Table of Contents

6 Farewell from the Chair

8 CCSNJ Elects New Board Leadership

12 Second Day of Service

20 Chamber Events

26 Regional Economic Perspective

32 Healthcare Forum

38 Point/Counterpoint

40 Chamber Sponsors

41 Member Search

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ADVOCATE

Volume 1 | Number 3

Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey

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FAREWELLfrom the Chair

As 2024 comes to a close, so does my term as chair of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey’s Board of Directors.

It has been an exciting two years filled with great programming, new initiatives and high-exposure opportunities for our members. The standard of excellence our Chamber holds itself to has translated to an even stronger organization, with more than 1,200 companies as active members.

Behind the scenes, our directors and officers were also busy helping mold and approve an updated strategic plan for the Chamber which was unveiled late last year. This updated strategic vision includes a new pillar focused on education and workforce development, an added emphasis on inclusivity and equitable economic growth, and stays true to our forever priorities around membership growth, retention and benefits.

Additionally, the Chamber recently unveiled a restructuring of its existing charitable foundation, the South Jersey Chamber Foundation, which is a
tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. This exciting announcement came after 18 months of work to expand the foundation’s mission and vision, assuring that the Chamber and its business partners will be well-positioned to give back to the South Jersey community for many years to come.

Moving forward, the foundation will continue, as it has done for the past 36 years, to operate the South Jersey Summer Institute for Educators, a professional development program for South Jersey-based educators, while also raising funds to distribute micro-grants for South Jersey small businesses in need. The relaunch of the foundation has been a labor of love, and one that I was proud to oversee and be a part of during my tenure as chair.

Now in my final days of serving, I am honored to turn the role over, on January 1, to my dear friend and colleague, Robin A. Walton, chief philanthropy officer and senior vice president of external affairs at Inspira Health. Robin’s intellect, passion and enthusiasm, as well as her contacts throughout the state, are unmatched, and I am certain that the Chamber will continue to grow and thrive under her leadership as chair.

Thank you to the entire Chamber membership and leadership team for your support over the past two years. I look forward to seeing you at a future event soon and continuing to work with you to ensure our Chamber and the South Jersey region remain strong.

Deborah Hays
Partner & Chair
Archer & Greiner, P.C.

CCSNJ

Elects New Board Leadership

On December 12, CCSNJ held its annual meeting to elect a new slate of board officers and to elect and re-elect directors to its board of 65 regional leaders. The election, a key governance event for the organization, has brought together a diverse and skilled group of individuals committed to advancing the Chamber’s mission.

At the meeting, the Chamber recognized its outgoing Chair Deborah A. Hays, Esq., partner and chair of Archer & Greiner, P.C., for her leadership of the board for the last two years. She will now serve as the immediate past chair and as a lifetime member of the board of directors. The membership elected the fourth female and first-ever African American chair, Robin A. Walton, chief philanthropy officer & senior vice president of external affairs for Inspira Health. Robin has been an active member of the Chamber for over a decade serving as chair of the Chamber’s State Affairs Committee and as a co-chair of the DEIB Advisory Board. Robin joined the board of directors in 2018 and was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Board in 2019.

Anthony DiFabio, Psy.D., president & CEO of Acenda Integrated Health, will serve as vice chair of the board after serving on the executive committee for four years and the board since 2020.

VICE CHAIR FINANCE & TREASURER

Kimberly A. Brandley, CPA

Partner

CohnReznick, LLP

SECRETARY

Liz Thomas

CEO

Thomas/Boyd Communications

VICE CHAIR, MEMBERSHIP

Denise V. Monahan

Executive Vice President and President of PA & SNJ

Wilmington Trust

VICE CHAIR,
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

David R. Mayer

Director of Government Affairs

New Jersey American Water

VICE CHAIR, SPECIAL EVENTS & MARKETING

Anthony Bawidamann

Vice President of
Government Affairs

Comcast

VICE CHAIR, EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Michael Angulo, Esq.

