Summit shines light on Middlesex County business climate - NJBIZ

Summit shines light on Middlesex County business climate - NJBIZ

Middlesex County Board of Commissioners Director Ronald Rios said that from its humble beginnings, the annual Middlesex County Business Summit has grown to be one of the pre-eminent business events in New Jersey and added that the current business climate is the result of collaboration and investing in the future in a variety of ways. - MIDDLESEX COUNTY

The Seventh Annual Middlesex County Business Summit attracted a who’s who of entrepreneurs, political and community leaders, and other stakeholders from around the county and beyond.

The event, held at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, was organized around the theme of “The Future Belongs to Those Who Build it,” offering the opportunity to network and share/exchange ideas and challenges, while discussing a number of exciting happenings in the county as well as plans for the future – as referenced in the theme.

Middlesex County Board of Commissioners Director Ronald Rios said that from its humble beginnings, the summit has grown to be one of the pre-eminent business events in New Jersey, which he added is evidenced by the impressive lineup of speakers and guests that turned out this year, including Gov. Phil Murphy, MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle, and many more.

“The business summit is a best-in-class event and just one example of the many ways Middlesex County supports the business community,” Rios said. “Businesses of every size can find their path to success here. We have embraced a strategy called ‘Thrive Here’ that identifies core areas of support services – economic development, workforce, education, arts and culture, and transportation. Existing businesses and new prospects should take advantage of these incredible resources to build or grow their footprint in our county. We are here to help you.”

Rios noted that the current business climate is the result of collaboration and investing in the future in a range of ways – from infrastructure to people. “A cornerstone of our economic strategy is the Community Investment and Opportunity Strategic Investment Plan, which we announced one year ago,” Rios said. “At its core, the multi-faceted CIO Strategic Investment Plan is an economic development plan that reimagines the Middlesex College campus into a regional destination for education, athletics, and culture. These changes will have a ripple effect on the local economy, with people visiting the college for tournaments, conferences, and events – who then may shop at local stores, dine at local restaurants, and book local hotels.”

Rios also pointed to projects such as the modernization of the New Brunswick Train Station and construction of a depot in North Brunswick as well as the county’s $25 million investment in the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Jack and Cheryl Morris Cancer Center, which he said will provide top-notch care for the region and state while being a hub for research and creating jobs.

“We’re also proud to invest in a New Jersey Innovation Hub by leveraging our Triple-A bond rating to provide the financing mechanism for nearly $500 million in project funds to construct the Helix building,” said Rios. “More than just a building, the Helix – which stands for Health & Life Science Exchange – is a further investment in the life sciences spaces in Middlesex County. The Helix will serve as home for businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators of all kinds.”

These efforts fall in line with and under the county’s overarching economic development strategy – Destination 2040 – which envisions transforming Middlesex County into a central hub that fosters innovation, partnerships and collaboration.

“All of these investments are made by design – all with a specific purpose in mind to continue growing our economy and ensure that the county is a great place to live, work and play for many generations,” said Rios.

The summit also featured a Keynote Panel Discussion on the theme of the event, which included Dr. Steven Libutti, director of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and vice chancellor for cancer programs at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences; Michael Bzdak, global director of employee engagement at Johnson & Johnson; and Kara Moore, sector lead, Life Sciences at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, moderated by Tom Bergeron, founder and editor of ROI-NJ.

Following that discussion, the governor took the stage as a featured speaker, where he had a discussion with Bergeron on a number of topics hitting on Middlesex County, the state, and the broader economic conditions.

Murphy said that as Middlesex County goes, the state goes.

“From the small businesses lining its main streets to the companies and academic institutions anchoring its communities, Middlesex County continues to serve as a formidable economic engine,” said Murphy. “Indeed, few counties better epitomize New Jersey’s nation-leading talent and location, a combination displayed most distinctly by Middlesex County’s life sciences and innovation ecosystems. Through forward-looking investments in public transportation, transit-oriented development, and the industries of tomorrow, we will continue to maximize the potential of these burgeoning sectors.”

The governor ticked off a number of such examples of exciting efforts and projects – echoing Rios about the Helix, which Murphy described as a game-changer. He also pointed to the county’s embrace of its diversity and collaboration between public, private, academia and other stakeholders.

“These folks wake up every day and run a tight ship. They are obsessed with equity,” said Murphy. “This is one of the most diverse counties in America – not just in New Jersey. So, it is also a county that is not just stronger but it’s a fairer county, and it is a model for us. I wish the things that we do in Trenton were as consistently at a high level of execution as they are here in Middlesex County. It is a role model and I mean that sincerely.”

The conversation shifted to a Middlesex County community that was honored for the vibrancy of its downtown area, when Metuchen was named a Great American Main Street Award winner earlier this year. “It’s the quintessential Jersey and American community,” said Murphy as he praised Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch and the town council, while recounting a story about meeting Paul McCartney and discussing the “Brainy Borough,” where the music legend was photographed walking along the Main Street a few years back. “For all the pride we have with J&J, Merck, and Verizon – you name it. And God knows we are proud to have them in our state. It is the small businesses that are the backbones. I don’t want to make this a rant on why I want liquor license reform. But, if we get that done, that will take main streets in Metuchen and communities like it to another level.”

The topic swung back to how critical Middlesex County’s diversity is to its identity, success and future. Murphy noted that not only is Middlesex County diverse, but it is also densely populated.

“In New Jersey, we are living on top of each other. I mean that in a positive way. You cannot help but walk in the other guy’s shoes in New Jersey,” Murphy explained. “You cannot help but understand cultural uniqueness, religious and worship uniqueness, the special contribution that diversity brings to the small business community. It is just overwhelming. And we are all better for it. I think it explains a lot about our tolerance in this state, about our attitude, about our willingness to embrace where we are the ultimate immigrant state. And I think that that combination of diversity and density, especially here in Middlesex, feeds a lot of that.”

Ruhle, host of MSNBC’s The 11th Hour, senior business analyst for NBC News and a New Jersey native, was the other featured speaker, sitting down for a discussion about a range of issues, including broader economic challenges, the ebbing of the pandemic and its aftermath and her Garden State experiences as well as the importance of investing in infrastructure, education and workforce development. Ruhle particularly noted how vital it is to offer competitive pay to attract and retain good educators.

“I think it’s crazy when we’re constantly, especially through a political lens, talking about, ‘is the economy good or is the economy bad?’ We have 330 million people in this country. We have every possible demographic,” Ruhle explained. “It’s complicated. It depends on where you live, who you are, what part of the country you live in, what your education status is. So, I don’t think that there’s one snapshot.”

Following the morning sessions, which featured those speeches and discussions, the summit also included three breakout sessions for attendees: Unlocking Capital for Community Growth, Blueprints for Business Success in Middlesex County and Strategies for Inclusive Business Growth

In addition, the event offered a Business Resource Area featuring relevant government agencies – such as NJEDA, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Middlesex County Office of Business Engagement and others – that allowed for one-on-one interaction with interested attendees.

The annual event offered a chance for the county to showcase all of the exciting happenings and projects in the works. “As the theme for today’s summit states – ‘The Future Belongs to Those Who Build it,’” said Rios. “That’s what we’re doing here today. We’re building the future here in Middlesex County.”