Brooklyn, NY; Dec. 19, 2009 — The Brooklyn-based Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (CACCI) inducted 26 new ‘Business Visionaries” at the organization’s Annual Christmas Business Networking Reception held on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at the lush Tropical Paradise Ballroom. Among those honored was Grenadian entrepreneur and community leader, Gerry Hopkins, the founder and managing director of The Hopkins Consulting Group LLC.
 
 This event was CACCI’s largest business gathering of the year, drawing well over 300 business owners, community leaders, foreign diplomats and elected officials. Primarily, the event was staged to recognize several of the organization’s newest members for their visionary leadership as evidenced through their contributions and commitment to economic and community development.
 
 In his charge to the Visionaries, convener of the event, Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr., CACCI’s founder and President, challenged the honorees of the 24-year old organization to take advantage of the opportunities available through its business developmental services and peer support.
 
 “These are entrepreneurs who have taken the risk and accepted the challenge. We are proud to salute them as CACCI’s 2010 Business Visionaries and we look forward to assisting them in furthering their business growth in areas of small business financing, certification preparation, and other business services,” Hastick said. “Network, plan and build towards becoming millionaires or billionaires,” he added.
 
 Dr. Hastick, also a Grenadian, went on to thank various New York city and state government officials for the funds provided towards the soon to be launched construction of the organization’s trade center in Central Brooklyn. When completed, this facility will serve as CACCI’s headquarters, house major anchor tenants, create jobs, and offer domestic and international business services with special focus on the Caribbean region.
 
 In accepting his award, Hopkins thanked all those who have inspired him and continue to encourage him along the way, mentioning in particular, his deceased grandmother Mary Hopkin, Dr. Hastick, Neil Cummings of GrenadianConnection.com, and Ritchie Francis of SpiceIslander.com, among others.
 
 The elected officials and diplomats present were NY State Sen. Kevin Parker, Assemblyman N. Nick Perry, Councilwoman Darlene Mealey, Councilman Mathieu Eugene, Councilman Elect Jumaane Williams (whose parents are from Grenada), Consul General Derek James of Grenada, and Consul General Carl Francis Smith of the Bahamas.
 
 The Mistress of Ceremony was the former Consul General of Barbados, Her Excellency Jessica C. Odle-Baril.
 
 Incidentally, Hopkins is a founding member of the New York-based charitable not-for profit organization Concerned Grenadians of NYC (CGNYC), which only last week raised and donated USD $1,800.00 towards the soon to be launched New York University Dental Outreach Project in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The other founding members of CGNYC are Gracelyn Harris and Lawrence Thomas.

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