PSE&G and Harrison First Responders Conduct Gas Emergency Drills; Haven Savings Bank appoints new officers

PSE&G and Harrison First Responders conduct emergency response exercises

Last month, PSE&G partnered with Harrison first responders on a safety exercise simulating a gas emergency. The four-hour exercise allowed PSE&G and local safety specialists to practice ensuring public safety in the event of a strong outdoor natural gas odor. The exercises, which took place at the Red Bull Arena, were also an opportunity to test incident command and evacuation procedures.

In 2023, PSE&G responded to 853 calls regarding damage to mine workings (736 gas and 117 electrical). The company responds to 99.9 percent of gas emergency calls within an hour. Many of these spills can be avoided by calling 811 and requesting a free marking of underground pipes and cables before digging. Digging without knowing the location of underground utilities can result in: serious injuries, service disruptions, and costly repairs.

Participants and observers at the exercise included representatives from PSE&G, the Harrison Police Department, Harrison Emergency Medical Services, New Jersey Natural Gas, South Jersey Industries, Con Edison, the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

The event was PSE&G’s second gas safety exercise this year, with six more planned. The first one took place on May 6 in Montclair. These safety exercises and training initiatives are part of an ongoing effort to educate community members in PSE&G’s service area about emergency preparedness.

Opening a new cannabis pharmacy

Cream, a new cannabis dispensary in downtown Jersey City, officially opened on Friday, May 31, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, owners and friends from the neighborhood.

The dispensary carries cannabis products including artisan flower, concentrates, topicals and gourmet edibles.

Cream is located at 284 1st St. in Jersey City.

Jersey City resident serves on the Easterseals New Jersey Board of Directors

Easterseals New Jersey (ENJ), a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities, announced the appointment of Anna Malhari to its Board of Directors.

Malhari is the chief operating officer of Veris Residential, a New York Stock Exchange-traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that manages multifamily properties. He has over a decade of experience in senior investments and leading REITs and is a founding member of Northstar Realty Europe Corp.

Malhari holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Financial Management from the University of Economics and Business in Prague and a CEMS MIM certificate in International Management from the University of Cologne. He lives in Jersey City.

Also joining the board will be Jim Ankner, co-president and co-founder of Hummingbird Ventures LLC; Mansi Patel, vice president of Centene Corporation; and Van Shell, managing director and private banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

Haven Savings Bank appoints new CEO and COO

Haven Savings Bank, which provides retail and commercial banking services to clients in Bergen, Union, Hudson, Morris, Somerset and Essex counties, announced the appointments of two senior executives.

Senior Vice President and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Officer Lisa Franconeri has been named the bank’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Paul Deponte has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President. Longtime president John H. Wessling III will continue to serve as the bank’s chairman of the board. The new positions will take effect on January 1, 2025.

Franconeri started working at Haven Savings Bank nearly four decades ago, steadily rising through the management ranks. She has acquired a broad range of skills that include proficiency in lending, portfolio management, rating agency practices, budgeting, marketing and strategic planning.

As a CRA specialist, Franconeri oversaw the bank’s home lending division, and in 2019 she was credited with establishing three separate CRA programs to help low- and moderate-income borrowers become first-time homeowners. He has also been actively involved in the bank’s marketing activities for four years. In 2022, she was recognized as Business Leader of the Year by the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce for supporting women who aspire to leadership positions at Haven Savings Bank.

Deponte joined Haven Savings Bank in 1989. Before becoming chief operating officer, he served as the bank’s financial director for over seven years. He is a member of the national Financial Managers Society and the New York and New Jersey branch of this organization.

Deponte holds a bachelor’s degree in public accounting and quantitative methods from Fordham University and a master’s degree in management from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.

JAG Physiotherapy honored with the 2024 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Award

JAG Physical Therapy, a physical and occupational therapy providing rehabilitative care to patients and sports teams at more than 147 locations throughout the Northeast, was recently recognized as a recipient of the 2024 NJBIZ Health Care Heroes Award.

The Healthcare Heroes Awards Ceremony will take place on June 25 at Somerset Park Palace, and tickets are now available to purchase on the NJBIZ website. The list of winners will be announced in the NJBIZ print edition, digital edition and in individual NJBIZ newsletters.

The program covers 11 categories, including three new products for 2024: outpatient care, mental health and physiotherapy. It recognizes healthcare professionals and organizations nominated by the public and judged by an independent panel of judges.

Englewood Health is recognized as an Equality Builder for its LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts

Englewood Health has been recognized as an Equality Builder by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Health Care Equality Index (HEI) for 2024. This distinction demonstrates Englewood Health’s commitment to establishing foundational policies that ensure LGBTQ+ inclusion in all service areas.

The university is a national benchmark for LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices in healthcare settings. For the 16th edition, the university assessed 1,065 health care facilities across the United States, with fewer than 50 New Jersey facilities participating, including Englewood Health.

Englewood Health was evaluated based on several criteria, including patient nondiscrimination, employee nondiscrimination and staff training in LGBTQ+ culturally competent care.

The university’s evaluation process also includes criteria for patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and patient and community engagement.

Progress has also been shaped by Englewood Health’s Diversity and Inclusion Education Council and population health team, which have integrated LGBTQ+ inclusive practices into employee training, clinical care and community initiatives

Rent Equalization Board Meeting

The Jersey City Rent Equalization Commission will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room at 4 Jackson Sq., The Holloway Building, Jersey City.