CIANJ AND COMMERCE MAGAZINE TEAM UP TO RECOGNIZE ENTERPRISING WOMEN IN COMMERCE
Clifton, NJ (August 17, 2022) – The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) and COMMERCE magazine hosted their second annual Enterprising Women in Commerce Awards Reception – paying tribute to the achievements, determination and dedication of a select group of women.
Forty-three women were recognized as Enterprising Women in Commerce in their respective industries. Five women received the One to Watch Award, including Aiyana A. Goldberg, Associate, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (CSG); Kate E. Janukowicz, Director, Commercial & Criminal Litigation Group, Director of Professional, Development, Retention, and Associate Recruitment, Gibbons PC; Teri Capparelli, Executive Director and ReStore Director, Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County; Olga Vargas, Marketing Project Manager, NJMEP; and Amanda Sexton, Founder and Principal, FocusWorks Marketing.
Platnum Awards were presented to eight women, including: Robyn Casabona, Sr. Director of Finance, NJMEP; Patricia K. Costello, Managing Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (CSG); June M. Inderwies, Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Gibbons P.C.; Deborah Visconi, President and CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center; Jackie Luciano, Vice President, ZAGO Manufacturing Co.; Linda Ziemba, Founder and CEO, AeroDefense; Mindy Sayres, PG, LSRP, Principal and Senior Vice President, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.; and Karen Garrera, Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Officer, Lakeland Bank.
The reception, held at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, was attended by over 160 people. The highlight of the morning included inspirational keynote addresses from New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver and Adi Adair, CFO of Triple 5 Group/ American Dream.
“These Enterprising Women in Commerce inspire and encourage others daily and are leaving their mark in their chosen professions,” said Anthony Russo, President of CIANJ. “CIANJ and COMMERCE magazine are thrilled to be able to come together to honor these women who truly deserve to be in the spotlight for their accomplishments.”
CIANJ is a statewide business advocacy organization, representing more than 900 corporate members from every industry sector. The organization asked the business community to nominate women they thought should be recognized. These nominations became a special section of the August issue of COMMERCE magazine.
“This award program grew out of CIANJ’s Women in Commerce Forum that creates networking, educational and philanthropic opportunities to female members of the association,” said William Hanson, President, NAI Hanson, and Chair of CIANJ’s Board of Directors. “I congratulate these women who are achieving extraordinary heights in their careers and are inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
The women honored as Enterprising Women in Commerce included:
Accounting
Elizabeth (Liz) Harper, CPA, Member of the Firm, Director of the Employee Benefits Plan Audit Practice, and Director of Quality Control, SobelCo
Engineering & Architecture
Lynn Spence, Senior VP and Chief People Officer, T&M Associates
Jayne Warne, President, Matrix New World Engineering
Environmental
Tracy Straka, Executive Vice President, Creamer Environmental
Kristin Hatton, Partner/Business Administrator, Clean Vapor LLC
Michele Zolezi, General Manager – Pure Soil, A Division of Earle & Environmental Affairs Executive – Earle Companies
Financial Industries
Kathleen Regan, Senior Vice President, Investors Bank
Carrie LaSpina, Vice President | Client Connections Center Director, ConnectOne Bank
Healthcare
Veronica Diaz, Director, Consumer Market and Sales Support, AmeriHealth New Jersey
Carin Hep, Small Group and Individual Programs Sales Director, Delta Dental of New Jersey
Higher Education
Jodi Bailey, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs, New Jersey City University
Human Resources
Meredith Gatzke, VP of HR and Organizational Develop
Laura Crothers Osborn, CEO and Founder, Crothers Consultingment, Bergen Community College
Corinne Collina, Human Resources Manager, Earle Companies
Infrastructure
Karen Mantzouranis, President, Main Street Movers
Marilyn Grabowski, President, Atlantic InfraRed, Inc.
Legal
Christine A. Amalfe, Chair, Employment & Labor Law Group, Gibbons P.C.
Agnes Antonian, Chair, Environmental Practice, Connell Foley
Snehal Batra, Esq., Managing Attorney & Nachman, Phulwani, Zimovcak (NPZ) Law Group, P.C.
Ludka Zimovcak, Esq., Managing Attorney & Nachman, Phulwani, Zimovcak (NPZ) Law Group, P.C.
Manufacturing
Julie Basello-Holt, Marketing Multimedia Specialist, Radwell International (also One to Watch)
Alexandra Groezinger, President, Groezinger Provisions (also Platinum)
Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, CEO & Co-Founder, ZAGO Manufacturing Co.
Marketing
Ilene Greene, President, Marketshare Communications
Lori Murray, Director of Communications and Marketing, YWCA Northern New Jersey
Non-Profit
Teresa (Terry) Connolly, CEO, nourish.NJ
Real Estate & Development
Christina Jordan, Director of Marketing & Leasing, Denholtz Properties
Anne Remley, Vice President of Marketing, NAI James E. Hanson
Melissa Nascimento, Creative/Marketing Director, Larken Associates
Pharmaceuticals/Life Sciences
Ann Lee-Jeffs, Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability, Modern Meadow (also Tech)
One to Watch Award
Aiyana A. Goldberg, Associate, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (CSG)
Kate E. Janukowicz, Director, Commercial & Criminal Litigation Group, Director of Professional, Development, Retention, and Associate Recruitment, Gibbons PC
Teri Capparelli, Executive Director and ReStore Director, Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County
Olga Vargas, Marketing Project Manager, NJMEP (also manufacturing)
Amanda Sexton, Founder and Principal, FocusWorks Marketing
Platinum Award
Robyn Casabona, Sr. Director of Finance, NJMEP (also manufacturing)
Patricia K. Costello, Managing Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (CSG)
June M. Inderwies, Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Gibbons P.C.
Deborah Visconi, President and CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Jackie Luciano, Vice President, ZAGO Manufacturing Co.
Linda Ziemba, Founder and CEO, AeroDefense
Mindy Sayres, PG, LSRP, Principal and Senior Vice President, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.
Karen Garrera, Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Officer, Lakeland Bank
About CIANJ
CIANJ is a unique network of businesses committed to improving and advancing the cause of free enterprise in the Garden State. Our focus sets us apart from other organizations and provides the basis upon which we work to make our state a better place to live, work and conduct business.