Choose New Jersey, Inc. Welcomes Bernard "Bernie" Flynn as New Board Chairman

PRINCETON, N.J., July 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Choose New Jersey, Inc. Board of Directors voted Bernard "Bernie" Flynn, President and CEO, NJM Insurance Group (pictured) as its new Chairman during their Board meeting on July 12. Flynn will replace Choose New Jersey's founding chairman, Dennis Bone, President, Verizon New Jersey.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120713/NY40063 )

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"It has been an honor to serve on Choose New Jersey's Board of Directors, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to build on the success and vision of our founding chairman Dennis Bone," Flynn said. "I want to thank him for his commitment to this organization and am pleased that he'll continue to contribute his ingenuity as an honorary member of our team."

"When we established this organization, our goal was to show the world what we already knew; New Jersey is the premiere destination for business," said Bone. "I am proud of our strong team of partners and believe that the Board has made a good decision in choosing Bernie Flynn to carry on our mission."

Flynn has served as President and CEO of New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company since April 2008 and chairman of the board of NJM Bank FSB, a wholly owned subsidiary of NJM, since 2009. Before joining NJM, he was a New Jersey deputy attorney general from 1987 to 1993, serving as counsel for the commissioner of insurance from 1991 to 1993. Flynn is also a founding Board member of Choose New Jersey. 

Established in 2010, Choose New Jersey is a member of the Partnership for Action and has executed an innovative marketing strategy to promote the state's competitive business climate with target industries such as life sciences, logistics and manufacturing. As part of the Christie Administration's economic development plan, Choose New Jersey is responsible for promoting the Garden State's unique business advantages to corporations across the globe.

Leaders from 17 of New Jersey's top Fortune 500 companies, privately-held ventures and community organizations serve on the Board of Directors to oversee and fund programs initiated by Choose New Jersey.

"Choose New Jersey is exceeding the goals that we've set, from officially branding the state as a strategic location for business and home to a highly educated workforce to targeted investment attraction and retention missions," said Choose New Jersey President and CEO Tracye McDaniel. "Support for Choose New Jersey has helped us to knock on doors both nationally and internationally and market the state on a whole new level."

The complete list of Board members, including committee chairmanships:

• Chair:  Bernard Flynn, President and CEO, NJM Insurance Group
• Vice Chair:  Raymond Pocino, VP, Eastern Regional Manager, Laborers International Union of North America
• Treasurer:  Edward Graham, President and CEO, South Jersey Gas
• Secretary:  Kevin T. Rigby, VP & Head, Public Affairs & Communications, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
• David Baker, President, NJ American Water; Senior Vice President, American Water Northeast Division
• Linda Bowden, Regional President, Northern New Jersey, PNC Bank
• Joseph S. Colalillo, Chairman and CEO, Wakefern Food Company
• Robert Doherty, NJ State President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Laurence M. Downes, Chairman and CEO, New Jersey Resources
• Jim Gerace, Vice President, New York/New Jersey/Connecticut, Verizon
• Rev. Dr. M. William Howard, Jr., Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church
• Robert Hugin, Chairman and CEO, Celgene Corporation
• Robert J. Iacullo, President and COO, United Water
• Ralph LaRossa, President and COO, PSEG
• Vincent Maione, President, Atlantic City Electric
• Robert A. Marino, President and CEO, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ
• John Strangfeld, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Prudential Financial, Inc.

In addition to support from the Board of Directors, Choose New Jersey enjoys an extensive group of Partner-level contributors. They include Flemington Family of Auto Dealers, IBEW 351, J.F. Kiely Construction, J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, KRE & Silverman Group, Sills Cummis & Gross P.C., Solix Inc., Spectra Energy Group, United Airlines Inc., and Wells Fargo Bank.

About Choose New Jersey, Inc.

Choose New Jersey, Inc., a member of the Partnership for Action – including the NJ Business Action Center and the NJ Economic Development Authority – is an independently-funded and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation created to promote New Jersey as a place to invest and do business. For more information, visit www.chooseNJ.com.

Contact: Melissa Hensley, 609-297-2192
[email protected]

SOURCE Choose New Jersey, Inc.