ENTERPRISING WOMEN AWARDS
Showcasing the Garden State ’ s Top Women Business Leaders in 2021
CIANJ and COMMERCE honor their amazing work and achievements .
By Diane C . Walsh Contributing Editor
As a statewide business advocacy organization , the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey ( CIANJ ) recognizes the importance of honoring leaders in the community . They become role models , setting the standards and exemplifying behavior that will nurture and benefit everyone . Over the years CIANJ has bestowed awards for philanthropy , best practices and environmental leadership . Now the association is establishing its first annual Enterprising Women in Commerce awards .
Nearly 60 women from academia and all sectors of industry were nominated for this honor . Friends , colleagues and co-workers nominated these outstanding women , describing their extraordinary talents and innovative spirit . A blue-ribbon panel of judges was organized to review the nominations and make selections . The winners are listed below and at the top of each category . But we encourage you to read all the nominations included in these pages . They tell
the stories of amazing , dedicated women and we want to salute them all .
The winners of our headline awards are as follows :
Enterprising Women in Commerce Platinum Award , JoAnn Coyne , vice president , Performance Materials , Specialty Products Division , Minerals Technologies Inc .;
Enterprising Women in Commerce One to Watch Award , RoseMary Klie , executive director , Bergen New Bridge Medical Center Foundation .
Industry Award Winners include :
Accounting , MD Advisory Founder and Managing Member Melissa A . Dardani , CPA , MAcc ;
Engineering & Architecture , AECOM Vice President , Managing Principal , Kim Vierheilig ;
Environmental , Jennifer Solewski , Vice President , Business & Technical Development , Bayshore Family of Companies ;
Financial Industries , Massey Insurance President and CEO Ramelle Massey ;
Healthcare , Inspira Health Network President Amy Mansue ;
Higher Education , New Jersey City University President Dr . Sue Henderson ;
Human Resources , Kaufman , Semeraro & Liebman Partner Deena Rosendahl ;
Infrastructure , Ridgewood Moving Services President Cindy Myer ;
International Trade , FLOMO / Nygala Corp . President / CEO Wendy Shen ;
Law , Gibbons P . C . Environmental Group Chair Camille V . Otero ;
Manufacturing , CompoSecure Co-Founder Michele Logan , Special Adviser , Board Members ;
Marketing , The DAK Group Chief Marketing Officer Joan McGeough ;
Non-Profit , Joetta Clark Diggs Sports Foundation Founder and President Joetta Clark Diggs ;
Real Estate & Development , JD Companies VP Julia D ’ Agostino ;
Technology , Safari Solutions Senior Director of Client Engagement Kim Germain .
ACCOUNTING
MD Advisory Melissa A . Dardani , CPA , MAcc , Founder and Managing Member
Melissa Dardani has exemplified a true leader in accounting by starting her own firm , MD Advisory , a boutique forensic firm , after recognizing there was a void in the field . Dardani has an extensive background in forensic accounting , data analytics and cash flow analyses , as well as in diagnosing and remediating business problems . Always giving back , Dardani is passionate about educating the public on financial literacy and is a member of the New Jersey Society of CPAs ’ Student Loan Debt Task Force . She is also the leader of the NJCPA Cannabis Interest Group and a member of its Emerging Leaders Council , where she works diligently to develop programs that will encourage accounting professionals to become certified public accountants .
Sax LLP Kathleen Alexander , CPA , MST , CFE , Partner
Kathleen Alexander was nominated by her staff at the firm . They wanted to emphasize that she does a terrific job of continuing to be a business development leader at the firm and is instrumental in her role of developing and training team members at all levels by providing unwavering support . She is considered a role model to women at the firm , who perceive her as a great leader , who works to help other women find their voices . She is a trusted adviser to her clients and is always looking for opportunities to provide additional services and added value . Kathleen is also an influential force in the industry . The staff said Sax is lucky to have her as she is someone to whom they can all look up to .
Citrin Cooperman & Co . LLP Marilyn Garcia , Principal , Transaction Advisory Services
Marilyn Garcia provides buyside and sell-side due diligence services to private equity groups and middle-market companies . Her experience includes a diversified group of clients in the public and private sectors . She assists buyers involved in various cross-borders transactions , mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean . Marilyn has the confidence and aptitude for building long-term relationships and is responsible for growing the firm ’ s relationship with a network of accounting firms in Latin America and has presented global trainings to firms on how to assist clients who want to start a U . S . business . She has an entrepreneurial mindset and has developed creative ways for her team to market the practice and the firm .
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