Robert L. Benecke

Consultant Robert L. Benecke, of Benecke Economics, is an economic development expert, financial strategist and economist.  He advises development companies, investors and government entities in every aspect of development and redevelopment.  This includes performing economic impact analysis, project management, financing projects and bringing a development or redevelopment project to completion.

Bob holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Public Finance from
Fordham University is a Jew Jersey Certified Officer and has a certificate in Human Relations Law.  He was previously the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer for the City of Englewood NJ.  He has authored textbooks covering a wide spectrum of public finance and taught finance, management, statistics and economics at many colleges, including Rutgers University, Ramapo College, Upsala College and Mercy College.

Vincent Bottino, Jr.
Big Apple Sports Palace and Restaurant

Vincent Bottino, Jr. was born and raised in Bayonne. He and his wife, Antoinette, attended #7 and #12 grammar schools, and Bayonne High School. The Big Apple is a family business founded by Vincent Bottino, Sr., and has been on Broadway in Bayonne for over 25 years. When Vincent Bottino, Jr., and Antoinette took over the establishment, they expanded the facility and added on a restaurant and tiki bar. Currently, Mr. and Mrs. Bottino reside in Bayonne with their three children: Stacy, Melissa, and Vincent.

Scott Daly

Scott was born on February 25, 1975 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  He arrived in Bayonne when he was five years old.  He attended Washington School and graduated from Bayonne High School.  Scott also attended Bergen Technical and Science High School.  There he study Culinary Arts.  After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army Reserve and served for eight years.  During that time, he also worked in the pool and spa industry.  Currently, Scott is employed by the world's greatest delicatessen, Benanti's Italian Import Delicatessen

Aida Figueroa

Aida Figueroa is a lifelong resident of Bayonne. She attended Philip G. Vroom #2 grammar school and Bayonne High School. Aida is co-owner of Pastime Hobbies & Miniatures, a retail hobby and doll house shop located in Bayonne, NJ since 2003.

Formerly from the corporate world, Aida started her career with Maher Terminal, a Stevedoring Company and later joined the brokerage industry and worked for both Cantor Fitzgerald and Gintel & Company. Aida started working in what is referred to as “the back office” of Gintel & Company and eventually acquired enough knowledge to move into the telecommunications department which was responsible for the trading floor. Gintel & Co was a small firm which gave Aida the opportunity to learn all aspects of telecommunications regarding trading floor day-day operations. Because of her diligence, dedication and work ethic, Aida’s efforts at Gintel provided her an employment opportunity with Drexel Burnham. After a four year employment with Drexel Burnham, it was announced that the company was filing Chapter 11. This led Aida to accept a telecommunications position at Salomon Brothers. After acquiring enough experience at Salomon Brothers, Aida was offered a position at a telecommunications carrier company named TCG who was eventually bought out by AT&T.

Now, at AT&T, Aida held a management position whereby she was responsible for the installation of digital switches. Due to economic circumstances, AT&T went through a major layoff, this provided Aida the opportunity to build up her already established business at Pastime Hobbies & Miniatures.

Bernie Golomb
Vice Chairperson

Bernie Golomb was born March 7, 1945 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in the former Soviet Union. He came to America in 1949 and lived in New York City until 1952, when he arrived in sunny Bayonne, New Jersey. At eight years of age, Mr. Golomb started working in his father’s local dry goods store. From 1965-1967, he studied mathematics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, and romance languages at the Alliance Francaise in the Sorbonne, Paris, France. Mr. Golomb ran a successful vending machine business (five hundred machines in five counties) from 1970-1975. In 1977, Mr. Golomb turned the family’s costume jewelry business into a fine jewelry store (Paris Bergman Jewelers) with the help of his wife, Ann. By 1983, there were over a dozen stores, including locations in New York City, Hoboken, Staten Island, Rhode Island and San Francisco. Mr. Golomb’s wife, Ann, still manages the family business, Aaron’s Gold, at 520 Broadway, in Bayonne. Currently, Mr. Golomb is in the telecommunications business with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and New York City.

Bozena Linowski
European Day Spa
 
Ms. Linowski received extensive cosmetology and esthetics training at The School for Beauty Professionals in Krakow, Poland, and went on to earn a Masters Degree from Krakow’s famed Academy of Physical Education.

She began her spa industry career working at the most prestigious spas in Manhattan while continuing to add to her knowledge and skills by attending post-graduate seminars conducted by renowned organizations such as GM Collin, Dr Murad, Yonka, Phytomer, Dominance, and Pevonia Botanica.

In search of new rejuvenating treatments for her clients that would go beyond her extensive education in skin care, Ms. Linowski  also studied Microdermabrasion, Lymphatic Drainage, Endermologie, Make Up Artistry, Reflexology, and Reiki.

Her extraordinary business sense and commitment to bringing the highest quality professional beauty service to her community led her to establish European Day Spa Inc. in Bayonne NJ in 1999. After several expansions Miss Linowski and her staff of 30 mostly European-trained employees-- committed to continuing education--provide all the latest, cutting edge skin and body care services in her 4,000 sq feet state-of-the-art facility.
Ms Linowski travels extensively to Hong Kong, Hunan and other Chinese destinations as a consultant and educator for Athena Beauty of China. She also serves as an educator for Italy’s exclusive skin care company, Tuttestetica.

Vincent Lo Re, Jr.

Vincent Lo Re, Jr. is the son of the late Josephine (Maggio) and Vincent Lo Re, Sr., both lifelong Bayonne residents.

