Annie D'Agostino, Author at NJEDA

By Katie Eder/NJBIZ
8/7/2012

Though there are currently thousands of job seekers and a wealth of job openings in the state, employers continue to have difficulty locating workers with the skill sets they need most.

To help businesses narrow down their resume search, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development has launched an online tool through its Jobs4Jersey effort that “acts like a human resources service” for small businesses that “have neither the time nor the money to handle” skill-specific Web searches for workers, Labor Commissioner Harold J. Wirths said at a demonstration for business leaders at Public Service Enterprise Group’s Newark headquarters today.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s next public Board Meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 36 West State St., Trenton, NJ 08625. A copy of the proposed agenda can be found prior to the meeting at www.njeda.gov/Board. Following the Board Meeting, minutes and the full agenda will also be available at www.njeda.gov/Board.

A meeting of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the Tinton Falls Municipal Building, 556 Tinton Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ. Formal action may be taken at this meeting. A copy of the proposed agenda can be found 48 hours prior to the meeting at the websites of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority: www.nj.gov/fmera, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority: www.njeda.gov.

By Kelly Roncace/Gloucester County Times
August 6, 2012

When the recession hit the country approximately five years ago, many New Jersey residents lost their jobs, businesses closed up and people began to suffer financially.

While the situation has started to turn around, the economy is far from stable.

However, the state government has recently created an agency and partnership that can assist businesses in starting, growing and expanding in New Jersey.

Michael Van Wagner, executive director of the New Jersey Business Action Center, said the BAC was initiated in late 2010 and has already helped create more than 50,000 jobs in the state.

By Katie Eder/NJBIZ
August 2, 2012

While the New Jersey Business Action Center’s call center has assisted more than 43,000 business owners since its inception to help the state grow, retain and attract businesses and jobs, its lack of Spanish-speaking staff has prevented the state’s 68,377 Latino-owned businesses from accessing the center’s resources and services.

To break through the language barrier and provide answers to these business owners, the BAC has begun to supply Spanish-speaking representatives at its call center.

“It is imperative to our economy that these business owners have full access to the valuable resources we offer,” Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said in a statement, noting Latino-owned companies in New Jersey currently earn a combined $10.1 billion in revenue. “The addition of a dedicated Spanish language service ensures that our commitment to counseling all New Jersey business owners is fulfilled.”

A Special Meeting of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) has been scheduled for Monday, July 30, 2012 at 2 p.m. at the EDA offices at 36 West State Street, Trenton. A copy of the proposed agenda can be found prior to the meeting at www.njeda.gov/Board. Following the Board Meeting, minutes and the full agenda will also be available at www.njeda.gov/Board.

Contact: New Jersey Economic Development Authority
(609) 858-6687

TRENTON, N.J. (July 25, 2012) — After twenty years leading the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), Chief Executive Officer Caren Franzini has tendered her resignation effective September 30, 2012. A special EDA Board of Directors meeting was held today in order to inform the Board, as well as take action regarding an Executive restructure following Ms. Franzini’s departure this fall to pursue private sector opportunities. In her place, the Board of the EDA voted to approve a new Executive structure that would include Governor Christie key advisor and senior staff member Michele Brown taking on the new role of Chief Executive Officer.

“I have had the unique pleasure to serve the people of New Jersey in a tremendously rewarding job for over two decades, and now, with the EDA entrusted with so many tools for economic growth and positioned for continued success, I have decided it is time to move on to a new phase in my career,” said Ms. Franzini. “EDA is a special place with a dedicated and talented staff that will be especially hard to leave, but I have deep comfort in the knowledge I am leaving it in good hands with staff I have worked with for many years, as well as new leadership with a demonstrated level of commitment and integrity.”

EDA Chairman Al Koeppe noted, “I have had the opportunity to work with Caren and the EDA for over 20 years, including my two terms as the Chairman. For all of that time, and under her leadership, the EDA has been a source of pride for the State. The distinguished high performance of this Authority has been achieved during volatile economic times, through changes in political leadership and the natural ebb and flow in the composition of its highly technical workforce.

“It is clear that, in Caren, the EDA had a very unusual leader who was able to function very effectively at the strategic level as CEO, as well as a highly technical operating level as a COO. She had the energy and deep skills to fill both roles superbly. But that doesn’t mean that the EDA’s organizational structure, given her departure, would be ideal, particularly given its dramatically increasing responsibilities.”

