New Providence Business Community Holds Successful Business Bash

by Michael M. Shapiro, The Alternative Press

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – Over one hundred New Providence business owners packed Creative Wallcoverings & Interiors on Wednesday night for the New Providence Business Bash, a networking event and awards presentation that also featured the unveiling of a new logo and marketing for the New Providence business community, New Providence Business:  Small Community, Big Choices.

Summit Medical Group was presented with the Corporate Neighbor Award while Investors Bank was named Business of the Year.  The New Jersey Sharing Network won Humanitarian Business of the Year.

Michelle Brugger, President of the New Providence Business & Professional Association, told the attendees, “you are what helps make New Providence a great place in which to work, live and have fun!”

She noted that the New Providence Business & Professional Association provides scholarships at New Providence high school, and organizes and funds the summer concert series, Farmers Market, and Independence Day fireworks and festivities, among other contributions.

Gary Kapner, founder of the New Providence Business & Professional Association and Councilman in New Providence said, “I am thrilled to see how many people turned out for tonight’s event.  It shows just how involved our business community is in our town and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

In unveiling the new logo and marketing for the New Providence business community, Barbara Singer of Different by Design, who designed the new logo, said that the concept is to shop locally and come to New Providence while also attracting new businesses to New Providence.  She said that the logo and marketing is about linking the community to the business community.

Jimmy Vardas, President of the New Providence Downtown Improvement District and owner of the Prestige Diner, said “Besides the unveiling of our new logo and the awards given out, tonight’s event proves the great relationships between New Providence business owners. It was almost like attending a friend’s party where all knew each other and the “new” guests were welcomed as part of the family. It all proved that we a true Business Community and not just business owners in a great town.”

Elefante Music supplied the entertainment for the event while Paolo’s Kitchen catered it and Creative Wallcoverings & Interiors hosted it.

Read full article & view photos!

The Fireworks Will Go On in New Providence…

Investors Bank Donates $10,000 to New Providence Independence Day Celebration.

Investors Bank stepped up to the plate on Thursday, April 18, and delivered a homerun for the Borough of New Providence and its residents, donating $10,000 to the New Providence Independence Day Committee to fund the Fourth of July fireworks this year.  Daniel White, Vice President and Market Manager for investorsBank, who recently joined the company, told TheAlternativePress.com, “We look to continue to support the Borough of New Providence and surrounding communities.  We view ourselves as active community partners.”

This is not the first time that investorsBank has financially supported the event, which is a mainstay in the Borough for young and old alike.  While traditionally, fireworks on the Fourth of July had been funded by the Borough through tax dollars, when the recession hit, many town governments, including New Providence, eliminated funding for the event rather than financially burden taxpayers.  Since then, in New Providence, with the assistance of the Borough, the New Providence Business & Professional Association (NPBPA) took over planning and organizing the event and investorsBank came on board as the primary sponsor and funder for the past several years.

Ted Kapuscinski, Chair of the New Providence Independence Day Committee and member of the NPBPA, said, “We are very grateful that investorsBank is the major sponsor of this event.  The NPBPA is about giving back to the community and investorsBank has been consistently supporting our community for years.  Without such support, this event would not happen.  And without the support of the NPBPA and other businesses, other cherished events in our town would likewise not occur.”

“Both the NPBPA and investorsBank are about giving back to the community.  It’s a perfect partnership for everyone involved.  Our residents need to understand that the more they shop in our local businesses, the more resources we have to give back to the community,” said Jimmy Vardas, President of the New Providence Downtown Improvement District (NPDID) and owner of The Prestige Diner.

New Providence Councilman and founding member of the NPBPA, Gary Kapner, said, “I’m pleased to see that investorsBank once again is sponsoring our Independence Day fireworks celebration.  I’m thrilled to see the level of community involvement continue to grow on the part of the NPBPA and our local business community.”

Michelle Brugger, President of the NPBPA and owner of Martial Arts for Life in New Providence, concluded, “The New Providence business community does so much for the Borough but it takes businesses like investorsBank to provide what is really needed to make the Borough’s events such a huge success.”

- Michael M. Shapiro with The Alternative Press

 

Community Wellness Awareness Day April 27, 2013

 

On Saturday, April 27 (from 9 am to 2 pm), Murray Hill Health & Racquet Club will host a Community Wellness Awareness Day!

This day is designed to promote community interaction and recreation as well as wholesome wellness and prevention. There will be many vendors and local businesses on hand to promote wellness and prevention at the Murray Hill Health & Racquet Club facility for a family fun day of entertainment, healthy food and drink, and lots of information and seminars on what total wellness looks like! This includes recreational activities and extracurricular activities for children. It is also an Open House event for the club, completely FREE services, including group fitness classes, body assessments, and more.

Murray Hill Health & Racquet Club is located at 593 Central Avenue in New Providence and will be holding events both indoors and outdoors.

