Somerset County Business Networking May 15 - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog)

ENJOY SOMERSET COUNTY IN THE SPRING
AT “OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS” NTEWORKING
The Area’s Most Effective New Business Contact Series
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 5:00 P.M.

BRIDGEWATER, NJ - The Somerset County Business Partnership will showcase Somerset County in spring with a unique session of the area’s most effective business networking opportunity on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 5:00 P.M. to 6:30 A.M. “Opportunity Knocks” will take place at the Highlander Pavilion at Royce Brook Golf Club, 201 Hamilton Road Road, Hillsborough, New Jersey.

The networking event builds on the success decades of “Opportunity Knocks” events and will attract in excess of 100 business people seeking to cultivate new sales and supplier contacts. Gourmet fare representative of the extraordinary quality of Royce Brook’s restaurant and catering will be served and door prizes will be awarded. The grand prize will be a foursome at Royce Brook’s championship golf course.

Royce Brook Golf Club features two acclaimed golf courses, the private, rugged West Course ranked in Golf Digest's Top 20 and the public, parkland East Course routed through abundant forested areas and wetlands, and rated 4 stars by Golf Digest. The Royce Brook Restaurant and Veranda is open to the public daily from 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., offering regional selections and specialties in a casually elegant setting.
“Opportunity Knocks” is free for pre-registered Business Partnership members (up to 2 per company), $20 for member walk-ins, and $30 for non-members. Display tables are available for $60 and door prize donations are welcome.

“Opportunity Knocks” is sponsored by the Courier News and mycentraljeresy.com. Photos of previous events are available on the Somerset County Business Partnership Facebook page.

To register, call the Business Partnership at (908) 218-4300, or register online at event@scbp.org.

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NJ Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver to speak at breakfast forum - NJ.com

BRIDGEWATER — New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-34) will meet with representatives from the Somerset County Business Partnership, the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce, and the general public at a Legislative Breakfast Forum scheduled for Friday, April 13 at 8 a.m. The forum will take place in the Imperia, 1714 Easton Avenue in Somerset.

Assembly Speaker Oliver is one of New Jersey’s most powerful legislative leaders, serving as the chief administrator of the lower house. The Speaker exerts an enormous amount of influence over the issues that directly impact the businesses and residents of New Jersey.

Representatives of businesses, residents, and elected officials are invited to join Assembly Speaker Oliver over breakfast for an interactive discussion of ideas and concepts to improve the state’s economy and grow jobs. The forum will provide an opportunity to share ideas and concerns with Trenton leadership on issues including economic growth, pension reform, regulatory reform, and legislative initiatives to make NJ affordable for businesses and residents.

Speaker Oliver is the first African-American woman to lead a legislative house in New Jersey and just the second in the nation. She was first elected to the Assembly in 2003, and re-elected in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011. In the 2008-09 Legislative Session, she served as Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore, chaired the Human Services Committee, and served on the Higher Education and Labor committees. She served as Assistant Majority Leader in the 2006-07 Legislative Session. She represents the 34th Legislative District, which includes Clifton, the City of East Orange, Glen Ridge Borough, Montclair, and West Paterson.

The Legislative Breakfast Forum is part of a series of Somerset County Business Partnership bi-partisan forums with elected officials to connect with leadership from both parties to discuss the lasting impact of current public policies on New Jersey's businesses and improve Somerset County’s business climate and competitive position.

“Speaker Oliver is among the most influential legislators in Trenton today,” stated Partnership Chairman Troy Fischer. “As leader of the Assembly she directs the agenda of the 80-member General Assembly where the legislation that directly impacts our lives and livelihoods begins and ends. A frank and open discussion with the Speaker is a unique opportunity for the Business Partnership membership.”

The Legislative Breakfast begins with a networking opportunity at 8 a.m. followed by the forum with Speaker Oliver at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $25 per person for Business Partnership members and $35 for nonmembers.

Pre-registration is required and may be accomplished by calling the Partnership at 908-218-4300 or online at events@scbp.org. Speaker Oliver’s visit is sponsored by AT&T.

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Regional Center provides Small business & Retail opportunities - NJ.com

SOMERVILLE—The Somerset County Regional Center Partnership will hold a public workshop, “Investment Somerset – A Business Driven Economic Agenda,” on Wednesday, March 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. The public workshop will be held in the 1st floor conference room at 27 Warren Street in Somerville (across from the Historic Court House). There is no charge for participation.

“Investment Somerset,” an initiative of the Somerset County Freeholders and the Somerset County Business Partnership, will help define the county’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) that will guide job creation and private sector economic investment priorities in the future. This business outreach session is part of an effort to align local business priorities with regional, state, and federal economic development efforts.

Though centered on the Regional Center communities of Bridgewater, Raritan, and Somerville, the session is open to representatives from across Somerset County and will focus in the needs of the small business and retail communities. Discussion will center on the economic strengths and weaknesses in the Regional Center, the internal and external influences on the economic situation, and listing of priorities for the future.

The workshop will attempt to isolate projects of regional significance that will form the basis for priority actions having the highest likelihood of creating jobs, expanding the tax base, and creating efficiencies that will lead to economic investment. The session will allow the small business and retail sectors to discuss needed efficiencies in the delivery of services and resources in Somerset County. The advice, guidance, and suggestions will help to define and prioritize actions that will lead to the completed CEDS and implementation of a business-driven agenda for Somerset County.

