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Business Insights & Inspiration
Business Insights & Inspiration
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The Edge for February 2023

An Exclusive Article for NJ ChamberEdge

This Month's ChamberEdge Contributors

We asked N.J. Chamber of Commerce members to talk about the tools that make them more productive at the office or in their home office. Check out what they said below.

 

I Take (a Picture of) My Kids to the Office

Diane Wasser Kids

Diane WasserWhen I am in the office, the most important tool I have is a picture of my two kids! In September 2021, our firm began using a reservation system for seating in cubicles and offices, so I carry this picture back and forth. It makes me smile and feel comforted since family makes the world go round! When I work at my home office, generally one day a week, my most important tool is a scented candle. I light it in the morning and it is calming and a special perk.

– Diane Wasser, Partner, Audit & Assurance, EisnerAmper LLP, Partner, Eisner Advisory Group LLC

 

Weekly Monday Meetings Get Everyone on the Same Page

Rachel SchultiesOur weekly Monday meetings are important to me. After all, good productivity requires good communication. Our agency starts each Monday morning with a stakeholder meeting where we review that week’s priorities. It insures that all of our leaders are on the same page regarding what is needed for our clients and for our team. It’s a great way to align, check in on how everyone is doing and kick off the week. Our agency also utilizes Microsoft Teams, which helps us stay on the granular level of internal communication throughout the day in our ‘work from anywhere’ hybrid model.

– Rachel Schulties, COO, Marketsmith, Inc.

 

My List of Things to do is High Tech and Shareable

Lori AckerMy role as COO requires me to think ahead. I get into the zone by breaking my weekly/monthly lists into smaller lists of critical priorities and items to be considered later. I’ve always been a whiteboard/notepad person when it comes to staying organized. When the pandemic and remote work limited my whiteboard access, I shifted to notepads and notebooks – and have recently made the jump to spreadsheets. This latest organizational evolution has the benefit of easily sharing my thoughts with my team.

– Lori Acker, Senior Vice President, COO/Operational Transformation, Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut

 

In-Person Collaboration Works Best for Me

Dennis Toft spaces

Dennis ToftOne of the lessons I learned from the pandemic is the importance of in-person collaboration. While tools such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom are useful, the practice of law works better for me when I can connect in person with my colleagues. I believe that the ability to talk through issues in person leads to better work product for clients. Moreover, mentoring junior attorneys is an important part of what we do, and that is far more effective when done in person. I am excited about our firm’s move to a new office because we added significantly more collaboration space, which should bring a renewed energy to our practice.

– Dennis M. Toft, Member of the Firm, Chair, Environmental Law Group, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

 

Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.

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Newsmakers

Lincoln Techncal Institute Founder J. Warren Davies is among the 50 nominees for the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s class of 2024. A decorated Army Captain and entrepreneur, Davies established Lincoln Tech in 1946 with a singular mission – to empower veterans returning from World War II with the skills needed to transition back into the workforce.


Dr. Lisa Gallucci has been named as the new chair of Delta Dental of New Jersey‘s foundation. Gallucci succeeds Dr. George McLaughlin, who retired at the end of 2023.


Jim Fakult

Jim Fakult, President of Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L), has been named the recipient of Morris Habitat for Humanity's Community Partner Award for 2024. The award was presented at the organization's Hearts & Hammers Gala on Feb. 22 in Mountain Lakes.


United Airlines All Female CrewTo honor Women’s History Month, United Airlines recognized an all-female crew that flew from Newark to Sarasota, Florida – and back – led by Capt. Gabrielle Harding. First Officer Julia Ewalefo and all the flight attendants, customer service representatives and ramp services employees working the flight were also women. They flew a Boeing 737.


Lynda Markoe

RWJBarnabas Health appointed Lynda Markoe as its new chief people officer. In her new role, Markoe is responsible for leading human resources operations. Markoe most recently served as chief people and culture officer for Bed, Bath & Beyond.


Heather Veltre

Overlook Medical Center in Summit, part of Atlantic Health System, recently named Heather Veltre as its new chief nursing officer. Veltre will be responsible for the overall delivery and management of nursing, professional development, research, administration and clinical services.


Amazon.com Inc. has joined the ranks of one of Wall Street’s oldest and most exclusive stock indexes: The Dow Jones Industrial Average. The e-commerce pioneer took its position among the 30-company Dow, replacing drugstore operator Walgreens Boots Alliance.


New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson said it completed the acquisition of Ambrx Biopharma Inc. in an all-cash merger deal for a total equity value of approximately $2 billion, or $1.9 billion net of estimated cash acquired. The transaction will be accounted for as a business combination. The acquisition gives J&J an opportunity to design, develop and commercialize targeted oncology therapeutics.


Ground has been broken at Metropark in Woodbridge on the site of the future Hackensack Meridian Health and Wellness Center, a 12-acre, $200 million project that will comprise 240,000 square feet of space. It will include the future headquarters of HMH, along with services such as primary care, medical and surgical specialties, a sports and spine center, retail pharmacy and more.


Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center recently announced Todd Huffman, who serves as CFO for both facilities, has been recognized as CFO of the Year by Ardent Health Services.


Saint Peter’s Healthcare System unveiled its expanded Family Health Center in New Brunswick. The center, which underwent a $12 million modernization, offers comprehensive primary and specialty care to adults, children and women, many of whom are among the city’s most vulnerable. The new 73,000-square-foot center, which currently has 60,000 visits per year, will now have the capacity for 100,000 visits.


The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has redesignated Rutgers Cancer Institute, together with RWJBarnabas Health, as the state’s only Comprehensive Cancer Center. Rutgers Cancer Institute scored in the “exceptional range” in a 2023 NCI review. That places it among the top cancer centers in the nation, and one of just 56 with the prestigious distinction.


Rowan University President Ali Houshmand said he intends for the school to dramatically increase its enrollment to 38,500 by 2033 – with the majority of growth coming from online programs. Rowan had a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,264 in the fall 2022, according to U.S. News & World Report.


To help bridge resource and leadership gaps at nonprofits across the county, Bank of America’s ‘Leader on Loan’ program, which began in 2017, lends bank leaders to local organizations full-time. Pragna Mehta is concluding her Leader on Loan experience as interim Data and Analytics Strategist for Liberty Science Center. Pragna is TechStart Pathways Program Manager at Bank of America, and she joined LSC through Leader on Loan in the spring of 2023.


Sills Cummis & Gross announced Craig Parker has come on board as the firm’s newest member. Parker joins the Newark-based law firm's Construction Law Practice, where he will provide strategic legal and business counsel to local and national construction contractors, developers, surety companies and commercial clients.