MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Commissioner Director Christine Myers gave a “State of the County” address at the Morris County Chamber of Commerce’s 103rd Annual Meeting yesterday, which drew about 500 attendees.
Director Myers recapped some of Morris County’s 2023 highlights, including the county earning a Triple-A bond rating for the 48th year, before shifting focus to the main subject of her message: the growing need for volunteerism in Morris County.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a significant loss in the number of volunteers, which continues to decline. At some point, it won’t matter that we have a strong county government, because we are only the infrastructure, you are the heart. We need your help to turn this around,” said Commissioner Director Myers.
“This isn’t about companies doing a day of service. That is wonderful, but then you wait until next year. This is about adopting a mindset of service to others,” Myers added, noting that as a former telecommunications executive, she knows how busy work and life can be for us all.
The Chamber luncheon was held at the Hanover Marriot Hotel in Whippany to celebrate the success of individuals and businesses throughout the county.
Highlights of the Morris County Chamber 103rd Annual Meeting
The keynote speaker was Dr. Thierry Klein, president of Bell Labs Solutions Research, Nokia Bell Labs, who focused on some of the groundbreaking work Nokia Bell Labs is doing to build connectivity, security, and efficiency in an ever-evolving digital world. Klein leads a global multi-disciplinary team researching advanced sensing technologies, AI-based knowledge systems and machine learning, autonomous software, physical-digital fusion, and dynamic digital twins.
In 2010, he was voted “Technologist of the Year” at the Total Telecom World Vendor Awards and received the 2016 Industrial Innovation award from the IEEE Communications Society.
Carole Rogers, founder of nonprofit Impact 100’s Garden State chapter, was honored with the Saint Clare’s Health William P. Huber Award for Outstanding Community Leadership. The award recognizes a person who displayed outstanding leadership to benefit the community during the previous year.
Founded in 2013, Impact 100 Garden State was inspired by a growing national trend in women’s collective giving, a model that enables the nonprofit to combine the donations of many women to award grants to local nonprofits. Rogers’s other recently launched nonprofit, SparkNJ, raises funds to provide financial support for Black-led charitable, community, and civic organizations in northern New Jersey.
Volunteerism a Major Focus at Chamber Luncheon
In her remarks, Director Myers emphasized that volunteerism does not need to be a major investment of one’s time and resources but instead inherent in the little acts we can do daily. Service-oriented people make better leaders, better team players, and better business partners who are happier, healthier, and more productive.
Myers said 2026 will offer an important opportunity for people to volunteer as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. She invited the community to participate in planning the events and activities that will make Morris County’s celebrations special. According to Myers, it’s an opportunity to coalesce around our shared American heritage.
For more information on how you can participate in Morris County’s 250th Anniversary, contact 250@morriscountyalliance.org. A planning committee is currently being organized through the Morris County Economic Development Alliance.
State of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce
Meghan Hunscher, President and CEO of the MCCC and Economic Development Committee, delivered a “State of the Chamber” address, thanking all the sponsors, local businesses, and community leaders who impact Morris County.
“In 2023, we had 792 members, 156 new members, and we kept our pace of holding 250 events, meetings, seminars, dinners, masterminds and roundtables, committee meetings, and networking events in person, virtual, and hybrid. The Morris Chamber is truly a regional chamber. We are proud to include businesses within the north-central region of New Jersey and beyond,” said Hunscher, encouraging guests to spread the word to anyone who can benefit from a membership.
She invited MCCC Board Advisory Chair Deirdre Wheatley-Liss, a principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, who spoke on the significance of the three pillars of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan for the Chamber: Innovation, Growth, and Community.
