“Six Steps to a Better Business,” a free workshop for business owners, will be presented by local business owner Susan Koval, a certified business coach with Action International business consulting and coaching services, 6:30-9 p.m. May 4 and 7:30-10 a.m. May 5, at the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce office, 17 Broad St., Freehold. Registration and networking will be held during the first half-hour. In addition, a table will be set up for local businesses to place information and promote their businesses. Call (732) 792-1311 to register.
JSPRAA (Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association) will present “Beth Zimmerman: Babes & Boomers, Markets That Sizzle” at the next development luncheon, 11:30 a.m. May 5 at Branches, West Long Branch. Reserva-tions are required. The cost is $25 for JSPRAA members and $30 for all others if reserved before May 2, and $35 thereafter. Register at www.jspraa.com or call (732) 842-3311.
Health Net of the Northeast Inc., Old Bridge, announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement adding CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, to its provider network. Under the contract, which takes effect immediately, Health Net members will be able to receive covered services at CentraState Medical Center as an in-network facility for its HMO (health maintenance organization) and POS (point of service) members.
Health Net of the Northeast is headquartered in Shelton, Conn., and is a subsidiary of Health Net Inc., which provides health benefits to approximately 6.3 million individuals in 27 states and the District of Columbia.
Carousel of Home Care Inc., with offices in Freehold and Hazlet, has been reaccredited with distinction by the Com-mission on Accreditation for Home Care for its homemaker-home health aide services. Distinction is awarded only when a provider has demonstrated an ongoing pattern of full compliance for a minimum of two consecutive monitoring years. The re-accreditation applies to the Freehold and Hazlet offices.
Schoor DePalma, an engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Manal-apan, announced that the Public Policy Center of New Jersey has appointed Stephen DePalma, chairman and CEO of the firm, as a member of the board of directors.
The Public Policy Center of New Jersey at Montclair State University publishes the New Jersey Reporter, a nonpartisan journal of public policy issues focused on providing perceptive coverage, analysis and innovative solutions to complex issues and challenges concerning the state of New Jersey.
Peter Chamas of Millstone has been designated a “super lawyer” in a poll taken by Law & Politics magazine. It is the second consecutive year that Chamas, of Gill & Chamas, Woodbridge, has been named a “super lawyer.”
Ray Gill, of Fair Haven, founder of Gill & Chamas, has also been recognized as a “super lawyer” for the second time, as well as “One of the Top 10 Attorneys in New Jersey.”
Law & Politics sends ballots to approximately 35,000 attorneys asking them to nominate the best attorneys they have seen in action. Being singled out as a “super lawyer” twice is an honor that only 5 percent of all attorneys in the state have received.
Chamas, 41, is one of the youngest attorneys to receive the honor. He joined the now 15-member law firm in 1990. He has received numerous multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and settlements for his clients, according to the press release. He is also actively involved in Holidays for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization that raises money for underprivileged families. Born and raised in Old Bridge, Chamas now resides in Millstone with his wife and daughter.
CentraState Healthcare System announced that board-certified gastroenterologist Shelly L. Ludwig, M.D., of Central Jersey Gastroenterology Assoc-iates, has been selected by his peers on the medical-dental staff of CentraState Med-ical Center as “Physician of the Year.”
Gregg S. Berkowitz, M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with New Jersey Orthopedic Associates, has been selected as “Physician of the Year” by CentraState’s nursing staff.
In selecting the physician of the year, the medical staff was asked to nominate the colleague they are most comfortable working with and to whom they would refer their family and friends based on the physician’s clinical competence and exceptional bedside manner.
The nursing staff was asked to nominate the physician who consistently supports the nursing staff, provides excellent patient care in a respectful, empathetic and compassionate manner, is responsive to patients, family and nursing staff, and works with nursing in a collaborative, friendly manner.
More than 400 physicians are on CentraState’s staff, and board certification is required to maintain admitting privileges.
Incredibly Edible Delites, the national chain that creates edible “flower bouquets” from fruit, has signed a licensing agreement with Paws Inc., the company that oversees business for Garfield the cat. Under the agreement, the chain will offer various Garfield products. The local Incredible Edible Delites is at 123 Main St., Matawan, and owned by Josephine Pianoforte, and co-owned by Ellen Davis. Garfield cartoonist Jim Davis said Paws Inc. is pleased to be in business with the chain. Incredibly Edible Delites has 35 franchises nationwide.
BNI, a business networking group dedicated to the exchange of qualified business referrals, is looking for new members. Meetings are held at the Empire Diner, Route 9, Freehold Township Friday from 7-8:30 a.m. Details: Peter Joffe, (732) 995-8966.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will hold a conference to provide an opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs to meet with representatives from several of the SBA’s top New Jersey lenders to discuss the availability of SBA-backed loans for businesses or new ventures.
The conference is free and will be held April 28, 8:30-10:30 a.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 Albany St., New Bruns-wick. All participants are required to complete a Business Plan Executive Summary. To obtain a copy of the form and to register for the conference, call The College of New Jersey Small Business Development Center at (609) 989-5232 or e-mail [email protected].
