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.
Creative Marketing Alliance
Creative Marketing Alliance, an award-winning, full service marketing agency, announced four new hires: Tricia Roman of Allentown, Kelly Potts of Hamilton, Karen Curdie of Monroe Township and Bernita Potts of Mount Laurel, to support client growth.
Roman is a marketing sales executive responsible for creating new client business opportunities and developing strategic marketing recommendations, in addition to preparing and presenting new client proposals. She also is in charge of identifying and pursuing new market opportunities.
Kelly Potts is a social media specialist responsible for driving CMA’s social media marketing for its clients, by assisting them in increasing online visibility and website traffic.
Curdie is a marketing coordinator responsible for assisting with the management of marketing activities for association clients.
Bernita Potts is a human resources administrator responsible for recruitment, orientation and retention of staff. She also is accountable for payroll and benefits administration, facility and performance management and employee relations.
Nikhil Nayab, Conduent Inc.
Conduent Inc., a Florham Park-based digital interactions company, announced the appointment of Nikhil Nayab to lead the company’s blockchain initiatives. Nayab has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including a blockchain focus for the last five years.
Nayab joins Conduent from Accenture, where he helped build the company’s North American blockchain practice. He also has broad experience at blockchain startups and banks, such as Citi and Credit Suisse.
“Conduent sits at the nexus of digital transformation and service delivery, serving the majority of Fortune 100 companies and more than 500 government entities,” said Dave Amoriell, president, Conduent. “This network will help Nayab lead an approach to blockchain that is flexible and infrastructure agnostic. Our blockchain development will be done in an open environment to promote quicker, widespread blockchain adoption and foster inclusive innovation.”
New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
Heather Boshak and Irina Elgart of Fox Rothschild have been elected to serve as committee co-chairs on the board of officers and directors of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association.
The NJWLA works to advance and retain women in the legal profession through education and activism. Its members advocate for the promotion of qualified women to the highest levels of law firm, government, academic, community and corporate positions, and endorse qualified female attorneys for appointments to the state and federal judiciary.
A member of the NJWLA board since 2006 and a partner in Fox’s Morristown office, Boshak was elected co-chair of the Best Practices Committee. Elgart, a partner in the firm’s Princeton office, was elected co-chair of the Marketing Committee. She has been a member of the board since 2014.
Steve Okabayashi, Next Level Performance
Next Level Performance has named Steve Okabayashi as the company’s new business development manager. Steve will be responsible for leadership of the company’s sales growth, maintaining working relationships with existing clients and connecting companies with the right solutions for their desired incentive, recognition, and engagement program results.
Okabayashi brings with him 28 years of extensive sales experience selling software and hardware products in the tech industry for renowned companies such as IBM and ADP.
“I am looking forward to a successful career working at a company with a 42-year track-record of success delivering creative business solutions to its clients. I’m thrilled to contribute to the performance improvement industry and help drive sales and employee engagement.”
Michael Ortiz, Marketsmith Inc.
Marketsmith Inc., the only woman-owned-and-operated advertising and martech agency of its kind, has promoted Boonton resident Michael Ortiz to junior accounting specialist. He previously served as an accounting associate.
“Michael has been with us for two years, and our accounts receivable are stronger than ever,” said accounting director Belsy Paternina. “Clients love him … even when he’s asking them for money!
“No job is too big or too small for Michael, and he’s always willing to help, giving his all to the organization.”
Adam L. Sandler, Einhorn Harris
Einhorn Harris is pleased to welcome Adam L. Sandler to the firm as an associate with the Trusts & Estates/Tax practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Sandler was an associate with Davidson, Sochor, Ragsdale & Cohen in Elmwood Park.
Sandler will focus his practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax planning for individuals and businesses. He works closely with clients to develop and implement tax efficient strategies for wealth preservation and intergenerational transfer, business succession, charitable planning, and personal or business transactions that may raise tax considerations.
“We are delighted to have Adam join Einhorn Harris, where he will make an immediate contribution to our Trusts & Estates and Tax practices,” said Gary R. Botwinick, co-managing partner of the firm and chair of the Trusts & Estates/Tax practice group. “Adam’s approach to advising clients is practical and thoughtful, and he collaborates with financial advisers, insurance agents and accountants to develop effective wealth succession plans that will meet his clients’ needs.”
Heidi H. Smith, Peapack-Gladstone Bank
Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corp. and Peapack-Gladstone Bank announced the appointment of Heidi H. Smith as senior managing director, assistant general counsel. Working out of the bank’s headquarters in Bedminster, Smith is responsible in assisting the general counsel in overseeing all legal affairs of the company. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in providing internal legal guidance in support of the financial goals of Peapack-Gladstone Bank, and will be providing the principal legal and transactional support for Peapack Capital, a subsidiary of the bank that focuses on equipment leasing.
