2011 Business Partners of the Year
Atlantic - Chapman Ford Auto Group
Chapman Ford has provided invaluable learning opportunities, mentoring, and resources to ACIT students and ACIT’s Academy of Transportation Technology since 1994. Chapman Ford service director Jim Bailey, with the support of company owner and operator Bill Kassner, consistently provides brand new vehicles so the students can experience working with the latest in automotive features and technology.
This year, Mr. Bailey also made mentoring available when he coordinated a Chapman technician to work with the students. Together, they prepared for 2011′s National Automotive Technology Competition, a highly regarded industry event that honors the best, fastest auto repair and service by students across the nation. The Atlantic County students won the NJCAR-sponosored state championship, and represented New Jersey in the national competition.
Consistent achievement by our students in auto competitions, where they often reach the state levels and have several times achieved 1st place, is due in no small part to efforts from Mr. Bailey, Mr. Kassner, and Chapman Ford. When preparing for 2011′s Ford/AAA Student Skills Competition, the ACIT students were invited to Chapman facilities to familiarize themselves with a 2012 Ford Mustang, one of the first 2012 Mustangs available in the state. Again, the ACIT students won a state championship.
Chapman Ford has also been a steady source for job opportunities to ACIT automotive tech graduates, and Mr. Bailey has been Chairperson for ACIT’s Advisory Committee for the Academy of Transportation Technology for the past three years.
Bergen - Philip Ball and William Bulick, Merrill Lynch
Mr. Ball and Mr. Bulick are dedicated mentors and have participated in the Senior Experience Program for over ten years. The Paramus Merrill Lynch office hosts ten or more students each year thanks to the vision and leadership of these men. The students are exposed to a rich and meaningful learning experience in finance, investment and wealth management.
Through the years, Mr. Ball and Mr. Bulick have invested time and resources to make the time students spend at Merrill Lynch time well spent. Last year, they launched the “Morning Meeting Series,” and each week Bergen County Academy students have the opportunity to meet with financial experts who present in-depth topics and best practices in the industry.
Camden - Joseph DiMonte, Burns Collision Center
Joseph DiMonte of Burns Collision Center has been volunteering, assisting, and hiring students from the collision repair program for the past six years. He has served as a lead on the advisory board for the program and inspected the auto body shop and classroom on many occasions for NATEF requirements. In addition, Joseph has assisted with end of program occupational testing.
Joseph hires one or two students each year from Camden County Technical Schools, and all of his past hires have been offered full-time employment upon graduation. He believes in giving all students a chance to succeed and assigns mentors to assist in whatever areas students need assistance.
Camden County Technical Schools is proud to partner with and honor Joseph DiMonte and Burns Collision Center as its business partner of the year.
Cape May - Sand Barrens Golf Club
The Sand Barrens Golf Club is a strong supporter and active proponent of the Cape May County Technical School District. Their retail shop, restaurant, banquet facility and fairways offer job opportunities to help students gain real-world experiences in the related industries of Culinary Arts, Commercial Foods, Pastry/Baking, Business Services, Travel and Tourism, and Landscaping and Golf Course Maintenance.
Home to the Cape May Tech golf team, the Sand Barrens Golf Club also provides a venue for training, professional consultation, and player development. For over seven years, this partnership has contributed to the advancement of our successful golf team, and its student-athletes have experienced the challenge of competition and development of game skills, such as integrity, courtesy, and perseverance in a supportive environment.
Essex - Dr. Gene F. Napoliello
Dr. Napoliello has been a business partner of the Essex County Vocational Technical Schools since 1995. During the 1995-96 school year, Dr. Napoliello established a high school Dental Assisting Program at Newark Tech. This Youth-Transition-to-Work (YTTW) program is affiliated with the New Jersey University of Medicine & Dentistry. In 2000, the program was expanded to provide a Dental Assisting Internship with the NJ Dental School.
Dr. Napoliello has been instrumental in securing funds from the American Dental Association and Delta Dental to purchase stare-of-the-art equipment and supplies. He has established an ECVTS scholarship which provides financial assistance to graduating seniors seeking post secondary training in dental careers. He has also created an ECVTS/NJDS Internship Competency Manual that is utilized for the senior year clinical experience, and is currently working with ECVTS administration to expand the Dental Assisting Program to our Adult School.
Hudson – Laurent Lisimachip, Gensler Architecture and Design, New York, NY
Laurent Lisimachio is a Principal at Gensler, a global architecture & design firm. Laurent is an incredible asset to our school. He serves on the advisory board for our architecture and design teachers; as a team, the committee and the teachers review curriculum and discuss what real-world skills students need post high school. Laurent also makes recommendations so that students are prepared to be successful in post-secondary studies as well as in the field of architecture and design, and visits our schools, where he gives the students solid feedback regarding their projects, regarding both technical and creative skills. He also takes students on tours of Gensler, and makes his colleagues available for q&a sessions, which help our students learn to be good creative thinkers who respond well to thoughtful criticism. He is a huge supporter of our program and we are proud to honor him as the Hudson County Schools of Technology Business Partner of the Year.
Hunterdon – Rowe Electric, Inc.
