Monday, June 28, 2010

CEA Marks 40 Years of Successful Packaging Services to the Community


The Center for Educational Advancement (CEA) celebrated the 40th anniversary of their packaging business, CEA Packaging, on Monday, June 21, 2010.

First Lady of New Jersey, Mary Pat Christie, attended the celebration and addressed the guests. Mrs. Christie has successfully combined her roles as wife and mother with a business career and extensive community service. The First Lady of New Jersey is focused on issues that will help restore pride in New Jersey and discussed the importance of promoting and advocating self sufficiency. She was impressed with her visit to CEA and how CEA employs, trains and helps many people with special needs, helping them earn a paycheck and become independent members of their communities.

Congressman Leonard Lance also spoke to the invited guests, sharing some of his experiences with CEA and Spring Run School over the years. NJ Assemblyman Erik Peterson and Township of Raritan Councilman John King spoke about the positive business and community relationships CEA has forged over the past forty years.

Other speakers included Denice Torres: President, CNS North America Pharmaceuticals at Johnson & Johnson, Chris Phelan: President & CEO of the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce and Event Host Michael Skoczek, President & CEO of CEA. An extensive overview of CEA Packaging capabilities, methods and business offerings was given by Jim Cavanagh: Director, Sales & Marketing at CEA Packaging.

This event was a great opportunity for business professionals to network, meet the professionals at CEA Packaging and learn about the extensive packaging, assembly, inspection and related services CEA Packaging provides to regional businesses. Monday night not only marked the 40th Anniversary of CEA Packaging Partnering with Businesses, but also introduced current and future business and legislative friends of CEA to the next 40 years of building employment and employment opportunities in central New Jersey.

Nancy Vargas, Vice President, Operations at CEA, led tours of the facility allowing guests to see first-hand how CEA Packaging meets, and often exceeds, the quality and timing requirements of their customers. Current customers Roche Molecular Systems and Alcan allowed guests to see how CEA Packaging employees regularly perform specialty packaging and assembly projects for them on typical projects.
Registered guests were entered into a drawing for great prizes like: a 32GB iPad, donated by Affinity Credit Union, a $50.00 gift card donated by Investors Savings Bank, a fine watch donated by Mercedes-Benz of Flemington and travel computer bag donated by CEA.

Refreshments were provided by The CEA Café and Shoprite of Hunterdon County.
Event sponsors include: CEA, Investors Savings Bank, Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, MGX Promotions, Affinity Credit Union, Associated Mailing & Printing, The Alternative Board, JK Audio Productions, Somerset County Business Partnership, ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Flemington Home Depot, Andrea Funkhouser Photography, Flemington Department Store and the Hunterdon Academy of the Arts.

To learn more about how CEA Packaging supports New Jersey businesses through job creation, preservation and an emphasis on quality control in the manufacturing process please visit the CEA website, www.ceaemployment.com or contact Sales Director Jim Cavanagh at (908) 310-1296. (jcavanagh@ceaemployment.com)

To take a tour of our facility and learn more about our services, please contact Jim Cavanagh by cell phone, 908.310.1296, or at jcavanagh@ceapackaging.com.
To learn more about CEA or to make a donation, please contact Michael Skoczek, President & CEO at mskoczek@ceaemployment.com.
To volunteer at CEA please contact Eddie Schell, eschell@ceaemployment.com or Lori Daigle, ldaigle@ceaemployment.com.

Your business, interest and support are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Outlasting recession despite consumer pullback


re-post from THE DAILY, NJBIZ Web-site, http://www.njbiz.com/article-multiple/82402-nonprofit-recession

Outlasting recession despite consumer pullback
By Beth Fitzgerald

The Center for Educational Advancement, in Flemington, trains and employs people with disabilities, who package and assemble cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and consumer products at CEA’s 30,000-square-foot facility.
But the recession has taken its toll: a contraction in consumer spending means manufacturers have less work for CEA, which last year shipped $1.5 million of finished goods — roughly half its pre-recession level.

CEA board chairman Robert D. Love, who is chief financial officer of Elusys Therapeutics, in Montville’s Pine Brook section, welcomed visitors to a CEA open house Monday evening aimed at “generating some interest in sending more work our way.” New Jersey first lady Mary Pat Christie addressed the reception, along with U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Westfield), Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-Flemington) and Raritan Township Committeeman John King.

