CIANJ Commerce Magazine September 2020 Live | Page 8

PRESIDENT’S VIEW
Reinventing CIANJ Post-COVID‐19
As we cross the six-month mark in this pandemic, we have embraced a new motto:
“A Member Engaged Is A Member Retained.”
By Anthony Russo
President, CIANJ
Like all businesses
confronting the
challenges of our
“new normal,” CIANJ is
constantly adjusting and
adapting. Our goal is to
bring our members value
and earn their support.
When the guidelines
imposed by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention forced us to
cancel our in-person events, we quickly pivoted to
virtual programs. These networking and educational
forums on Zoom and other platforms provided
our members with vital information and
an opportunity to connect despite the shutdown.
We were pleased to offer these programs free of
charge to our members and will continue to do
so as an example of our commitment to service.
As we cross the six-month mark in this pandemic,
we have embraced a new motto: “A Member
Engaged Is A Member Retained.” The concept
grew from the realization that we are all facing
new demands on our time and it’s forcing us to
make choices. We have found that the members
who want to connect, participate and give input
understand the value of CIANJ. They are engaged
and they will work with us to keep the association
strong and effective.
One of the clearest examples of our strength is
the COVID‐19 Resource Center on our website.
In one easy-to-navigate spot, all the executive orders
signed by Governor Murphy are available for
review, along with links to many of our members’
websites, where businesses can get advice on finances,
legal affairs, best practices to reopen, sanitary
standards and much more.
Information is key today. We anxiously await
news about the virus’ spread, therapies to combat
it and the status of vaccine development, as well
as how COVID‐19 is affecting our economy. The
business community hangs on every word about
what can open, when and how. Whatever information
CIANJ learns, we immediately push out
to our members through e-mails and social media
posts. We have also stepped up the pace of the
Capitol Updates from Trenton. Anytime there’s
news about loan programs, developments in liability
protections for employers or the possibility
of federal aid, we make certain special e-mails are
quickly drafted and sent to our members.
Our COMMERCE Magazine has also undergone
a rebranding. We hope readers will be impressed
with the fresh new look of the magazine,
which has always been the flagship publication of
CIANJ. Every CIANJ member is guaranteed a subscription
to the hard copy magazine. Now they
also have access to a new digital version that is
delivered to their e-mail in-boxes. A very timely
and convenient feature of the digital issue is that
is can be easily shared with clients and colleagues.
The digital version is also available on the newly
improved COMMERCE website. Visitors will find
the simple, new format very pleasing to the eyes
and easy to use.
Over the past few months, we have had cover
stories on East Orange General Hospital President
and CEO Paige Dworak; Bayshore Family
of Companies President and CEO Valerie Montecalvo;
Holy Name Medical Center President and
CEO Michael Maron; and Lakeland Bank President
and CEO Thomas J. Shara.
They are all CIANJ board members and their
stories underscore our commitment to featuring
members and New Jersey-centric stories. We
believe our new focus and fresh look will expand
the reach of COMMERCE and make it more attractive
for member advertising.
CIANJ is committed to its members. We will
continue to brainstorm about how that can be
accomplished in our new normal. But we will not
give up the hope of having live events again. We
want to greet you in person, talk about business
face-to-face and determine how we can help.
6 COMMERCE www. commercemagnj.com