Chief Officer for Government Relations, Title IX & EEO

Stockton University

•  Jeffrey Brown, Vice Chair & President, NFI

•  Gregory Carlisle, Commercial Market President for South Jersey/Coastal New Jersey, TD Bank

•  Kate Gibbs, Deputy Director, Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative 825

•  Sarah Jones, Esq., Director, Government Affairs, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

•  Marcela Ospina Maziarz, Vice President for Community and Government Affairs, Thomas Edison State University

•  Charles V. McFeaters, P.E., Chief Nuclear Officer, PSEG Nuclear

•  Anthony Mongeluzo, President, PCS

•  Nichelle Pace, Vice President, Camden Business Association

•  Kimberly Reed, Chief Transformational Officer, The Reed Development Group

•  John Rogers, Esq., Director, Legislative Affairs, NJM Insurance Group

•  Mike Sepanic, Vice Chancellor for Governmental and External Affairs, Rutgers-Camden

•  Brent "Bubba" Schomer, President, South Jersey Gas

•  Kevin Sheehan, Esq., Shareholder, Parker McCay P.C.

•  Gerard Velazquez, III, President & CEO, Cumberland County Improvement Authority

•  Amanda Burns, President of Private Label Division, Lassonde Pappas & Company

•  Rick Tousaw, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Holman

•  Daniel P. Keenan, Vice President, Business Development Executive, Conner Strong & Buckelew

•  Douglas Smith, Senior Vice President, Business Banking Regional Sales Leader, PNC Bank

•  Blegina Dimashi, District Manager-Vice President, Wells Fargo

•  Braxton J. Plummer, Senior Director of State and Local Affairs, Verizon

•  Jaci Kator, Regional Vice President, Corporate External Affairs, AT&T New Jersey

•  David Vitali, Public Policy Manager, DE/NJ/PA, Amazon

•  Peter C. Connolly, Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc.

•  Dr. Frederick Keating, President, Rowan College of South Jersey

You can view the Chamber’s full board at www.chambersnj.com/board-of-directors

CHAMBER MEMBERS GO ALL IN

On Second Day of Service

Earlier this year, a long-standing vision of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey was realized when its first “CCSNJ Day of Service” was staged. That extremely well-received event was followed in October by a second Day of Service. Now, chamber officials are hopeful these two events turn out to be only the start of a long tradition.

The CCSNJ Day of Service is open to all employees of the chamber’s approximately 1,200 member companies. In May, 10 non-profits were involved in the Day of Service, while the October 21 event drew eight.

“We just started the tradition this year,” said Meredith Lorrilliere, executive vice president of the chamber. “It’s really part of our commitment to Southern New Jersey. This is one of the ways the chamber seeks to enlist its corporate members to give back to the 125 non-profit organizations that are part of the chamber’s membership.”

On October’s Day of Service, chamber corporate volunteers served at eight non-profits’ sites. Volunteers came out to staff painting projects and gardening projects, as well as efforts to restock and organize a senior living community’s library and to pack care baskets for people recently diagnosed with a rare medical disorder called Histiocytosis,

The Day of Service serves a vital role for nonprofits, said Annie Fox, chief development officer for Habitat for Humanity South Central New Jersey, based in Maple Shade. The organization partnered with the chamber for the first time in October’s event. “At Habitat for Humanity, we rely on volunteers for all of our work to get done, whether it’s building houses, doing repairs or working in our restores,” she said. “Being part of the event encourages a greater number of organizations and individuals to be partners with us, and in turn spread the word about all the great things we’re doing.”

On October 21, chamber volunteers worked at Habitat for Humanity’s Maple Shade Restore, a retail operation whose proceeds are used in the organization’s home building and maintenance efforts. “We brought businesspeople together to experience team building in a different light, all while working toward a good cause,” Fox said. “Days of Service are very important to us because they bring out greater numbers of people, and that makes a bigger impact than individual volunteers coming to us.”

Another nonprofit organization involved in the October 21 Day of Service was Camden-based Cathedral Kitchen. a nearly half-century-old organization that is the largest emergency meal provider in Southern New Jersey.

