Another year and another joyous Holiday Season is upon us.

This issue of AdTalk is releasing on the night of the Third Annual Holiday Networking Party. Tonight’s event is the biggest and best one yet. We owe a debt of gratitude to Wendy Flannigan of the NJIABC for chairing the event and for recruiting all of the associations involved. Our joint efforts resulted in a great event in July, too. An e-mail calendar announcing monthly programs offered by these associations will be sent to you. Hopefully, with the knowledge of these programs, our attendance will be stronger and the networking opportunities infinite.

What a wild and wicked year it has been. It would be impossible to reflect on the past year without recalling some of the tragedies and horrors that occurred. From mudslides in California to hurricanes in the Gulf and in Florida, to the flooding here in New Jersey and the acts of terrorism overseas, we’ve all been affected in some way.

With the price of gas exceeding three dollars per gallon, Exxon announces its biggest quarterly earnings of all time. We saw two candidates for governor spend over $40,000,000 dollars of their own money to be elected! Our acting governor was scared off because he didn’t have the finances to compete. And, we keep hearing that the New Jersey unemployment rate is down and the jobless rate is up. Does anyone really know what that means? What I know is that many of us are still struggling to stay in business and pay our bills.

Since I can’t do much to change any of this, I have to look ahead and be thankful for what I have. In the past year, I woke up every morning, I remained healthy, and I have people in my life who love me. I got to attend graduations, bar mitzvahs, weddings and christenings. And tonight, I’m welcomed at a business affair with smiles and hugs from friends and associates. Since these are the things that I can control, they’re what I cherish and look forward to. I wish everyone the same good fortune.

The NJ ADCLUB can be thankful for a fruitful year. The club wouldn’t exist without our very dedicated and hard-working board of directors. I’d like to thank to Ralph Gonzalez for chairing another record-setting Jersey Awards. Thanks to Stu Bodow and John Howlett for a successful networking event that attracted a new group of members less than 30 years of age. Thank you to Grace DePaola for chairing our Wake-Up Call Workshops and to Daryl Rand for her support of them. A big thanks to Michael Schumacher for being my right arm as Vice President of the organization as well as Smartalk chair. With his help we had a very exciting program in November with Steve Adubato Jr. as moderator. It was well received and packed with good ideas. Continued thanks to Suzanne Poor, the editor of AdTalk, for her continued dedication to the newsletter and to Rhona Bronson for her support in ensuring that we sent out a record number of press releases. And, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Jenna Stone and BOSS Staffing for being our corporate sponsor. The Ad Club looks forward to our continued association.

I need to remember Pat Tesman and her tremendous dedication to the club. Her time with us was too short. On behalf of the board, I also want to wish Lew Kraut the best in health. We miss you and we hope that you get well soon.

May the holidays bring you health, happiness and peace. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Gary Denburg

Read December 2005 AdTalk