Manufacturing Power 50 A-M

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Sivaraman Anbarasan

As the executive director of the New Jersey Community College Consortium and the Advanced Manufacturing Training Initiative, Anbarasan helps to close the skills gap manufacturing companies face in hiring. The consortium finds people who are looking to enter new careers and connects them with business, education, health care, life sciences, technology, and utility associations to create training programs. Anbarasan says these programs are free to associations and their members, and they add membership value. The consortium’s largest association partner is the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, which helped launch and promote the NJBIA Basic Skills Workforce Training Program, also known as the Employability Skills Training Program and the consortium’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Initiative, according to the consortium.

Hugh Bailey

As assistant commissioner in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Bailey helps ensure a steady pipeline of skilled and trained workers to the businesses. He might not be the face of the department, but he has become the go-to figure. Bailey will be on the advisory board for Hudson County Community College’s Workforce Leadership Academy and was on hand for the August 2018 opening of a one-stop career center at Warren County College. With wind energy for example – a rapidly growing industry given Gov. Phil Murphy’s clean energy goals – Bailey has been a key figure boosting and highlighting the department’s training and apprenticeship programs. “Economic development and workforce development are two sides of the same coin,” Bailey said in December 2018. “Establishing a stronger, fairer economy means employers having access to a pool of workers with the training, skills, and credentials needed to get the job done.”

Paul Bakus

Consumers might not recognize Puratos Corp. by name, but it’s likely that they’ve consumed its products—at least, if they have a sweet tooth. Puratos products are in artisan breads, pastries, chocolate, and fillings. Bakus has been the president and North American markets director for a little over a year but has long been a power player in food manufacturing, having spent more than three decades at Nestle outposts all over the world, in executive positions since 2001. Bakus works out of the company’s Pennsauken headquarters, situated right by a production facility and the new Innovation Center, which provides customers – artisan bakers, industrial bakeries, supermarkets and food service companies – with access to the state-of-the-art equipment, expertise and training, and an abundance of research into international trends. The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program honored the company with a 2019 Manufacturer of the Year Award.

Alex Cable

Thorlabs is a New Jersey-based manufacturer of fiber equipment and optical equipment and a global manufacturer of Photonic Tools. Cable founded the company in 1989 and has expanded it over 30 years. Thorlabs operates manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Sweden, Japan, Brazil, and China, employing more than 1,500 employees worldwide. A graduate of the Stevens Institute of Technology, Cable uses innovation to expand his business. He is also a board member at Castor Optics, a strategic partner of Thorlabs that is developing a new line of double-clad fiber optic couplers.

Giovanni Caforio

Caforio is chairman and CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb, which in November completed an acquisition of Summit-based Celgene. As CEO, Caforio has led the company’s focus on researching and developing transformational medicines, which includes a leading portfolio of immunotherapies that are changing the way cancer is treated. Under his leadership, BMS is evolving its operating model to increase speed and competitiveness. With a background as a physician, Caforio has helped strengthen the company’s patient-focused culture — one driven by innovation, speed, accountability and passion. As a leader, he is focused on the business value of a company culture that promotes and rewards diversity and inclusion. Born and educated in Italy, Caforio received his M.D. from the University of Rome. Before becoming CEO, Caforio served as chief operating officer with responsibility for leading a fully integrated worldwide commercial organization and the companywide functions of Enterprise Services and Global Manufacturing & Supply.

Mitch Cahn

Manufacturing still happens in Newark and a lot of it goes on at Unionwear, a 170-employee company run by Cahn. Unionwear makes uniforms, hats and other promotional clothing. The company’s Made in America pedigree means it is the go-to source for political candidates who cannot, under any circumstances, be caught wearing or hawking anything marked Made in Some Other Country. The homegrown company is also in position to benefit from global trade disputes as customers seek out local sources for necessary apparel. “We’ve been getting a lot of interest, and a number of orders, from fashion companies that want to diversify their suppliers,” Cahn told NJBIZ recently. “Also, when prices on imported materials go up because of increased tariffs, the premium pricing for ‘Made in the USA’ is thinner. That makes it even more attractive for companies that want to use that angle in their marketing efforts.” In all, a strong recovery for a company that emerged from a pension-related bankruptcy case two years ago.