This year, the nonprofit celebrates 40 years of providing vocational skills via on-the-job training to people with disabilities, many of whom go on to jobs in the private sector. The list of employers who partner with CEA includes Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Roche Molecular Systems and Johanna Foods.

Love said the work and the training CEA delivers has improved the lives of hundreds of people with disabilities, including his sister, Denise. After her foodservice training at CEA, she now works in a school cafeteria in Flemington. “Her life has been incredibly enriched,” Love said.

Johanna Foods, of Flemington, which produces Ssips drinks and La Yogurt, uses CEA for some of its packaging work.

Nancy Hickman, who oversees logistics at Johanna, said outsourcing to CEA creates efficiencies for Johanna. “It makes sense for us from a finished-product standpoint, and we also feel good that we are giving business to CEA,” she said.

CEA President Michael Skoczek said “businesses that give us work allow us to provide the independence of a paycheck to a large number of people.” He said the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is sending 50 percent more people this year to CEA for evaluation and placement.

“Our challenge is to keep the work that traditionally has gone to us from New Jersey companies,” some of whom he said have turned to outsourcing to Asia, Mexico and Pennsylvania to lower their costs. He said CEA works with as many as 30 companies a year; the number of companies is rising but the jobs tend to be smaller. “Our message is: we want to continue to do what we do — so come out and meet with us, and maybe we can work for you.”

E-mail Beth Fitzgerald at bfitzgerald@njbiz.com

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

CEA Packaging at EastPack Trade Show, NYC


CEA Packaging, a division of the Center for Educational Advancement, is an FDA registered, Small Business Enterprise, specializing in superior Quality Control standards. CEA Packaging employs individuals with various disabilities and allows them to be a contributing member to society. These job opportunities provide them with a sense of accomplishment and a daily purpose.
The work performed at CEA Packaging includes assembly, inspection, bundling and shrink-wrapping along with many other services. CEA Packaging provides these services to numerous companies from near and far. The profits from CEA Packaging help compensate the challenged employees, while the remaining balance helps to support evaluation, training, and educational programs offered by CEA.
Trends in the manufacturing industry have made it difficult for CEA Packaging to provide sufficient work for its clients. In trying to overcome this obstacle, several Board of Trustee Members as well as CEA employees will be attending the EastPack Tradeshow to promote CEA Packaging and network with potential customers who are looking to outsource projects.
The booth for the tradeshow was generously donated to CEA Packaging by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products. This will be the first time that CEA Packaging is using it! As a valued customer, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products donated the set-up in hopes that it would support the marketing efforts of CEA Packaging. Such a significant donation will have a great impact on helping to improve public awareness of CEA Packaging and we greatly appreciate this donation!
EastPack allocated a 10x10 area to CEA Packaging. Being that the donated booth was designed for a 20x20 space, modifications had to be made to accommodate for the size difference. To overcome this obstacle, a creative team consisting of Jim Cavanagh, Jack Aniboli, Nancy Vargas, Dawn Hartfelder, and Board Member, Robbie Lombardi, worked together to create a new 10x10 configuration for the booth. They also designed new posters replacing the original Johnson & Johnson posters incorporating key words such as “Quality”, “Innovation”, “Equipment” and “Assembly”. Additionally, a full-length poster, measuring almost 8 feet tall, was created featuring the new CEA Packaging logo as well as words that define CEA Packaging, such as “Quality, Customization and Innovation”. It also states, in bold blue, “The Right Choice…The Right People…The Right Equipment” paired with a pictorial.
The CEA Packaging booth was presented at the Family Advocacy and Support Team meeting on April 27, 2010. This presentation was used as a dry-run for the actual tradeshow. Overall, the response was positive. Approximately 45 family members and guardians of CEA clients attended the meeting. Most attendees learned a lot about CEA, specifically, how detailed and labor intensive the work at CEA Packaging can be. The main goal of this presentation was to spread awareness of CEA Packaging and to solicit help in gaining new and additional work for the employees at CEA Packaging.
Anyone wishing a tour of our facility or a quote request, please contact Jim Cavanagh, Sales Director, 908.310.1296 or e-mail Jim at jcavanagh@ceapackaging.com.
Please visit CEA Packaging at BOOTH 3356 in Hall 3A at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, NY during the EastPack trade show on June 8th, 9th and 10th! For more details, visit our website www.ceaemployment.com and look for the EastPack button at the bottom of our Home page.
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD OF CEA PACKAGING! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!