New Jersey City University, in partnership with the New Jersey Small Business Development Center, officially held its ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony for the new location at the NJCU School of Business earlier this month.
The event was attended by many local and statewide political leaders, community partners and university officials and also served to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the NJSBDC’s partnership with the university.
The new location at the NJCU School of Business at 200 Hudson St., the Harborside 2 building, in Jersey City will provide a modern space and convenient access to those wishing to utilize the NJSBDC at NJCU, which was previously housed at 285 West Side Ave. in the city.
Speakers at the event included NJCU interim President Andrés Acebo; NJSBDC State Director Kelly Brozyna; Sheila Harris-Adams, regional director, NJSBDC at the NJCU School of Business; Sean Ramsaywak, Northeast Division area manager, minority entrepreneurs, at JPMorgan Chase & Co.; and John Blackstone, SBA district director, New Jersey District Office. They were joined by other key stakeholders, including local and state dignitaries, NJSBDC and NJCU leadership.
During the ceremony, New Jersey State Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-Jersey City) — the deputy speaker and deputy parliamentarian of the Assembly — presented an Assembly commendation on behalf of the state.
Acebo praised the impact of the event, saying: “This particular partnership between the state’s Small Business Development Center and NJCU is significant because of its direct alignment with the mission of our university. This partnership builds upon the work we have done over the last month of my brief tenure, including the historic PLA we signed with the Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council. The university is committed to aligning with organizations that align with our mission to bring together our community with urgency and unrelenting resolve in the spirit of championing economic and upward social mobility, workforce development, business creation and empowering a socioeconomically diverse population and historically underserved and marginalized community. I especially want to thank Kelly Brozyna and Sheila Harris-Adams for their leadership, which will have a real impact on the lives of our students and our communities.”
During the event, Harris-Adams gave an overview of the programs, initiatives, training opportunities and workshops the new leadership of the NJSBDC has designed to serve the small, minority, veteran and LGBTQ businesses throughout the state.
Among the programs highlighted, Harris-Adams reviewed the NJSBDC at NJCU School of Business and the partnership it created with JPMorgan Chase to present First Fridays — a series focused on all things small business, including how to finance and gain access to capital. Harris-Adams also shared the New Jersey Restaurant Owners Roundtable initiative — an internal program established to provide customized workshops, training, resources and support to restaurants in the area.
Additionally, the NJSBDC at the NJCU School of Business has established a Veteran Business Outreach Center, which will serve as a resource hub for active-duty personnel and veteran entrepreneurs. The NJSBDC’s Business Accelerator program is partnering with TG Capital and the businesses of Hudson County and beyond.
As it continues to grow in its new space, NJSBDC at the NJCU School of Business will offer workshops, seminars and training, and no cost one-on-one counseling for small and medium-sized businesses, minority-owned businesses, women entrepreneurs, veteran business owners and LGBTQ-owned businesses in the community.
