Bizmania 2004, a business networking event, will feature a variety of seminars of interest to business professionals May 3 at the N.J. Convention and Expo Center, Edison, from noon to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Seminars are free to Bizmania ticket holders.
Sen. Joseph F. Vitale (D-19), chairman of the Senate Health Committee, will serve as the afternoon’s featured speaker, discussing "HealthCare Costs and the Uninsured." Other seminars throughout the day will include: "Small Business Solutions" offered by Verizon; "Balancing Stresses of the Workplace and Family" by Raritan Bay Medical Center; "Effectively Networking Your Business" by Commerce Bank; "Web Strategy: Ten Smart Marketing Moves for Small Business" by NJ.com; "Uncovering Hidden Markets" by the Small Business Development Center; and "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Matters for You and Your Business" by Prebon Learning
Bizmania, now in its fourth year, is a joint effort of nine chambers of commerce representing members in the central New Jersey business community. Bizmania provides restaurants and area businesses with an opportunity to raise their visibility by showcasing their products and services to area business professionals and decision-makers. Last year’s event drew more than 160 restaurant and business exhibitors, and more than 2,000 buyers, for an evening of networking, food tasting, music and door prizes.
Vendor reservations and tickets are still available. For information, call (732) 636-4040.
The U.S. Navy is offering sponsorship opportunities to local businesses. Sponsorships of activities and programs at Naval Weapons Station Earle are being offered by the MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) Department of the Colts Neck and Leonardo facility.
"MWR plans many activities for the military and their families stationed at Earle," said Marketing Director Tony DiFlumeri in a press release, "and while federal regulations prevent us from accepting any donations, we do have the ability to offer sponsorships.
According to the press release, sponsorships are available in the area of the Liberty program, which offers trips and activities for the single sailor. The family programs, also available for sponsorship, include a Holiday Village and visit with Santa and holiday characters in December, breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Easter, a Halloween festival in October, and regularly scheduled Kids’ Café nights at the main facility. MWR also offers a variety of health and fitness opportunities for the wide range of age groups associated with NWS Earle, including single sailors, active duty military and their families, and Department of Defense civilians and contractors. Earle recently opened a new fitness and health center with a full-time fitness coordinator.
Under such a sponsorship program, businesses, professionals or individuals who offer goods or finances to underwrite portions of specific events can receive from MWR public recognition and advertising or product promotions for their sponsorship.
Companies or individuals interested in learning more about the sponsorships can contact DiFlumeri at (732) 866-2608, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Wegmans Food Market, Manalapan, announced that it will deliver 22,000 pounds of nonperishable food items to The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Neptune, today. The food items will include canned fruit, vegetables, soups, hot and cold cereals, dry goods and assorted beverages.
According to a press release from Wegmans, Tim Lockwood, Wegmans store manager, and Michelle Edington, service manager, will meet Executive Director Susan M. Kelly and food bank staff, who will unload the 22 pallets of products valued at $34,000. The donation will benefit the hungry, mainly senior citizens, children and the working poor, served by the food bank’s more than 200 member charities, which include soup kitchens, food pantries and group homes in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Dr. Steven Burman of Manalapan attended the Academy of Laser Dentistry’s 11th Annual Conference and Exhibition held recently in Indian Wells, Palm Springs, Calif. Burman joined more than 350 national and international clinicians and academicians, who gathered for discussions on new research, technological developments and the expanding role of lasers in dental care.
Burman, who holds a position on the Board of the Academy of Laser Dentistry and is a certified laser educator, uses lasers in his dental practice to make dental visits more comfortable. Topics centered on the various roles of laser in cavity identification, prevention and restoration. Burman also attended a lecture on lasers for periodontal care and dental hygiene, and learned of the new applications cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for laser use in dentistry. For more information on laser dentistry, visit www.laserdentistry.org.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) New Jersey District Office reported a 14 percent increase in the number of SBA loans approved for women business owners throughout the state during the agency’s first five months of fiscal year 2004 (Oct. 1, 2003, through Feb. 29, 2004).
The district office approved 165 loans for women-owned small businesses for a total of $26.3 million. This was up from the 145 loans for $27.2 million approved during the same period in fiscal year 2003.