“Our mission is to help people out of food insecurity and champion their pursuit of stability and prosperity,” said the group’s Senior Development Director Noreen Flewelling, “Our other tagline is, ‘We use food to change lives.’ Anyone can come and receive a hot meal at our community kitchen.”

Cathedral Kitchen uses on average 2,600 individual unique volunteers a year, she added. Some may work as wait staff, helping serve the meals. Others may bus tables, plate meals or help guests at the organization’s market stand. And some volunteers are called on to make meat-and-cheese sandwiches that along with a piece of fruit and a granola snack go into the takeaway bags given to Cathedral Kitchen guests.

“Volunteers are the backbone of Cathedral Kitchen,” Flewelling said. “And today, we rely on them to help us serve the community. By being a part of the Day of Service, it not only helps that day, but raises the awareness of our mission throughout the year.

“I think raising awareness of the nonprofit community here in Southern New Jersey benefits all the worthwhile organizations we partner with to serve the same population. Someone who may work in banking or marketing may not be exposed to it. So, we really appreciate the exposure to the nonprofit community so people become aware of ways to help they may not have known existed.”

The first Day of Service in May drew a turnout that surprised even chamber organizers, Lorrilliere recalls. “I volunteered and we did a gardening project in a neighborhood,” she added. “When the residents of the neighborhood saw what we were doing, they pitched in to help. One of the things that surprised me was that we had members who don’t typically participate that much in chamber events that came out to participate in this process. It was a nice opportunity for us to engage members of the chamber.”

The chamber has high hopes of continuing a tradition that has begun on such an encouraging note this year. “The hope is we can continue this into the future and build it to serve a greater number of nonprofit organizations,” Lorrilliere said. “We also hope to engage more of our corporate membership.”

“It’s really part of our commitment to Southern New Jersey. This is one of the ways the chamber seeks to enlist its corporate members to give back to the 125 non-profit organizations that are part of the chamber’s membership.”

– Meredith Lorrilliere

CHAMBER

Events

2025 Signature Events

February 6 CCSNJ’s VIP Reception at Walk to Washington: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Omnia Shoreham Hotel, Washington DC

April 9 Legislative Reception: 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

May 1 50th Annual
Spring Golf Classic: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

August 7 Summer Soiree: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in Atlantic City

December 11 Annual Meeting & Holiday Party: 5:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the Legacy Club, Cherry Hill

Regional Economic Perspective

Atlantic County & Cape May County

How big were the tourism revenues in New Jersey’s southernmost counties last year? How many tourists typically arrive in summer months? And how do the counties find enough workers to serve tens of thousands of tourists arriving yearly? Those questions were addressed September 13 at Atlantic City’s Resorts Hotel Casino, when CCSNJ presented a Regional Economic Perspective breakfast, part of an ongoing series of panel discussions focused on the eight counties that make up Southern New Jersey.

Attended by more than 100 chamber members, the event shone a spotlight directly on the state’s two southernmost counties, Atlantic County and Cape May County.

Moderated by Stephanie E. Sanderson-Braem, partner at Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP, the panel featured Gary Musich, vice president of sales, Meet Atlantic City; Dr. Max Slusher, director of business development, Atlantic County Economic Alliance; Joe Molineaux, economic development program coordinator, Cape May County Planning Department; and Diane Wieland, director of tourism, Cape May County.

Between them, Atlantic County and Cape May County generate more than $16 billion in economic impact to the state. Atlantic County is currently seeking a consolidation of its messaging and branding. “Tourism corporations all separated years back, with leisure marketing handled by one group, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and meetings by Visit Atlantic City,” Musich said. “Our big initiative is to combine those organizations under one roof and with one message.”

Atlantic City is a meeting and convention market comparable to much larger cities, and its convention center performs as well as or better than those in markets of comparable size, Musich reported. More than 500,000 convention room nights were used in 2023, and Visit Atlantic City is expecting about the same for the entirety of 2024, he added. About 900,000 to a million people attended events in 2023, and that segment drove $300 million in economic impact into Atlantic City. “And that excludes concerts and similar types of events produced by the casino properties,” Musich said.

