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NJ Executives Share their Methods for Managing the Stress of a Workday

The Edge for May 2018

An Exclusive Article for NJ ChamberEdge

Any workday can get stressful. That is no secret. But how we manage the stress, well, that is more complicated. We asked some New Jersey Chamber of Commerce members to share their methods for dealing with workday pressures, and for unwinding at the end of a hectic day.

 

Patrick Mulvey

Chess Refreshes My Mind

I play chess on my phone. I do puzzles, which are partial chess games, in the morning and at night. A daily puzzle in the morning gets me thinking. It gets my brain started. At the end of the day, the games focus my mind away from whatever it is during the day that has me worried. It replaces the clutter and refreshes my mind.

– Patrick Mulvey, Sales Associate, Weichert Community Brokerage

 
Greg Riccardi

A Snippet of Mental Peace

I use a meditation app on my phone. It’s called Calm. You can open it up and hear soothing sounds. You can set it up to send you calming messages throughout the day. You can also use it to meditate. By pausing your work routine, even if just for a moment, it creates a snippet of mental peace. You go back to work feeling energized.

– Greg Riccardi, Partner and Co-Owner, 360SiteVisit.com

 
Scott Fergang

The Theater Is an Escape

The arts are my passion. When I see a show, opera or ballet, it takes my mind off everything. It’s an escape. We have a saying here at the State Theater: ‘The power of live.’ There is nothing like it.

– Scott Fergang, Chair, Board of Trustees of the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick; and Senior Vice President, The Fergang Group, RBC Wealth Management

 
Jennifer M Bredehoft

Horse Riding Gets You ‘Outside Your Regular Life’

I ride horses at a small farm near Allaire State Park. It’s a different world. Nothing bothers you. Nothing hurts you. You are in the moment with the animal. I try to get out there a couple of times a week for half-hour rides. When riding, it’s relaxing. When you are competing, you are forced to get outside your regular life.

– Jennifer M. Bredehoft, Vice President, Recruitment, Alumni Relations & Communications, Lead New Jersey (pictured at left)

 

Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.

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Newsmakers

Will Morey, president and CEO Morey’s Piers, the family-owned amusement park in Wildwood, has been reappointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board for a third term.

Jeffrey Knight

As Jennifer Shimek transitions to a new leadership role at KPMG LLP, the company announced Jeffrey Knight will succeed her as office managing partner in Short Hills. Effective March 1, Knight will be responsible for the strategic direction and growth of KPMG’s practice in Essex County. The office boasts nearly 944 partners and professionals. Knight brings 25 years of experience at KPMG to the role.

Former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Lee A. Solomon has joined Archer & Greiner's Business Litigation Group. Solomon has served in all three branches of government, as a member of the state Assembly, a cabinet member serving as president of the Board of Public Utilities, and in the judiciary.

Vicki Walia

Vicki Walia has been named chief people officer at Newark-based Prudential Financial, effective March 31. Walia will succeed Lucien Alziari, who will retire after serving as in the role for eight years. Currently, Walia leads human resources for the company’s U.S. businesses and PGIM, Prudential’s global asset management business.

The Bank of America Board of Directors appointed Maria Martinez as a director. Martinez formerly served as a senior executive at Cisco Systems. She has also held leadership positions at Salesforce Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Motorola Solutions and AT&T Bell Laboratories.

American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., announced that Denise Venuti Free, formerly senior director of communications and external affairs for New Jersey American Water, has been appointed vice president of external communications.

June Ann Garafano

Saint Peter’s Healthcare System named June-Ann Garafano its vice president and chief human resources officer. Prior to joining Saint Peter’s, Garafano served as ministry chief human resources officer for Trinity Health of New England’s physician enterprise medical group and St. Mary’s Hospital in Connecticut.

RWJBarnabas Health appointed Roshan Hussain to serve as its new chief data and analytics officer. Hussain previously served as chief data officer at the University of Kentucky HealthCare.

Thomas Edison State University named Matthew Cooper vice president for Integrated Technology and chief technology officer. Cooper previously served as chief technology officer and associate vice president of organizational learning at TESU.

Prager Metis, a global accounting and advisory firm with a heavy presence in New Jersey, announced that Joseph Rosoff was promoted to principal in the Tax Department and Matthew Iandolo was promoted to principal in the Private Wealth Services Department.

Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center earned an 'advanced comprehensive stroke program' certification, the hospital announced. The achievement, recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, is the highest level of certification for hospitals that treat complex stroke cases.

Dr. Steven Stylianos, a nationally renowned pediatric surgeon, will join RWJBarnabas Health as system director for pediatric surgery and surgeon-in-chief at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital in New Brunswick. Stylianos also will be a professor of surgery in the department of surgery and chief of the division of pediatric surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Steven Menna has joined advisory and tax firm Withum, as a partner in its Financial Services Group. Menna will lead the firm’s national alternative investments expansion with a concentration on the southeast and southwest regions.

Delta Dental awarded a $100,000 grant to the Brookdale Community College Foundation that will provide scholarships, equipment and job placement support for students in the college’s dental assistant and dental radiology programs. It is one of the largest contributions the dental education program has ever received, Brookdale said.

Inspira Health announced that Julie Ellis is assuming the role of senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Ellis will succeed Anneliese McMenamin, who is retiring. Since joining Inspira Health in 2021 as vice president of human resources, Ellis has significantly enhanced the organization through focused employee recruitment and retention efforts.

Inspira Health appointed Ruth Bash to serve as senior vice president and chief experience officer. Bash will focus on patient and family engagement, workforce experience, quality improvements within clinical processes, and communication and advocacy for a high-quality patient experience.

JPMorgan Chase, in a continuing effort to increase home ownership across the state, announced it is making a $1.1 million investment to eight nonprofit organizations to help Increase and preserve the state’s affordable housing supply and support people on the path to homeownership. The investment is primarily targeted to Newark's Clinton Hill neighborhood.

Rizco, a woman-owned marketing agency in New Jersey, was named an honoree in the '2024 NJBIZ Empowering Women – Companies Leading the Way' awards program. The program celebrates over 40 New Jersey-based organizations promoting women’s empowerment and advancement through strategic and impactful initiatives.

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