Join us in a celebration of community and wellness!  Come see other local businesses that are involved, support your community, and enjoy a family fun day of health and wellness!

Please mark your calendars and set the date for Saturday April 27 from 9:00 am-2:00 pm. I look forward to seeing you there!


To all New Providence Business & Professional Association Members who wish to participate: You choose how involved you wish to be!

By choosing to be a participating business, your logo will be added to the event’s flier. These fliers will be distributed to our 15,000 plus database via email blast, to all participating vendors/businesses, as well as email blasted to all participating vendors/businesses databases. Marketing is well underway and I believe this event will not only be great for the community, it will be great for the growth of our businesses!

Contact Betsy Shinkle at info@murrayhillclub.com, 908-665-1141 if you are interested in becoming a represented business/vendor at our event!

 

General Meeting: Tuesday, Apr. 23

THE NP BPA will hold its next quarterly meeting on Tuesday, April 23rd at the Allstate/Ana H Galindo Agency at 172 South Street in New Providence.  Some topics of discussion for this meeting will be:

  • 2013 Farmer’s Market
  • NP Business Community Business Bash on May 1st

Networking begins at Allstate/Ana H Galindo Agency at 5:30 pm.  The meeting will start at 6:00.  Hope to see everyone there!

PLEASE RSVP BY CALLING 908-598-2532 and leave a message, or email us at communications@npbpa.com.

We would like to thank Allstate/Ana H Galindo Agency for hosting this meeting!

 

All New Providence Businesses Invited to Attend Business Bash on May 1st

The New Providence Business Community is proud to sponsor a Business Bash on Wednesday, May 1, 2013.  All New Providence business owners, operators, or managers of both large and small business and corporations are encouraged to come and enjoy some refreshments, meet other local business owners, and learn more about the New Providence Business Community and what it can do for you and your business.  The Business Bash will begin at 5 PM at Creative Wallcoverings & Interiors, 560 Central Avenue in New Providence.

The New Providence Business Community serves its members and supports the local community by funding and operating numerous community events and activities.  They also hold membership meetings to inform, educate, and create a forum for members to exchange ideas and experiences in order to build a proactive and vibrant business community. If you are a New Providence business owner or employee who would like to be more involved, or for more information, visit www.NewProvBiz.com.

 

New Providence DAY OF SERVICE – Saturday, May 18th

Day of Service - NewProvidence 05-18-2013What is this all about?

Saturday, May 18, 2013 will be a Day of Service in New Providence. Local residents will have an opportunity to participate in several planned service events, which will benefit local agencies and also generate a pay-it-forward gift for the Newtown Fund (supporting victims of the December 14th tragedy and their families).

How Does it Work?

Local residents (kids and their families) are invited to participate in a Day of Service from 9am-12:00noon.

Several service projects will be set-up, and people can volunteer multiple places throughout the morning. Sponsors will donate $5 per participant to the Newtown Fund ($500 max per sponsor). The total amount will be sent as a gift from New Providence to Newtown. Additional donations may also be given by participants. The event will be promoted through the Recreation Department’s Community pass system, flyers, posters, e-mail blasts, social media, and via press releases to local news outlets.

Schedule of Events

  • Making Lunches for Bridges Outreach~Kids will decorate bags and make the lunches. [9am–11am]
  • Bingo with Seniors~Kids will play Bingo with Seniors. [10am–11:30am]
  • Jump Rope for Newtown~Kids will jump rope at their own pace. [9am–12pm]
  • Making Cards for US Troops~Kids will make cards, which will be sent to US Troops through Bonds of Courage. Bonds will also be collecting summer items for the Troops (baby wipes, sunscreen and chapstick) at this location.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Businesses have an opportunity to participate in New Providence’s first Day of Service project. Sponsors will receive:

  • Logo on all posters, flyers and promotions of the event
  • Mentions in press releases, as available
  • Opportunity to feature your products at the event (for use in project, or as Bingo prizes)
  • Tax receipt for your donation to the Newtown Memorial Fund

Sponsors are asked to donate $5 per participant (suggested maximum of $500 or another amount designated by you). Individual donors also welcome.

Have a Question?  Need Additional Information?

New Providence’s Day of Service will be a great way for our community to come together, do some good deeds in town, and pass it on to Newtown and the many beneficiaries of the projects. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, beneficiary, or volunteer group, please contact NPBPA member, Lisa Barfield lisa@clearpointdesigns.com, or Allison Smith w.smith5@verizon.net.

* The Newtown memorial Fund is a 501c3 charity whose mission is to create a sustainable fund to provide for the immediate and ongoing needs of those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, to construct a physical memorial honoring the lives lost on December 14, 2012, and to establish academic scholarships to honor those lost in this tragedy for future generations of Newtown students.

