The 2021 ROI Influencers: Women in Business list includes eight sector categories. They are another way we can honor the best women in the New Jersey business world.
Kristin Peck (No. 4), Thai Lee (No. 5), Cheryl Norton (No. 7), Ranjini Poddar (No. 8) appeared in the Top 10.
Adenah Bayoh, Tami Erwin, Aisha Glover, Jessica Gonzalez, Mindy Holman/Judith Schumacher-Tilton, Melonie Johnson and Suuchi Ramesh appeared in the Top 50 (A-HH, HI-P, Q-Z).
Linda Opici; Dina Opici
CEO; President
The Opici Group; Opici Family Distributing
Founded in 1913 in Paterson, the now-Glen Rock-based firm is one of the largest distributors of top-shelf wine and spirits in the tri-state area. Family-owned company is in its fourth generation of leadership.
Melissa Orsen
President and COO
South Jersey Gas
Senior VP who joined South Jersey Industries in 2017 as general counsel, she now is charged with day-to-day leadership and strategic oversight at South Jersey Gas.
Toni Pergolin
CEO and president
Bancroft
Her organization profoundly impacts children and adults living with disabilities by delivering services to empower them to realize their best life through a culture of learning, innovative treatment and transformational research.
Karen Primak
CEO and president
IPAK
Camden-based company that manufactures, warehouses and distributes sales, marketing, safety and educational tools that support key business objectives shifted model to manufacturer PPE during the pandemic.
Dana L. Redd
CEO
Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden board of governors
A former state senator and mayor of Camden still is major force in the city and area.
Kimberly Reed
Chief transformational officer
Reed Development Group
Well-known diversity, equality and inclusion strategist helps transform companies by changing mindsets. She is in high demand.
Allison Sargent
Founder and CEO
Allison Sargent Events
Hers has been the leading firm for grand-scale corporate events and intimate private functions for three decades, working with some of the biggest companies in the area and around the world.
Cristell Tamayo
CEO
BuildCare
Her firm, which provides business services for some of the top real estate firms in the region, is one to watch, as it is approaching $20 million in annual revenue.
Jennifer Taubert
Worldwide chairman, pharmaceuticals
Johnson & Johnson
Under her leadership, Janssen has become the world’s third-largest innovative pharmaceutical business. Taubert also is recognized as a champion of diversity and inclusion, which she sees as critical to insight, innovation and business success.
Gina Tedesco
Managing director
Golden Seeds
An investor, professor and mentor who has founded three startups is a key player at the New Jersey chapter of Golden Seeds — a network of angel investors dedicated to investing in early-stage companies founded and/or led by women.
Kate Tomlinson
Owner
New Jersey Monthly
Publication is surviving and thriving in the digital age of media. She has served as the magazine’s editor, publisher and owner at various times since joining family business in 1988.
Tina Wells
Founder and CEO
RLVNT Media
Longtime head of Buzz Marketing, which she started at 15, now runs RLVNT Media, a multimedia content venture serving entrepreneurs, tweens and culturists. A business strategist, adviser and author, she has been recognized by Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business.
Laurel Whitney
Co-founder, owner and chief financial officer
Push Beverages
Oversees all aspects of business, from financial to production to logistics to marketing. Push is a full line of beverages that operates in 40 states — and represents Whitney’s fourth company.
Kathleen Winters
CFO
ADP
Responsible for leading ADP’s global finance organization and representing the company to investors, lenders and rating agencies.
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For the Executives from A-M, click here.
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For the Top 10, click here.
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For the rest of the Top 50 (alphabetically), click here (A-HH), here (HI-P) and here (Q-Z).
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And click here for 10 legendary business figures.
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For the other sectors and all of the ROI Influencers: Women in Business, click here.