Also discussed was how to use different types of event settings within the city. An example is decommissioned Bader Field, the old city-owned public-use general aviation airfield. The 142-acre space hosts several yearly festivals, tournaments and races. It is a unique property due to its large size. “The question is how do we better use this kind of asset?” Musich said. “Beach concerts are great, and we will do them in the future, but we have to have other assets to provide a larger, more comprehensive portfolio of locations for events. It’s expensive to produce a beach concert, and the cost of doing business in a beach concert is higher than it might be at a different setting.”

The bottom line is Atlantic City is evolving, he noted. “The city’s messaging is changing, properties are still running high occupancy and we’re coming off a busy summer,” he said. “We’re now preparing for our next summer, and that’s why these Regional Economic Perspective breakfasts are important.”

Bordering Atlantic County to the south is Cape May County, one of the longest-standing seashore resort areas in the nation, Wieland said. Resort town Ocean City is the northernmost city in the county, Cape May City the southernmost.

The county is perhaps best known for its beaches, eateries, shopping and birdwatching.

“We don’t have casinos, but we do have hotels, motels and B-and-Bs, as well as short-term rentals,” Wieland said. “And 47 percent of all our dwellings are vacation homes and second homes. It’s very expensive to buy a home in the county.

“When we look at the lodging industry, made up of short-term rental and the hotels and motels, it’s a $3.2 billion industry. Tourism is the biggest economic driver in the county, with 58 percent of all jobs in the county supported by tourism,” she continued. “Ocean City is a dry municipality and a very family-oriented resort town.”

Cape May County stood second in the state last year with total direct tourism revenues of $7.7 billion, second only to Atlantic County with $8.4 million, Wieland reported. The county saw an increase in tourists, with 11.6 million compared to 2022’s 11.4 million. Those numbers are swelled by the huge volumes of tourists who arrive from the New York City and Philadelphia metro regions. To take care of all those visitors, about 5,000 J-1 visa-bearing international arrivals appear each summer to work in the resorts.

Just how much the county depends on tourism is revealed in population numbers. Cape May County’s wintertime population is 95,000, its summer population 675,000.

“For our little county, tourism is huge,” Wieland said. “We are a county tourism office and rightly so. On Memorial Day everything changes and stays that way until Labor Day. But we’re seeing more 55-and-older people coming here and staying longer. And a lot more people are coming Thursday through Monday, staying for longer weekends.”

“Tourism is the biggest economic driver in the county, with 58 percent of all jobs in the county supported by tourism.”

– Diane Weiland,
Director of Tourism,
Cape May County

HEALTHCARE FORUM

Spotlights Hospital Executives
& Policy Leaders

The evolving healthcare landscape in the South Jersey region is always of interest to Chamber of Commerce members. That’s among the reasons the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey Healthcare Forum was convened on October 2. During the half-day event at the Legacy Club in Cherry Hill, 150 attendees took part in an exchange of ideas with top executives from South Jersey’s largest healthcare systems, along with policymakers, industry experts, practitioners and a variety of other stakeholders.

Among the forum’s biggest highlights was its closing keynote address, delivered by Kaitlan Baston, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health.

“She spoke about the department currently emerging from the pandemic, and about new initiatives that are being undertaken at the state from the top down,” said Christina Renna, president and CEO of the chamber. “She also spoke about how the department collaborates with South Jersey’s health systems, and other providers of mental health and additional health services.”

The chamber has presented different versions of the Healthcare Forum for more than a decade, Renna reported. “Every year, the forum changes,” she added. “The speakers, the topics and the keynote presenters all change.”

The forum is open to all Chamber of Commerce members. “But those in attendance are often the executives running the region’s hospital systems, the engineers working on expansions of hospital systems, the pest control providers hoping to serve the hospitals once they are built,” Renna said. “They all have vested interests because they either work with South New Jersey healthcare or want to do business with those who do.”

The chamber designs the forum based on the evolving interests of members in healthcare in South Jersey, Renna said. “But we also make an effort to be forward-thinking in whom we feature and the topics we focus upon,” she added. “We want to give the audience not only topical information, but also a sense of what’s to come in the healthcare landscape in South Jersey.”