Fundraiser for Boy Scout Troop 368

Coppola’s Ristorante is hosting a fundraiser for Boyscout Troop 368, and all you have to do is eat.

To participate, simply go to Coppola’s Ristorante on Wednesday Feb 20, 2013 with the attached flyer and a portion of your meal cost will go to Boyscout Troop 368.  You must bring a print-out of the flyer to participate.

Click Here for the flyer and complete contest details!

 

NPBPA Recognized by State of NJ at New Providence Council Reorganization Meeting

by Jason Cohen, The Alternative Press

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – In tough economic times, maintaining a successful business is a challenge and, in New Providence, one organization that does its best to help local businesses thrive is the New Providence Business and Professional Association. Since it began in 2006, it has helped the downtown grow and flourish and on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, at the Town Council reorganization meeting Assemblyman Jon Bramnick recognized these efforts with a resolution from the State of New Jersey.

Bramnick, who attends meetings often in the 16 towns in his district, said he was quite impressed with the work done by the NPBPA.

“In New Jersey we really encourage these kinds of business organizations to work with local businesses,” he said. “They’ve done a terrific job.”

The work that Michelle Brugger, the President of the NPBA, and Jimmy Vardas, a board member of the organization and President of the DID in New Providence, do is phenomenal, he said. The assemblyman said he enjoys going to their meetings because it is important to find out what is going on locally, hear their concerns and do his best to support them.

In his 10 years as a legislator, there is nothing he loves more than helping people, he said.

“The closer you are to the ground, the better you are as a legislator,” Bramnick said.

Vardas, who is the owner of the Prestige Diner, accepted the resolution and was elated the NPBPA was honored. While he knew Bramnick was going to recognize them, actually receiving the accolade was a great feeling, he said.

“Everyone in the organization has worked hard to be where they are today,” Vardas said. “Downtown New Providence is growing and improving each day,” he added. “Anyone that shops there can see its beauty and he hopes this award will cause more people to get involved.”

“We have done a lot,” he said. “We work together; we have common goals and everybody’s behind the community.”

Brugger could not contain her excitement.  “I think this is amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be president.”

Holiday Party for the Borough of New Providence

Normally the NPBPA sponsors the Annual Holiday Party for the Borough of New Providence around mid December. However, Super Storm Sandy wrecked extreme havoc on the Jersey Shore, and caused considerable hardship here in New Providence as well.

Therefore, instead of having the usual Holiday Party, we are going to have a special reception at 8:00 pm on Monday, January 7, 2012 at the Senior Citizens Center. In addition to expressing our appreciation to all of the employees and volunteers dedicated to the Borough, we will also recognize and honor all of those who helped New Providence through this extreme storm. Proceeds of the event will be donated to the Community Service Association of New Providence (CSA). CSA is a New Providence based non-profit organization that helps New Providence residents through tough times.

A number of our local restaurants have volunteered to provide the food for the reception, so the majority of all sponsorships will be donated to CSA.

There are 3 levels of sponsorship …

Hosts – $500.00 – will be included on the community invitations, the NP Business Community Website and will have the opportunity to post a banner at the event.

Sponsors – $250.00 – will be included on the NP Business Community Website and will have their names on the welcome signs at the event.

Helpers – $100.00 – will be included on the NP Business Community Website.

Please let us know if you can help. All members of the Business Community (the New Providence Business & Professional Association and the New Providence Downtown Improvement District) will be invited, along with all Borough employees and volunteers.

Checks can be made payable to: New Providence Business & Professional Association and mail to: NP BPA, 360 Elkwood Avenue, New Providence, NJ 07974

Thanks for your support.

Michelle Brugger
NP Business & Professional Assoc

Jimmy Vardas
NP Downtown Improvement

For additional information, or to talk to someone about becoming a sponsor, please contact Pam or Joe Steiner at 908-598-2532 or send an email to jsteiner@organizationresources.org.

 

Prudential New Jersey Properties Hosts “Get Your Lights On” Holiday Light Contest!

Is your home all decked out to celebrate the holiday spirit?  Consider submitting an entry for this year’s “Get Your Lights On” Holiday Decorating Contest!

To Submit a Unique Home, Email Mike DelDuca at Mike.DelDuca@PrudentialNewJersey.com with a Photo and your Contact Information! The Winner Receives a $200 Donation to the Charity of Their Choice!

Click Here for complete contest details!

 

Did You Know…?

2013 Farmers Market

The Farmers Market has moved!  This year’s Farmers Market will been open each Wednesday from June 12 through the end of October. The market runs from 12 – 6 PM, rain or shine, in its NEW location: at the Presbyterian Church at New Providence, right on Springfield Avenue.

Become a Member

Help support your community and fellow business owners by becoming a proud member of the NPBPA.

Member Highlights

The New Providence Independence Day Celebration continues to be a popular NPBPA event and has been generously sponsored in the past by NPBPA member Investors Bank.

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