NJMEP Selected as a “Champion of Good Works”

The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. was named a “Champion of Good Works” by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) at its recent Chairman’s Reception saluting corporate philanthropy.

More than 200 business executives attended the gala reception at the Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack. Martin Kafafian, chairman of the CIANJ board of directors, presented the trophies to 31 businesses. “For most of these companies their donations, kindness and community outreach are part of their corporate culture — their mission,” said Kafafian, who is also a managing member of the Beattie Padovano law firm in Montvale. “The public at large is often unaware of the magnitude and scope of the good works. This reception is our way of shining a spotlight on “Companies that Care.”

NJMEP is a member of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network. MEP is a Federal-State-industry partnership that provides small and medium sized U.S. manufacturers with access to technologies, resources, and industry experts. To learn more about NJMEP visit NJMEP.org.

The CIANJ is a statewide business advocacy organization based in Paramus. It represents more than 900 member companies from every business sector. The associations asked businesses to tell stories of their good works and more than 85 responses were given. These accounts and pictures are featured in a special “Companies that Care ” section in the March issue of COMMERCE Magazine, the media arm of the association.

A panel of judges reviewed all the submissions and selected 31 champions. The judges included: Cathleen Davey, executive director of the Ramapo College Foundation, John Galandak, president of the CIANJ, Jackie Lue Raia, assistant director of the NJ Sharing Network, Cindy Myer, the owner of Ridgewood Moving Service who also serves as president of the board of the Center for Hope and Safety; Jacey Raimondo, executive director of the Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County, Judi Stewart, an ambassador with the CIANJ Human Resources Council, and Tom Toronto, president of Bergen County’s United Way.

Along with the champion, the CIANJ also honored a family-owned Midland Park men’s clothing store for its “Extraordinary Good Works.” Over the past five years Sal Lauretta for Men organized a fashion show raised more than $460,000 for Eva’s Village, a social service agency in Paterson that provides food, shelter and counseling to those in need.