Among the luminaries attending the forum was the chamber’s Health Issues Committee Chair Ward Sanders, president of the Trenton-based New Jersey Association of Health Plans, who also served as the moderator of a panel. The association is a non-profit corporation created to serve its member health plans, with a mission of fostering an understanding of the value health plans contribute to the state’s health care system.

Sanders took the reins as the moderator of the panel’s first panel, entitled “Getting to Know South Jersey’s Hospital Leaders.”

Participating on the panel were Aaron Chang, PACHE, president of Jefferson Health – East; Michael Charlton, president and CEO of AtlantiCare; Amy Mansue, president and CEO of Inspira Health; and Dennis W. Pullin, president and CEO of Virtua Health.

“I’ve been a long-standing chair of the chamber’s Health Issues Committee, and I was tapped by the chamber because of my long-standing involvement in health care policy in New Jersey, and as a member and friend of the Southern New Jersey Chamber,” Sanders said. “Our organization represents the major health insurance providers, and they are key stakeholders in New Jersey, having a responsibility to participate in the dialogue.”

The hospital system leaders participated in the panel discussion with the goal of sharing their thoughts about the work they are doing, Sanders added. “In many cases, the hospitals are among the larger employers in these Southern New Jersey counties,” he commented. “Attendees included small businesspeople, architects, builders, health insurance providers, palliative care organizations and a pharmaceutical firm.”

It's important the hospital system leaders are introduced to the chamber’s members, Sanders added. These leaders can not only speak about their roles, but also about the healthcare trends they see moving forward. “They’re looking forward as major employers, as economic engines in their regions and as healthcare providers,” he said.

“One of the themes [at the forum] was that even though they are competitors, hospitals have a very cooperative spirit. The benefit of that cooperation really flows to the entire region. During their panel, the leaders expressed admiration for one another.”

The forum’s second panel was entitled “Getting to Know New Jersey’s Healthcare Association Leaders,” and was moderated by Lilo H. Stainton, healthcare reporter for N.J. Spotlight News/NJPBS.

The panel discussion’s participants were Cathleen D. Bennett, president of the New Jersey Hospital Association; Chrissy Buteas, president and CEO of HealthCare Institute of New Jersey; Lawrence Downs, Esq., CEO of the Medical Society of New Jersey, and the aforementioned Sanders.

Looking ahead, Renna said the Healthcare Forum convened next year must focus on addressing health disparities across Southern New Jersey. Discussed will be the need to create health equity in the region and address mental health struggles that have been prevalent since the COVID era, particularly in underserved areas. “Really anything in the behavioral space, but also access to care and making care affordable are the three things our chamber will look forward to addressing in the years ahead,” she said.

“...even though they are competitors, hospitals have a very cooperative spirit. The benefit of that cooperation really flows to the entire region.”

– Ward Sanders,
President, New Jersey Association of Health Plans

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

Featuring Members of the South Jersey
Legislative Delegation

QUESTION:

Transportation infrastructure, and specifically the region’s lack of access to reliable and affordable mass transit options, continues to be South Jersey’s top economic and workforce development obstacle. Do you foresee any improvements to the region’s transportation woes in 2026?

Greenwald:

I’ve long spoken about the dire need for public transportation in South Jersey, and we’ve made monumental strides toward addressing the region’s transportation challenges. Earlier this year, we reauthorized the Transportation Trust Fund, which not only creates thousands of good-paying union jobs for working families but is also projected to generate approximately $33.5 billion in economic growth over the next five years.

That being said, it’s clear that South Jersey residents and businesses, who rely more heavily on cars, bear a disproportionate share of our state’s infrastructure investment and maintenance, and we need to see a greater return on that investment by way of public transit projects. That’s why I’m thrilled about the transformative investments we’ve made in the new Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, which will serve as a regional transit hub, and the Glassboro Camden Line, an 18-mile light rail system, that will connect more workers with businesses across our region. Additionally, I want to expand the successful public-private micro-transit model we piloted with a company called Via to bring affordable first-last mile connectivity to more communities in South Jersey.

