Executive Moves: NAVAC, NCCDP, CBRE, Marketsmith Inc. and more

Executive Moves is an occasional feature on ROI-NJ.com describing some of the important personnel changes in the New Jersey business community. Reports are based on news releases, edited for content, clarity and style.

James Bowman, NAVAC North America

James Bowman, a 20-year industry veteran, has joined Lyndhurst-based NAVAC North America as regional sales manager, HVAC Tools. Bowman will oversee the company’s central sales region.

A global manufacturer of industrial vacuum solutions and HVAC/R tools, NAVAC recently launched North American operations in New Jersey with the goal of steadily expanding its footprint through a product portfolio of smart, automated solutions that make technicians’ jobs more efficient and intuitive.

An Army veteran, Bowman is an experienced manager, consultant, trainer, educator, sales team leader and speaker. He started his career as an install helper and worked his way up through service, sales, design and management positions. Most recently, Bowman served as national technical sales manager, HVAC/R, for RectorSeal, based in Houston.

Rhonda Brand, National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners

The National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners is proud to announce that Rhonda Brand has joined the NCCDP as the new president of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, effective July 5. Sandra Stimson, CEO of the NCCDP, said: “We are extremely excited and proud to have Rhonda as our new leader. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for the industry.”

Brand stated: “It is an honor to serve the NCCDP, its members and the health care community at large as the president of the NCCDP. I strongly believe in dementia education and CDP certification for all health care workers and frontline staff to ensure delivery of compassionate care to our vulnerable elders with diagnoses of dementia.”

Brand has worked in the health care industry for over 27 years. She has held a variety of positions such as: activity director, admissions director, adult day care director, dementia unit manager, administrator, national consultant, national trainer and public speaker. She has worked in adult day care, home care agencies, nursing homes and assisted living communities.

Eric Brown, CBRE

CBRE announced recently that Eric Brown has joined the Project Management team to serve as a senior project manager at the firm’s Saddle Brook and East Brunswick offices.

Brown will partner with clients and will steward the efforts of design consultants and general contractors to achieve project goals. Based on his experience, Brown will implement strategic planning for the execution of projects and cost controls to avoid cost overruns. His leadership will ensure a successful project outcome that aligns with client expectations.

“We are excited about Eric joining our Project Management team,” said Eric Wagner, senior director of CBRE’s New Jersey Project Management group. “His experience will serve our clients well as we continue to grow our practice significantly in New Jersey.”

Ari Fuchs, M&A Advisor Emerging Leaders Awards

The M&A Advisor announced the winners of the Emerging Leaders Awards recently.

The M&A Advisor, renowned globally for its recognition of leading mergers and acquisitions, financing and turnaround professionals, created this event to promote mentorship and professional development amongst the emerging business leaders.

Ari Fuchs, director at The DAK Group has been chosen for his accomplishments and expertise from a pool of nominees by an independent judging panel of distinguished business leaders.

“The Annual M&A Advisor Emerging Leaders Awards was born as the 40 Under 40 Awards in the United States in 2010 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of young M&A, financing and turnaround professionals who had reached a significant level of success and made a notable contribution to their industry and community. With the expansion of the Emerging Leaders program to the United Kingdom, and Europe in 2016, the 2018 U.S. award winners join a truly global network of outstanding young professionals,” said David Fergusson, co-CEO and president of The M&A Advisor.

Gina Geary, Marketsmith Inc.

Marketsmith Inc., the only woman-owned and -operated advertising and martech agency of its kind, has promoted Budd Lake resident Gina Geary to director of business development. Geary previously served as account supervisor.

“Gina has demonstrated that she’ll go above and beyond to grow our agency,” said Executive Vice President Jon Renner. “She is absolutely the right person to tell our story and is highly valued by everyone at the agency.”

Geary is the first forward-facing regional salesperson in the agency’s 20-year history.

“As a woman-owned company, we think it only fitting that we have a female development officer,” notes Monica C. Smith, founder of Marketsmith. “Gina has the tenacity and account management credentials to drive RFP’s to our door and ensure our agency’s continued success.”

EisnerAmper LLP

As private equity funds have substantially increased their investments in real estate in recent years, EisnerAmper LLP announced that it has formed a Real Estate Private Equity Group.

Based in EisnerAmper’s New York City office, partner Lisa Knee will be the national leader of the Real Estate Private Equity Group. Assisting Lisa will be partner Todd Hankin, who will lead the West Coast Real Estate Private Equity practice from the firm’s San Francisco office; and partner Maureen Blair, based in the New York City office, who will lead the East Coast Real Estate Private Equity practice.

Combining the deep expertise of the Financial Services and Real Estate industry groups, this new group will be responsible for the delivery of private equity real estate services to clients as well as initiatives to maximize growth in this emerging sector.

Laddey, Clark & Ryan LLP

Laddey, Clark & Ryan LLP in Sparta promoted three attorneys to partnership in the firm: Timothy E. Dinan, Jessica A. Jansyn, and Renata A. Mizak.

