Star of Brooklyn: Dr. Roy A. Hastick, Sr.

DR. ROY A. HASTICK, SR.

PRESIDENT/CEO, CACCI

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: For 40 years, Dr. Roy A. Hastick Sr. has been a fixture in the Caribbean American community as a neighbor, businessman and civic leader.

In 1985, Hastick co-founded the nonprofit Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), which provides support and resources to Brooklyn entrepreneurs and, by extension, their families.

The 63-year-old also joined Community Board 9, serving for many years in the position of vice-chair. Most recently, he was named co-chair of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ Small Business Transition Committee.

“As immigrants, we come here, stand on shoulders, and that’s what I had to do, to get the mentoring to survive and thrive,” said Hastick. “I have come a long way and with the assistance of others, have been able to build relationships with various communities.”

CAREER AND INSPIRATION: Growing up on Grenada, Hastick “had a stint in the ministry for two years, with a mission to serve, help and motivate people” before becoming a police officer, “which helped me to understand and see the needs of the disadvantaged.”

When he arrived in New York in 1972, he worked as a security assistant. But he couldn’t keep away from working one-on-one with people. “I met local elected officials who invited me to see the political community, which made me even more interested in helping the disadvantaged,” he explained.

So Hastick published a newspaper called the West Indian Tribune for two years before co-founding CACCI “with the help of many people in the community.”

What began as a way to provide information about services offered and needed in the Caribbean American community has grown into a sort of small business education hub, with CACCI now offering business networking meetings, financial literacy workshops, and MWBE certification for women and minorities, and helping navigate license and permit regulations.

“We also manage the Flatbush Caton Market with 40 vendors,” added Hastick. “We use it as a facility to collect badly needed supplies when there is a disaster in nations that need it [where family members are].”

PERSONAL LIFE: Hastick lives in East Flatbush with his wife, four children and eight grandchildren. Family and faith are huge parts of his life, even after a stroke in 2008. “By the grace of God, it has not stopped me,” he said.

LEGACY: Hastick is looking forward to CACCI developing a Caribbean trade center that could hopefully expand to include affordable housing and a museum/community space for the Caribbean American community.

As for his own personal legacy, “if there’s one thing I want [the next generation] to do is to take advantage of the opportunity that exists in this great land, city and borough,” he said. “We still have a long way to go, making sure not only that Caribbean Americans, but also all of our partners and other organizations in commerce, have opportunity.”