Business Briefs

  • Dan Bligh of Manalapan, a tax associate in the Philadelphia office of KPMG LLP, an audit and tax firm, was recently presented the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Community Service.
  • As part of the honor, KPMG will donate $1,000 in Bligh’s name to Camp No Worries, a retreat in Burlington that provides a carefree and free week to children in various stages of cancer treatment and remission. Bligh has been an active volunteer at Camp No Worries for the past three years, even using personal vacation time to be a counselor at the camp. The camp is operated entirely through volunteer and fund-raising efforts.

    Applewood Estates, a life-care retirement community of CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold Township, has been awarded a five-year accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission.

    To receive a five-year accreditation, a community must demonstrate excellence in financial performance and the care and services provided. Applewood Estates also has the distinction of being the first life-care retirement community that is part of a progressive health care system, CentraState, and affiliated with the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network.

    Charisma Salon will donate 20 percent of all profits to the Louise Stewart Scholarship Fund during the week of Feb. 22. An educator in the classroom as well at the salon for 25 years, Stewart lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2002. The scholarship fund was established by her family to provide assistance to students at East Brunswick Vo-Tech. Charisma Salon is on Route 9 south in Marlboro. For more information, call (732) 536-9497.

    Monmouth-Ocean Chapter of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners will host a dinner meeting Feb. 24, 6 p.m., at the Sheraton Eatontown, Route 35 at Industrial Way, Eatontown. The topic is “Guerrilla Marketing and the Seven-sentence Marketing Plan for Small Businesses.”

    Ellen Silverman of Ellen Silverman Associates LLC, Pluckemin, Somerset County, will discuss the “guerrilla marketing approach” for small businesses — low-cost, high-impact strategies that can be implemented for fast results.

    Prospective NJAWBO members are invited to attend. The cost is $35 for member sand $40 for nonmembers, and reservations are required by Feb. 18. For details and reservations, call Marianne Gepp, (732) 775-8900.

    Coldwell Banker’s Manalapan-Marlboro office, 335 Route 9, Manalapan, is holding a food drive for the Open Door food pantry, Freehold, during the month of February. For more information call (732) 462-4242.

    PEP (People Empowering People) — for business owners and professionals in the Monmouth County area — meets on the second Monday of each month. There is no cost to attend, and refreshments are served at the meetings. For more information, call Sandy Franco, (732) 863-9955.

    Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly general meeting Feb. 17 at 8:30 a.m. at the chamber office, 17 Broad St., Freehold. Robert D. Clifton and William C. Barham, newly elected Monmouth County Freeholders, will discuss their hope and plans for Monmouth County in 2005, and the long-term economic outlook as envisioned by the two newest members of the board.

    The cost is $10 per person and includes continental breakfast. For reservations, call (732) 462-3030; send an e-mail to [email protected]; or visit the Web site www.wmchamber.com.

    Business After Hours, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will be hosted by North Fork Bank, 91 South Main St., Marlboro, Feb. 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The fee is $10 per person and includes refreshments. For reservations, call (732) 462-3030; e-mail [email protected]; or visit the Web site www.wmchamber.com.

    MG Institute LLC, Freehold, will offer seminars on asset protection at the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, 17 Broad St., Freehold. Attendees may earn two insurance continuing education credits or two accounting CPE credits.

    “Personal Asset Protection” will be offered Feb. 23 from 5:15-7:15 p.m., and “Commercial Asset Protection” will be held Feb. 23 from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

    “Long-term Care Insurance and Long-term Care Benefits for Veterans will be offered Feb. 26 from 8:30-10:30 p.m., and “New Jersey Medicaid Rules” will be offered Feb. 26 from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

    The fee for each program is $43, or all four for $146. To register, e-mail [email protected]; fax (732) 845-2143; or call (732) 409-3209.

    SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) will present two workshops at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Symmes Drive, Manalapan.

    “Maximizing Traffic to Your Web Site” will be held March 8 at 6 p.m., and “How to Start and Manage Your Own Business” will be presented March 30 at 6 p.m.

    Registration is requested; call (732) 431-7242.

    CentraState’s Family Medicine Center, 1001 W. Main St., Freehold Township, reopened Feb. 7 after extensive renovations. The remodeled interior and additional new equipment and technology will allow the center to offer expanded hours and services for patients of all ages.

    The renovations, which started in October, were made in anticipation of CentraState’s new Family Medicine Residency Program, which will start in July.