According to James A. Kocsi, SBA New Jersey District director, Bergen County led the way in SBA loan approvals to women business owners with 27 loans for $2.6 million, followed by Essex County with 14 loans for $2.4 million, Morris County with 12 loans for $1.9 million, Camden County with 12 loans for $871,000, and Hudson County with 11 loans for $2.2 million.
The following businesses owned by women obtained the most SBA-backed loans: hair salons, 15 loans for $1.1 million; day care centers, 10 loans for $2.5 million; limited-service restaurants, 10 loans for $1.9 million; full-service restaurants, eight loans for $2.3 million; and gift shops, seven loans for $250,000.
For more information on SBA programs and services for women entrepreneurs, call the SBA New Jersey District Office at (973) 645-2434, or visit the Web site www.sba.gov/nj or the SBA’s Online Women’s Business Center at www.onlinewbc.gov.
Dr. Bryan Shumaker of Colts Neck attended the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s (AACD) 20th Annual Scientific Session held recently in Vancouver, British Columbia.
According to a press release from AACD, consumer demand for teeth whitening procedures, the No. 1 performed cosmetic dental service, has increased by more than 300 percent.
In conjunction with the conference, the AACD will hold the second annual Smile Hotline April 30 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The public can call toll-free to (877) 647-7272 and receive free advice about options to cosmetically enhance their smile, live from an AACD dentist. For more information, visit the Web site www.aacd.com.
Amper, Politziner & Mattia, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, will sponsor a free seminar to address issues and strategies for businesses considering staying public or going private.
According to a press release from AP&M, the costs and resources required to meet the standards of increased scrutiny and regulatory oversight have public company CEOs, CFOs and boards of directors considering the possibility of going private. The seminar will address these concerns and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each course. Representatives from Sills Cummis Epstein & Gross, Globix Corp., Wolff & Samson, Stenton Leigh Group, and AP&M will present.
The program will be held May 18, 5-8:30 p.m. at the Woodbridge Hilton in Iselin. For reservations, call Geri Zannetti at (732) 287-1000, ext. 362. To register by e-mail, contact ZAN[email protected].
Amper, Politziner & Mattia has offices in New York and in Edison, Flemington, Princeton, Hackensack and Wall.
Business After Hours, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will be hosted by the Office of the Monmouth County Clerk, M. Claire French, April 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The program will include a tour of the facility and a presentation on the ways the clerk’s office assists businesses. The cost to attend is $10. Attendees should bring business cards. For reservations or more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123; or e-mail [email protected].
Local Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s clubs have announced that the company is awarding several Earth Day grants to several local schools and organizations, with each receiving a $500 grant for a specific project. Wal-Mart is donating $21,000 throughout the state of New Jersey and nearly $2 million nationwide for Earth Day projects.
In the local area, the Freehold Intermediate School Parent-Teacher Organization will receive a grant for planting and beautification projects, and Georgian Court University, Lakewood, will receive a grant for environmental education materials.
Howard Feldman, of Freehold, has announced the opening of his firm, Relational Strategies Inc., a service for business owners and retailers to build business-to-customer relationships through targeted e-mail technology. Feldman’s business will focus on customer retention, using permission-based e-mails.
Relational Strategies, a turnkey solutions provider, uses a six-step program, collecting customer e-mail addresses, cre-ating marketing copy, delivering the message, promoting referral business, compiling statistics and analyzing responses.
For more information, call (732) 683-0850 or e-mail hfeldman@relational
strategies.com.
The seventh annual New Jersey Small Business Conference will be held May 7, 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick. Sponsored by Fleet Bank, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the conference will offer an array of breakout sessions and will also match attendees with purchasing agents from government agencies, colleges and corporations. Throughout the day, agents will be available to teach the proper procedures for obtaining government and corporate contracts.
The cost to attend is $49 for state chamber members and $79 for all others. For more information, visit www.njchamber.com or call Carol Gabel at (609) 989-7888.
Business After Hours, sponsored by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, will be held April 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Freehold office of the Monmouth County clerk, M. Claire French. Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the facility and learn the many ways the clerk’s office assists business. The cost is $10 per person and includes refreshments. Attendees should bring business cards. For reservations and information, call (732) 462-3030; fax (732) 462-2123; or e-mail ad[email protected].