NJBIZ honors state’s top businesses

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Some of the top businesses and business leaders in the state were honored Monday evening as NJBIZ held its 2011 Business of the Year awards program.

Some of the top businesses and business leaders in the state were honored Monday evening as NJBIZ held its 2011 Business of the Year awards program.

The nearly 300 people who gathered at the Palace at Somerset Park, in the Somerset section of Franklin, also witnessed the induction of three new members to the newspaper’s Hall of Fame.

The newly minted hall of famers are Sol J. Barer, former Celgene Corp. chairman and CEO; Marjorie Perry, MZM Construction & Management Inc. president and CEO; and Philip H. Politziner, EisnerAmper LLP chairman emeritus.

Barer said the award was particularly meaningful because it came from the business community.

“It’s always great to be recognized for achievements, but I think it’s especially important and flattering to be recognized by your peers in the business community — the people who make the jobs, who advance society through the economic benefit of the rapid growth of their companies,” he said.

Barer, who built Celgene from a tiny startup to a global biotechnology powerhouse, said he enjoyed being honored alongside some of the state’s fastest-growing businesses.

“Let’s face it — looking back, the building of a company in the early stages is invigorating and exciting, and I saw that in the face of a lot of the people who were there,” he said.

Variety in honorees

Three companies were named “Business of the Year” in their respective size-based categories:

• Legacy Converting Inc., in Cranbury, won in the 1-50 employee division. The 4-year-old firm makes branded and private-label lines of paper and non-woven disposable wiping products.

• MD On-line Inc., of Parsippany, was named Business of the Year in the 51-100-employee division. Founded in 1995, the firm provides technology solutions to clients in the health care industry.

• Genewiz Inc., of South Plainfield, won the top award for businesses with 101 employees or more. The contract research organization focuses on DNA-based services, and was founded in 1999.

Tronex International Inc., in Mount Olive’s Budd Lake section, was named Corporate Citizen of the Year. The company, which makes hand and body protection products, has focused its philanthropic efforts on education and disaster relief, including funding and building a school in China.

Annette Catino, president and CEO of QualCare Inc., in Piscataway, won Executive of the Year. She founded the company in 1991. Today, the company manages health care for more than 750,000 people in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Free for All Inc., in Marlton, was named Emerging Business of the Year. The 4-year-old company markets a free prescription-discount card.

The awardees were chosen by a panel of judges including representatives from the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Development Center, Rutgers University, BioNJ, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Technology Council.

For a full listing of award nominees, visit the Business of the Year page.