Andrew Campbell

Many New Jersey manufacturers bemoan the apparent lack of interest in the industry among young people. A few employers are actually doing something about it — including Campbell, the founder and CEO of Jersey City-based Eastern Millwork. In the spring of 2019, the company, a leading producer of architectural woodwork, teamed up with the Hudson County and Jersey City governments, along with three schools, to offer an apprenticeship program that allows Jersey City students to start a career immediately after graduating. The students will be paid, with full benefits, and earn an associate degree from the Holz Technik Academy, without accumulating debt. They are guaranteed a job after completing the program at a starting annual salary of $70,000. All of which makes manufacturing look pretty great.

Peter Connolly

Connolly, the president of Shock Tech Inc. and chairman of the NJMEP board of trustees, is a leader in the development, planning, execution, and control of multi-million dollar design and production programs. He brings talent for recruiting, developing and managing employees. Shock Tech is a Mahwah-based manufacturer of mounted trays and avionics mounts and other products that are used in commercial and military aircraft, ships, mission launch vehicles, guidance systems, military vehicles, and in outer space. The company has been designing, manufacturing, and testing shock attenuation and vibration isolation mounting systems for the most demanding environments for more than 25 years.

Danielle DeFilippis

Food manufacturers know Danielle DeFilippis, who co-chairs the intellectual property group at Norris McLaughlin. She acts as outside general counsel for various manufacturers in the food and beverage space, and shows up for them in court: she was recently lead counsel for a global cutlery manufacturer in litigation involving contract claims, business torts and trademark claims, and was counsel of record for a manufacturer of printing technology in a dispute relating to a license and supply agreement. DeFilippis provides trademark counseling, prosecution and enforcement for a well-known domestic confectionary manufacturer; and day in, day out, she provides advice to manufacturers on advertising claims under consumer protection laws, state and federal statutes, and applicable law. In the last two years, she’s become a well-known voice on intellectual property issues in the food and beverage space, speaking at events across New Jersey and New York.

Frank Danieli

As a business development officer at Choose New Jersey, Danielli has played a major role in boosting manufacturing for the state’s food and beverage industry. With two decades of food and culinary industry experience, Danieli is a key player in the sector. A legacy of former-Gov. Chris Christie, Choose New Jersey is tasked with marketing the state’s assets to businesses across the country and around the world. The nonprofit has some heavy financial backers and supporters: its board includes PSEG, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, PNC Bank, Hackensack Meridian Health, United Airlines, Prudential Financial and RWJ Barnabas Health. The agency sponsored the Murphy administration’s nine-day economic trade mission across Germany and Israel, and most of the costs for a weeklong trip to India in September, to make the case for businesses to invest or set up shop in New Jersey. And the administration put Choose NJ in charge of a $3 million marketing campaign to lure businesses.

Alexandre Eboli

If one person can make an environmental impact, what kind of impact can a manufacturer make? And what if that manufacturer was dubbed by consumer insight company Kantar Worldpanel as the world’s strongest manufacturer, with many of the world’s more popular brands falling under its umbrella? Well, that means that Eboli, head of supply chain for Unilever North America, is pretty influential. Eboli is instrumental in implementing the company’s most significant packaging sustainability initiatives. The company’s goal to use 50 percent or more recycled content in its plastic packaging has required major changes throughout the company’s procurement and manufacturing operations.

Matthew Farrell

There’s more to Church & Dwight than baking soda and laundry detergent — a lot more. There’s also the Waterpik oral care line and, as of March 2019, Flawless and Finishing Touch hair removal products, which the Ewing-based company acquired in a deal that could be valued at $900 million after earn-outs. The product mix added up to a strong year for CEO Farrell. The company beat earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, according to the Wall Street Journal. In addition, the company ranked 46th on the Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, up from No. 58.

