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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I'd like to first express my sincere gratitude to all our members and sponsors. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
I have much news to share. Most exciting is NJTMA receiving TMA Global's Most Innovative Program for Partnerships Award for the Inaugural Hon. Rosemary Gambardella Scholarship Competition. I was honored to accept the award during The Annual, along with fellow board members and event co-chairs Sydney J. Darling, Esq., Walsh Pizzi O'Reilly Falanga LLP and Stephen B. Ravin, Esq., Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, LLP. The Annual drew hundreds of professionals from around the globe and attendees were positive in their outlook for the coming year. If you were unable to attend The Annual in 2017, please consider registering for The Distressed Investing Conference on February 7-9, 2018 at the Encore at Wynn in Las Vegas and the 30th Annual Conference which will be held in September 2018 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
In TMA Global news, I was elected Vice Chair of the Chapter President's Council (CPC) for 2018. The CPC is comprised of chapter presidents from all of the local chapters of TMA and is the principal liaison between the chapters and TMA Global. Incoming NJTMA Chapter President Steven F. Agran, Carl Marks Advisors, and I will be members of the CPC.
Events
Since the last newsletter, we've held many well-attended events that provided superb educational and networking opportunities for members. Thanks to all the event chairs and committee members who made the events a success. Events included:
- 13th Annual TMA Regional Conference in Saratoga Springs which is a regional favorite conference held each August and is hosted by the Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey, New York City, Northeast and Upstate New York Chapters. NJTMA offered a $50 Gift Card to any NJTMA members who attended the conference.
- NJTMA co-hosted an event with the IWIRC NJ Network in September featuring Sara Ross who spoke on the Science of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership.
- The NextGen Bowling event was also held in September at Stryxe Bowling and proved very popular.
- An invitation-only cocktail party for NJTMA's annual sponsors was held before the Joint NJTMA/NJCFA Educational Panel event at TPC Jasna Polana in November. The topic of the panel was Technology and the Future of Commercial Finance Professionals and was moderated by board member Paul H. Shur, Esq., Wilentz Goldman & Spitzer PA.
- The 2nd Annual Hon. Rosemary Gambardella Scholarship Competition was held at Rutgers Law School in November. This event is one of three scholarship programs offered by NJTMA annually that will make a difference for the next generation.
- The Joint Bankruptcy Dinner was also held in November and provided a great opportunity for our members to network with attendees from organizations including the IWIRC NJ Network, New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyers Foundation, New Jersey Federal Bankruptcy Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association/Bankruptcy Law Section and New York Institute of Credit.
Upcoming events - Mark Your Calendars!
- 2018 will be our 25th anniversary! More information will be coming soon on a spring gala to mark this milestone event.
- January 11, 2018, NJTMA Holiday Party & Annual Meeting. Free for members!
- January 24, 2018, Joint Super Networking Party. To be held in Newark with 19 other organizations or TMA Chapters.
- February 28, 2018, Seton Hall vs. Villanova Basketball Game and Presentation of the 2018 NJTMA & George Mehm Scholarship, a slam dunk networking event at the Prudential Center in Newark. This annual scholarship and networking event is chaired by board member William Giovanniello, Managing Director - Transaction Advisory Services, BDO.
Respectfully submitted,
Janey Mitnick, Founder and President
SM Financial Services Corporation
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Thank You, Sponsors! Your Support Matters.
As 2017 draws to a close, I would like to thank our Chapter's annual sponsors. Without their support, events such as the Annual Holiday Party, Joint Super Networking Party, Judge Rosemary Gambardella Scholarship Competition, Annual Joint Breakfast Meeting with ACG, Annual Golf Outing held with NJCFA, Members-Only Dinner at 90 Acres, and countless other high-quality networking and educational events could not have been possible. We owe a giant round of applause for our sponsors who have made such a positive impact on the turnaround industry.
NJTMA is currently seeking annual sponsors for 2018. If you weren't a 2017 sponsor, please consider all the benefits it brings such as excellent marketing exposure and increased visibility for your firm. If you were a sponsor, please consider renewing at the same or higher level. There are sponsorship opportunities available for every budget and packages can be customized to meet your needs.
Sponsor Levels for 2018 are as follows:
- Platinum - $7,500
- Diamond - $5,000
- Gold - $3,000
- Silver - $1,000
- Bronze - $500
Renew or become a sponsor today by completing our sponsorship form - it's easy! Click here for our sponsorship form. The strength of NJTMA depends on our sponsors and members who support us year after year.
Harvey Topitz
Rivers Insurance Group
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Now this is a power breakfast!
If you haven't attended a NJTMA Power Breakfast, you owe it to yourself and your business to register for the next one. It's not a giant event in a ballroom with 200 people. It's a small, intimate gathering where you're the featured speaker!
Typically, there are 15 to 25 people at each breakfast which starts at 7:30 am and ends by 9:30 am. The breakfasts are productive and energizing, setting a positive tone for the day. The format is casual and welcoming. The Chair invites attendees to introduce themselves, share their expertise and highlight the value they bring to the marketplace. People share success stories, ask questions, and everyone is very forthcoming. It's a great way to promote your brand in a one-on-one setting.
There are usually a variety of professional disciplines represented at the event. At our latest breakfast on November 16, there were turnaround professionals, traditional bankers, accountants, asset based lenders, a P.O. finance lender, attorneys, accountants, an insurance professional, and a specialty medical receivable financier. Attendees were eager to answer any questions during the event and offered to share their expertise following the event as well.
In addition to being a productive format, the early morning start time is especially convenient for some members. It's a perfect fit for those who cannot make evening meetings, as well as those who prefer to network in the morning. Another benefit is the low cost of the event, which typically costs $20 for members and $25 for non-members.