After the conference, participants will have the opportunity to attend the 9th Annual New Jersey Small Business Conference, sponsored by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the SBA, from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Small Business Conference will include an expo and additional workshops, including “How to Do Business with the Government/
Corporations,” “Financing Sources: There’s Money Out There for You,” “Marketing on a Small Budget,” “Using Technology to Increase Profits,” and other topics. There is a $69 fee to attended the Small Business Conference. For registration and information, call Carol Gabel at (609) 989-7888.
Dr. Joseph Cilea and his staff at Advanced Wellness, Marlboro, will hold a grand-opening celebration during the week of April 24. The weeklong celebration will offer gifts, prizes, food and patient care. For new patients, Advanced Wellness will offer a free evaluation including complimentary consultation with the doctor, complete musculoskeletal examination, any necessary X-rays, and the first treatment.
Gary Yen, M.D., and Mary Ann Gargano, P.T., have recently joined the staff. Yen is a board-certified physician who has training in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain management and electrodiagnostic medicine. Gargano is a physical therapist experienced in orthopedics, long-term care and rehabilitation. Advanced Wellness is at 17 N. Main St. (Route 79), Marlboro, and can be reached at (732) 431-2155.
Kristi Silva, a teacher at the Asher Holmes Elementary School, Marlboro, was recently recognized by The Business Coalition for Education Excellence at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce with its “Crystal Apple” award for earning national board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession and is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes between one and three years to complete.
Central Jersey Business Profession-als is an independent, formal networking group that meets in Freehold every Tuesday at 8 a.m. The organization accepts one person per occupation and is currently looking to grow its membership. Details: Aaron Niederman, (732) 922-6300, ext. 35.
Powerful You!, a women’s network headquartered in Denville, has chosen the Wall Township area as the next location to expand its networking format. The group is designed for women in business who are seeking connections with other women in business.
Powerful You! meetings include time for networking, personal promotions, an educational talk by one of the members, sharing of business growth strategies, and a “gratitude share.”
The Wall meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month at CareOne, 2621 Route 138. The first breakfast meeting will be held May 9, with Sue Urda, co-founder of Powerful You!, as the guest speaker.
Powerful You! holds meetings in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Ala-bama. The meetings are open to all women, from business owners to corporate executives and women in transition. For more information, call Kirsten Kristensen, (888) 832-4812, or visit www.powerfulyou.com.
The Monmouth County Park System has received an Agency Showcase Award from the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association for its Internet Web site. The award was accepted by Jim Foligno, park system assistant superintendent of recreation, at the NJRPA conference held March 20 in Atlantic City. The Web site, www.monmouthcountyparks.com, contains information about the county’s 36 regional parks, recreation areas, special use areas, greenways, conservation properties, and golf courses, as well as more than 4,000 programs, classes and activities offered each year.
Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co. has recognized three local residents for high standards in customer satisfaction, customer retention and financial service sales. Philip Zorzi of Howell, Vincent Sca-nelli of Colts Neck, and Michael Beer of Manalapan, exclusive agents with All-state, have achieved the Allstate Honor Ring award. For nearly 60 years, the Honor Ring has been Allstate’s symbol of outstanding achievement.
The Law Offices of Scott D. Grossman LLC announced the opening of its downtown Freehold location, at 63 West Main St. Grossman, principal and founder of the firm, was previously associated with a northern New Jersey law firm, where he concentrated primarily in personal injury and civil litigation. With the opening of the new office in Freehold, he will handle all matters involving personal injury, traffic offenses, wills and advance health care directives. Details: (732) 625-9494.
Hyundai Motor America announced that Freehold Hyundai has been named to the Hyundai Board of Excellence, a national network of dealers. Freehold Hyundai achieved the President’s Level status through exceptional sales and customer satisfaction in 2005. Only 85 of the more than 695 dealerships nationwide achieved the award this year.
Horacio Piccininno of Manalapan has advanced to area coordinator as an independent distributor for Market Amer-ica, a product brokerage and Internet marketing company.
Piccininno became eligible for the coordinator level after developing two sales and distribution organizations, in addition to selling an established amount of product that produced a first commission check. Previously qualified as a distributor, Piccininno has been an independent distributor for Market America since August.
Jesse T. Kovacs of Freehold Township has received the Career Life Success Award from the New Jersey General Office of New York Life Insurance Co. The award recognized agents who achieve case rate and commission milestones in their first three months of employment.
Kovacs is a graduate of Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, and also attended Monmouth University, West Long Branch, and Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Dr. Steven A. Burman, a Manalapan dentist, was nominated and approved for the position of secretary for the Academy of Laser Dentistry for 2006-07. The announcement was made during the organization’s annual conference held recently in Tucson, Ariz. Burman holds advanced proficiency in the academy and is a certified laser educator. In 2009, he will become the academy’s president-elect.
Geller Sive & Co., a local professional engineering and planning consulting firm, has relocated its Freehold office to 958 Adelphia Road, Howell, (mailing address P.O. Box 249, Adelphia). The company offers civil, site, transportation, traffic and municipal consulting services. The company’s telephone number, (732) 625-7919; fax number, (732) 625-9313; and Web address, www.geller-sive.com, remain the same.