Picture L-R US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, Duvi Honig Orthodox Jewish Chamber of commerce
Friday March 1st the US Department of Commerce announced the launch of a new initiative that will be hosted by US Secretary of Commerce and the US Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce.
The groundbreaking initiative, which was the brainchild of the Orthodox Jewish Chambers Founder and CEO Duvi Honig, aims to provide direct access and support from the US Department of Commerce leadership on a federal level to Presidents
of Us Chamber of Commerce’s, something that has long been overdue.
The new initiative marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the government and the influence of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce advocacy on behalf of helping empower chamber presidents across the United States.
The launch taking place April 4th at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. will start with an exclusive VIP Roundtable of the most powerful and influential Presidents of Chambers of Commerces in the United States.
Invitations to the launch were sent out by the Secretary of Commerce's office to 25 handpicked chamber presidents, selected by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce leadership.
The VIP Invitations sent out read as the Following;
Dear Friend,
On behalf of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Don Graves, in partnership with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce and OFBNP National Partners, we would like to cordially invite you to the (BY INVITE ONLY) 2024 National Chambers of Commerce Leaders Roundtable Thursday, April 4th, 2024 from 10am-12pm ET. Location: U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave, NW. Washington D.C. 20230.
Duvi Honig, the Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, emphasized how he recognizes the challenges that chamber presidents face in navigating government regulations and bureaucracy. This new initiative which will gather annually aims to help Chamber Leadership cut through red tape for businesses and provide them with direct support from the US Department of Commerce at a federal level. This move has been widely praised and embraced by the US Department of Commerce and the White House, who recognized the visionary and trailblazing approach of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce in introducing this concept and working together with the administration to bring this initiative to fruition.
The program includes introductions to heads of various bureaus and interagency partners, such as the White House, Treasury, Small Business Administration, FEMA, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The Roundtable will be the start of a new division within the US Department of Commerce dedicated to supporting and empowering chambers of commerce throughout the country. The new division will strengthen the US economy and establish direct relations and support from the Secretary of Commerce and its leadership in all sectors helping empower US Chamber of Commerce presidents on many levels.
The goal of the initiative is to provide direct access to chamber of commerce leaders and government officials, stimulating all communities across the country and forging meaningful discussions on economic issues. The actual event itself will cover a range of focus areas, including business development, access to data and innovation, and climate resilience. It will also address programmatic partnerships, policy engagement, and access to federal support and resources in areas such as export assistance, grants and pilot programs, capital readiness programs, community development toolkits, climate resilience resources, and investment opportunities in chips and semiconductors.
The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce Chairman, J. Morton Davis, praised Duvi Honig for his leadership and vision in bringing this initiative to fruition. He highlighted the impact that this initiative will have on the US economy and the business community, voicing his admiration for the chamber's efforts in spearheading this groundbreaking initiative, Highlighting how proud we all should be from the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerces leadership.
By bridging the gap between businesses and government agencies, the initiative aims to empower chamber presidents and provide them with direct access and support from the US Department of Commerce. This groundbreaking initiative has been widely embraced and celebrated for its potential to stimulate economic growth and forge meaningful partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Event Details:
Who: National Chambers of Commerce Leaders. Approximately 30 attendees
BY INVITE ONLY
When: April 4, 2024
Where: Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, D.C 20230
Heads of key DOC initiatives/opportunities invited from the following bureaus:
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
International Trade Administration (ITA)
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)
Interagency partners: The White House, Treasury, SBA, DHS-FEMA, and CFPB
Roundtable Discussion
will be conducted on focus areas:
Business Development, Banking, Acquisitions, and Resources
Access to Data and Innovation
Climate Resilience
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Breakout sessions will be conducted on focus areas: programmatic partnerships, policy
engagement, and access to federal support and resources.
Breakout #1: Commerce Bureaus - 10:25am-11:10am
• ITA: U.S.- helping businesses export
• EDA: grants and pilot programs
• MBDA: capital readiness programs
• Census: community development toolkits and demographics
• PTO: patents and trademarks
• NOAA: climate resilience resources and grants
• NTIA: high speed Internet and digital equity programs
• NIST: chips and semiconductors, investment opportunities
Breakout #2: Interagency Partners –
11:15am-12:00pm
• White House
• Treasury: Small Business Credit programs and banking resources
• SBA: Office of Entrepreneurial Development, Office of Government Contracting &
Capital Access
• DHS-FEMA: protecting our businesses, houses of worship, and communities
• CFPB: consumer finance resources