Our Power Breakfasts are so different from other meetings! Where else can you go and talk about yourself and your business in detail with undivided attention? There are typically four or five regional breakfasts held throughout the year so everyone has a chance to attend a local event. But you're not restricted to one - you could go to them all if you want! Please feel free to contact me, or any of my fellow 2017 breakfast chairs, for more information on the events:
- Bruce J. Wisotsky, Esq., Member, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus PA, Chair of the February 24th breakfast in Morristown, NJ
- Board Member Paul Schuldiner, Senior Vice President - Division Head of Rosenthal Trade Capital at Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc., Chair of the May 10th breakfast in West Orange, NJ
Robert A. Schnitzer, Senior Vice President
Rosenthal & Rosenthal Inc.
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Second Annual Honorable Rosemary Gambardella Scholarship Competition
Congratulations to Rutgers Law School students Allison Moody, Bill Oppenheim and John Stern, who each won a $1,500 scholarship from NJTMA in the Second Annual Honorable Rosemary Gambardella Scholarship Competition. Student Tito Nurudeen also won a $500 scholarship as the runner-up. The competition is named in honor of Judge Rosemary Gambardella, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey and a longtime NJTMA member.
Held November 13, the event was co-hosted by the NJTMA, Rutgers Law School and Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and Governance. The Inaugural Competition held last year was awarded the TMA Global's 2016 - 2017 Most Innovative Program for Partnerships during The Annual Conference held in October 2017.
The unique scholarship competition is based on a student's understanding and demonstration of bankruptcy law and adeptness at oral advocacy as they researched and argued a mock case. The finalists are all students in Professor Chrystin Ondersma's Fall 2017 bankruptcy law section at Rutgers Law School in Newark. The mock case involved a dispute over estate property between a fictional chapter 7 trustee and ex-spouse of a chapter 7 debtor and encompassed legal issues relating to bankruptcy, divorce, property law, and asset valuation.
The first round of competition involved an issue-spotting exercise. Six students moved on to compete in the final round. Divided into groups of two, they presented oral arguments to a panel of three sitting judges in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey including Judge Rosemary Gambardella, Judge Michael B. Kaplan and Judge Vincent F. Papalia. During the competition, each pair of student attorney-adversaries had 20 minutes to argue their case to and answer questions from the judges.
The scholarships were awarded by past NJTMA president Nicholas B. Jalowski of Cambridge Financial Services LLC, and all finalists earned a free NJTMA membership. The competition was followed by a free networking event at Barcade where students had an opportunity to network with event attendees and Judges.
The success of the event would not have been possible without the committee's time and hard work. Committee members include:
Co-Chairs
- Board Member - Sydney J. Darling, Esq., Walsh Pizzi O'Reilly Falanga LLP
- Board Member - Nicholas B. Jalowski, CTP, CMC, Cambridge Financial Services, LLC
- Board Member - Stephen B. Ravin, Esq., Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, LLP
Senior Mentors to the Finalists
- Philip W. Allogramento, III, Esq., Connell Foley LLP
- Alan J. Brody, Esq., Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Sam Della Fera, Jr. Esq., Trenk DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C.
- Board Member - Karen A. Giannelli, Esq., Gibbons P.C.
- Steven J. Mitnick, Esq., SM Law P.C.
- Frank F. Velocci, Esq., Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Junior Mentors to the Finalists
- Joseph A. Caneco, Esq., Fox Rothschild LLP
- Colleen M. Maker, Esq., Walsh Pizzi O'Reilly Falanga LLP
- Sari B. Placona, Esq., Trenk DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C.
- Robert S. Roglieri, Esq., Trenk DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C.
- Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq., Middlebrooks Shapiro, P.C.
- Michael Trentin, Esq., Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP
Fact Pattern/Competition Logistics
- Donald W. Clarke, Esq., Wasserman, Jurista & Stolz
- Raizza M. Cui, Law Clerk to the Honorable Keith A. Bachmann, J.S.C.
- Board Member - Christopher M. Hemrick, Esq., Walsh Pizzi O'Reilly Falanga LLP
- Jacob Shulman, J.D., Candidate (2018), Rutgers Law School
First Round Judges
- Board Member - Kenneth L. Baum, Esq., Law Offices of Kenneth L. Baum LLC
- Nicole Stefanelli, Esq., Cullen and Dykman LLP
Financial Advisor Subcommittee
- Joseph Compitello, MorrisAnderson
- John Dobos, Tranzon Auction Properties
- Board Member - William V. Giovanniello, CPA, CFF, CIRA, CTP, BDO USA LLP
- Board Member - Nicholas B. Jalowski, CTP, CMC, Cambridge Financial Services, LLC
- Barry J. Sorrentino, Management Services Consultants LLC
- Board Member - Harvey S. Topitz, Rivers Insurance Group
(left to right) back row: David Campanile, Tito Nurudeen, Gokce Yurekli, Allison Moody, John Stern and Michael Oppenheim; front row: Judge Michael B. Kaplan, Judge Rosemary Gambardella and Judge Vincent F. Papalia
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Membership Update
TMA membership helps you develop your practice and advance your career at the local, national and international levels. Through TMA, members acquire access to new opportunities that lead to new business and gain the knowledge and expertise they need to succeed. 85% of our members report having done business with another member as a result of their involvement in the association.
Membership offers many advantages. To see a full list of member benefits, click here .
New Members
Please join me in a warm welcome to the following new members. You can connect with them through the TMA Member Directory or introduce yourself at an upcoming event.
Member News
If you have any membership questions or want to share news with fellow NJTMA members, feel free to reach out to me.
Joseph L. Schwartz, Esq., Partner
Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland Perretti LLP
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