On July 1, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce board of directors elected Jerry Unger, owner of Printing X-Press, to serve a two-year term as president. He has served two separate terms as a director and has held positions as secretary/treasurer, vice president and executive vice president.

Further, Unger has been acknowledged for his all-out involvement in numerous community activities. He is well known as chairman of Project Garden City's lunchtime professional band concerts, which drew thousands of people to the village during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Project Garden City was created to help all the businesses in Garden City, to energize and return spirit to Franklin Avenue and to spur on the village's revitalization project.

He has served as master of ceremonies at various Chamber-sponsored community events. He has served on the boards of the Garden City Historical Society and the Kiwanis Club of Garden City. In 1998, he was named Garden City Business Person of the Year and earned the Chamber's Community Achievement Award in 2000.

"Jerry is a dynamo! I have worked with him on numerous projects for the past 26 years and am in constant awe of the intensity at which he pursues and accomplishes the many projects he undertakes," Althea Robinson, Chamber executive director, said.

More than one year ago, Unger initiated the Chamber's planning committee to focus on new initiatives toward the development of a progressive environment in which existing and new businesses could thrive.

He noted that the development of a sophisticated website, which will showcase Garden City to the rest of the world, giving visitors a chance to see the benefits of shopping, dining, visiting, doing business and even living here, is in the works and should be up and running this fall. "Certainly, we know how wonderful it is to live and work here. Why not 'tout it' to the world at large," he said.

The Chamber continues to hold a series of luncheon programs, which are open to the public, at The Garden City Hotel and has scheduled a lineup of dynamic speakers. On Sept. 18, County Executive Tom Suozzi will be the keynote speaker. On Nov. 12, the Chamber will have Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy.

"We are planning after hours wine-and-cheese networking gatherings for businesspeople and are working with the Garden City High School to create student internships with local businesses," Unger noted. "Of course, we will continue to sponsor community events such as the Fall Festival Homecoming Street Fair, the Village Tree Lighting and the renowned Easter Sunday Vintage Car Parade.

"We are working hard to help the residential community realize that as businesmen and women, we are also deeply involved in Garden City and want not only what is best for our businesses but also for our families. As a matter of record, more than half the members of the Chamber not only work in Garden City, they reside here as well," he said.

Unger invites any Chamber member interested in participating to attend the Tuesday morning planning sessions at the Chamber Toll Lodge office, located at 230 Seventh Street, at 8 a.m. He also said that any questions or input from residents should be directed to him at Printing X-Press by phone (741-0520) or e-mail (printing.xpress@verizon.net) or Althea Robinson at 746-7724, extension 102.