During today’s special Board meeting at the Chairman’s recommendation, the Board voted to approve a new Executive structure that would include a Chief Executive Officer, with a new, position of President/Chief Operating Officer. The Board’s approval included the appointment of Michele Brown as the EDA’s new CEO, tasked with providing oversight of the Authority’s strategic direction, sound ethical and governance processes, and the tools and resources necessary for the EDA’s economic development mission.

Ms. Brown currently serves as the Appointments Counsel to Governor Chris Christie, and in that role has provided strategic and legal advice to the Governor and Cabinet, in addition to working closely with the New Jersey Legislature. A graduate of Drew University and the Georgetown University Law Center, she has had a long and distinguished career serving the U.S Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey. During her 18 years of service, she advanced to the position of Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney, responsible for the management and operation of a 300 employee office, including direct supervisory responsibility for each of the major prosecuting divisions at various times. Ms. Brown specialized in white collar cases, including corporate, bank, health care and securities fraud, tax and money laundering efforts.

“On behalf of the entire State of New Jersey, I want to thank Caren for her effective leadership of the EDA. I have enjoyed working with her and will miss her a great deal,” said Governor Chris Christie. “I want to congratulate Michele Brown on her appointment. She is a person of great intellect and integrity. While she will be missed in the Governor’s office, I am confident she will lead the EDA with her honest, open and effective style to even greater heights.”

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno added, “In my role overseeing the Partnership for Action, I have worked closely with Caren and her team, and I look forward to continuing our very successful working relationship with EDA’s senior management, led by Michele, to continue creating jobs and advancing business growth in New Jersey.”

The Board also acted to appoint EDA’s Senior Vice President of Finance & Development Timothy Lizura to the new position of President/COO. In this role, Lizura will provide leadership of the EDA’s business operations, overseeing management of the EDA’s incentive and financing program portfolio, real estate development, as well as the Authority’s financial and accounting matters.

“In working with the Board and EDA staff, Tim has played a significant role in developing the Authority’s portfolio of incentive programs that are now regarded as the most creative, effective and fiscally sound in the country,” said Mr. Koeppe. “I have the utmost respect for his abilities in overseeing the business development activities and financial oversight of the Authority.”

An additional personnel change designed to ensure the continued strong performance of the organization included the announcement that EDA’s Senior Vice President for Governance & Communications Maureen Hassett will replace Mr. Lizura as the Senior Vice President of Finance & Development.

A Special Meeting of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the EDA offices at 36 West State Street, Trenton. The Members will meet to discuss and act upon a request pertaining to organizational and operational matters.

By Hugh R. Morley/The Record
July 23, 2012

* He says agency puts state “in the game.”

Bernard “Bernie” Flynn has been a New Jersey deputy attorney general, counsel to the state’s commissioner of insurance and a CEO.

Yet his latest job, as board chairman for Choose New Jersey, the non-profit organization charged with buffing the state’s image as a place to do business, could be his most challenging.

Flynn, whose day job is president and chief executive officer of West Trenton-based NJM Insurance Group, replaced the first Choose New Jersey chairman, Dennis Bone, president of Verizon New Jersey.

Flynn’s appointment came a few days after CNBC released its annual business-friendliness ranking, which found New Jersey’s climate had worsened to 41st best in 2011 from 30th.

Flynn takes the chairmanship of an agency created by Governor Christie in 2010 to market the state to the world. It’s funded by 15 companies that each contributed $450,000 over three years, and works closely with Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the state’s business czar, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The newly minted chairman took time to answer some questions from The Record:

By Katie Eder/NJBIZ
July 23, 2012

As one of the 150,000 small-business owners in New Jersey missing out on potential customers through a Web presence, Jonathan Gratz has wanted to build a website for his Marlton-based gas products supply store, South Jersey Hearthside, but lacked the staff, resources and time to launch and maintain one.

However, an initiative launched today by New Jersey’s Business Action Center, Google Inc. and Intuit Inc. aims to give small-business owners like Gratz the tools to create a free website and increase their business online.

“There’s a misperception among small-business owners that it’s expensive, difficult and time consuming to launch a website, when it’s actually free and easy,” said John Ploumitsakos, director of small-business engagement and advocacy at Google. “Once a small-business owner puts their company online, they realize they’ve been missing out on additional opportunities for customers. They realize the in-person customer really starts with an online search.”

According to Ploumitsakos, Internet users spend $2,000 on average in a brick-and-mortar store as a result of researching a product or service online, so if the state’s small businesses take advantage of the New Jersey Get Your Business Online initiative, they will see a revenue boost from increased traffic in their stores.