Individuals, businesses and nonprofits were recognized by the Greater Monmouth Chamber Commerce on June 3 for outstanding community enrichment through service, leadership and achievement.
Individuals, businesses and nonprofits were recognized by the Greater Monmouth Chamber of Commerce on June 3 for outstanding service, leadership and achievement. The honorees (above) were presented with the 2010 Circle of Excellence Award at Battleground Country Club, Manalapan. Left: Guests mingle before the dinner and presentations. Honorees presented with the 2010 Circle of Excellence Award were:
Barbara J. McMorrow, retired director of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, public service; Nolan Higgins of Higgins Memorial Home, small business;
Also, Linda Gruskiewicz, president, Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey Chapters Arthritis Foundation, Northeast Region, nonprofit; David G. Glenn, CPC Behavioral Healthcare, Chamber Volunteer of the Year; and Jim Benedict, founder of Feed All God’s Children, Chairman’s Award.
Ben Cannizzaro, the general manager and publisher of Greater Media Newspapers, and Tim Lockwood, store manager at Wegmans supermarket in Manalapan, were recognized for excellence in major business.
Tim McCloone, the founder and president of Holiday Express, and Ocean First Bank were honored for community service.
Cannizzaro, who was unable to attend the awards event, said he was honored to receive the chamber award on behalf of Greater Media Newspapers, Freehold Township, which publishes 10 weekly newspapers in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties.
“While our goal, like any other business, is to be profitable, we enjoy great satisfaction in providing the people in the communities we serve with local news, which keeps them informed of what is going on where they live. We are also very thankful for the support we receive from our local retailers who provide us the resources necessary to produce our newspapers,” Canizzaro said.
Greater Media Newspapers Advertising Director Bob Waitt accepted the award for Cannizzaro.
Chamber President Loretta Kuhnert said the Circle of Excellence event went beautifully. The awards dinner took place at Battleground Country Club, Manalapan.
“We always have outstanding recipients, and the contributions from individuals and large companies are truly amazing,” she said.
Kuhnert said many former Circle of Excellence Award recipients were in attendance at the event.
“Their work is ongoing and continues as well,” she said. “It’s just amazing what people are capable of doing.”
Patricia Clyne Lindberg, the community liaison at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Toms River, co-chaired the Circle of Excellence event for the fourth straight year.
“Our honorees are reflective of the people in the Monmouth County area,” Lindberg said. “It is special to honor these people because they are the business leaders, community leaders, nonprofits and individuals that make such a difference in our area, and they do an amazing job. I call them the unsung heroes, and it is nice to recognize them.”