Thomas A. Bracken has been involved with the state’s business community since becoming a banker in 1969, and he sees his new position as New Jersey Chamber of Commerce president as a unique opportunity to put that experience to work.

Thomas A. Bracken says his 42 years
in banking will serve him well as
chamber president.

Bracken said he always enjoyed working to improve business conditions in the state, which inspired him to apply to the chamber president post. There is a real urgency to chamber’s work, he said.

“It’s not an option to improve the business climate,” said Bracken, who is leaving his position as New Jersey regional president of TriState Capital Bank.
He added that the administration of Gov. Chris Christie and his own experiences as chamber chairman from 2005 to 2007 convinced him there is a major opportunity to make things better for business in the Garden State.

Bracken said being a bank president has given him a good perspective on the range of challenging problems confronting state businesses.

“It gave you an opportunity to interface with many different kinds of businesses, getting involved with helping them grow, which is very exciting,” he said.
He declined to single out issues that he plans to work on, adding that he must first join the chamber before determining what his priorities will be.

“After 42 years, I’ve probably been up and down this state a thousand times, and I think I have a pretty good idea as to what people want — and I hope I can help them,” said Bracken, a Montgomery resident who is married and has two adult children.
Bracken praised Christie’s work in his first year in office: “I think he’s set the bar very high — I think he’s set a great tone for giving confidence back to the business community.”

Bracken said he plans to start his duties with the chamber in early February, after completing his work at TriState Capital.
Christie said he plans to meet Bracken, adding that he has a good relationship with the chamber.
Chamber board Chairman Dennis Bone said Bracken would be “terrific,” both due to his business knowledge, his familiarity with the chamber and his ability to articulate a pro-business position.

“He is very, very pro-business,” Bone said. “He is always taking the business line and he is going to be a great voice for the businesses of the state of New Jersey.”
Bone said being chamber president requires a strong working knowledge of the organization’s personnel, finances and operations.
“He understands all of that innately,” he said, adding Bracken will be a “very clear, very crisp voice of the business community.” –

Andrew Kitchenman