business briefs 

Maria Romano of Marlboro was recently promoted at Provident Bank to senior vice president and regional manager of 16 branches in Monmouth, Middlesex and Mercer counties.

Romano is responsible for growing branch distribution business and leading branch managers to develop relationships and to meet the needs of consumers and businesses in the communities they serve. Romano has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. She was recently named one of “New Jersey’s 50 Best Women in Business” by NJBIZ for her commitment to professional excellence and contributions to the banking industry.

Operation Provide Comfort, a Colts Neck-based organization born out of empathy for the superstorm Sandy survivors in Union Beach, delivered two 40-foot-long shipping containers to the borough on March 19. The trailers were needed to store materials that had been donated to the town. The containers were donated by Hapag- Lloyd Inc. and were offloaded at Union Beach Town Hall with the help of a forklift donated by Naval Weapons Station Earle. Operation Provide Comfort’s approach is to leverage the resources of Colts Neck to help the residents of Union Beach who suffered the most devastation and to help collect and coordinate donations of money, physical goods and services to aid in the rebuilding effort, according to a press release.

Veterans with military driving experience who have recently returned from service may receive help in obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) under a waiver program announced by New Jersey Motor Vehicle Chairman and Chief Administrator Raymond P. Martinez and Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff, adjutant general of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Soldiers who were on active or reserve duty within the last 90 days will now be able to use their documented military driving experience of at least two years to apply for the waiver, which exempts them from the skill (road) portion of CDL testing. Details: http://www.nj.gov/mvc/Press Releases/archives/2013/031313.htm.

Chad Schwarz, the director of patient and community relations at Affiliated Foot and Ankle Center in Howell, was recently honored as the volunteer of the year by the Howell Chamber of Commerce.

The award is given to an individual or individuals who make a true impact on the community by volunteering their time and efforts to the betterment of the community.

The executive director of the Howell Chamber of Commerce, Susan Dominguez, said, “Any cause that Chad becomes involved in will greatly benefit from his contribution.”

Of his many accomplishments, Schwarz is most proud of being the co-founder of the Howell Chamber of Commerce medical division. He is one of three chairs for the Howell Township Education Foundation annual 5K race, and he is co-founder of the Howell holiday giveaway “Little Elves” program.

He also holds positions at the Howell Chamber of Commerce, De-Feet Childhood Hunger Program, Podiatric Super Group Management LLC, the Howell PBA No. 228 Silent Auction Committee, and the Point Pleasant PBA No. 106 Silent Auction Committee. Schwarz lives in Morganville with his wife, Julie.