Dennis Smith is the new president of the equipment finance and leasing division, and Richard Johnston has been named national director of sales.

Kelly Ford, who's been with the firm for more than eight years, will oversee operations, including the Edison Edge value creation platform, investment development, finance, portfolio operations and marketing.

Sales rumors were rampant throughout a months-long proxy battle at the financial institution that resulted in the ouster of its former CEO and chairman over the summer. Now, the group at the center of that fight is sounding the alarm again, commending company efforts, but emphasizing that a distressed fire sale is not in the best interests of shareholders.

A recent survey from the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce finds state leaders think an economic downturn has already arrived. For those who think it's still to come, more than half expect to see it in the next two years.

Now in its second year, the initiative honors students addressing societal and financial challenges. Winners receive $5,000 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to the company's headquarters in Newark.

The Cherry Hill-based financial institution anticipates the first will be ready in the summer of 2023.

Last month, the Garden State added 15,400 workers to payrolls, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure, combined with a revision of July figures, brought the total numbers to 4,241,200 — a new record.

The Summit-based firm is adding another pair of companies to its fast-growing portfolio: Pennsylvania-based Coastal Insurance Consulting and, once finalized, Allegis Advisor Group of Utah.

Jim Baka comes to the Madison-based investment firm from Calamos Wealth Management, where he was president for the past 20 years.

The Buy Black program, presented by Prudential, is a business and marketing initiative that seeks to expand access and opportunity for Black entrepreneurs. As part of the selection, the brand from Rutgers legend Eric LeGrand will be featured on team helmets for road games this coming season.

The pilot product provides financing of up to $50,000 to eligible Garden State enterprises with gross annual revenues of $1.5 million or less that have 10 or fewer full-time employees at the time of application and for three months prior to the date of application.

Matthew Rickert's career spans more than 20 years. He comes to the Fair Lawn-based community bank from JPMorgan Chase, where he most recently served as market executive for middle market banking and specialized industries.