Who are the best in the area? The Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for Business Person of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year, with the recipients to be honored at the organization’s 65th Anniversary Awards Dinner in June. 

The Business Person of the Year will be presented to a business person and chamber member who has demonstrated outstanding professionalism in service to the business community. The Humanitarian Award, which honors the memory of Tom Klecka, is a person who demonstrates dedication and commitment through volunteer efforts in the community. The nominee for this award is not required to be a chamber member.

In 2019, Tom Schiano, co-owner of Mama’s & Café Baci in Hackettstown, was recognized as the Business Person of the Year. and Joan Westpy, then president of the Hackettstown Rotary, was named Humanitarian of the Year, 

The Mount Olive Area Chamber serves the Greater Mount Olive area including Hackettstown and parts of Warren, Sussex and Northwest Morris County.

Among some of the other past Business Persons of the Year are Mike McCourt, owner of Amish Mike’s, Greg Stewart, former Chamber President and owner of NexGen Management, Jerome Hagedorn – Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc., and Janen Ardia – RE/MAX Heritage Properties. 

Tom Klecka Humanitarians of the Year have included Norman Worth, Patrice Schaffer, Ray Miller, Doug Fenichel, Steve Maternick, and Susan Morse.  

The date and location of this year’s event will be announced soon.

Nominations must be sent in by May 6. For a nomination form, go to http://mountolivechambernj.com/awards/ or check out the chamber website for general information, www.MountOliveChamberNJ.com. You can also email nominations with pertinent information about the nominees to: president@mountolivechambernj.com.