Enterprising Women magazine, a women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners, announced that it is seeking nominations for its 2006 Enterprising Woman of the Year awards.
In its fourth year, the awards program showcases women business owners in categories that include small, medium and large enterprises. The winners will be recognized during a gala weekend celebration Feb. 24-25 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The deadline for nominations is Nov. 21. Nominations can be filed electronically at the magazine’s Internet Web site, www.enterprisingwomen.com. Self-nominations are welcome. There is no cost to submit a nomination.
According to the press release, more than 400 entries were submitted last fall for the 2005 awards, via fax, mail and the Web site. Winners were chosen based on the growth and profitability of the nominee’s enterprise, her leadership characteristics, her outreach and mentoring of other women-owned firms, and her vision for the future of her business.
Last year, the judges selected three women entrepreneurs with annual revenues of more than $10 million, three winners with annual revenues of more than $5 million and up to $10 million, four winners with annual revenues of more than $1 million and up to $5 million, and three winners with annual revenues of less than $1 million, according to Monica S. Smiley, the magazine’s publisher and CEO.
For more information, call the magazine’s corporate office at (919) 362-1551 or visit the Web site.
The Inner Circle Alliance (ICA), a business-to-business networking group in Monmouth and Ocean counties, is offering potential business owners and executives an opportunity to meet its membership at an open house 6-8 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Lincroft Inn, Lincroft.
Refreshments are included free of charge, but all guests must register by Nov. 1 by calling Guy A. Paredes, COO of Atlantic Horizon Benefit Services and CEO of Atlantic Horizon Financial Services, Shrewsbury, (732) 212-0555, ext. 14. Meetings of ICA take place regularly the first and third Tuesdays of every month.
Mary Urbano of Marlboro, an exclusive agent with Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co. (Allstate New Jersey), was awarded a 2005 Agency Hands in the Community (AHIC) Award for her commitment to volunteering in the community. The award comes with a $500 grant from The Allstate Foundation that will benefit the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, a mission-driven, value-based, nonprofit organization that has served the communities of western Monmouth County for close to 100 years. The YMCA chapter operates outreach programs, after-school care programs and senior programs using schools, senior living facilities and other community venues throughout Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer counties.
The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by the Allstate Corp. and Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co.
Gellman Images, Freehold, known for its professional photography and television productions, announced that Gary Gellman has been named to NJ Biz Magazine’s “40 Under 40.” This recognition is given to 40 men and women in New Jersey who have ascended to leading decision-making roles at an earlier than usual stage in their lives.
NJ Biz Magazine bestows “40 Under 40” recognition every year to business achievers, including entrepreneurs and corporate executives, willing to take risks and assume major responsibilities. Previous honorees include Ara Hovnanian, CEO of K. Hovnanian, Jonathan Schultz of The Schultz Organization, and Gwen Moran of Moran Marketing. A reception for the award winners will be held Nov. 2 at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place.
Gellman has been featured in newspapers and magazines and on radio and national television. His images have appeared in The New York Times.
Gellman Images, founded in 1989, has covered events for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports figures, former governors and presidents. The company’s production “A Presidential Visit to Our Hometown” was included in the U.S. Senate Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Registered dietitians Marsha Diamond of Marlboro and Jaime Schwartz of New York City, formerly of Marlboro, were co-presenters at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo held recently in St. Louis, Mo.
At their session, titled “What About My Generation!,” they spoke to fellow dietitians about how understanding the gap that separates the generations can help to overcome the challenges of today’s diverse workforce.
Diamond is national client relations manager for The CBORD Group Inc., Ithaca, N.Y., and Schwartz is a nutritionist at Kraft Foods, Tarrytown, N.Y.
The ADA conference is an annual event attended by more than 10,000 members of the American Dietetic Association.
CentraState Healthcare System’s Applewood Estates Health Care has won the Press Ganey 2005 Compass Award for outstanding performance improvement in the Nursing Home category.
