FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 19, 2022

Contact:

Derek Sands

201-250-6080

COUNTY TO LAUNCH ECONOMIC RESILIENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(HACKENSACK, N.J.) – Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announces the formation of the    Bergen County Economic Resiliency Advisory Committee (BCERAC), a new advisory committee that will work to further enhance opportunities for responsible growth here in Bergen County.

The new committee will serve as another tool to work with municipalities, businesses, banks, educational institutions, utility service providers, unions, and other industry entities to discuss general matters relating to business and development. The BCERAC bring together industry leaders to the table to identify options, alternatives, and recommendations to strengthen our County’s already strong economic position.

“The County’s Economic Development team has been focused on working to maintain our County’s position of economic strength as we emerge from the pandemic economy,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “By bringing together industry leaders to provide a holistic assessment of our economic outlook, the Bergen County Economic Resiliency Advisory Committee will further our County’s mission, providing additional communication within and between the business community and our partner municipalities. I am also pleased to welcome lifelong Bergen County resident, Joseph Sanzari to lead the Bergen County Economic Resiliency Advisory Committee who will bring exceptional expertise to the committee as the longstanding President of Joseph M. Sanzari Inc., as well as his deep involvement as a member of several local civic, cultural, and philanthropic organizations here in Northern New Jersey.”

“We are pleased to work together with the County Executive to continue to create and sustain economic opportunities for all types of businesses throughout Bergen County,” said Commissioner Chair Tracy Zur.  “These partnerships demonstrate Bergen County’s strong economic viability and further validates why people and businesses call Bergen County home.”

Under County Executive Tedesco’s leadership, substantial action was taken to foster sustained economic growth as we emerged from the pandemic economy. Measures included utilizing federal CARES Act funds to distribute $55.6 million in assistance to small businesses and launching a service to provide free consulting and real-time data to help businesses grow. This new committee aims to build upon those successes, by soliciting and sharing guidance from local industry leaders with the same goal and a shared vision: to sustain our position as one of the largest and strongest economic forces in the region and build upon it by forging new relationships to foster even further growth.

The new committee is set to host a local stakeholders meeting in September with all 70 Mayors and Administrators in Bergen County to discuss how to further our region’s mutual economic prosperity for our municipalities, its businesses and residents.

Established by Executive Order No. 2022-1, the committee will include members based on the following criteria:

• A representative of a Utility that operates within the County of Bergen
• A representative of a Corporation that operates or is registered within the County of Bergen
• A representative of Real Estate services that operates or is registered within the County of Bergen
• A representative of a Union/Labor Organization with membership within the County of Bergen
• A representative of Banking and Insurance that operates or is registered within the County of Bergen
• A representative of a Higher Education Institution within the County of Bergen
• A representative of a Major Sector Employer that operates within the County of Bergen
• A representative from the Bergen County Executive’s OfficeA representative from the Bergen County Board of Commissioners

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