The ping of driver meeting golf ball. The smell of fresh cut grass. The chirping of birds. And a beautiful golf course. This was the setting on May 15 for the 6th annual N.J. Chamber Golf Challenge, where business leaders plied their skill on 18 holes at the elegant Bedens Brook Club in Skillman.
Awards were presented to the top performing foursomes, but it was the networking that took place - at brunch, on the course and finally at an awards dinner reception - that made the day a success. "This was a great way to get to know each other better and to network with people representing diverse interests," said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the round of golf and the networking contacts, each participant received a series of gifts including a head cover, hat, golf shirt and a wood framed photo of his or her foursome as a keepsake.
James Benton, the director of the New Jersey Petroleum Council who served as chairman of the NJ Chamber Challenge, said the event has grown into one of the state's best golf outings, as evidenced by how quickly slots sold out. This year's golf outing was the NJ Chamber's biggest, with 128 golfers participating.
The Chamber Challenge trophy etched with the names of each year's champions remains on permanent display at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Trenton.
The winning team in the 'lowest gross' category was Rob Booth, John Ptasienski, Chris Naughton and John Hoch, representing Summit Health Management and Summit Medical Group.
The winning team in the 'lowest net' category was Tom Campo, Kevin O'Dea, Pat Pope and Bob Cosentino, representing New Jersey Natural Gas,
A special thank you to Investors Bank, the golf outing's premier sponsor.
For photos from the event, click on an image below:
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