Brooklyn’s business community gathered in style for one of the borough’s most anticipated nights of the year, as the Chamber of Commerce hosted its Annual Meeting and Winter Gala at El Caribe Country Club Caterers in Mill Basin on Dec. 18.
The elegant evening drew more than 500 guests, including business owners, civic leaders and creative entrepreneurs for a celebration of local enterprise and community impact. Festivities began with a bustling trade expo and cocktail reception, where attendees networked among Brooklyn-based businesses, before transitioning into a formal seated dinner, program and dancing.
The gala’s 2025 Honoree was Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of Partnership for New York City — “a nonprofit organization whose members are the city’s global business leaders and major employers.” Described by The New York Times as the city’s “most in-demand civic fixer,” she made news when announcing her upcoming retirement in 2026.
Another highlight was the recognition of the 2025 Small Business Honorees — entrepreneurs whose work reflects the diversity and resilience of Brooklyn’s commercial landscape. Honorees included Joy Paradise of Bangkok Bar, an authentic Thai restaurant in Industry City; Lorna Schwartz of Life Made Simpler, which offers professional organizing services for individuals navigating loss; Cory Lee of Skool Milk, a locally inspired apparel brand sold at the Brooklyn Made Store; and George Ortiz of La Puerta Roja in Flatbush, known for its comforting Latin cuisine.
The gala was supported by a wide range of sponsors spanning finance, healthcare, energy and technology, underscoring the breadth of institutions invested in Brooklyn’s economic future.
