Bronx Chamber of Commerce president honored at Women Thought Leader reception

I’ve always been super passionate about small business. Having that passion of seeing somebody start [a business] and make it succeed — that has always been embedded in me.”

Lisa Sorin, president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce

The president of the borough’s Chamber of Commerce is determined to continue the growth of the borough’s economy and its 27,000 businesses.

Lisa Sorin, president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, was honored at the Inaugural New York Women Thought Leader Reception in Manhattan last month, and has stayed motivated to keep the Bronx economy strong, while assisting local establishments and welcoming new businesses into the borough.

Sorin initially spoke, in an interview with The Press regarding the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a trying time period for all — and particularly for local businesses trying to survive and stay afloat when much of the world’s population was stuck indoors.

During the challenging period, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce was one of five chambers to work with the Peterson Foundation, who funded the Small Business Resource Network program to help local businesses with various services during the pandemic.

Despite the borough being home to 12 business improvement districts, Sorin explained nearly nine of ten corridors in the borough (88 of 100), each consisting of several businesses, are without a BID. Areas like Riverdale and Mott Haven are BID-less.

During her tenure as the executive director of the Westchester Square BID, Sorin helped  establish both the Throggs Neck and Morris Park BIDs.

“I’ve always been super passionate about small business,” Sorin said. “Having that passion of seeing somebody start [a business] and make it succeed — that has always been embedded in me.”

Sorin, who is the Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s first-ever female president, said the number one thing business owners either don’t know or neglect to do, are the day-to-day rules and policies.  including permits, licenses, regulations among other pending requirements for businesses to operate legally.

Sorin went to Concordia College and earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in business leadership.

She is also on the board of directors for the Bronx Council of the Arts Along with the Chamber Alliance of NY State and the NY State Choice Savings Program.

In the past two decades, Sorin has held several positions with local organizations, including Community Board 2, Bronx YMCA, Casita Maria Center for the Arts and Educations, VISIONS and the Bronx Children’s Museum.

Sorin said the Bronx Chamber of Commerce reached out to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce during October’s MLB World Series played between the Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers — to further promote the Bronx and its thousands of establishments to people across the country.

She also went to last month’s annual SOMOS Conference in Puerto Rico, where she had an opportunity to meet the president of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce and further promote what the Bronx and its business have to offer the rest of the country.

“I’m all about promoting our borough — that’s why I’m here,” Sorin added. “We need more recognition, and I think it’s important that people realize the value that is in the Bronx, and that we are an established and ever growing borough.”

In mid-October, the Bronx Economic Development Corporation announced a range of low-interest loans, designed specifically for small and midsize businesses either operating in or relocating to the Bronx, offering critical access to capital funding and helping them thrive in a competitive market.

The announcement was made at Tobalá, an Oaxacan-inspired Mexican restaurant located at 3732 Riverdale Avenue, where the owners of Tobalá recently secured approval to refinance their high-interest loans.

“At Tobalá, we have always been passionate about serving our community, but managing high-interest loans was a major hurdle for us,” Bill Mercader said, who is the co-owner of the restaurant. “Refinancing through BXEDC was a game changer – we are now able to invest back into our business and focus on expanding our offerings."

Laura Levine Pinedo, executive director of the not-for-profit Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt development corporation also works for the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and is instrumental in promoting small businesses in her neighborhood

Pinedo established Riverdale Restaurant Week, an annual week-long event which promotes the best cuisine Riverdale’s top eating establishments have to offer.

“I think [Riverdale Restaurant Week] is an example that should be taken across the entire Bronx,” Sorin added. “There’s so many of us that knew the Bronx was a gem, right? A gem that people chose to ignore for a long time. Now, here we are — [with] all eyes on the Bronx.”

Sorin, the first woman president in the Chamber’s 130-year history, said the focus in 2025 will see the chamber working more with artificial intelligence (AI).

“Let’s go big or go home,” she said.