(Courtesy of NJJBA) On Thursday, February 15, the North Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) hosted its first-ever Economic Development Forum, GROWinNJ at St. Peter’s University in Jersey City. Over 100 participants joined in to hear about the advantages of doing business in New Jersey and about the many incentives and benefits available for New Jersey businesses. Many of the attendees came from businesses currently outside of New Jersey, especially New York State where growth options are more limited, and are thinking seriously about moving to New Jersey in the next year or so.

Event Chairman Maksim Sheyn, senior vice president at Investors Bank and a member of the board of directors of the NJJBA, opened the event by thanking the sponsors and presenters and stated, “The great state of New Jersey has a lot to offer businesses of all types, sizes and industries. Logistically it’s tough to find a better place than New Jersey.”

David Rosenberg, founder and executive director of the Alliance, welcomed the guests to New Jersey and announced that the “Alliance will now also assist out-of-state businesses when choosing New Jersey. We have a wonderful team and many resources for your business to ease the process.”

The forum was comprehensive and information-packed for businesses expanding in or moving to New Jersey, with each speaker addressing a different angle. Michele Brown, president and CEO of Choose NJ, discussed the advantages of the state of New Jersey, and Bill O’Dea, Hudson County freeholder and deputy director of Elizabeth Development Company, and Ted Zangari, Esq., chair of the real estate department at Sills Cummis & Gross, spoke about the different incentives for businesses expanding in or moving to New Jersey and how things may soon change. Tom Coughlin, president and CEO of BCB Bank, told the audience about small business banking and EDA loans, and Richard Mirliss, managing partner of Colliers International-New Jersey, spoke about the real estate aspect of a move, explaining how warehouse space in Northern Jersey is becoming more limited due to the fact that so many businesses are moving in to the state.

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