NJ Today: Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Wednesday, May 16

Gala honors commercial real estate leaders

More than 800 attendees turned out to honor the Garden State’s commercial real estate community at NAIOP New Jersey’s 31st Annual Awards Gala on May 10. The black tie event, held at the Palace at Somerset Park in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, recognized the achievements of leading professionals and organizations and the state’s most impactful transactions of 2017. NAIOP New Jersey awarded its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to Jon F. Hanson, chairman of The Hampshire Companies. Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac received the Caren S. Franzini Public Partner Award. The Impact Award was presented to Mack-Cali Realty Corporation CEO Michael J. DeMarco and Jeffrey J. Milanaik, partner, Northeast Region with Bridge Development Partners. Stan Danzig, vice chairman of Cushman & Wakefield, received the Industry Service Award. Visit naiopnewjersey.wildapricot.org.

Middlesex Chamber to recognize 5

The Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce will recognize five individuals and businesses that leverage their standing in the Middlesex County business community to fulfill a calling for social responsibility. The Community Leaders of Distinction awards and dinner reception will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at the Pines Manor, 2085 Lincoln Highway, Edison. Honorees include Vinnie Brand of the Stress Factory Comedy Club; Gabriel Lavigne of UBS; Yezenia Ramos of Johnson & Johnson; Windy White of Edison Job Corps; and the Rotary Club of New Brunswick. “It’s one thing to be a leader in your industry, but to be stand out in both your profession and emerge as a community leader is quite another feat,” said Lina Llona, president, Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Go to mcrcc.org or call 732-745-8090 to purchase tickets. 

Pasta Night for Special Olympics NJ on May 31

An All-you-can-eat Pasta Night, in which 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Special Olympics New Jersey, will be served from 4 to  10 p.m. Thursday, May 31, at Ellery’s, 701 Lincoln Blvd., in Middlesex. Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased at Ellery’s and the Middlesex, Dunellen, Bound Brook and Piscataway police departments. Live entertainment will be provided by Squad 5 Band. Special guests are former Rutgers football player, Eric LeGrand; former Philadelphia Eagles player L.J. Smith and East Coast Dirt Modified Driver Ryan Godown. Call 732-356-2444 or visit EllerysGrill.com.   

Readington schools dedicate solar installation

Readington Township School District, in its continuing efforts to be environmentally friendly and promote a culture of sustainability, embarked on a project in 2015 to bring solar power to the schools. After two years of research and planning, construction began in September 2017. A ribbon cutting was held on May 9. Visit www.readington.k12.nj.us.

New logo, website

Ames Goldsmith Corporation, an integrated silver fabricator which has made three domestic and overseas acquisitions since 2013, has developed new branding to reflect the company’s expanded capabilities. The firm, which has a location in South Plainfield, has unveiled its new corporate logo and launched a new website incorporating the new brand identity and its expanded product portfolio. Visit www.amesgoldsmith.com.

Linden fifth-graders put $80,000 grant to use

Representatives from the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery visited School No. 1 on May 10, to see in action the fifth-grade science kits that the company donated through an $80,000 grant to Linden Public Schools. The kits are part of the Full Option Science System (FOSS), a research-based science curriculum for Grades K-8. Fifth-grade students throughout the district complete three kits each year, studying life science, physical science, and earth science. The grant from Phillips 66 totals $80,550. Each kit includes books and materials to conduct investigations. The students learn to take notes on their investigations and have discussions on their findings. Visit www.linden.k12.nj.us.

North Plainfield school to host Holocaust exhibit 

North Plainfield Middle School’s annual Holocaust/Genocide Open House will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 17. Students and staff will be on hand to serve as docents for an exhibit unique to New Jersey, according to a school new release. This is a museum in a school, created by the school, constructed by the school and for everyone in the community. In addition to abundant printed information, there are memorabilia and artifacts from concentration camps and ghettos, and music of the World War II time period. The sections of the exhibit explore such topics as: Eugenics, Propaganda, Newspapers, Modern Genocide, Literature of the Holocaust and the theme of The Outsiders. This year’s exhibit also will feature two re-enactment segments courtesy of the Bronx County Historical Society: Women in War and Italy in World War II. This exhibit is free and open to the public. North Plainfield Middle School is at 34 Wilson Ave,, North Plainfield.

System-wide patient transportation 

RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH) is launching a system-wide initiative with Uber, the ride-sharing platform. Using Uber Health, a HIPAA-compliant dashboard,  patients utilizing RWJBH facilities will have access to on-demand and pre-scheduled rides to travel to and from medical appointments. Visit www.rwjbh.org.

‘Chamber Night at the Ballpark’ on May 22

The Somerset County Business Partnership will join other Central Jersey Chambers of Commerce on Tuesday, May, 22, for “Chamber Night at the Ballpark,” a networking event at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater. With the Somerset Patriots playing the Sugarland Skeeters at 6:35 p.m., members of chambers seeking new business contacts will enjoy a Ballpark barbecue and a professional baseball game. Doors open at 5:35 p.m. Tickets are $28 and include the Ballpark barbecue and ticket to the game. To purchase tickets, go to www.somersetpatriots.com/tickets/groupportal; click on “Group Portal Login” and enter password Chamber 18. Contact the Patriots at 908-252-0700 or the Somerset County Business Partnership at 908-218-4300.

Vacation Bible School

Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, 279 Route 202/206, Pluckemin, will conduct its 2018 Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, July 9, through Friday, July 13. All children ages 4 (by Sunday, July 1, 2018, through grade 6 (Fall 2018) are welcome. Cost: $50 for the first child, $40 each additional child. Register online at PPCH.org or pick up forms in the church office. Registration deadline: Sunday, June 10. No refunds after Sunday, June 10. Questions: Email Chris Staffin at Staffin-d-clc@att.net.

ISM-NJ wins award 

ISM-NJ (NJ affiliate of Institute for Supply Management) won the “Affiliate of the Year Award” at ISM’s National Conference last week in Nashville, Tennessee. ISM-NJ placed first out of 105 affiliate organizations from across the country. This award caps ISM-NJ’s 63rd year as an affiliate of the Institute for Supply Management, a national organization for procurement professionals. Visit www.ismnj.org.

Travel advisory this week

Construction activities for the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission’s I-78 Bridges and Approach Slabs Rehabilitation Project are requiring a series of lane restrictions in the eastbound and westbound directions along I-78 near the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border during the week of May 14. For more information on the I-78 Bridges and Approach Slabs Rehabilitation Project, go to www.drjtbc.org/project/I-78.

Foundation announces grant recipients

The Provident Bank Foundation (PBF) announced the recipients of its First Cycle 2018 Major Grants, totaling more than $200,000 for projects and programs across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Central Jersey recipients of PBF’s First Cycle 2018 Major Grants include: New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (Essex and Middlesex Counties) — $7,000 in funding; The RWJ University Hospital Foundation (Middlesex, Monmouth, and Somerset Counties) — $10,000 in funding; The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, and Warren Counties) — $20,000 in funding; State Theatre New Jersey (Middlesex County) — $25,000 in funding. Visit www.theprovidentbankfoundation.org or call 862-260-3990.

Unity Bancorp gets top ranking

Unity Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: UNTY), the parent company of Unity Bank, was the top-ranked New Jersey community bank on the American Banker magazine list of the Top 200 Publicly Traded Community Banks. Unity was ranked 19th nationally on the  industry list, which reviewed 633 institutions throughout the U.S. Visit www.unitybank.com or call 800-618-BANK (800-618-2265).

READ: NJ Today: NJ Today: Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Tuesday, May 15

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