Hunterdon County Vocational School District’s 2011 Business Partner of the Year is Rowe Electric Incorporated. Aa 45-year-old family-owned business, they provide a wide range of commercial, industrial and residential electrical services, including the installation and repairs of solar systems and fiber optics. As part of Rowe Electric’s community support, they have been instrumental in providing opportunities for students enrolled in the district’s adult electrical trades apprenticeship program for the last ten years. Rowe Electric has provided electrical code books, hosted demonstrations at their facilities for students and hired successful graduates. They have also arranged and provided numerous tours at solar powered companies and annually invite, at no charge, approximately forty electrical students and their instructors to the Local Electrical Contractors Association Annual Spring Dinner/Conference. Rowe Electric is truly deserving of this recognition as a business partner.
Mercer – Morris Hall
Morris Hall is a non-profit organization that provides patient care in a residential and skilled care setting. Morris hall has exhibited a loving, spiritual, and caring environment, and this quality health care is observed by students at the Health Career Center. They assist each resident to experience life to the fullest and support each family who is involved in the care of the resident. Students are offered clinical time on the units and many are hired as new graduates, since their clinical experience serves as a supervised interview. Yolanda Stinger, MCTS alumni and strong supporter of the vocational school, has always advocated for MCTS students.
Monmouth – Seabrook Village
Our partnership with Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls began with the 2007-2008 school year. In the spring of 2006, we were investigating a new location for an off site-class that would be closer to the Career Center. Through the years, we had placed students for employment at Seabrook Village and approached them about entering into a partnership with the Career Center for students to be trained at their location. Without hesitation, Seabrook Villiage accepted and agreed.
The staff has always been accommodating to the students and faculty. They have become very familiar with our course of study and are eager to work with our faculty to achieve the goal on how to deliver the curriculum. The Executive Chef is very open to suggestions our chef instructors have made in order to make the training experience exciting and fresh. We have sent 40 to 45 students each year to experience what it is to be in a real work environment in our industry. The partnership we have is the best way to convey to students what daily life is like in a large kitchen, feeding over 400 residents a day.
Morris - Carl Gugliociello, The Auto Parts People
Mr. Gugliociello and the staff at The Auto Parts People in Dover have been an MCST partner for over 20 years, providing quality service and working with our teachers and students in placing appropriate orders for parts. We are proud to honor Mr. Gugliociello and the Auto Parts People staff as our Business Partner of the Year.
Ocean - NetCetra LLC
The OCVTS 2011 Business Partner of the Year is James Mahlmann, owner of NetCetra LLC in Brick. Mr. Mahlmann first got involved with the vocational school when he offered internship opportunities to several Computer Science students. The students gained valuable experience in web design and programming through NetCetra. Since then, Mr. Mahlman has become a member of the OCVTS General Advisory Committee and the Ocean County Foundation for Vocational Technical Education and has expanded his internship opportunities to include students from the Design and Visual Communication program.
Passaic - William G. Brown Architects
William G. Brown Architects has partnered with Passaic County Technical Institute consistently since 2005. This partnership has provided our students with work-based learning opportunities in the form of job shadowing, internships and cooperative education experiences. William G. Brown also serves on PCTI’s Advisory Board, recommending suggestions for updating our Applied Technology-Drafting curriculum and equipment. We are delighted to recognize William B. Brown Architects for this prestigious honor, as they have been an integral component in fostering student skill development enabling students to compete in the global marketplace
Salem - Resicom Electric Service
Reiscom Electric Service has proven to be a great supporter to the Salem County Vocational Schools. Reiscom provides residential and commercial wiring services, as well as general contracting work to the businesses and residents of Salem County. Resicom Owner and Operator Jim Pratta also serves on SCVTS program advisory committee for Electrical Technology. Through this active involvement with the school, Resicom has provided several cooperative education placements for Electrical students. At the completion of the cooperative education placement, Resicom has tendered employment offers to students. Additionally, Jim Pratta has assisted students with gaining employment with other electrical contractors.
Somerset - University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
For the past seven years, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has been providing the Health Occupations students of Somerset County Vocational Technical High School clinical experiences and the opportunity to earn college credits in Emergency Clinical Skills, Dynamics of Health Careers and Medical Terminology. UMDNJ offers our students all of this and it is all done completely tuition free, which truly benefits our students.
In addition to the college coursework, UMDNJ sponsors an annual Health Science Career Fair at Liberty Science Center, where area colleges and universities are there to orient our students to their specific health science programs. In the spring, UMDNJ holds its annual Senior Recognition Ceremony, where students are acknowledged individually for their hard work and accomplishments. They also provide many other programs throughout the school year, with guest speakers who inspire our future health professionals to continue on their career path.
The partnership between UMDNJ and our school has been an enriching experience for the students in the Health Occupations program. Our partnership is a genuine example of how a higher educational institution can work collaboratively with a high school and provide real opportunities to students who live in New Jersey.
Union – W. W. Granger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. has been working with our postsecondary program for the last four years. They have provided money to our school to purchase HVAC equipment, and have also provided an opportunity for five students per year to get $2000 scholarships to attend our HVAC and Electrical Technology programs.
Warren - Dan Mazelis, Shop Rite
Dan Mazelis works for Shop Rite in the Bakery Department. Over the years, Shop Rite has been very supportive of Warren Tech and our students through their donations to our school and the hiring of our students for various positions at their stores. With Dan’s experience in the Bakery Department, he has come in to demonstrate cake decorating skills to our culinary students.
Dan has a son in our theater arts program. He is very active in the school’s PTA, and is currently the President of this organization. With Dan’s help, the PTA has raised money to support all of our school’s programs. Along with being an asset to our culinary program, he is a member of our Culinary Advisory Board and is active in various committees throughout our school.
