Buddy Benton, a sales professional with the Prudential Financial Central New Jersey Agency office, located in One Tower Center in East Brunswick, has opened an office in Monroe. The new office will serve individual and business clients in Middlesex and Monmouth counties in the areas of life insurance, health insurance, annuities, retirement funding and mutual funds.
Benton, who joined Prudential in 1999, is a member of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), an association of financial professionals. He is a graduate of Westchester (N.Y.) Community College and earned the industry designations CMF (chartered mutual fund counselor) and CLTC (certified long-term care). He and his wife live in Millstone with their two children. For more information, visit www.prudential.com.
Hightstown/East Windsor Busi-ness and Professional Women (BPW) along with Greater Trenton BPW will host an "Un"Happy Hour April 22 in recognition of Equal Pay Day April is symbolic of the point into the new year that a woman must work in order to earn the wages paid to a man in the previous year.
According to a press release from BPW, this wage disparity, over a working lifetime, will cost the average American woman and her family an estimated $500,000 in lost wages. It also affects women in retirement, when they receive lower pension and Social Security benefits based on the salaries they received while working.
The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. at Katmandu, at Riverside Park in Trenton. There will be a free buffet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and a DJ after 9 p.m. The first 50 women to arrive and drop off a business card will receive a free drink. There will be networking opportunities as well as information on pay equity. Men are welcome, too.
Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce will hold a general meeting April 22, 8:30 a.m., at the chamber office, 17 Broad St., Freehold. Joseph Robinson, administrative supervisor of educational technology for the Freehold Regional High School District, will discuss cost-effective technology integration for the delivery of E-learning and remote student access, including homebound students and the virtual classroom. The cost to attend is $10 and includes continental breakfast. For reservations and information, call (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123; or e-mail admin@wmchamber.com.
Business After Hours, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will be held April 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Freehold office of the Monmouth County Clerk, M. Claire French. Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the facility and learn the many ways the Clerk’s Office assists business. The cost is $10 per person and includes refreshments. Attendees should bring business cards. For reservations and information, call (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123; or e-mail admin@wmchanber.com.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has announced that Edward Naphor, CLU, FIC, of Freehold, has been selected to join the organization’s Financial Consulting Group (FCG), an elite group of senior financial consultants representing the top 2 percent among peers in the organization. Naphor is one of 25 senior financial consultants nationwide selected to join the 69 current members in the group, which represents the organization’s "best of the best" in terms of financial experience. Thrivent Financial has nearly 2,600 full-time financial associates nationwide.
Naphor was selected to join the FCG by passing licensing requirements, earning advanced industry designations, achieving certain sales production levels, and exhibiting exemplary conduct. Now into its second year, the Financial Consulting Group provides financial solutions to its members.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit Fortune 500 financial services organization serving nearly 3 million members, and provides approximately $200 million annually for outreach programs and activities that support congregations, schools, charitable organizations and needy individuals. For more information, visit www.thrivent.com or call (800) 847-4836.
Primerica Financial Services, Freehold Township, in conjunction with Weichert, Realtors, will conduct a free seminar for prospective home buyers April 22, 7 p.m., at the Woman’s Club of Point Pleasant, 513 St. Louis Ave. The seminar will take attendees step by step through the process of buying a home, including the benefits of home ownership, financing a home, affordable financing alternatives, the application process, and other topics. Reservations are requested; call Sandy Franco at (732) 863-9955.
"Technology – Changing the Face of Business," a forum about keeping up with the changes, will take place April 27 at Woodlake Country Club, Lakewood, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. The Lakewood and Brick chambers of commerce, the Technology Committee of Monmouth-Ocean Development Council and Single Throw, an Internet marketing company, will present a panel of experts from Microsoft, Symbol Technologies, Avaya and Connotate Technologies who will help attendees keep up with the changes and prepare for the future. State Sen. Robert Singer of Lakewood, chair of the New Jersey Commission on Technology, will open the forum and Larry Bailin, CEO of Single Throw Inc., will moderate. The fee for registration and a continental breakfast is $25. Call (732) 223-6632 or visit www.singlethrow.com/technology to register.Dr. Deborah Breitstein of Animal Health Care of Marlboro attended the 71st annual American Animal Hospital Association meeting held recently in Tampa, Fla. The AAHA’s national conferences encourage healthier pets through cutting-edge advances in medicine, surgery and dentistry. One of the issues to improve the quality of care centered on the new vaccination guidelines, which veterinarians can use to ensure the best risk factor management for pets.
The Monmouth/Ocean Chapter of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners will hold its monthly meeting April 23 at noon at the Mansion at Georgian Court University, Lakewood.
Ellen DeRosa, deputy executive director for the New Jersey Individual and Small Employer Health Coverage programs, will present "Understanding Health Coverage and Benefits."
The cost is $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. Reservations are required; call Chrissy Reinhard at (732) 528-1172.
NJAWBO is a statewide organization that encourages and supports business ownership by women, enables women business owners to network, provides a legislative voice for the interests of women-owned businesses, and provides entrepreneurial training and assistance. Classes, seminars and informational events are offered to members and aspiring entrepreneurs through NJAWBO and its Women’s Business Center. For more information, call the state headquarters at (609) 581-2121, e-mail njawbo@njawbo.org, or visit the Web site www.njawbo.org.
People Empowering People (PEP), a group for business owners and professionals in the Monmouth County area, meets on the second Monday of the month in the Freehold Township area. To reserve a place, call Sandy Franco at (732) 863-9955. Membership is free. Refreshments are served.
Professional and Business Singles Network will host an "Experiential Seminar and Grand Opening Dance Social" April 24 at the Doral Forrestal Conference Center, 4100 College Road east at Route 1, Princeton. The seminar will be held at 7 p.m., followed by the social at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $25 for the seminar and social, or $15 for just the social. "The Art of Flirting" will be presented by Bernadette M. Smith, coach and motivational speaker. There will be a cash bar. Membership is not required; walk-ins are welcome. Details: (800) 537-3859 or www.PBSNinfo.com.