Kenneth Frazier

Frazier joined Merck in 1992 as vice president, general counsel and secretary of the company’s joint venture with Astra AB. He became vice president of public affairs in 1994, assistant general counsel in 1997 and general counsel in 1999. From 2007 to 2010, he served as president of Global Human Health, Merck’s sales and marketing division. In 2010, Frazier became company president and he was appointed chairman and CEO in 2011. Frazier has increased Merck’s investment in research considerably, including early research, while refocusing the organization on the launch and growth of key products that provide benefit to society. Frazier has also led the formation of philanthropic and other initiatives that build on Merck’s 125-year plus legacy.

Linda Greenstein and Steve Oroho

As leaders of the Legislature’s bipartisan manufacturing caucus, Sen. Greenstein, D-14th District, and Assemblyman Oroho, R-24th District, are receptive to their complaints about the challenges of manufacturing in New Jersey. And if the caucus’ meetings over the past year have been any indication, those complaints are unsurprising and all-too-familiar. Lack of job-training, and burdensome regulations are just two examples. Government is starting to respond. For example, a bill heading to the governor’s desk would give priority to manufacturers who are applying for workforce development grants. Another measure, which Murphy recently signed, allocates $250,000 to NJMEP. As lawmakers and the Murphy administration attempt to attract manufacturing to New Jersey and incentivize apprenticeship career training programs, Greenstein and Oroho will be important players.

Debbie Hart

Hart worked alongside New Jersey’s biotechnology industry leaders to establish BioNJ in 1994 and has been dedicated to building the state’s life sciences ecosystem ever since. She was named by Governor Murphy to the state Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology and as co-chair of the NJ Higher Education Strategic Plan Research, Innovation and Talent Working Group. Hart also served as chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Biotechnology Task Force, which was charged with making recommendations to the Legislature for fostering the growth of the industry in New Jersey. The report was issued in June 2018. With New Jersey being the No.1 biomanufacturing state in the country, BioNJ is taking an active role in assessing and promoting this important and growing sector, especially in the area of cell and gene therapy where New Jersey is leading the way from discovery through manufacturing.

Rick Howe

Howe has devoted his career to helping customers in the industrial and automation markets increase productivity and grow their businesses. He has been working at The Knotts Co. for more than 40 years. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, he scaled through the sales team and was promoted to president and CEO of Knotts. He has spent the last 22 years leading and growing the team and purchased the company in 2004. During his tenure at Knotts, the company has provided expertise in pneumatics, machine guarding and framing, electric actuators, conveyors, automation, motion control, robotics, machine safety, and compressors. Under Howe, Knotts works to be the leader in providing engineered product and service solutions for the industrial and automation markets.

Tony Iacono

As the president of the County College of Morris, Tony Iacono is partnering with the nonprofit New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program to place a priority on manufacturing education and skilled vocational and technical training. “Our work is to help others to do their work better,” Iacono said. “We love manufacturing and that is why we are here to support manufacturing.” The college held a groundbreaking ceremony in January 2019 to mark the planned construction of an $11 million Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center. The building, scheduled to open in spring 2020, will be funded by the state, Morris County and private donors. Iacono said he wants to prepare college graduates for careers in manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, transportation, and other in-demand fields. Toward that end, he is tying his college curriculum with the needs of companies in his coverage area to prepare his students for the open jobs of today.

Arnold Kamler

While none of the millions of bicycles Kent International sells each year are made in New Jersey, the company still does development and design work from its headquarters in Parsippany. Kamler presides over the operations of the century-old family business, which is one of the country’s largest bike makers. Kamler has also used his status as a U.S. manufacturer — the company does have a plant in South Carolina — to speak out against the Trump administration’s trade policy. “Today, our factory is responsible for more than half of the roughly 500,000 bicycles produced in the United States each year,” Kamler wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece. “Before President Trump’s trade war, we had plans to grow even further.”

