By Sabrina Artusa
The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce honors two local business owners as members of the year, Raquel Fernandez and Risa Kluger.
The chamber’s director of operations, Barbara Ransome, said that while the chamber does not typically award the honor to two members, she felt that it was necessary to recognize both Kluger and Fernandez for their service to the Port Jefferson community.
“They are very good business people. They take pride in the services they provide,” Ransome said.
Fernandez and Kluger are businesswomen, but their identities as community members inform how they lead their businesses, Century 21/Icon and SERVPRO, respectively. Their obligation to their community is inextricable from their role as entrepreneurs, which is evident through the work they do with the chamber of commerce.
Fernandez, who serves on the chamber’s executive board as the second vice president, believes a foundation of trust helps elevate the mutually beneficial relationship between consumers and herself.
“I feel as a business owner you have to get involved so the community can identify with the brand and what you bring to the community and what you’re doing,” she said. “I wanted to create a culture that I could be proud of and really have a sense of family and loyalty —all the essence of all the things that I value.”
Serving in the chamber is “second nature” to Fernandez. “If I had something to tell myself 20 years ago, I would say join the chamber. Organically you are meeting the other business owners, networking, exchanging ideas, getting to know each other, and it becomes really cool that you get to support other businesses,” she said.
Ransome said Fernandez always does “the best she possible can” to assist the chamber, whether it is volunteering at the dragon boat festival, which is one of Fernandez’s favorite events, or sponsoring the events. “She has been very consistent and we are very appreciative,” Ransome said.
Kluger directs her damage restoration business, SERVPRO, with the collegial mindset of a person helping her neighbors.
“It’s a big responsibility, I feel, to set a standard to show people that you are an honest business person not only as a business but to the community,” she said.
“From the very beginning she was there to help,” Ransome said of Kluger. “If I call and ask her to do anything, she’s there. It’s not only her, but she gets her entire family involved.”
Indeed, Kluger said that while she tries to always make time for chamber events, her busy schedule sometimes means she has to send representatives to support her.
“I felt the involvement was important to show a presence in the community; so you are not just there to earn money in the community, but to help and get involved,” Kluger said.
Kluger also serves on the board of the Long Island Insurance Community, where she helps raise money for various charities, including the nonprofit United Way of Long Island.
Ransome mentioned a specific instance that encapsulates Kluger’s dependability and generosity: After noticing roof damage on one of the chamber’s buildings, Kluger immediately had it repaired, without Ransome asking.
Fernandez, too, finds fulfillment in using her business to help others. She runs a successful internship program, which has led past interns to pursue careers at major companies such as Amazon and J.P. Morgan.
“To be able to be a part … [of] that and help them a lot along the way … that kind of drives me,” Fernandez said.
Earning member of the year means a lot to both Kluger and Fernandez, who have worked hard to make their businesses successful while also staying true to their consumers.
“Our industry is cyclic and you go through these ups and downs but you have to know how to weather the middle,” Fernandez said. “And then you realize you have been doing it for all these years and that in itself is a huge accomplishment.”
