Page 4 • Wednesday , February 2 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette siblings in business support Hammonton economy
sibLiNGs , from Page 1 phone at night , as we are a 24 / 7 business . Sometimes we have to miss things with family because of the business ,” he said . Nick Perone echoed those sentiments .
“ By having a life , someone ’ s got to be here seven days a week because people like to talk to family instead of talking to a person ... When he had to go out on medical , I covered for him . When I have to go out , he covers for me . When I take a vacation , he covers for me . When he takes one , I cover for him . I ’ m here the days that he ’ s not , and he ’ s here the days that I ’ m not ,” he said . Working together , Nick Perone said , is second nature to them . “ Some days , it ’ s relatively easy ; some days it ’ s a communication problem . It ’ s like anything else : you try to cover my back , and I cover your back . That ’ s family . That ’ s the way we grew up : trusting family ,” he said .
At Tomasello Winery , brothers Jack and Charlie have also been working together for decades , carrying on a tradition started by their grandfather in 1933 .
“ We ’ ve worked together for 40 years . He has his scope of work and I have my scope of work . We each do independent work on different aspects of the business then we frequently meet to discuss and make sure everything ’ s on the same page ,” Charlie Tomasello said .
Jack Tomasello agreed , and noted that the fact that they ’ re family is something he “ never really thinks about .”
“ He ’ s here , my son ’ s here , my nephew ’ s here , my brother ’ s here . I ’ m here . We all have different positions in the business . We do different jobs . Sometimes we meet up on things ; somethings our jobs cross , and sometimes they don ’ t . We all have our own places in the business , and then we have the overall look over the whole picture ,” he said . He explained further . “ My brother and I , since we ’ re the senior members of the family , we look at the outlets and what ’ s going on in the nine retail stores . We have the banquet business . Charlie handles a lot of the domestic wholesale with the distributors and I handle export , because we sell in Japan and we also sell in China ... There are people in different positions doing different jobs , and we really , our biggest job is to oversee everyone doing what they ’ re supposed to be doing ,” he said .
Charlie Tomasello said that he believes that such division of labor has been the secret to the winery ’ s success .
“ We ’ re working independently then meeting . If we were both trying to do the same job , it wouldn ’ t work . It would be conflicting . We have a handle on what we ’ re doing . Absolutely we trust each other ; I ’ ve got his back and he ’ s got mine . We ’ re all working towards the same objective ,” he said .
At D ’ Amico Travel , sisters Heather D ’ Amico and Mandee Measley have been working together since 2013 .
“ I started working with Heather because I wanted to see my new niece , and I wanted to be around . We started home-based before we had the office ; I basically raised Gianna with her and my mom , because my office was in her house ,” Measley said .
D ’ Amico explained further .
“ We were just starting , so we were open 24 / 7 ; whenever a client was there , we were there . We were growing rapidly while we had two infants — Gianna and David — back to back . Mandee would come ; we had no phone hours , so the phone would start ringing at 8 a . m . We ’ d have people on the phone at 10 p . m . Mandee would be there from juggling breakfast with the kids through dinner time to bedtime ; we ’ d still be downstairs . My mom would come and help us ; it was a whole family affair . Then , we got an office and became more established and grew our team , but , in the beginning , starting a business is like having a new baby . We did it together , which was kind of special ,” D ’ Amico said .
Measley said that it is easy for her to work with her sister .
“ I ’ ve worked with my family pretty much my whole life , from Grandmom Trina , my mom , my dad and now my sister . It ’ s natural for me , but that ’ s not how it is for everybody . I find it easier because she understands me better than anybody . She ’ s always helped me throughout my whole life , so now she ’ s helping me with my adult life , too ,” Measley said .
Measley said that one of the challenges of working with D ’ Amico is maintaining a proper work / life balance .
“ She ’ s not afraid to text me at 10 p . m . and tell me what she ’ s thinking about the next day , and I ’ m already in bed , resting . She ’ s not afraid to tell me what ’ s on her mind . It could be 11 p . m . It could be 6 a . m .,” Measley said .
D ’ Amico said that the dynamic with Measley is “ a little bit different .”
“ I don ’ t consider Mandee an employee ; I consider her more like a partner . The dynamic between us is definitely different than the way I talk to my two employees . I have to be a little softer with other people — a little more refined — but Mandee and I say it how it is ; we don ’ t have to worry about hurting each other ’ s feelings . At the end of the day , we love each other unconditionally . We can have a disagreement at work , and the next minute we ’ re shopping together ,” D ’ Amico said .
Because they are sisters , D ’ Amico said that she expects a lot from Measley .
“ Not only do I want her to get the job done , but I also want her to be a great person . I care about her future and her career ,” D ’ Amico said .
Measley said that she would not change their relationship for the world .
“ We work side by side , around the clock , seven days a week to be co-parents and co-owners of our three babies : Gianna , David and D ’ Amico Travel ,” Measley said .
At Crowley & Carr Real Estate , brothers Phil and Charlie Carr also work together , which is a relatively new experience .
“ We haven ’ t been working together too , too long . He just got his license recently ,” Phil Carr said . Charlie Carr explained further . “ I got licensed in 2020 , during COVID , so I joined in October of last year ... Given the history of the family , it ’ s a pleasure being able to work with my brother and alongside family to carry on the tradition of Crowley & Carr . It ’ s really been a pleasure to join the staff and join the agency to carry on that tradition ,” he said .
Phil Carr noted that his grandfather , Charles Crowley , founded Crowley & Carr Real Estate in 1988 , along with his late son-inlaw Henry P . Carr III , who , at the time , was a licensed real estate agent and law enforcement officer . Crowley ’ s late wife , Annetta Crowley , was also a licensed agent , and his daughter , Kathy , is an agent . Phil Carr is the broker of record at Crowley & Carr Real Estate , and his wife , Alyssa , is currently in school to obtain her license .
“ Family businesses do not fall in your lap ; you must build them , fight for them and then eventually pass them on to the next generation for them to do the same . This comes at a calculated risk for the founders and each generation that passes . The three of us — Phil , Kathy and Charlie — are grateful for the risks taken , and the progression / growth of the business since the ‘ 80s ,” he said .
Charlie Carr said that working with his older brother is definitely beneficial .
“ Growing up with my brother , we have a great relationship ; we have a great family , so it ’ s really been easy , transitioning into working at Crowley & Carr . It ’ s a privilege ; something I take pride in , and it ’ s been great working relationship since joining the agency ... It ’ s great working with my mom and my brother to carry on the tradition of a family business . It ’ s nice having a reputation in a small town to be able to continue the family business in a town like Hammonton ,” he said . Phil Carr agreed . “ We are grateful we get to continue working together as a family , doing our part to keep small family businesses alive in our town and country ,” he said .