The Jackson Chamber of Commerce has announced that the following individuals were re-elected to the Board of Directors: Ralph Sicuranza (Metro Financial), Michael Kaczynski (Slam Promotional Products), and Mary Ann Vinciguerra (Vinci’s Bar and Grill and Pizzeria). In addition, Richard Khoudary (Khoudary Insurance, Allstate) was elected to the Board of Directors. Dennis Galvin (The Galvin Law Firm) was re-appointed as president for 2005. Joining Galvin will be Ralph Sicuranza, first vice president; Clara Glory, second vice president; Lucia Bartolini, third vice president; and Stephen Reed, treasurer. Ed Peraria of Quality Inn, Cookstown, has been selected to be the presidential appointment, which carries a one-year term. Remaining Board Directors are: Maureen Brown (Commerce Bank), John Burnetsky (Farley’s Home-Made Ice Cream), Jeremy Fishman (Lakewood BlueClaws), James McKenna (James J. McKenna, CPA), and Mary Ann Vinciguerra (Vinci’s).
Galvin expressed pride in the chamber’s accomplishments in 2004 noting especially the opening of its Visitor Information Center in the food court at the Jackson Outlet Village. From there the chamber sells tickets to Six Flags Great Adventure and the Garden State Philharmonic. The chamber also provides information about Jackson to tourists and residents. The chamber plans to enhance the center’s level of services in 2005 and looks forward to being designated as an official New Jersey Information Center.
During the first few months of 2005, the chamber will produce an updated map of Jackson, improve the Jackson Chamber of Commerce’s Internet Web site, and issue its eighth and largest edition of the Jackson Tourism Guide. In addition, the chamber expects to hold two business expos this year for its members.
The Jackson Chamber of Commerce has been in existence since 1967 and currently has 229 business members. Those interested in joining can call (732) 833-7034.
Stop & Shop in Howell presented a check in the amount of $26,643 to The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties on Jan. 20. The donation represents a portion of Stop & Shop’s Food for Friends campaign, a month-long effort by Stop & Shop and its shoppers to raise funds to fight hunger. The store and its customers exceeded last year’s fund-raiser by almost 40 percent.
Food for Friends began in 1989 when Stop & Shop initiated a partnership with its shoppers that would support area food banks in their efforts to eliminate hunger.
WOW! Work Out World, a family owned and operated health and fitness business with nine club locations in central New Jersey, will host “Have a Heart,” a fund-raiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The “Have a Heart” fund-raiser will take place Feb. 12 at the WOW! Work Out World located at 781 Brick Blvd. in Brick.
The fitness fund-raiser will consist of three, hour-long stationary bike spin classes beginning at 8 a.m. Participants are encouraged to solicit pledges along with their own $25 donation per class. Light snacks and beverages will be available. To register, call Martha McDuff, of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, at
(732) 591-0370 or Marcia D. Anderson, of WOW! Work Out World, at (732) 477-5400 to reserve a bike.
An after-hours business card exchange will be held Feb. 23 by the Howell Chamber of Commerce at Independence Bank on the corner of Route 9 north and Salem Hill Road. The event will include “Meet the Local Artist”, Jim Stanberry from Stanberry Insurance. Stanberry’s water color art will be on display. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Call the chamber office at (732) 363-4114.
Blue Realty GMAC has re-launched its award-winning Internet Web site, giving consumers more tools and greater functionality to explore their property, search options and learn about the areas they are considering online.
New tools in the www.bluerealty.com home search option include consumer access to the more than 10,000 active New Jersey property listings in the Garden State Multiple Listing Service (MLS), northern New Jersey MLS, Monmouth-Ocean County MLS, and South Jersey Shore Regional MLS combining for a comprehensive coverage of the Blue Realty GMAC target market areas of New Jersey.
Additionally, in the local resource section of the site, consumers can look into any municipality Web site in the entire state of New Jersey for local information. Consumers can read an assortment of articles, request a free school report, and access a variety of tools such as a mort-
gage calculator and showing appointment scheduler, allowing buyers to calculate mortgage payments and request appointments to visit properties of interest.
Blue Realty GMAC’s site also gives information about related services offered through GMAC Mortgage, Glue Title Agency, and Blue Agency Insurance Services, providing a full array of transaction related services under one roof. This service concept is preferred by more than 80 percent of real estate consumers, according to a recent study by the National Association of Realtors.
Founded in 1983, Blue Realty GMAC has offices throughout New Jersey and locally on Route 9 in Howell.
Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association (JSPRAA) will hold its Professional Development and Networking Luncheon and meeting Feb. 4 at 11:30 a.m. at Palumbo’s Restaurant, Tinton Falls. Dick Martin, former head of public relations for AT&T will discuss his new book, “Tough Calls: AT&T and the Hard Lessons Learned from the Telecom Wars.”
Martin was executive vice president of public relations, employee communications and brand management for AT&T from 1997 to 2002, capping a 323-year career with the company. He was an active participant in the controversial executive decisions made during those years, and he offers a firsthand account of the company’s recent past of ambitious mergers, contentious breakups and costly mistakes.
The cost to attend is $25 for members, and $30 for nonmembers if reserved by Feb. 1; thereafter, the cost will be $35. Online registration can be completed at ww.jspraa.com or by calling (732) 842-3311.
The Entrepreneurial Training Institute, sponsored by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Development Authority for Small Businesses, Minorities’ and Women’s Enterprises, announced the spring 2005 session.
ETI is a practical business training program that has graduate more than 1,000 New Jersey entrepreneurs since 1992. It helps new and existing entrepreneurs to prepare a business plan, learn how to manage the day-to-day operations of a business, and understand the ins and outs of obtaining financing.
The not-for-profit organization offers the eight-week course in weekly sessions from 6-9 p.m. at various sites. In the local area, a the course will be held at Lakewood High School, 855 Somerset Drive, Tuesdays beginning March 1. The fee is $295 and includes text materials. To register, visit the Web site www.njeda.com/eti; call (609) 292-9279; or e-mail eti@njeda.com. A free information workshop will be held Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m. at the Mercer County Library, Lawrence Branch, Route 1 and Darrah Lane; call (609) 292-9279 to
reserve a seat.
Professional and Business Singles Network will sponsor an “8 Date Rotate” speed dating event Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. at Downey’s in Philadelphia. There will be two rotation clusters: for ages 30s and 40s, and mid-40s and older.
The cost is $55, and prepaid reservations are required. A light buffet will be provided, and a cash bar. Membership is not required. For reservations or further details, call Ralph, (888) 348-5544, or visit www.PBSNinfo.com.
The Institute of Management Accountants will meet at Tommy’s Inn, Route 537, Millstone. Feb. 9 for an update on Excel skills. Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the guest speaker. The group’s March 9 meeting will discuss hand-held computer technology. For more information, call Peggy or Joe, (732) 683-2382.