Jim Lewis

Lewis is the founder and CEO of Mahwah-based eMachineShop, a 2019 NJMEP Manufacturer of the Year. His company enables any business, organization or individual to design, price and instantly order custom mechanical parts. Lewis founded eMachineShop and says its mission is to provide easy, convenient and low-cost fabrication of custom parts via the internet. The company achieves this goal by fully leveraging the web, software, and state-of-the-art machining technologies. EMachineShop supports customers who have their own favorite computer-aided design software and also offers a unique free computer-aided design software system. Lewis said his company goes from initial design to placing an order within 15 minutes.

Julia Lopez

Pharmaceuticals and medical device manufacturers call on Lopez, senior litigation associate at Reed Smith LLP to represent them in mass tort litigation involving contraceptives, vaginal mesh, and more—and the number of pharma and medical device companies situated in New Jersey makes it a pretty busy job. Lopez also works on Reed Smith’s diversity initiatives. She is an associate liaison on the firm’s Diversity Committee and previously served as the associate liaison on Reed Smith’s Hispanic/Latino Affinity Group known as UNIDOS.

Kevin Lyons

Lyons is an associate professor in the Supply Chain Management Department and director of Public Private Community Partnerships at Rutgers Business School. His research includes the integration of sustainable development and diversity criteria into local and global supply chain management and manufacturing systems, processes and operations. Lyons developed the supply chain environmental archeology research program/lab, which involves the archeological study of climate change and environmental impacts via the supply chain, big data analytics, risk assessment, decision analysis as well as product end-of-life and new product innovation research. He is the principal investigator for the Newark (NJ) Manufacturing and Industrial Solution Center research project, Newark Anchor Institution Research Institute, the Newark Urban Agriculture Project and the U.S. State Department Mandela Washington Fellows Program.

Richard McCardle

The Rutgers Food Innovation Center provides varied services in support of new and existing food businesses, and McCardle has been in leadership positions over the past two years. For a year and a half of that, he was executive director – he retired in December 2019 – in charge of both the Bridgeton and Piscataway locations. The power of McCardle and the Rutgers FIC lies in possibility: as the only Soft Landings Food Incubation Program in the world, it has the capacity to churn out interesting concepts and actually help them succeed. The FIC’s most famous alum is Impossible Foods, maker of the Impossible Burger, which developed its concept at the Bridgeton facility for two years before launching. The non-meat burger is currently served in around 10,000 restaurants nationwide.

Francis X. Manning

Manning runs the Cherry Hill office of Philadelphia’s Stradley Ronon while litigating commercial and regulatory cases for manufacturers and other businesses. With more than 30 trials under his belt, he’s appeared before the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as well as appellate courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Among his prominent successes, Manning turned back an effort by former employee of asbestos manufacturer to bring a direct lawsuit against the company’s workers’ compensation insurer that had performed industrial hygiene studies at the plant, thereby foreclosing dozens of similar lawsuits that would have attempted to use the “duty to warn theory.”

Patricia Moran

As director of apprenticeship programs at the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Moran organizes training classes consisting of four sets of courses that meet requirements of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council in safety awareness, quality practices in management, manufacturing processes and production, and maintenance awareness. The council is a nonprofit, industry-led, training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s front-line production and material handling workers. “This is classroom training that compliments on-the-job training,” Moran told NJBIZ. “This is part of the whole apprenticeship learning model. Part of this training is we incorporate credentials into what they are learning.”

More from the 2019 NJBIZ Manufacturing Power 50:

• No. 1: John Kennedy
• No. 2: Suuchi Ramesh
• No. 3: Bob Unanue and Peter Unanue
• No. 4: Mark Clouse
• No. 5: Alex Gorsky
• No. 6: Tim Sullivan
• No. 7: Robert Asaro-Angelo
• No. 8: Stephen Sweeney
• No. 9: Donna Schaffner
• No. 10: Michele Siekerka
• Manufacturing Power 50 N-Z
• The 2019 NJBIZ Manufacturing Power 50 slideshow