The LIA Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 8 a.m., and will be an in-person meeting at the Linden Public Library, 31 E. Henry Street, Linden, NJ 07036. Our guest speaker will be Denis Connell, Co-Founder of Advanced Training Products who will be presenting on: Workplace Impairment: How Today’s Shifting Landscape Drives Tomorrow’s Business Risks.
Linden Industrial Association
MINUTES OF 87th ANNUAL DINNER MEETING OF THE
LINDEN INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION
A meeting of the Linden Industrial Association was held on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., at III Amici Ristorante, Linden, pursuant to written notice thereof duly sent to all members in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws of the Association. The following were present:
Honorable Mayor Derek Armstead City of Linden, Guest Speaker
Danie Orelien Armstead Honorable Mayor’s Wife
Paul Abramson SolarKal
Tracy Accardo A&M Industrial
Sandra Almeida-Elias Treasurer, Linden Industrial Association
Oneida Armas Lazaro Caretaker
Tracy Bara Provident Bank
Lois Bass Honorary Trustee
Joseph Bodek Municipal Clerk
Kevin Brady Deputy Chief, Linden Fire Department
Deb Brenner Linden Warehouse & Distribution
Kathleen Burke A&M Industrial
Monique Caldwell Councilwoman, 3rd Ward
Anthony Carter Honoree, Business and Community Award
Recipient, A&M Industrial
Maria Castanheira Northfield Bank
Lymari Cintron Mayor’s Office
Connie DelNegro Linden Warehouse & Distribution
Joseph Chrobak Supervising Engineer, City of Linden
Barry Durham Cogen Technologies Linden Venture
James K. Estabrook, Esq. Secretary, Linden Industrial Association
Russell Green, Deacon Honoree’s Guest
David Hart Linden Police Chief
Keith Hopkins, Deacon Honoree’s Guest
Barry Javick Councilman, 2nd Ward
Rebecca Kerins-Tattoli Office of the Mayor, City of Linden
June Lazaro Primerica
Fernando Lazaro Guest of June Lazaro
Annabell Louis Assistant Superintendent, Linden Public Schools
Keith Maurer Linden Cogeneration Plant
Albert Meyer, Deacon Honoree’s Guest
Janet Miller Cox Printers & Digital Media
Lisa Ormon Councilwoman, 1st Ward
Michael Petrucci Provident Bank
Nicol Polidoro Manager, Port Authority, Special Guest
Alex Proctor Infineum
Tina Renna Renna Media
Paul Ricciardi, Sr. A&M Industrial
Bethann Rooney Guest Speaker, Director, Port Department, Port
Authority
Fran Ryan Northfield Bank
Ruth Sanchez Cox Printers & Digital Media
Veronica Simmons A&M Industrial
Mohammad Tariq A&M Industrial
Lee Waldon, Deacon Honoree’s Guest
Uniqua Weekes Mayor’s Office
David Young A&M Industrial
Austin Zatorski TotalEnergies
Matt Zimmerman A&M Industrial
COMMITTEE REPORTS
President’s Report. President Kathleen Burke extended her thanks on behalf of the membership to those who were sponsoring this evening’s event, A&M Industrial, Infineum, Lindabury McCormick Estabrook & Cooper, Linden Cogeneration Plant, Linden Warehouse & Distribution Co., Inc., Northfield Bank, Primerica, and Provident Bank. A special thank you was also given to the Honorable Derek Armstead and the City of Linden for their sponsorship of the
Annual Dinner Meeting.
Program. President Kathleen Burke was pleased to introduce guest speaker, the
Honorable Derek Armstead, Mayor of the City of Linden. The Mayor was pleased to report that some of the members of the Linden Industrial Association date back to the original founding of the Linden Industrial Association in 1937 including PSE&G and Phillips 66. The Mayor listed the accomplishments that have occurred since 2023, including $1 billion in new investments in the City.
