The Edge for February 2023
We asked N.J. Chamber of Commerce members to talk about the tools that make them more productive at the office or in their home office. Check out what they said below.
I Take (a Picture of) My Kids to the Office
When I am in the office, the most important tool I have is a picture of my two kids! In September 2021, our firm began using a reservation system for seating in cubicles and offices, so I carry this picture back and forth. It makes me smile and feel comforted since family makes the world go round! When I work at my home office, generally one day a week, my most important tool is a scented candle. I light it in the morning and it is calming and a special perk.
– Diane Wasser, Partner, Audit & Assurance, EisnerAmper LLP, Partner, Eisner Advisory Group LLC
Weekly Monday Meetings Get Everyone on the Same Page
Our weekly Monday meetings are important to me. After all, good productivity requires good communication. Our agency starts each Monday morning with a stakeholder meeting where we review that week’s priorities. It insures that all of our leaders are on the same page regarding what is needed for our clients and for our team. It’s a great way to align, check in on how everyone is doing and kick off the week. Our agency also utilizes Microsoft Teams, which helps us stay on the granular level of internal communication throughout the day in our ‘work from anywhere’ hybrid model.
– Rachel Schulties, COO, Marketsmith, Inc.
My List of Things to do is High Tech and Shareable
My role as COO requires me to think ahead. I get into the zone by breaking my weekly/monthly lists into smaller lists of critical priorities and items to be considered later. I’ve always been a whiteboard/notepad person when it comes to staying organized. When the pandemic and remote work limited my whiteboard access, I shifted to notepads and notebooks – and have recently made the jump to spreadsheets. This latest organizational evolution has the benefit of easily sharing my thoughts with my team.
– Lori Acker, Senior Vice President, COO/Operational Transformation, Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut
In-Person Collaboration Works Best for Me
One of the lessons I learned from the pandemic is the importance of in-person collaboration. While tools such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom are useful, the practice of law works better for me when I can connect in person with my colleagues. I believe that the ability to talk through issues in person leads to better work product for clients. Moreover, mentoring junior attorneys is an important part of what we do, and that is far more effective when done in person. I am excited about our firm’s move to a new office because we added significantly more collaboration space, which should bring a renewed energy to our practice.
– Dennis M. Toft, Member of the Firm, Chair, Environmental Law Group, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC
Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.
NJ ChamberEdge Archive
- N.J. Executives Share the Office Tools They Can’t Work Without
- This Holiday Season, N.J. Chamber Members Pay Tribute to Their Mentors (Fourth Annual)
- N.J.'s Most Seasoned Business Reporters Discuss Inflation’s Impact on Midterm Elections, What a Recession Feels Like, and Whether Hybrid Work is Here to Stay
- Explore What Workers Want. Always be Interviewing. Stress Opportunities to Advance. We Asked N.J. Business Execs: How are You Managing the Labor Crisis?
- Keep it Intriguing. Keep it Real. And Flash Your Expertise. We asked N.J. Execs: How do You Keep Your Social Media Updates Interesting?
- The Business Books NJ Executives are Reading, and the Lessons they are Learning
- Flexible Schedules, Healthy Atmosphere, Competitive Salaries. We asked N.J. Execs: How do You Retain Employees These Days?
Newsmakers
Public Service Electric & Gas officials announced that the utility is lowering gas bills for its residential customers by 23%, effective Feb. 1.
The College of New Jersey President Kathryn Foster donated $250,000 to TCNJ in order to create the Kathryn A. Foster Distinguished Visitor Series – a means to attract high-profile and diverse speakers to campus.
Ralph Izzo, the former CEO and chairman of Public Service Enterprise Group, has been named an honorary lifetime member of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce board of directors, the Chamber announced.
United Airlines is buying 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with the option to purchase 100 more new jets that will fly its longest routes and replace less fuel-efficient, decades-old planes. The massive order is a big boost for Boeing from one of its largest customers and comes as United has returned to profitability after the pandemic’s travel slump. The carrier has lately added more international flights thanks to a rebound in demand. United said its order was the largest wide-body sale to a U.S. carrier.
Longtime N.J. Chamber of Commerce Board member Gary Horan, whose career in health care includes the growth and oversight of Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth and its acquisition by RWJBarnabas Health, announced he is retiring as CEO effective April 14. Horan came to Trinitas in 2001.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s philanthropic arm announced that it awarded more than $1 million in grants to 34 nonprofit organizations in the fourth quarter of 2022. This brings Horizon Foundation’s total grants in 2022 to $2.1 million, benefiting 67 groups.
As part of its nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide and support student success, the AT&T Foundation granted $215,000 to organizations in New Jersey in 2022. One of the organizations receiving a grant ($20,000) is the N.J. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Jobs for America’s Graduates NJ program, dedicated to helping youth graduate high school and make successful transitions to post-secondary education and employment.
Carolyn Welsh, the new CEO and president of NJ Sharing Network, announced New Jersey’s number of organ donors, 283, and organs transplanted in a single year, 670, reached all-time highs in 2022. These are significant increases over the previous records of 233 organ donors and 613 organs transplanted. It marked the fourth consecutive year NJ Sharing Network has reported new records in the number of organ donors.
RWJBarnabas Health announced several new hires and some transitions to new roles. Frank Pipas has been named as executive vice president, CFO; and Balpreet Grewal-Virk has been named senior vice president, community health. In addition, several executives have transitioned to new roles, including Indu Lew, chief of staff to Mark Manigan, president of RWJBarnabas Health; Robert Adamson, executive vice president and chief information officer; and Robert Pellechio, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer.
New Jersey American Water recently announced two promotions. Denise Venuti Free, previously director of communications and external affairs, was promoted to senior director of the department. Chelsea Kulp was promoted from manager of external affairs to senior manager of government and external affairs. Both will continue to oversee communications, issues management, media relations and customer education.
Walmart announced that it is raising the minimum wage for its retail store employees to $14. It's about a 17% increase in salary for these workers, who stock shelves and provide customer service. Store employees throughout the U.S. will make between $14 and $19 per hour starting in March. This is an increase from the current wage range of $12 to $18 per hour.
Volunteers from Wells Fargo’s New Jersey and New York offices teamed up with the Bristol Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for a corporate volunteer day. They assembled 150 care packages for patient caregivers and painted a multipurpose room.
The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) collected $35,628 in online monetary donations — its second highest — and 2,727 pounds of nonperishable items for its 13th annual food drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center recently unveiled a new treatment facility that expands neurological care in Monmouth and Ocean counties. The $2.2 million, nearly 10,000-square-foot Dr. Robert H. Harris Neuroscience Treatment Center houses experts in neurological diseases and conditions and is part of Hackensack Meridian Health’s Neuroscience Institute.
Catherine Tung, a former senior adviser to Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and the former associate executive director of the Assembly Majority Office, has joined McCarter & English as a member of its Government Affairs practice, the firm announced.
The OceanFirst Foundation awarded $40,000 to the Brookdale Community College Foundation, giving it the opportunity to provide 40 $1,000 scholarships to deserving students.
Seton Hall University named Mary Kate Naatus to the position of assistant provost and dean of continuing and professional education. Naatus came to Seton Hall from Saint Peter’s University, where she has served for 12 years, including the last five as KPMG Dean of the Frank J. Guarini School of Business.
Macrosoft was proud to be certified by Great Place to Work®. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Macrosoft. This year, 98% of employees said it’s a great place to work. This is a full 41 points higher than the average U.S. company.
