■ Enterprising Women Awards
Continued From Page 22 Groezinger Provisions Alexandra Groezinger President
Alexandra Groezinger recently took the seat as President of one of the premier specialty food manufacturers in the nation . She has worked in manufacturing her entire professional career . Her skills played a vital role in elevating her company and brand to its current level . Her passion , innovativeness , and engagement must be rewarded . At the latest statewide manufacturing conference , she stood in front of hundreds of manufacturing professionals to highlight why the industry needs to work together . Groezinger isn ’ t sitting back waiting for her business to accelerate or for the industry to progress . Instead , she is taking both goals into her own hands and pushing forward . There are a select few leaders who have the foresight and courage to take on such a task .
ZAGO Manufacturing Co . Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich CEO & Co-Founder
Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich , co-founded ZAGO Manufacturing Co . over 30 years ago in Newark . Under her leadership , ZAGO is an award-winning , woman-owned company , which manufactures sustainable , high-tech sealing solutions and components . ZAGO successfully serves multitudes of male dominated industries including military , aerospace , automotive , and more . Today , ZAGO operates from a 100-year-old , refurbished factory in Newark , has a 95 percent retention rate among its employees , most of whom live in Newark , and employs seven women in leadership positions . The company also launched ZAGO ’ s Sustainability 360 — a social impact initiative which invests in education and career success within ZAGO employees and the community through internships , scholarships , and career development . Rottenstrich is also a mentor , a proud wife and mother of three . She is a Councilmember in her hometown of Fair Lawn . She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program .
Ilene Greene is the consummate woman business owner . As the president and founder of Marketshare Communications , she has invested decades in her commitment to helping others by using the right marketing tools for the right situation . She combines her strong , smart marketing , branding and public relations expertise with an empathetic and strategic approach that enables and empowers her clients and colleagues . Rather than advocate for the latest trend or the newest social media platform , Greene does things differently . She is an excellent listener who delivers the right solutions based on the client ’ s needs and unique situation . She has built a reputation for suggesting appropriate tactics that make the strongest impact for her clients . It is this sincerity and genuine giving philosophy that makes her a standout professional . As a result , her business has continued to grow – even through all challenges she has faced over the years and most recently while navigating the bumps in the road brought by Covid .
YWCA Northern New Jersey Lori Murray Director of Communications and Marketing
In the five years that Lori Murray has been with the YWCA Northern New Jersey , she has transformed its marketing and communications . Her efforts have helped capture the organization ’ s stories and use them to engage the community for outreach and support . She updated the existing communications platforms , including the website , social media and direct mail , to optimize community engagement and user interface . Her efforts have elevated the YW- CA ’ s community profile and increased client access . She makes a point to keep current in her field and embrace JEDI principles in her work . Murray leads her staff by creating an inclusive environment for growth and collaboration . In addition to the leadership that she provides her team , she is known within the organization and the non-profit community as someone who is always open to providing support , resources and mentorship . Her colleagues are grateful to have her as part of the YW Family .
NON-PROFIT
Nourish . NJ Teresa ( Terry ) Connolly CEO
Teresa Connolly is a CEO with deep experience in the nonprofit community . But it ’ s her strategic thinking that is most noteworthy . As the leader of the what had been known as the “ Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown ,” Connolly realized that the term “ soup kitchen ” brought grim images to mind of the Great Depression and was no longer appropriate for her organization . Under her guidance the organization has greatly expanded and evolved into a combination of soup kitchen , food bank , food pantry , hunger relief center , anti-poverty center , family services unit , career guidance program , outreach agency , housing case management , and much more . Influenced by her energy and passion , the board and other leaders took on the tough task of re-branding CSK to become more aligned and compatible with its expanded mission . From those efforts , “ nourish . NJ ” emerged , a name that represents all that nourish . NJ is about . Change is always difficult , but Connolly ’ s leadership drove the process as she overcame challenges and navigated through the upheaval , thus ensuring a strong future for the organization .
PHARMACEUTICALS / LIFE SCIENCES
Modern Meadow Ann Lee-Jeffs Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability
Ann Lee-Jeffs is an outstanding professional with that rare
Continued On Page 26
MARKETING
Marketshare Communications Ilene Greene President
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing is a thriving industry in New Jersey .
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