For instance, on April 17, 2024, RMG obtained its permits from the State of New Jersey to commence construction of a new project in the City that will be converting waste into energy. It will be the equivalent of 30,000 gallons of gasoline by turning waste into a gas byproduct. They hope to complete construction by 2025. They are investing $450 million into the project
which should result in $40 million in new tax revenue for the City. Further, there will be hundreds of new construction jobs for the residents of Linden and Union County. The Mayor was also pleased to announce another large project involving pyro-synthesis; it is a new diesel and gasification project.
Also, during 2023, there were 768 new apartments completed and leased in the City with 742 currently under construction. There will also be 10 million square feet of warehousing space constructed in the City over the next several years. The Mayor was pleased that the City continues to embrace new technologies and new ideas to save the planet and produce excellent jobs and revenue for the City of Linden.
Rebecca Kerins-Tattoli, Secretary to the Mayor, announced the return of the Linden FMBA Golf Classic, being held on August 19, 2024. She stated that any donation and attendance would be greatly appreciated and all the funds would be used to support important local programs and charities.
President Kathleen Burke was pleased to introduce guest speaker, Bethann Rooney, Director of Port Department, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Ms. Rooney reported that she had worked for the Port Authority for 31 years starting from the “bottom” up to the Director position of the Port Department. She stated that 95% of the consumer goods on the East Coast come through the Port. The Port is the second largest Port in the country, it is the largest on the East Coast. The reason why it is such a successful Port is that within a 4-hour drive, there are 46 million people accessing those consumer goods. One-third of the US Gross Domestic Product is dependent on the Port. 600,000 employees are dependent on the Port’s activities (both direct and indirect employment). The goal of the Port Department is to move cargo safely, efficiently, and sustainably. The Port recognizes that it is located in largely black and brown communities, and it is working hard to maintain clean facilities and to clean up prior air and soil
contamination. One of their efforts is to prohibit trucks built before 2014 from entering the Port area. Further, ocean carriers have to use ultra-low sulfur fuel to enter the Port. The Port needs to remain resilient and prepared for another storm or hurricane. For instance, during Hurricane Sandy there was 12-feet of water in all of the facilities. Lastly, the Port Department works with local school districts to teach logistics in how the Port works and would like the young members of the community to become involved, and perhaps in the future work for, the Port. The Port openly invites visitors so that they can view the amazing work that is conducted there.
In response to inquiries, Ms. Rooney discussed the impact on the Port Authority of the closure of the Port of Baltimore. She was pleased to report that communications on the East Coast amongst the various Ports is extensive and within minutes of the disaster in Baltimore, she was on the phone with her contemporary at the Port of Baltimore to assist. The Port of Baltimore is the number one Port in the country for automobiles and light trucks and number
thirteen for freight and containers. Due to the damage, 65% of their cargo is now offloaded in the Port of New York and New Jersey, that is made up of about 75% of freight and containers and about one-third of their auto and light trucks, the rest is spread evenly across the other Ports along the East Coast.
In Memoriam. James K. Estabrook, Esq., Secretary, reminded the membership that sadly Alan Wayne Tamarelli passed on December 4, 2023. Wayne was a devoted member of the Linden Industrial Association. While the Linden Industrial Association began in 1937, the organization almost came to an end in the 1980’s. Wayne revived it and is the reason it still exists and flourishes and why it is celebrating its 87th Annual Dinner. A moment of silence was held in memory of Alan Wayne Tamarelli.
Membership. Kathleen Burke, President, reported to the membership that there was only one new member since the last dinner, OnePack.
Treasurer’s Report. James K. Estabrook, Esq., Secretary, gave the financial report, dated December 31, 2023, on behalf of Sandra Almeida-Elias, Treasurer and the report is attached hereto.
Nominations Committee. James K. Estabrook, Esq., Secretary, gave the Nominating Committee report and on motion duly made and seconded, all Officers and Trustees presented by the Nominating Committee, were unanimously voted into the Office. The Nominating Committee Report is attached hereto.
Award Presentations. David Young of A&M Industrial was pleased to present the 2024 Business and Community Contribution Award to Anthony Carter, a valued employee of A&M Industrial.
There being no further matters, the meeting was adjourned. The next membership
meeting will be held on May 21, 2024 at the Linden Public Library.
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