Applewood Estates Health Care, Freehold Township, received the national honor by increasing its mean score by more than eight points over a two-year period. Press Ganey Associates is a firm that measures patient and resident satisfaction.
The Compass Award acknowledges organizations that demonstrate a commitment to using resident satisfaction data to improve the quality of health care. Several initiatives were implemented to improve on the home-like environment provided for residents. These initiatives included strategies to ease the transition for residents into skilled nursing care; effective communication plans for residents and their families; a restorative program to help residents regain as much physical and mental capacity as possible; and the creation of a home model, challenging staff to identify opportunities to create a home-like environment.
Applewood Estates Health Care, a skilled nursing unit, is part of Applewood Estates, a life-care retirement community that includes independent living apartments and an assisted living unit, all under one roof. Applewood Estates is a member of the CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold Township.
New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, Monmouth-Ocean chapter, will host a dinner meeting Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Old Town Tavern, Toms River. Representatives from the Jon Corzine and Doug Forrester campaigns for New Jersey governor will attend the meeting, including Virginia Bauer, New Jersey secretary of commerce. The guest speaker for the evening is Eileen Strong, who will talk about becoming “Powerfully Productive in Seven Steps.”
NJAWBO members and prospective members are welcome to attend. Reservations are required. A buffet dinner will be served. The cost for members is $35 and for nonmembers the fee is $40. For reservations and details, call Jill Caren, (732) 264-8838.
Professional and Business Singles Network has scheduled the following activities. Membership is not required, and walk-ins are welcome for all events. Details: (888) 348-5544 or www.PBSNinfo.com.
An after-work social will be held 6-9 p.m. Nov. 3 at 21 South Main St., Cranbury. Roundtable introductions and a pinwheel forum will be held at 7:15 p.m. Admission is $10.
A dance social will be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Ramblewood Country Club, 200 Country Club Parkway, Mount Laurel. The fee is $13. Attire is dressy, jacket and tie.
A dance social will be held Nov. 5 at La Villa Ristorante, Hamilton Township, Mercer County. Roundtable introductions and pinwheel forum at 7:15 p.m., followed by a dance social at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $15.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is searching for outstanding New Jersey small business owners and small business champions who will be honored during National Small Business Week in the spring.
Nominations are being sought for New Jersey’s Small Business Person of the Year and for outstanding SBA Small Business Champions in the areas of minority, women, veteran, financial services, home-based business, and Small Business Journalist of the Year.
The SBA New Jersey District Office is also seeking candidates for Small Business Exporter of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and an SBA Family-owned Business of the Year.
Winners will be recognized at the Ninth Annual New Jersey Small Business Conference, to be held at the Hyatt Hotel in New Brunswick.
Nominations should be submitted to the SBA New Jersey District Office at 2 Gateway Center, 15th Floor, Newark 07102. The deadline for all nominations is Nov. 21. For more information and eligibility criteria and guidelines, and to receive a copy of the nomination forms, call Harry Menta at (973) 645-6064 or e-mail harry.menta@sba.gov., or visit www.sba.gov/nominationsguideline.html.
The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners Monmouth-Ocean Chapter will host its annual holiday auction Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Eatontown. The organization is seeking gift donations, sponsors and advertisers for the holiday auction journal to be distributed at the event.
More than 150 people are expected to attend the holiday auction, which will feature live bidding on the donated gifts. All proceeds from the event will fund the NJAWBO Monmouth-Ocean Chapter’s education and legislative activities and support scholarship funds and outreach programs.
BNI, a business networking group, is now forming at the Empire Diner on Route 9 in Freehold Township. Meetings are held on Friday mornings from 7-8:30 a.m. For more information, call Leon Silvestre at (732) 866-8551. Attendees should bring plenty of business cards.
Business news items may be faxed to the News Transcript at (732) 780-4192 or mailed to P.O. Box 5001, Freehold 07728.