BPA reorganizes, salutes a founder

Cranbury Business and Professional Association to honor Frank Marlowe.

By: Josh Appelbaum
   The Cranbury Business and Professional Association met Wednesday night at the Cranbury Inn to initiate new members and honor one of its founders.
   Frank Marlowe, the former membership director, was elected president and Kathie Morolda, the association’s president for the last four years, will lead a new marketing club within the association.
   Nicole LeFleur-Amadeo of the American Repertory Ballet was elected vice president and will organize Cranbury Day this year. Elaine Homiky of the First Constitution Bank was re-elected treasurer and Beth Brennan was re-elected secretary. Christine Thompson, of A.S. Cole Son & Co. Funeral Home and outgoing vice president, has organized the Cranbury Day event for the past four years.
   In addition, the BPA honored one of the group’s founders, Mahlon Thompson, who recently retired as funeral director of A.S. Cole.
   Tom Ingegneri, co-owner of the inn, said Mr. Thompson was responsible for keeping the association alive when membership waned, and supported the idea of holding the first Cranbury Day.
   Mr. Thompson said the event, which has been held on the first Saturday after Labor Day for about 25 years, lets the community interact with area businesses and drums up membership and support for organizations and emergency services.
   "It started out as a way to get business owners interested in the association and it has turned into a really exciting event for the town," Mr. Thompson said. "Not only does it help out businesses in town, but the fire company and the First Aid Squad have been recipients of (the benefits of) Cranbury Day."
   According to Ms. Morolda, she and Ms. LeFleur-Amadeo will take suggestions on organizing and promoting this year’s Cranbury Day. The two will delegate responsibilities among the association’s membership. Ms. Morolda said she will also enlist the help of the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society and the Cranbury Lions Club.
   In addition to holding Cranbury Day, the BPA pays for the historic village’s Christmas decorations and sponsors a Little League team and the Cranbury Boy and Cub Scouts.
   Treasurer Elaine Homiky said the association has approximately $7,000 in its treasury and Gay Ingegneri, co-owner of the Cranbury Inn, suggested the group reinstate its scholarship fund for outgoing Princeton High School students entering educational programs in medicine.
   Ms. Homiky suggested the association also send underprivileged children to summer camp.
   Both Ms. Morolda and Mr. Marlowe stressed the need for the association’s membership to be more cooperative and to keep business within the community. Ms. Morolda passed out black leather business card albums, and encouraged members to collect cards from each other.
   She said the new marketing club will meet every other week to build a referral network of local businesses.
   "People do business with people they know," Ms. Morolda said. "We want local businesses to get to know each other."
   Kristen Appleget, president and CEO of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, addressed the association, and offered membership to the chamber for half-price.
   She said her group receives many requests to be put in touch with businesses in Cranbury.
   "Cranbury is a vibrant and growing community with a lot to offer," Ms. Appleget said. "We get several calls for goods and services in Cranbury — the demand is there."