Testa:

Right now, NJ Transit is unfortunately a perfect representation of taxation without representation as it pertains to South Jersey. Every year our residents and businesses in South Jersey help prop up a state department that constantly fails. Even now with the newly implemented “Corporate Transit Fee”, NJ Transit is projected to have a deficit of almost $1 billion. When this fee was initially identified, Trenton Democrats stated it would sunset since it was a temporary COVID measure during the pandemic era. As I have learned from my time in the Senate, there is nothing so permanent as a “temporary” government program.

The current status for South Jersey residents remains that they are unable to utilize public transportation to get to work or travel to get basic healthcare. The nearest bus stop to Inspira’s emergency room is a 15-minute walk. That’s completely unacceptable if someone is injured, infirmed or experiencing a medical crisis.

Residents also need public transportation to get to work. Several casino owners are working on acquiring their own buses to get workers from Cumberland and Cape May Counties to Atlantic City. The current routes have multiple stops and the average travel time is 1.5 to 2 hours long. The need for continuous and reliable public transportation in South Jersey is a huge priority that has existed for decades.

QUESTION:

In recent years, the whispers have been growing louder about the possibility of casinos being built in New York. Given many of Atlantic City’s casino guests are from New York, are you concerned about the impact they would have should they become a reality?

Greenwald:

I take great pride in what Atlantic City has to offer. This city is much more than just gaming; it’s a vibrant vacation destination featuring shopping, beaches and family-friendly attractions. But, the reality is that while some patrons appreciate what this city has and will continue to visit, others may prioritize convenience. And the casino industry can only take so many hits. Atlantic City has, for decades, been the first to suffer during economic downturns and the last to recover.

This potential loss of New York casino guests only reinforces my belief that we must do everything possible to retain our current patrons. This includes a solution to casino smoking that protects the healthcare of patrons, workers and their jobs; the Atlantic City economy; and the critical social services to senior citizens and others that casino revenue supports statewide. I’ve long espoused the belief that Atlantic City must transform from a gaming city to a city with gaming. A perfect example of that shift is the “eds and meds” corridor we’ve developed with Stockton University and AtlantiCare. By investing in education and healthcare, we’re fostering sustainable economic growth and job creation, building a resilient city that isn’t dependent on a single industry.

Testa:

Yes, I am very concerned about the potential impact to our own casino industry in New Jersey. First, Atlantic City depends on the tax structure the casinos pay to support their residents, and the casinos are a huge employer for South Jersey, including many constituents in District One. The AC casinos employ over 20,000 people — if even one casino closes, that could be thousands of people out of good paying jobs,and careers with benefits.

In addition, the casinos pay into the Casino Revenue Fund which funds programs in at least 5 state agencies including NJ Transit. The casinos also spend millions of dollars every year on goods and services purchased from across the state. So, any negative impact on the casinos will be felt across the entire state of New Jersey. Vendors will lose business from the casino industry, people will lose their jobs and the funding for various state programs will unfortunately be affected. The NJDOL will be left to handle the aftermath of so many people losing their jobs, applying for unemployment and looking for new positions in a more crowded market.

We have already felt the impact of Pennsylvania opening the casinos. We do not need, and quite frankly cannot afford, another state interfering with one of New Jersey’s premier tourist sites and revenue generators.

QUESTION:

The new year brings a new budget cycle for the state of New Jersey and with it, Governor Murphy’s last budget as Governor. As we prepare for the new year, what are your predictions for the FY2026 state budget and its impact on South Jersey?

Greenwald:

I’m extremely proud of the investments we’ve made in South Jersey in recent years. We’ve established our state’s first and only veterinary school at Rowan University, set to welcome its inaugural class in fall 2025. We’ve created new offshore wind manufacturing facilities at the Port of Paulsboro and the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, generating a combined 2,000 well-paying, permanent jobs for South Jersey residents. We’ve prioritized the protection of the Jersey Shore — our state’s most cherished asset and a nearly $48 billion industry — by allocating $100 million to the Boardwalk Preservation Fund through legislation I sponsored, along with $50 million annually in the Shore Protection Fund for beach replenishment.

