Chicago ,Washington ,California and Florida. She is the CEO of Khury Tours & Travel  and the Principal partner of Elite Solution and MWB/E entity.

In March 2017, she was elected the chair of the Dominican Day Parade. Ms Khury has been honored by the Bronx Chamber, New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers and the Dominican Women’s Center for her advocacy of behalf of small businesses.

Sung Soo Kim: is often called the Godfather  of Small Business .For over three decades, he has led the fight to protect “Mom and Pop Stores” from exorbitant rent increases at lease renewal time.

He is the founder and director of the Korean American Small Business Development Center. He co-founded the small businesses Congress of New York. Kim assisted in the drafting of the Small Business  Jobs Survival Act. The City Council bill that provides much-needed protection in the commercial lease renewal process .Despite his numerous health issues.

“God Father Kim” continues his fight for his legislation ,which remains gridlocked in a City Council Committee, while Business’s are being decimated.

Dr.Roy A.Hastick :  was born in Grenada and immigrated to the United States in 1972.He is the president of the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., which he founded in 1985.

Mr Hastick  serves on numerous boards, including  the New York Governor’s Transition Team for Economic Policy, NYC Mayor’s Small Business Advisory Board and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. Dr.Hastick  received a Honorary Doctorate of Humane letters from Medgar Evers College , City University of New York  (CUNY) and NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s  African-American Achievers Award for exemplary small business  leadership.

Alfred Placeres Esq: Born in Cuba ,Attorney Placeres was raised  in New York. He attended Fordham  on a full athletic scholarship for Track and Field.A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School ,he co-hosted Radio WADO’S “La Ley Y Usted” and he is a co-founder of the NYS Small Business Congress.

He served as president of the NYS Federation  of Hispanic Chambers and on Mayor Dinkins and Bloomberg’s  Business Advisory Committee. Mr  Placeres has been honored by MBDA, El Diario, Latino Magazine, and US Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Mendez .In 2010 ,Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented Mr. Placeres with the City’s MWBE Advocate Award.

Lloyd A.Willims : is the president of The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce which was established in 1886,as the Harlem Board of Trade .He is the Vice Chairman of Harlem Arts Alliance. He is also the chairman and co-founder of Harlem Week,Inc., which is the largest summer attraction in the Northeast with over 100 events, attracting over 3.4 million people. As a professor ,Williams has taught courses in history ,urban development ,tourism ,business and economics at Cooper Union ,Hunter College ,The City College of New York, Rutgers  University , Pratt institute ,The New School ,University of Michigan ,University of Massachusetts and Fordham university.

The Other speakers in attendance were  Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer  , New York City Comptroller  Scott  Stringer. Keynote speaker was Christopher R.Riano Esq, General Counsel for the New York State Liquor Authority,  The Emcee was Jerusha Ramos,  and Rev.Jacques A. DeGraff  did the invocation.Close to 200 people were in attendance.

To See more about  New York SMALL BUSINESS  TITAN AWARDS -2018,in our World Liberty TV Business Channel by Clicking here.