Women's Business Group Merges Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Chapters into One Region

The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) merged its 14 chapters into six regions on May 22, only a few days before installing the 2012-13 executive board. NJAWBO is the oldest women's business organization in New Jersey, according to the group's website.

The goal of NJAWBO is to address the challenges that female business owners face, while helping women grow their businesses with education and a collaborative environment through all stages of business development, according to the organization's website.

"Our slogan is, 'Empower, engage and energize the woman business owner,'" said Jackie Berman, who became the president of the Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex region on May 24.

Berman joined the Monmouth chapter of NJAWBO in 2004. She is the owner of two separate businesses, but initially joined to help her daughter become a successful small business owner.

"You know how daughters won't take advice from mothers," Berman said with a laugh. "I wanted to steer her in the right direction as to how to run a business, so we joined NJAWBO together so she could get a lot of education on how to run a business."

Although she joined with her daughter, Berman enjoyed the support the group offered. She liked it so much that even after her daughter left her small business to work for Berman, she continued going.

"I fell in love with what they do," Berman said. "There's a camaraderie there that no one could understand unless they are a woman business owner."

There are about eighty members in the Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex region, known within NJAWBO as Region 5. The region works to educate members and provide valuable resources, such as books on tape and networking opportunities.

"We have a lot of education and a lot of support systems for women business owners that you don't get anywhere else," Berman said.

They hold regular meetings in Marlboro at the Bella Vista Country Club and show women business owners a variety of strategies, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, marketing strategy and Pinterest.

There are education seminars regularly, and members of one region are welcome to seminars located in another, according to Berman.

"I say it's like a sisterhood. Once you're a member of one region you can go to another region. There's education happening throughout the week almost every day," she said.

As the organization continues to grow, Berman said she is working toward building a stronger relationship with other business-focused groups, such as the Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce.

Appointed to this year's executive board of region 5 was Jackie Berman, Regional NJAWBO President, Gerri Burns, VP Membership, Judy Defeo, VP Programming, Bernadette Strout, Secretary, Linda Coppolino, VP Marketing, Liz Mileo, VP Finance, and Sue Fitzpatrick, Immediate Past President