NJBIZ Scene

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BACK TO COLLEGE The Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Educational Foundation held its scholarship reception for nontraditional students at the home of Florence Forgotson, front row, third from

left, the first woman lawyer in Monmouth County and a chamber member for more than 70 years. Pictured with her in the front row are Maria Sanquini of Rumson-Fair Haven Bank & Trust Co. in Rumson and foundation director; scholarship recipients Dana Tango, Krista Keleigh, Deborah Horan, Emily Hayes, Jennifer Christensen and Jessica Hubbard; and Lynda Rose, chamber president. In the back row are Karolyn Wray, director of Murphy Realty in Rumson; scholarship recipients Kristen Chandler, Kevin Hall and Kaitlin Wolkom; William Stratton, director of Nova Financial Consulting in Avon-by-the-Sea; and Paul Brooke, director of Legg, Mason, Wood, Walker in Shrewsbury.

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AFFINITY FOR LEARNING Affinity Federal Credit Union in Basking Ridge presented $15,000 in scholarship awards to seven graduating high school students. CEO John Fenton, fourth from left, is pictured with 2004 Affinity Scholarship Awards recipients Vani Kilakkathi of Union County Magnet High School, Ravi Verma of Marlboro High School, Flora Wu of Hillsborough High School, Matthew Sutton of Neshaminy High School and Evan Parker of Mamaroneck High School in New York.

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FUNDRAISING CEREMONY J.G. Petrucci Co. in Asbury held its first "Crossing Borders" awards luncheon to honor women in real estate and economic development from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The event, held at the Perryville Inn in Perryville, raised $30,000 for the Displaced Homemakers Network of New Jersey and New Choices/New Options in Pennsylvania. Pictured are Jane R. Ervin, Lehigh County executive; Jim Petrucci, president of J.G. Petrucci Co.; and Hillside Township Mayor Karen McCoy Oliver.

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GROW UP GREAT The PNC Financial Services Group gave interactive educational kits to preschoolers at a function celebrating the "PNC Grow Up Great" program, which seeks to improve school readiness. Pictured are PNC CEO Jim Rohr and state education Commissioner William L. Librera.

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BAJA HEADS NORTH Baja Fresh Mexican Grill opened its first northern New Jersey location in East Hanover. From left: East Hanover Township Councilman Thomas Vitiello; Councilwoman Susan Tietjen; Councilman John DePola; Mayor William Agnellino; Baja Fresh East Hanover president Warren Leeds and restaurant partner Harvey Doliner; and Eric Witmondt of shopping center owner Woodmont Properties.

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TOURISM TOUTED The Ocean County Tourism Advisory Council received the Silver Gull Award for tourism leadership from the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council. Pictured holding the award with Ocean County Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, who serves as the county's tourism liaison, are past chairs Maria Lynn Maruca, who is the director of the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District, and Michele Klemm, co-owner of the Pasta House in Jackson and a realtor with Weichert Realty.

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SOUTH JERSEYANS HONORED Three prominent southern New Jersey citizens received the South Jerseyan of the Year Award from the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers-Camden during a Celebrating South Jersey event. Now in its third year, the event, held at the Renault Winery in Egg Harbor, honors leadership contributions to the region. The 2004 awards were presented to Wallace Barr, CEO of Caesars Entertainment in Atlantic City; Debra DiLorenzo, president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey; and Assemblyman Joseph Roberts Jr. (D-Camden), New Jersey Assembly majority leader.

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SAVINO GIVES Joseph M. Savino, center, managing partner of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Savino Financial Group in Princeton, made a donation to fund an interview room in Rider University's Career Services Center. Savino, a long-time member of Rider's College of Business Administration advisory board, has recruited several Rider graduates to work for his firm. Pictured with him are Mordechai Rozanski, president of Rider University, and Joanne Savino, executive director of recruiting, Savino Financial.

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TOP VOLUNTEER Megan Hale, a 2004 graduate of Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, was awarded Kennedy Memorial Hospitals' Laurel Auxiliary Jr. Volunteer Scholarship. The $2,000 scholarship is given annually to a junior volunteer at Kennedy's Stratford Hospital who plans to pursue a health care-related career. Megan will attend Rutgers University in Camden as a nursing major this fall. Pictured with Megan; are Joseph W. Devine, Kennedy's vice president of hospital services; and Betty Ward, Laurel Auxiliary vice president.

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TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP Moser, Patterson St Sheridan, a Shrewsbury intellectual property law firm, has instituted a $5,000 scholarship to be awarded annually to a senior graduating from High Technology High School in Lincroft who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the school's engineering curriculum. Christopher Dellin, this year's winner, received the check from Ray Moser, head of the law firm.