NJ ChamberEdge
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsor
Business Insights & Inspiration
Business Insights & Inspiration
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsor

The Edge for October 2019

An Exclusive Article for NJ ChamberEdge

Job Candidates

It’s not easy to lead. So we asked business executives to tell us the key qualities commonly found in good business leaders. The secret sauce, so to say. Their answers boil down to three things: Inspire, empower and deliver. Read what the business execs said:

 

Daniel SchwartzInspire and Empower

When leaders effectively communicate their vision, it inspires; when they pair that vision with accessibility, it empowers. Successful organizations are driven by leaders with strong communication skills, an open door policy and a compelling vision for the future. These qualities set a tone that motivates existing employees and attracts dynamic new talent; promotes collegiality; and nurtures a ‘one-firm’ mentality where all personnel march in lockstep toward a common goal.

– Daniel A. Schwartz, Managing Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

 

Gary HoranDon’t Micromanage

Successful management boils down to just a few concepts: Show leadership; be open to new ideas; and no matter how great the temptation, do not micromanage. Let those with ideas freely pursue them.

– Gary S. Horan, President & CEO, Trinitas Regional Medical Center

 

Brydget Falk DriganBe Authentic

Operate with integrity and transparency. No one wants to work for someone they don’t trust, or they believe is motivated solely by their own interests. If you want to lead people, truly care about them. Invest in building relationships, coaching, teaching and empowerment. Be authentic. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. You’re most relatable when you are yourself versus someone intimidating and unwelcoming. Focus less on proving why you’re in the leadership role, and more on motivating others to succeed.

– Brydget Falk-Drigan, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, Peapack-Gladstone Bank

 

Paul MardenDeliver on Promises and Build Trust

Every leader casts a huge shadow and the best ones have high standards of integrity. Leaders need to deliver on promises and build trust. In any business, if a customer buys your product, they trust that they are going to get what they paid for. Integrity and genuine interest in the company’s success are significant factors in successful leadership.

– Paul Marden, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of New Jersey

 

Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.

Search the Edge Archive

Newsmakers


Hackensack Meridian Health has received a $125 million donation from an anonymous benefactor, the largest gift ever given to a New Jersey health system. The money will support an expansion of Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City. At the donor’s request, a new pavilion will be named for John K. Lloyd, the network’s former co-CEO who died in February 2024.


Bergen New Bridge Medical Center has named Dr. William Holubek chief medical officer. Holubek, an emergency medicine physician by training, brings more than a decade of executive experience, previously serving as chief medical officer of Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida. He also held the role at University Hospital in Newark and served as vice president of medical affairs and CMO at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.


The Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation has received a five-year, $3.7 million federal grant to expand lung cancer screening among high-risk populations.


RWJBarnabas Health and Monmouth Medical Center have opened a new 'Food Farmacy' at Monmouth Medical's Alexander Pavilion. It's the health system’s sixth location providing patients with nutritious food and individualized nutrition counseling.


Rutgers University and RWJBarnabas Health launched the Rutgers/RWJBarnabas Health Innovation Hub, powered by Amazon Web Services. Based at the Health and Life Science Exchange in New Brunswick, the hub will bring together students, clinicians, researchers and tech experts to address health care challenges.


Three New Jersey children’s hospitals have earned top rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 Best Children’s Hospitals list. Hackensack Meridian Health’s Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, considered as a single entity, tied for No. 1 in New Jersey with The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (part of RWJBarnabas Health). Atlantic Health’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 6 in the NYC region.


Princeton University and NJIT have been named New Jersey’s top-ranked private and public universities in TIME magazine’s inaugural 'America’s Best Colleges 2026-2027' rankings. Princeton landed at No. 4 nationally among all 500 ranked schools; NJIT came in at No. 95 overall and No. 38 among public institutions nationwide, making it the state’s highest-ranked public university on the list.


Stockton University has completed a $24 million expansion and renovation of the Richard E. Bjork Library and Learning Commons at its Galloway campus. The project, which took two years, was completed in time for the fall 2026 semester.


Montclair State University has opened a virtual reality learning facility in partnership with Dreamscape Learn. The center is designed to expand experiential learning and prepare students for digital media careers.  


United Airlines has launched a time-saving benefit for customers: the ability to order food, drinks and other travel essentials in advance through the United app and have their order waiting at the gate.


The UMC Foundation has promoted longtime staff members Gary Engelstad to senior director of giving and Rebecca Roe to senior foundation director. Engelstad, with more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit senior housing and philanthropy, will focus on donor relationships and corporate sponsorships. Roe, who joined the foundation in 2013, will oversee strategic planning, staff management and cross-functional coordination.


Jennifer D’Angelo has been named interim president of the New Jersey Innovation Institute, an NJIT subsidiary founded in 2014 to accelerate technology development and connect private enterprise with university resources. D’Angelo will assume the role Sept. 21.


Novo Nordisk said it is rebranding its name to "Novo" and updating its corporate culture. Novo also announced a broader company rebrand focused around the phrase "Lasting Health Starts Now," which promotes the idea that patients should make progress toward long-term well-being immediately rather than later.


The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) has launched its 17th food drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Organized by the NJCPA’s Emerging Leaders Council, the food drive runs until Nov. 16.


JAG Physical Therapy has opened new clinics in North Brunswick, Old Bridge and Whiting, expanding access to rehabilitative and orthopedic services in Middlesex and Ocean counties. The additions bring JAG’s regional footprint to more than 180 locations.


Debra Rosen, a partner at Archer, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Honorable Joseph M. Nardi Jr. Distinguished Service Award from the Rutgers Law School-Camden Alumni Association. Rosen, who has spent 40 years at Archer, focuses on environmental and toxic tort litigation, compliance and due diligence. She serves on the firm’s Board of Directors and Equity and Inclusion.


Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis has formed a new practice team focused on legal services related to data center projects. Led by Barbara Koonz, the team can serve as lead counsel or as local New Jersey counsel for national and international law firms and developers.


Secaucus-based Quest Diagnostics has partnered with Apple to allow Apple's Health app users to purchase and schedule biomarker testing through the platform later this year. The service will offer a $119 laboratory panel measuring 50 biomarkers related to organ function and cardiometabolic health.