Timothy Dinan is the co-leader of the Personal Injury Practice Group. An experienced trial attorney, Dinan has litigated on behalf of plaintiffs throughout New Jersey and nationally. He earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey.

Jessica Jansyn has extensive experience in commercial litigation and employment law, heading up the Commercial Litigation Practice Group at the firm. A seven-year veteran with the firm, Jansyn was previously a litigation associate with New York City-based Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. She is an honors graduate of Centenary University and an honors graduate of Seton Hall Law School, Order of the Coif. She was honored by the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey as the 2015 Elinor J. Ferdon Young Woman of Promise, and is a board member of Ginnie’s House in Sussex County. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.

Renata Mizak is the Trusts and Estates Practice Group leader at Laddey, Clark & Ryan. Mizak joined the firm in 2016 after heading up the Estates practice at Norrie and Associates. Mizak graduated from Montclair State University and New York Law School. She is pursuing her L.L.M. in Estate Planning & Elder Law from Western New England University School of Law, and is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Jerry Creighton Sr., Enterprise Development Center

Effective July 1, Jerry Creighton Sr. has retired as the executive director of the Enterprise Development Center after approximately 14 years of service.

The EDC will continue to remain as an integral part of New Jersey Institute of Technology’s economic development mission by offering support for small business growth, building on the base of the EDC operations and leveraging the assets of the university and the programs and connections of the New Jersey Innovation Institute iLabs. The university will work, over the next several months, to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of support to EDC client companies.

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Brian E. Curtis, Maser Consulting PA

Maser Consulting PA, a multidiscipline consulting and engineering design firm, is pleased to announce that it has hired Brian E. Curtis as corporate general counsel for the firm.

“Brian is a great addition to our team,” explained Kevin L. Haney, president and chief operating officer. “He will work closely with the executive team to manage our internal and external affairs as we execute strategies for continued corporate growth and expansion.”

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Barry Gerst, Cheri Krusen and Arthur Reinertsen, Affinity Federal Credit Union

Affinity Federal Credit Union announced recently the addition of three mortgage loan officers to its growing MLO team. These experts will use their experience and skills to serve present and future homebuyers.

The new officers are:

  • Cheri Krusen: As a longtime Hudson Valleynative, Krusen brings 17 years of experience in banking, lending and management to the MLO team. As Affinity continues to grow its presence in New York, Cheri will be working out of the Stony Point branch, where she will offer members her rich knowledge and insight to help them achieve their personal and financial homeownership goals.
  • Arthur Reinertsen: Reinertsen joins the MLO team to assist community members through every step in their homebuying process. With over 11 years of experience working at Affinity, Arthur has extensive knowledge about all of Affinity’s mortgage products.
  • Barry Gerst: With an extensive background in financial services and consulting, Gerst joins the MLO team ready to guide community members through the home mortgage process. Recognized in the industry as a top mortgage professional, Barry has received numerous financial services citations.

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Marlene Leuenberger, Catalent Pharma Solutions

Catalent Pharma Solutions, the global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products, announced that Marlene Leuenberger has been appointed as general manager of the company’s Somerset drug development center of excellence.

Leuenberger has over 25 years’ management experience in engineering, quality operations and plant management within the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, and joins Catalent from Impax Laboratories, where she was general manager and senior director of operations for its Middlesex facility. She has also held senior positions in operations at LTS Lohmann Therapy Systems Corp., Novartis Consumer Health, Wyeth (now Pfizer), and Procter & Gamble. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University.

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Steven K. Mignogna, American Bar Association

Steven K. Mignogna, a shareholder in Archer & Greiner’s Haddonfield office, has recently been reappointed to the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section as chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee in the Litigation, a liaison for ABA Entities Liaison to Section of Dispute Resolution, and a member of the Groups and Substantive committees. He is newly appointed as a member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee. These appointments are effective Sept. 1 through August 31, 2019.

Mignogna focuses his practice on commercial litigation, with a concentration on probate matters, estates, fiduciaries, guardianships and real estate. He has lectured and published extensively both locally and nationally. Mignogna is principal author of the treatise, “Estate and Trust Litigation,” and editor and contributing author of “The New Jersey Estate Planning Manual” and “The New Jersey Probate Procedures Book,” all published by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

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Michael Walton, Spectral Design & Test Inc.

Spectral Design & Test Inc., a Somerville-based provider of embedded Memory Development platform & MemoryIP, announced recently that Michael Walton has joined the company as vice president of sales and marketing. With his extensive experience selling and marketing EDA tools and IP, Michael is well suited to drive sales growth and new market penetration at SDT.

Walton brings over 25 years of sales and marketing experience, supporting EDA and IP products. Most recently he founded and ran a successful sales rep company that sold products for: Flex Logix Technologies, Altos Design Automation, purchased by Cadence, and Kilopass, purchased by Synopsys. He also has held several senior management sales and marketing positions at: Artisan Components and Mentor Graphics.

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