“The Regional Center is in a unique position to help drive the economic agenda for the county,” commented Rose Evans, Chair of the Regional Center Partnership. “The State Plan specifically says that among the goals is to focus policies and investments on regions that support regional planning. That’s us and this is our opportunity to take advantage of their generosity.”

27 Warren Street is located between East Main Street and Veterans Memorial Drive in downtown Somerville; free parking is available in the Bernie Field parking garage off East High Street.

For more information, log onto www.scbp.org/economic-development/ceds. To register for the March 14 event call 908-231-7021 or email PlanningBd@co.somerset.nj.us.

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Business networking event set in Flemington, Feb. 9 - NJ.com

FLEMINGTON — Business Networking International Success Network will host a special business networking event on Thursday, Feb. 9, 6-9 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 165 Route 31. All business professionals are invited to attend.

The business network is the world’s largest business networking organization. The organization provides members an opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals by helping business people build personal relationships with dozens of trusted and qualified professionals.

“This special networking event is an opportunity for all business owners, professionals, and organization members (such as Chambers of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis) to meet and network with others in the region whom they may not regularly meet through their normal associations,” explained Howard Altman, president of the Success Network Chapter.

The cost to attend is $16, payable at the door. There will be a cash bar and dinner buffet. Guest speakers include Business Networking Executive Director, Steve Gambino and Regional Director, Mark Carmody.

They will be joined for the event by members of chapters from Flemington, Lambertville and Clinton. The chapters are comprised of business owners located in Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer and Warren counties, whose primary purpose of meeting is to pass business to each other through business networking.

To register for this special networking event, e-mail the special events coordinator, Bob O’Connor at oconnorhouse1@comcast.net or register online at bninjpa.org/events.php.

For more information, contact Steve Gambino at 908-995-8860, or e-mail sgambino@garden.net.

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Washington Township business owners get assistance during symposium - NJ.com

Small business owners from all corners of the township came together on Tuesday night for the Board of Economic Development’s second Business Symposium. Representatives from medical facilities, banks, real estate agencies and more gathered at the Wedgwood Country Club to network and learn about economic programs for small businesses.

Chairman of the Board Sam Micklus said helping local businesses thrive is the key to building and maintaining a strong financial base in the township.

“We can’t do that if we don’t keep what we’ve already got,” Micklus told the 43 guests. Special guests included Zoning Official Sherri Donovan, Fire District Chief John Hoffman and Construction Official John DiStefano, among other township administrators.

While guests snacked on hors d’oeuvres, they heard presentations about various programs that could give their businesses a boost in a struggling economic climate.

Steve Whalen, supervisor for technology and business education at Washington Township High School, discussed how the high school could work with local businesses to provide internship opportunities to students.

“If we can help you with affordable, if not free, labor, we’d like to offer that to you,” Whalen said.

The school’s public access station can also provide local advertisers with unique chances to reach residents.

“You can sponsor a program for very, very affordable rates and have exclusive marketing rights,” Whalen said.

He also discussed that when they realized the wide range of area businesses using QuickBooks software, they incorporated that into their business education programs and are looking to become a certified testing center for local businesses and their employees.

Gloucester County Director of Economic Development Lisa Morina also explained the different training options available through Gloucester County College for no cost.

Morina also brought business owners attention to the county’s WorkPays2 program, where businesses can be reimbursed for six months of a new hire’s salary through the program. The employer can still go through the selection and interview process, and even after six months they can still be reimbursed for 50 percent of the employee’s salary for another six months.

“Think about how you can get access to programs that will help your bottom line,” Morina said.

She also discussed the state’s SmartStart Buildings program, where companies in the program can be reimbursed for 70 percent of the cost of new energy efficient equipment.

“It’s very significant savings, and down the line, you can get the energy savings as well,” Morina said.

Senior Vice President at Kennedy Health Systems Joe Devine spoke about the economic opportunities and impact the hospital has, and can continue to have, in the area.

“People don’t want to go to Philly for their care,” Devine said. “We can be a strong resource to draw businesses here. We’ve done that and we’ve proven that.”

Councilman and liaison to the Board of Economic Development Giancarlo D’Orazio was encouraged by the presentations and the showing of interest in the event.

“It’s phenomenal. It’s really great. It’s better than I expected and better than the first one,” D’Orazio said. The board held its first business symposium six months ago, but it wasn’t until members of committee went business-to-business and gave postcards to local establishments that they were able to garner significant interest in the symposium.

“I’m very excited about what’s going on. We’re going in the right direction,” D’Orazio said.

Mayor Barbara Wallace, who was also in attendance, was pleased at the excitement in the room. “It’s a good turn out and a very good beginning,” Wallace said. “This kind of enthusiasm excites people.”

Tom Fletcher, owner of local business PostNet on Egg Harbor Road, said the interactions at the event helps create the atmosphere necessary for small business to prosper.

“It created a dialogue and opens up the ability to know the players and put faces to names,” said Fletcher, who is also a member of Wallace’s Economic Development Task Force. “You can say ‘What’s your input on X, Y and Z? That’s how it happens. People want to deal with small businesses and people they know.”

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