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The 2015 NJBIZ General Counsel of the Year Awards honored the best lawyers serving as general counsels or chief legal officers for companies and organizations around the state. On Tuesday, the winners were named during a breakfast ceremony held at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset.

The fourth annual event celebrates the strong and vital legal advice that helps New Jersey companies thrive in an ever-changing and ever-more-complex business environment. Winners were chosen from worthy finalists in six categories, based on the type of organization and its size.

Update Legal and Update Discovery are the presenting sponsors of the program. 

The major sponsors are Gibbons P.C., Archer & Greiner P.C. and K&L Gates.

The supporting sponsors are Princeton Legal Search Group, Hudson Court Reporting, Garfunkel Wild, Connell Foley and Barnabas Health Inc.

The video sponsor is FGV Media.

Healthcare – WINNER

Ann Gavzy
Title: Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Company: Meridian Health

Healthcare – FINALISTS

Rebecca Levy
Title: General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Company: Summit Medical Group/Summit Health Management

David Mebane
Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Company: Barnabas Health Inc.

Deborah Cmielewski
Title: Vice President, General Counsel
Company: Armada Health Care LLC

Non-Profit or Government Organization – WINNER

Kathy Schulz
Title: Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Company: The Trustees of the Stevens Institute of Technology

Non-Profit or Government Organization – FINALISTS

John Chiappinelli
Title: Chief of Legal Affairs & Compliance
Company: VNA Health Group

Michael Ligorano
Title: General Counsel
Company: Diocese of Metuchen

Douglas Long
Title: Township Solicitor
Company: Deptford Township

Lawrence Powers
Title: General Counsel
Company: AIA-NJ

Holly Stern
Title: General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Company: New Jersey Institute of Technology

Private company with annual revenues over $500 MM – WINNER

Jim Van Horn
Title: Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Company: Sun Chemical Corporation

Private company with annual revenues over $500 MM – FINALISTS

Allison Berger
Title: Group Vice President and General Counsel
Company: Wakefern Food Corp.

Scott Brucker
Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Company: NFI Inc.

David Cordero
Title: Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
Company: Maserati North America Inc.

Jorge Gracia
Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Company: Samsung Electronics America Inc.

Robert Marin
Title: Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Company: Panasonic Corporation of North America

Allen Waxman
Title: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Company: Eisai Inc.

Private company with annual revenues up to $500 MM – WINNER

Richard Berger
Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Company: Russo Development LLC

Private company with annual revenues up to $500 MM – FINALISTS

Renard Barnes
Title: General Counsel
Company: AJS Shared Services LLC

David Berger
Title: Vice President, Legal Affairs
Company: West-Ward Pharmaceutical Corp.

John Mauro
Title: Chief Counsel and CAO
Company: FinPro Inc.

Shirleen Roberts
Title: General Counsel
Company: Heller Industrial Parks Inc.

Brad Shron
Title: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Company: Prudential Center, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers

Public company with annual revenues over $1 Billion – WINNER

Robert Ingato
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Company: CIT Group Inc.