Paramount Homes recently received the Best Kitchen award from the Best in American Living Awards panel. The builder, whose accomplishments include estate communities in Monmouth and Ocean counties, received the award for the kitchen design in the McKinley home style at its Premier at Manalapan Ridge community of estate homes in Manalapan. The builder’s entry was judged on use of the kitchen space, overall design, functional strengths, materials applications, cooking capabilities, flooring quality, cabinets, countertop versatility, and quality and efficiency of kitchen fixtures. The BALA program is sponsored annually by Professional Builder Magazine and the National Association of Home Builders.
Primerica, Freehold Township, has announced that its office at 3499 Route 9 north, Suite 2A, is an official drop-off location for Toys for Tots. Primerica is a member of Citigroup. For more information, call Primerica at (732) 845-0006.
Mon-Oc Federal Credit Union announced that all five of its offices are accepting gift donations to present to three charitable causes during the holiday season. Individuals can choose an "angel" from Mon-Oc’s Angel Tree and donate a gift for local children. The local Mon-Oc office is in Freehold Township at 3338 Route 9 south, Barclay Square. For more information, call Maria Cainzos at (800) MONOC-95, ext. 754.
Richard Champagne, D.M.D., of Morganville, has been recognized as an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Champagne is one of only 340 dentists who hold this membership. He maintains a practice at 25 Kilmer Drive, Suite 218, Marlboro.
To qualify for associate fellowship, Champagne completed 300 hours of post-doctoral instruction in implant dentistry, performed implant cases and passed the academy’s associate fellow examination. The examination, which was conducted by a panel of implant dentists, included a written examination, a series of oral examinations, and defense of three implant cases that he had completed.
Darryl Banks of Freehold has been reappointed to the New Jersey Independent Living Council. The appointment was submitted by Gov. James. E. McGreevey to the secretary of state.
Richard W. Hogan of Manalapan has been reappointed to the Public Employees Occupational Safety & Health Advisory Board. The appointment was submitted by Gov. James. E. McGreevey to the secretary of state.
Barbara Berg, manager of Weichert, Realtors’ Marlboro office, announced that several sales associates recently completed Weichert’s certified mentoring program. Mentors coach new sales associates through their first six months with the company. Associates who earned mentoring certification are: Tina Banasiak, Barbara Chaser, Diane Lazewski, Esther Cruz, Geri Levinson, Kathryn Kwaak, Lori Ragovin, Margareth Ricucci, Stuart Katzanek and Sonia Brambier. Banasiak is the lead mentor.
Suzanne Kronenfeld, a sales associate at Weichert, Realtors’ Marlboro office, received a regional award in October in the category of new home dollar volume. The region is comprised of 19 offices throughout Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties. Licensed since 1998, Kronenfeld earned a degree in art history from Brooklyn College, N.Y.
The Tutoring Club has opened its newest location. The Tutoring Club of Marlboro/Old Bridge is celebrating its grand opening with drawings for free tutoring and discounts in December and January. The center, South Side 9 Plaza, Route 9 south and Texas Road, will be open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout December and January. The Tutoring Club was created by Lawrence H. Schwartz in 1991.
Owners and co-directors Neil and Deborah Lerner invite residents of Monmouth and Middlesex counties to take a tour of the center, which offers tutoring in basic language and reading skills, mathematics, writing, science and foreign language, as well as SAT preparation and study skills. For more information, call (732) 591-TUTOR (591-8886).
Stirling Ambrose, a sales associate at Re/Max Homeland Realtors in Freehold, has joined the national Re/Max Children’s Miracle Network Home Program. Under the program, Ambrose will donate a specified amount of money to the Children’s Miracle Network per sales transaction. A "Miracle Home" rider will be displayed on top of Ambrose’s Re/Max yard signs.
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies, Madison, is offering business plan development for New Jersey firms. Existing companies and new ventures can have business plans developed by teams of MBA candidates. Participating businesses must fall into one of three categories: entrepreneurial start-ups; mature companies entering new markets or restructuring; or nonprofits seeking to increase outreach without jeopardizing their financial positions.
The MBA teams work under the supervision and mentoring of seasoned business-planning experts. According to a press release from the university, more than 120 business plans have been developed for New Jersey companies and nonprofits under this program.
Companies should expect to spend a considerable amount of time working with their MBA team as an extension of their own management team. For companies or entrepreneurs who are chosen, there is a $75 fee to offset administrative and materials costs.
To register or for more information, contact professor Steven Fulda at (973) 443-8842 by Jan. 24.
The Women’s Business Center, the educational arm of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO), will offer its "Start Right!" course in Red Bank in January. The course, geared toward new business owners or those in the first five years of business ownership, will cover legal, marketing, accounting and financial issues.
Attendees of the course will be given a business plan workbook and the Internal Revenue Service form "Starting a New Business and Keeping Records." By the end of the course, attendees will have completed the first draft of a business plan.
The 12-hour seminar will be held in four three-hour sessions, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 7, 14, 21 and 28, at the New Jersey Center for Healing Arts, 23 Mechanic St., Red Bank. Margery Davidson, owner of Davidson’s Business Development Team Inc. Aberdeen, will conduct the course.
The cost of the course is $72 for NJAWBO members and $96 for nonmembers. To register, call (609) 581-2220.
Mary Lou Royce and Kathleen Pascocello, of Weichert, Realtors’ Howell office, were recently recognized for their industry achievements in the month of November, according to Josette Butehorn, manager of the office.
Royce led the office in listings. A member of Weichert’s Sales and Marketed clubs, Royce qualified for the New Jersey Association of Realtors 2002 Circle of Excellence Sales Club at the silver level. She also earned membership in Weichert’s Ambassador’s Club, recognizing her in the top 2 percent of the company’s 10,000 sales associates.
Pascocello led the office in sales and was named the office’s overall top producer for the month.