In 2008, Marcal Paper Mills emerged from bankruptcy facing significant challenges: a weakened brand, high production costs, and limited financial resources. Over the past 4 years, Marcal has relaunched its brand, entered new markets, implemented a broad range of lean Six Sigma operating improvements, and tightly managed its cash, positioning the company to return to profitability in 2012. All of this was accomplished during one of the most difficult economic environments since the Great Depression. Fred will review several of the key initiatives that have driven this turnaround, the lessons that the management team has learned over this period, and the path forward to build on the company’s progress.

About Our Speaker: 
Fred Smagorinsky, a dynamic executive with a strong track record of growth across multiple industries, was CEO of Marcal Manufacturing LLC from 2010 - 2012 when it was acquired by Atlas Holdings.

Smagorinsky has diverse experience leading organizations, spanning established industrial concerns to entrepreneurial nonprofits. He previously served as CEO of NJ-based Schofield Stone, a major, privately held quarrier, fabricator, wholesaler and retailer of natural stone products. At Schofield he made strategic acquisitions, significantly expanded the company’s presence in the southeastern region and navigated a challenging economic climate through disciplined cost, asset and cash management.

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Never has there been a better time to start a new venture or to make an investment in the right leaders.  The invention of motors created the industrial revolution.  Semiconductors and microchips have put intelligence into these motors and into the delivery of communications and healthcare.  The world is being transformed before our eyes- faster than ever before.  It is time to plant a few flags in the ground and to tenaciously build what we know will create value.  We have been doing this at Heartland Payment Systems,  and there are many opportunities for others all around us. The question for each of us  is which candy is best to select from this candy store."

Background:

Founded in 1997 by Robert Carr, Heartland Payment Systems has been committed to the success of merchants and business owners from the beginning. This strategy has resulted in the company's rapid rise from 62nd in the industry to its position today as the 5th largest payments processor in the United States by transaction volume, 8th largest by transaction dollar value and 9th in the world. Heartland’ revenues have climbed to approximately $2 Billion annually and they employ nearly 3,000 employees.

Heartland's growth is in large part the result of a superior long-term customer relationship sales model and a commitment to technological innovation, which inspired an internally developed, client server-based transaction processing platform.  Heartland continues to expand its product base with value-added services.

Heartland prides itself on a concentrated and dedicated merchant focus and is the founder of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices.

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INTTRA is the world’s largest, most active, multi-carrier e-commerce network for the ocean freight industry. INTTRA professionals work with over 30 leading carriers and NVOCCs, as well as their customers, to streamline and standardize their shipping processes worldwide through a network of more than 30,000 corporate locations. Over 500,000 container orders are initiated on the INTTRA platform each week, representing more than 15 percent of global ocean container trade.

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Speaker:
Thomas A. Bracken
President/CEO
New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey business has seen some pretty amazing highs and lows in recent years.  Stemming largely from the combination of i) the Christie Administration’s huge efforts and ii) businesses repositioning themselves, we are starting to see some marked improvement. 

No one has a better vantage point to observe these changes than New Jersey State Chamber President/CEO, Thomas A. Bracken.  Tom understands the many dynamics of NJ’s changing business landscape from his unique vantage point, dealing both with all levels of our state government as well as businesses of all types and sizes, as the Chamber represents their interests as a whole with the State.

Tom will discuss such factors as i) what the Christie administration has done to improve the NJ business climate, ii) what it is looking to do for further improvement, and iii) what the people in the audience can do to help raise our state business profile, as he describes details on why NJ should be a destination for out-of-state companies to relocate here, as well as unfortunate examples of why it is not.  Tom will also touch on specific initiatives the State Chamber is doing to assist the Christie administration in their goal to achieve a "comeback".

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