We’ve also made major investments in our workforce, with over $3.2 billion for higher education, and initiatives to support working parents. Looking ahead to FY2026, we will continue to support our property tax relief initiatives, including the ANCHOR program and the wildly popular StayNJ program. I’d also like to see us do more to stop the brain drain by expanding workforce housing options to include duplexes and accessory dwelling units and putting more power back into the hands of property owners by allowing smaller lot sizes to increase the supply of starter homes and create more homeownership opportunities for young families. Additionally, transforming vacant office parks and shopping malls into vibrant mixed-use developments will help ensure that young professionals can afford to stay and thrive here in New Jersey.

Testa:

The FY 2025 budget passed in June raises several concerns for me and should concern the people of New Jersey and my colleagues in the legislature. First, our budget this year has a massive roughly $2 billion structural deficit — meaning our revenues are not keeping pace with our record $56.6 billion spending. Where we once had around $10 billion in reserves at the beginning of 2024, now about $6 billion of that has been spent or will need to be spent by the end of the fiscal year to cover irresponsible spending. This is also coupled with new taxes and fees, like the “Corporate Transit Fee” — a continuation of the business surcharge that was allowed to expire, and businesses were told would stay dormant. However, with the irresponsible pork spending, and ballooning costs from programs like ANCHOR and STAY NJ, means we are staring over the fiscal cliff and are very close to going over. We need to reign in pork spending and pet projects — where we witnessed $600 million mysteriously added to the governor’s already massive proposal from February 2024. Further, and perhaps more importantly, we need to make sure we are paying for things that truly matter and are necessary — our schools and essential services and focusing on making New Jersey more affordable by cutting taxes and being more efficient in government, not by sending out rebate checks.

CHAMBER

Sponsors

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the following corporate sponsors that enable the CCSNJ to produce our annual programming and events.

Acenda Integrated Health

AmeriHealth

Anbaric Development

Archer & Greiner

Archer Public Affairs

AT&T

Atlantic City Development Corporation (AC DEVCO)

Atlantic City Electric

AtlantiCare

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind

Bancroft

Beechtree Marketing

Burton Trent Public Affairs

Campbell Soup Company

Cumberland County Improvement Authority

CGI

Ciaccia CPA

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Comcast

Comcast Business

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

Cooper University Health Care

Coperion K-Tron, Inc.

Creative Content OnDemand

Delta Dental

Doordash

ELEC 825

EMR Metal Recycling

First Harvest Credit Union

Five Below

Five Below Foundation

Flaster Greenberg

Fox Rothschild

Fulton Bank

Grassi Advisors & Accountants

Hempstead & Co.

Holman

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Hudson Community Enterprises

Hutchinson

Insperity

Inspira Health

Invenergy

IPAK

Isolved

Jefferson Health

Johnson & Johnson

Jingoli-DCO

KD Law

Leading Light Wind

Lockheed Martin

M&T Bank

Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox

Mannington Mills, Inc.

Mercadien

Mindset Strategies, LLC

New Jersey American Water

New Jersey Cannabis Association

NJEDA

NJM Insurance Group

NJMEP

OceanFirst Bank

Parker McCay

Paulsboro Refining Company

PCH Technologies

PCS

PhRMA

PNC Bank

Primepoint HR & Payroll

PS&S Architects & Engineers LLC

PSEG

PSEG Nuclear

Radwell International

Ravitz Family Markets

Republic Bank

Rizzieri

Rowan University

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine

Rutgers University - Camden

Samaritan

Senior Advisors, LLC

SJI

South Jersey Coping Clinic, LLC

South Jersey Gas

South Jersey Glass

South Jersey Port Corporation

South Jersey STEM Ecosystem

South Jersey Transportation Authority

Stevens & Lee P.C.

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young

Subaru of America

TD Bank

Thomas Edison State University

Tixforgood

TopGolf

Truist

United Airlines

Vanguard Building Solutions

Virtua Health

VOIP Doctors

Wells Fargo

Whitesell

Wilmington Trust

Withum

Worldwide Glass Resources

Workplace HCM

WSFS