    Among the improvements: a new outpatient laboratory for on-site blood work and other tests; minor surgical procedures, such as cyst removal and suturing, can now be performed at the center; and the number of examination rooms has been increased.

    With the launch of the Residency Program, family practice physicians, who are trained to treat patients of all ages from newborns to geriatrics, will be on-site daily, allowing for expanded scheduling for pediatric visits as well as walk-in appointments.

    The multimillion-dollar Family Medicine Residency Program is being conducted in conjunction with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is being spearheaded by Kenneth W. Faistl, M.D. The Family Medicine Center serves the community, including uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid and other patients.

    ERA Advantage Realtors, which has a local office in Cream Ridge, Upper Freehold Township, announced that four sales associates have received the Circle of Excellence Award for the Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Mercer Board of Realtors. The award recognizes leading Realtor associates who strive to provide unparalleled professional services and successfully closed high levels of real estate sales in 2004.

    James Burton achieved high honors with the platinum level; Shirley Littleford is a silver-level winner; and the bronze-level achievers are Alys Bennis and Ron Salvio.

    Big enough clothing company, which has a local franchise in Englishtown, has launched Operation Lifeboat to help build houses for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka. The clothing that big enough sells is manufactured in Sri Lanka by workers who have lost family members, friends, possessions and homes.

    On behalf of big enough fashion consultants, the company will donate up to 50 percent of a sales consultant’s net profit in the month of February to a private fund set up by the management of the Sri Lankan factory. The company will also donate money for every new sales consultant recruited by an existing consultant.

    CEO John Maisano estimates that the company will donate roughly 10 percent of gross sales for the month of February. Big enough has requested that the money they raise be used specifically for the construction of homes. The goal is to raise enough money to build 95 homes lost by workers from the Sri Lankan factory, at a cost of $3,000 per house. They are also collecting private donations. For more information, contact local consultant Jean Kohlhepp at [email protected].

    The YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, has been awarded a grant from the Ocean First Foundation to be used toward the Y’s capital campaign.

    Douglas Johnson, managing director of new business development for Ocean First Bank, recently presented a check for $30,000 to Jacque Preston, chairperson of the YMCA board of directors, at the YMCA’s board meeting. The check will help the YMCA finance its new therapy pool, which is part of a four-phase $6 million capital campaign project.

    Registration is requested; call (732) 431-7242.

    CentraState’s Family Medicine Center, 1001 W. Main St., Freehold Township, reopened Feb. 7 after extensive renovations. The remodeled interior and additional new equipment and technology will allow the center to offer expanded hours and services for patients of all ages.

    The renovations, which started in October, were made in anticipation of CentraState’s new Family Medicine Residency Program, which will start in July.

    Among the improvements: a new outpatient laboratory for on-site blood work and other tests; minor surgical procedures, such as cyst removal and suturing, can now be performed at the center; and the number of examination rooms has been increased.

    With the launch of the Residency Program, family practice physicians, who are trained to treat patients of all ages from newborns to geriatrics, will be on-site daily, allowing for expanded scheduling for pediatric visits as well as walk-in appointments.

    The multimillion-dollar Family Medicine Residency Program is being conducted in conjunction with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is being spearheaded by Kenneth W. Faistl, M.D. The Family Medicine Center serves the community, including uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid and other patients.

    ERA Advantage Realtors, which has a local office in Cream Ridge, Upper Freehold Township, announced that four sales associates have received the Circle of Excellence Award for the Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Mercer Board of Realtors. The award recognizes leading Realtor associates who strive to provide unparalleled professional services and successfully closed high levels of real estate sales in 2004.

    James Burton achieved high honors with the platinum level; Shirley Littleford is a silver-level winner; and the bronze-level achievers are Alys Bennis and Ron Salvio.

    Big enough clothing company, which has a local franchise in Englishtown, has launched Operation Lifeboat to help build houses for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka. The clothing that big enough sells is manufactured in Sri Lanka by workers who have lost family members, friends, possessions and homes.

    On behalf of big enough fashion consultants, the company will donate up to 50 percent of a sales consultant’s net profit in the month of February to a private fund set up by the management of the Sri Lankan factory. The company will also donate money for every new sales consultant recruited by an existing consultant.

    CEO John Maisano estimates that the company will donate roughly 10 percent of gross sales for the month of February. Big enough has requested that the money they raise be used specifically for the construction of homes. The goal is to raise enough money to build 95 homes lost by workers from the Sri Lankan factory, at a cost of $3,000 per house. They are also collecting private donations. For more information, contact local consultant Jean Kohlhepp at [email protected].