An accomplished corporate attorney, Smith previously served as Legal Counsel III at Santander Bank N.A., where she provided legal guidance to Santander Corporate Equipment Finance and the middle market and asset-based lending business units on various commercial lending products and programs.
Adam Cherney, Lee, Nolan & Koroghlian LLC
Lee, Nolan & Koroghlian LLC, a Saddle Brook-based financial service organization helping businesses, families and individuals achieve their financial goals, announced significant expansion activities leading to the appointment of Adam Cherney as general agent. Cherney will join Dominick Iorio and George Koroghlian as general agents and leaders of the firm that serves over 44,500 clients, and over $4.6 billion in client policy, contract & account values.
Cherney, an 18-year financial services veteran with a track record of recruiting and developing top advisers and supporting them with the resources needed to succeed, will focus on expanding the availability of services offered throughout the Metro New York region.
(Not pictured.)
Aqueel A. Fatmi, Elite Pharmaceuticals
Northvale-based Elite Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the appointment of Aqeel A. Fatmi to its board of directors. Fatmi qualifies as an independent director under the Nasdaq rules.
Fatmi has acquired more than 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry while serving in leadership positions and advisory boards for multiple global companies. Fatmi has expertise and experience in strategic development, mergers and acquisitions, research and development, supply chain management, operations excellence and business development.
Fatmi currently heads his own consulting firm that advises in all areas of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
(Not pictured.)
Dr. Kenneth Freundlich, New Jersey Psychological Association
Dr. Kenneth Freundlich, managing partner of Morris Psychological Group in Parsippany, has been awarded 2018 Psychologist of the Year by the New Jersey Psychological Association. This honor is awarded in recognition of a psychologist who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of psychology through demonstrated excellence in practice, research, publications, presentations or teaching.
NJPA is a professional association for psychologists offering a wide range of resources for the public and media, advocating for psychologists in the state and acting as an influential presence to help guide mental health policies in New Jersey. Freundlich has been an active member of NJPA for nearly 30 years, holding many leadership positions including most recently as its president.
(Not pictured.)
Cheryle Hale, Lakeland Bank
Thomas J. Shara, CEO and president of Lakeland Bank, is pleased to announce the following appointment:
Cheryle Hale has been hired as vice president, senior portfolio manager for the Commercial Loans Team based in Iselin. She has 29 years of lending experience and was most recently a vice president, credit officer for Santander Bank in Howell. Hale earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in business administration from Georgian Court University. She is a participant of the American Legion Post 348. Hale is a resident of Toms River.
(Not pictured.)
Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide
Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, a WPP Health & Wellness company, announced five promotions and two new hires across multiple departments within the network’s Parsippany headquarters.
Promotions:
- Jon Galya has moved from senior art director to digital studio manager;
- Antoine Poncelet has been promoted from associate production manager to production manager;
- Christopher Jankoski has been elevated from senior digital presence manager to digital strategist, where he will support the digital footprint for both OCHWW and WPP Health & Wellness;
- Nijah Dupiche has advanced from assistant account executive to account executive;
- Kenzie Kline has progressed from associate planner to planner.
New hires:
- Jack Kelleher has joined OCHWW as vice president, management supervisor;
- Rico Cipriaso has signed on with the digital team as VP, engagement strategist.
(Not pictured.)
George Parkinson, The Peacock Inn
The Peacock Inn, an iconic Princeton landmark, is pleased to introduce George Parkinson as sommelier of The Peacock Inn Restaurant & Bar. The only boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Princeton is having a renaissance under new ownership by the Genesis Hospitality Group, which began with its upscale fine dining restaurant and continues with the evolution of their wine program.
(Not pictured.)
Rick Silva, Realogy Holdings Corp.
Realogy Holdings Corp., the largest full-service residential real estate services company in the United States, announced the appointment of Enrique “Rick” Silva to its board of directors. Silva will serve on Realogy’s Audit Committee. With this appointment, the Realogy board now consists of nine directors, eight of whom are classified as independent directors for purposes of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.
Silva is CEO and president of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc., an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain with more than 875 Checkers and Rally’s branded restaurants across the U.S.
(Not pictured.)
Lauren Lee White, ZRG Partners
ZRG Partners, a global executive search firm, is pleased to announce that Lauren Lee White has joined Rochelle Park-based ZRG as a managing director and a member of the firm’s Global Life Sciences Practice. She will work out of the firm’s corporate offices in New Jersey, located in close proximity to many of the top global pharma and life sciences companies in the region.
White has a blend of working on the corporate side of executive talent acquisition as well as in retained executive search. Most recently, Lauren was the global head of executive talent acquisition for Merck’s research and development division, Merck Research Laboratories.
(Not pictured.)
