Excellence Deserves Recognition
By: Freddy sebastian
Each year the Somerset County Business Partnership does just that when it recognizes a slate of outstanding members of the Somerset County business community both individuals and companies.
The Outstanding Business Person award recognizes men and women who have made a difference and contributed significantly to the business success and growth of their company. Consideration is given to career advancement and contribution to business success, community involvement, and betterment of quality of life in Somerset County. The awards are presented in categories based on business size, plus non-profit and Young Entrepreneur.
The Economic Vitality award honors companies that have made a significant economic impact in Somerset County and have fostered economic vitality through job creation and retention; job training and retraining; sales growth; profitability and reinvestment; and increased capital assets and influx of new dollars.
The 2006 award recipients honored at the Partnership’s annual meeting and awards luncheon December 5 were:
Outstanding Business Person Awards
- Tim Comerford of PSE&G – Large Business
- Ed Delia of Delia Associates – Small Business
- Evelyn Savage of the Visiting Nurses Association of Somerset Hills- Non-Profit
- Catherine Cook, Montgomery High School senior and recipient of the Young Entrepreneur Award
Economic Vitality Awards
- MarketRx, Bridgewater-Medium Business
- The Bruce C. Van Arsdale Funeral Home, Somerville-Small Business
- Verizon, Basking Ridge- Large Business
“This year’s class of award winners carries on the tradition of quality individuals and quality businesses, all of whom have made significant contributions to the commercial environment in Somerset County,” said Jeffrey Horn, President of the Somerset County Business Partnership.
Ed Delia
Ed assumed the role of President of the family-run Delia Associates advertising agency in Whitehouse in 1998 at the age of 25 and eagerly turned the 33-year old company from a financially-struggling operation into a stable business.
Understanding that community involvement is important to gaining the market knowledge that benefits his clients, Delia has long been involved in numerous community and civic organizations. He grew up in Hunterdon County and has lived in Somerset County for more than 10 years. Disappointedly, Delia has found that many corporations in the central New Jersey area go elsewhere to find business.
“What I find surprising is that companies around our area go outside the region for services.” said the married father of twins. “Some people sometimes do not realize what’s under the hood. We’ve got some excellent local talent.”
“Ed Delia is a great example of a young man given an opportunity and making the most of it,” Horn said. “His rebuilding of Delia Associates was a task that he accomplished through creativity, hard work and thousands of hours of volunteer time that helped to introduce his firm to the business community.”
