TESTIMONY
Bernard Garrett from Queensbridge Cleaning on Overcoming Business Challenges and the Revenue Limit for Minority Business Enterprises at JFK Airport
1:52:23
·
119 sec
Bernard Garrett discusses his journey as a cleaning contractor at JFK airport, overcoming initial challenges, and addressing revenue limits for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).
- Garrett shares his beginnings with challenges in business operations and acknowledges a pivotal second chance given by a colleague named Savannah.
- He highlights the success of his business at JFK airport, currently generating millions in revenue.
- Garrett raises concerns about the imposed revenue limits on MBEs, advocating for an increase in the earnings ceiling.
- He expresses gratitude for the opportunities and support that have led to the expansion of his contracts at the airport.
- Garrett's testimony serves as an inspiration for others, showcasing the potential for growth and success in the face of adversity.
Bernard Garrett
1:52:23
I'm a little bit nervous right now, but thank God that I'm here, and thank them for allowing me to be here, to be a part of what's going on today.
1:52:33
My company is Queensbridge, Queens and thanks to Selena right there.
1:52:38
I am doing work on the JFK terminal as a cleaning contractor.
1:52:46
And if it hadn't I been for Savannah when she was working there, you know, it's not easy to run a business.
1:52:53
And if you stumble, you might not clean behind the toilet.
1:52:57
You might not clean something So I was on the verge of getting terminated.
1:53:02
So Savina stood up for me and seen to it that I got another chance.
1:53:07
And as a result of Savannah, I'm making millions of dollars at the airport terminal 4 right now.
1:53:14
And I got one small problem.
1:53:17
They're giving MBEs a limit as to how much they can make, and why should they because they scarce, why should they short the amount of money that they can make if they qualify to do the work?
1:53:33
So I just want them to raise the ceiling a little bit, if that's possible.
1:53:38
Because I got several different specs that I can do in the construction country, not only cleaning, we provide labor, we provide sheetrock, we provide a number of different services.
1:53:49
That's all on my spec.
1:53:51
So I I go to these meetings to meet new people and to share and give other people hope because I've been certified for years, and this is the first time that I got the opportunity to work on the airport.
1:54:07
And I feel good about it.
1:54:08
They started with one contract.
1:54:10
One contract turned it to 7, and I'm still getting more so.
1:54:14
Thank God for allowing me to be here.
1:54:16
And most of all, I had a thank that lady right there because she made it all possible.
1:54:21
Thank you.
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Rabbi Garth Marchant from the Queens Jewish Community Council on Addressing Airplane Pollution and the Difficulty of Securing Local Minority Contracts
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Ron Rivera, Driver and Driver Advocate, TLC on the Challenges Faced by TLC Drivers Relating to JFK, Transparency, and Equity