    The YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, has been awarded a grant from the Ocean First Foundation to be used toward the Y’s capital campaign.

    Douglas Johnson, managing director of new business development for Ocean First Bank, recently presented a check for $30,000 to Jacque Preston, chairperson of the YMCA board of directors, at the YMCA’s board meeting. The check will help the YMCA finance its new therapy pool, which is part of a four-phase $6 million capital campaign project.

    sales associates have received the Circle of Excellence Award for the Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Mercer Board of Realtors. The award recognizes leading Realtor associates who strive to provide unparalleled professional services and successfully closed high levels of real estate sales in 2004.

    James Burton achieved high honors with the platinum level; Shirley Littleford is a silver-level winner; and the bronze-level achievers are Alys Bennis and Ron Salvio.

    Big enough clothing company, which has a local franchise in Englishtown, has launched Operation Lifeboat to help build houses for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka. The clothing that big enough sells is manufactured in Sri Lanka by workers who have lost family members, friends, possessions and homes.

    On behalf of big enough fashion consultants, the company will donate up to 50 percent of a sales consultant’s net profit in the month of February to a private fund set up by the management of the Sri Lankan factory. The company will also donate money for every new sales consultant recruited by an existing consultant.

    CEO John Maisano estimates that the company will donate roughly 10 percent of gross sales for the month of February. Big enough has requested that the money they raise be used specifically for the construction of homes. The goal is to raise enough money to build 95 homes lost by workers from the Sri Lankan factory, at a cost of $3,000 per house. They are also collecting private donations. For more information, contact local consultant Jean Kohlhepp at [email protected].

    The YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, has been awarded a grant from the Ocean First Foundation to be used toward the Y’s capital campaign.

    Douglas Johnson, managing director of new business development for Ocean First Bank, recently presented a check for $30,000 to Jacque Preston, chairperson of the YMCA board of directors, at the YMCA’s board meeting. The check will help the YMCA finance its new therapy pool, which is part of a four-phase $6 million capital campaign project.

    have lost family members, friends, possessions and homes.

    On behalf of big enough fashion consultants, the company will donate up to 50 percent of a sales consultant’s net profit in the month of February to a private fund set up by the management of the Sri Lankan factory. The company will also donate money for every new sales consultant recruited by an existing consultant.

    CEO John Maisano estimates that the company will donate roughly 10 percent of gross sales for the month of February. Big enough has requested that the money they raise be used specifically for the construction of homes. The goal is to raise enough money to build 95 homes lost by workers from the Sri Lankan factory, at a cost of $3,000 per house. They are also collecting private donations. For more information, contact local consultant Jean Kohlhepp at [email protected].

    The YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, has been awarded a grant from the Ocean First Foundation to be used toward the Y’s capital campaign.

    Douglas Johnson, managing director of new business development for Ocean First Bank, recently presented a check for $30,000 to Jacque Preston, chairperson of the YMCA board of directors, at the YMCA’s board meeting. The check will help the YMCA finance its new therapy pool, which is part of a four-phase $6 million capital campaign project.

    Dr. Michael Baskin, an optometric physician whose office is located in the Pond Road Shopping Center, Freehold Township, attended the Aruba 2005 Conference, an optometric continuing education program held Jan. 12-18 at the Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort. Baskin completed 15 hours of optometric-related courses, lectures, panel discussions, hands-on workshops and exchanges. This year’s program included advanced clinical practice methods and research relative to glaucoma and macular degeneration therapye.

    Schoor DePalma, an engineering and consulting firm based in Manalapan, announced that it has hired Craig W. Veprek as department manager of regulatory compliance and permitting.

    Veprek has more than 30 years of utility engineering experience and is a licensed professional engineer, professional planner, and a certified project management professional.

    Prior to working at Schoor DePalma, Veprek held the position of senior project manager at PSE&G. While at PSE&G, he managed environmental issues and remedial activities to assure compliance to federal and state regulations as well as cost-effective implementation.

    Veprek is a member of the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers, where he is a past chairman of construction code; a former member of the Point Pleasant Planning and Zoning Board; founding president of the Point Pleasant Foundation for Excellence in Education; and past state chairman of government relations and training for the New Jersey State Elks Association. He graduated with honors from the State University of New York Maritime College, Bronx, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and continued his master of engineering studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark.