The time for tax reform is now.

For years, Congress has talked about their vision for tax reform. Now, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix our nation’s tax code, grow the economy, create more jobs, and put more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans.   The last time we had comprehensive tax reform was 1986 – Top Gun was the number one movie and Ronald Reagan was president. That’s too long for the American families and businesses who have suffered under a complicated and costly tax code.   The time for tax reform is now.   In partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we’re pleased to announce the launch of www.TaxReformForAmerica.com to drive action and share real stories from your fellow taxpayers.   We encourage you to visit the site, contact your legislators, and give us your take on how tax reform could affect your business’s hiring, growth, planning, and strategy. Your testimonial may be included as part of our broader grassroots efforts to drive engagement with Congress.   Whether you believe that that real reform will create more jobs, help American families with the cost of living, or create a simpler, fairer system for all Americans, we appreciate your support in telling Congress that it’s

By |2017-09-18T17:29:59+00:00September 18th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on The time for tax reform is now.
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OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming “Affordability Summit” to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor

Contact: Bob Considine (609) 858-9502 Scott Goldstein (609) 989-7888 ext. 113 September 6, 2017 OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming "Affordability Summit" to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor OpportunityNJ Co-Chairs Michele Siekerka and Tom Bracken today announced the speakers, agenda and goals for the first Affordability Summit, to be held on Sept. 18 at the First Baptist Church at Lincoln Gardens in Somerset. The event, which is expected to be attended by hundreds of state business leaders and residents, will feature a keynote address by former New Jersey Secretary of State Rev. DeForest Soaries, as well as presentations from Steve Van Kuiken (Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company); Dr. James W. Hughes (University Professor and former Dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University) and Tom Byrne (Founder and Managing Director of Byrne Asset Management). Following the presentations, attendees will be invited to participate in breakout sessions for brainstorming discussions centered on tax reform, workforce development and jobs, regulation reform and infrastructure. News media panels, involving several New Jersey reporters, will also be part of the program. The aim of the Affordability Summit is to synthesize the priorities and

By |2017-09-08T18:37:01+00:00September 8th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Events, Featured|Comments Off on OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming “Affordability Summit” to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor
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Veteran’s Family is Keeping the Memory of the USS Randolph Alive in 2017

By Noelle Carino September 7, 2017 Toms River, NJ – Gary Santos of Lindenhurst, NY visited Toms River, NJ earlier this year.  While he was here, he visited the site of the USS Randolph’s anchor near Huddy Park.  If you have been to the site, you will remember that the anchor is surrounded by personalized pavers - an initiative of the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce decades earlier.  Mr. Santos and his family wanted one of those pavers for a very special reason.  When he reached out to Craig Ambrosio, Director of Toms River Parks, Buildings, and Grounds, for more information about securing one, Craig connected him with the Chamber.     The request was simple:  Mr. Santos wanted a personalized paver.  The meaning was deep:  his recently deceased father had served on the USS Randolph.      The challenge was that the downtown paver project had been completed years and years earlier, and it was not clear how anyone could resurrect it - if only for the Santos family.   The request kicked-off months of collaboration between the Township and the Chamber to see that a man’s wish to honor his father’s memory became a reality. The USS

By |2017-09-08T18:29:43+00:00September 8th, 2017|Chamber News, Featured, Lifestyle|Comments Off on Veteran’s Family is Keeping the Memory of the USS Randolph Alive in 2017
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SUP the River Fundraiser proceeds re-donated by the Barnegat Bay Partnership to the Texas National Estuary Programs

Date:                August 31, 2017 For:                 IMMEDIATE RELEASE Re:                   SUP the River Fundraiser proceeds re-donated by the Barnegat Bay Partnership to                           the Texas National Estuary Programs Contact:          Noelle Carino Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce 732-349-0220 noelle@tomsriverchamber.com   The Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 2nd Annual SUP the River 2017 fundraiser on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at the Toms River Country Club.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Barnegat Bay Partnership* at Ocean County College.   However, due to the catastrophic damages suffered by coastal Texas after Hurricane Harvey, with the enthusiastic approval of the donor (BHI Insurance, Toms River), the Barnegat Bay Partnership has opted to forward these funds on to its sister National Estuary Programs, the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (Corpus Christi, TX) and Galveston Bay Estuary Program (Houston, TX) to help with the massive recovery efforts in their area.  (Estuary Programs throughout the United States also generously contributed funds to the Barnegat Bay Partnership post-Hurricane Sandy.)   So grab your paddleboard and come out to support the Greater Toms River Chamber of

By |2017-09-08T18:13:33+00:00September 8th, 2017|Chamber News, Events, Featured, Lifestyle, Non-Profit, Uncategorized|Comments Off on SUP the River Fundraiser proceeds re-donated by the Barnegat Bay Partnership to the Texas National Estuary Programs
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Ocean County Commerce Coalition Reminds All to Show The Love To Local Professional Chambers Oct 18 Ocean County’s Brick, Greater Toms River, Lakewood, Point Pleasant and Southern Ocean chambers spread the word on National Chamber of Commerce Day happening October 18

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. - Aug. 23, 2017 - -- Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day is observed annually on the third Wednesday in October. Representing Ocean County's professionally staffed chambers the coalition works together to represent interests of approximately 2500 businesses that make up their combined membership. Their primary objective is to strengthen the economic climate and development for businesses of all sizes. The Ocean County Coalition suggests that the best way to honor the day is to use the services of their member businesses. If you are a business in a service of area of one of the coalition chambers, make it a point to see how you can get more involved in the work they do each day. The term "Chamber of Commerce" dates back more than 400 years. The definition of a chamber of commerce is a local network of businesses, governed by a board of directors and run by professional staff, who work to serve and advance business interests. The role of a chamber is a constant source for businesses providing professional development, networking, and communications through multiple platforms. The daily activities taking place at staffed chamber of commerce offices eases the need for the

By |2017-09-08T16:59:24+00:00September 8th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on Ocean County Commerce Coalition Reminds All to Show The Love To Local Professional Chambers Oct 18 Ocean County’s Brick, Greater Toms River, Lakewood, Point Pleasant and Southern Ocean chambers spread the word on National Chamber of Commerce Day happening October 18
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Old Bridge college student has unique plan to find job

Congratulations to Georgian Court University student & Creative Click Media's intern Troy Allen! OLD BRIDGE - Township resident Troy Allen has come up with a unique marketing strategy that is not only putting a few extra bucks in his pocket, but has the goal of landing him a full-time job. Allen, 23, who is graduating May 25 from Georgian Court University in Lakewood with a 3.95 GPA, is selling advertising space on his graduation cap, which will also contain his resume. The advertising space is being sold for $50 per quadrant. Advertising space on the entire cap initially was available for $180 or would be free to the business that offered him a full-time job. Since Allen has already sold two of the quadrants on the cap, he is offering the remaining advertising space for free to a business that hires him full time. Read more on Asbury Park Press

By |2017-05-24T13:47:54+00:00May 24th, 2017|Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on Old Bridge college student has unique plan to find job
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Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members

Free Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members we have published for you to share with your Chamber members.  The Guides cover federal tax benefits, best practices for recruiting veterans, and compliance with federal contractor regulations.  The Guides are especially helpful to smaller employers which have limited HR resources.   So far, more than 125,000 copies of these free Guides have been downloaded by employers and associations across the U.S.  Sponsors of the Guides include Phillips 66, The Marcus Foundation and DaVita Corporation.  Two prestigious law firms donated their time to help us prepare the Guides – Baker & McKenzie, and Caplin & Drysdale.   There are nearly one million veterans and service members across the U.S. looking for full-time jobs that will take advantage of their training, skills and experience.  More than 200,000 service members leave the military every year to transition to civilian employment.   Center for America (CFA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, has published these Guides to help employers identify and hire veterans and service members more efficiently and faster.  CFA coordinates the American Jobs for America’s Heroes campaign in which more than 2,000 U.S. employers are participating.    Please share the

By |2017-05-17T17:38:00+00:00May 17th, 2017|Business Advice, Featured|Comments Off on Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members
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Ocean Mental Health Services/OceanCares Foundation

  Ocean Mental Health Services, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit, mental health agency, established in 1959, serving all of Ocean County, NJ.  In 2015 we received the WAVE award as the’ Non-Profit Business of the Year’ by the Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce.  With 34 programs and 14 various locations throughout Ocean County, Ocean Mental Health Services, Inc. provided 1.1 million service encounters, 50,685 meals to consumers, and served 8,862 adults, children and families with mental illness in fiscal year 2016.   The Ocean Mental Health Services' mission is to offer a comprehensive continuum of mental health services that promotes full participation in community life.  We live this mission every day as we address the mental health needs of the residents of Ocean County.  Our wide variety of services provides assistance to people throughout the mental healthcare continuum.  We provide the support and guidance needed as people dedicate themselves to mental health wellness and recovery.  We believe together we can build a better tomorrow. Our vision is that citizens of Ocean County understand mental health is essential to overall health, services are consumer driven, and everyone receives excellent mental health services. Oftentimes when people think of health they consider

By |2017-05-04T11:22:25+00:00May 4th, 2017|Chamber News, Featured, Lifestyle, Non-Profit|Comments Off on Ocean Mental Health Services/OceanCares Foundation
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