Vincent graduated from Our Lady of the Assumption School and Bayonne High School, and continued his education at New Jersey City University, formerly Jersey City State College, where he earned a B.A. degree in the Social Sciences in 1969. He continued his education at Rutgers University - Graduate School of Business, where he earned an M.B.A degree in 1974 and is a New Jersey Certified Public Manager (C.P.M.).

In May of 1990, Vincent Lo Re. Jr. was elected to the Municipal Council in the City of Bayonne, where he represented the city's Third Ward. He was re-elected to this office in 1994, 1998, 2002, and  in May of 2006, was elected to the office of Council Member At-Large, representing all of the citizens of Bayonne. On July 1, 1998 he was elected by his peers to serve as Council President, and was re-elected to that position in 2002 and again on July 1, 2006.

Vincent Lo Re, Jr. is married to the former Janice Kapec, an elementary school principal in the Bayonne school system. They are the proud parents of Dr. Vincent Lo Re III, and daughter-in-law Dr. Serena Cardillo, physicians at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Alice K. Lotosky
Secretary & Historian
Bayonne Community Bank

After twenty-one years as a scientist at Block Drug Company, Ms. Lotosky changed careers to become the Community Relations Director at Bayonne Community Bank, a part-time opportunity that eventually bloomed into a full-time position. She currently holds the position of Personal Assistant to the president and vice president of the bank. In addition to her duties at BCB, she is a very active member of the community, serving as a commissioner on the Bayonne Planning Board for 5 years, a trustee and secretary for the Bayonne Community Museum, and is a founding member of the Bayonne Historical Society. Ms. Lotosky serves on the Bayonne Town Center’s Christmas Lights Committee, Image Committee, and is the creator of the “Bring Back Your Memories Walking Tour”.

Judith M. McAuliffe
Treasurer
Pamrapo Savings Bank

Judith M. McAuliffe was born in Roselle, New Jersey, and re-located to Bayonne, where she attended Holy Family Academy. She has been with Pamrapo Savings Bank for sixteen years, and holds the position of Compliance Officer, Assistant Secretary, and Executive Assistant to the President and CEO of the bank, Bill Campbell. Judith M. McAuliffe has four sons and eleven grandchildren, and currently, she resides in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

Patricia A. Murphy
Chairperson
Gormley, LoRe & Murphy Insurance Agency

Patricia A. Murphy, a lifelong resident of Bayonne, is co-owner of Gormley, LoRe & Murphy Insurance Agency, a women-owned business. Gormley, LoRe & Murphy Insurance Agency has dedicated themselves to serving the City of Bayonne and the State of New Jersey for over 25 years. Ms. Murphy is a member of Professional Insurance Agents and is very active in community affairs. She currently holds office on the Executive Board of the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce, chaired the nominating committee for the Greater Essex and Hudson County Girl Scout Council, and sat on the Board of Directors for two terms. Ms. Murphy is also a member of the Master Planning Board for the City of Bayonne, and has actively raised funds for such organizations as Bayonne Medical Center and Kiwanis, and has conducted phone-a-thons on behalf of Women Rising. Aside from her busy schedule, Patricia is very interested in gourmet cooking, which is greatly appreciated by her family and friends. Her husband, Jack, is a retired Fire Lieutenant of the Bayonne Fire Department, and they are very proud of their two daughters, Melissa Murphy and Alison Bender.

Michael O'Connor
Executive Director
Bayonne Economic Development Corporation

Michael O’Connor has served as Executive Director of the Bayonne Economic Development Corporation since 1998.  Michael O’Connor works with businesses to locate and expand in Bayonne, encouraging investments that provide employment opportunities and contribute to the local economy.  Assistance provided to businesses includes loans, direct access to the appropriate local, state and federal financial incentive programs and technical assistance.

Michael O’Connor, a member of the New Jersey Bar, was an attorney in private practice prior to joining the BEDC.  Michael O’Connor is a native of Bayonne and serves on the boards of the Urban Enterprise Zone, Bayonne Town Center and the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce.

Management Team:

Mary Divock
Executive Director

Mary Divock attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and Farleigh Dickinson University. She was a Dress Buyer for Lane Bryant in New York City and a Men's Department Manager for Bamberger's in Livingston, New Jersey. In 1982 after their son was born, Mary joined her husband Arthur, who grew up in Bayonne, to own and operate the Klothes Kloset. After Arthur's passing away in 1993, Mary continued to operate their business till March 2007.

In the year 2007, Mary became the Executive Director of the Bayonne Town Center. She became a Board Member in 1998, Vice Chairperson in 1999 and Chairperson 2004. She is the Vice Chairperson of the Urban Enterprise Zone Board; a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a member of the City's Development Team, a member of the Planning Board Technical Review Committee and was a member of Steering Committee for the Redevelopment of the Broadway Corridor.

Mary has been actively promoting the Façade Grant Program for the district, updates the Web Site and publishes "The Tattler" newsletter to keep members informed. She also implements the many promotions through out the year such as "Movies under the Stars", Classic Car Shows and the Holidays Promotions.

Megan Januska
Executive Assistant

Megan has been with the Bayonne Town Center since November 2004. In her time here she has helped create new promotions and events as well as take care of the day to day operations in the office.

Growing up in Bayonne, Megan attended John M. Bailey School from kindergarten through 8th grade. She enrolled in a small private high school from which she graduated in 1998. She then majored in Commercial Writing at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, FL from 1998-2002. After graduation, she taught Language Arts to grades 7-10 at New Life Christian School in Dunellen, NJ until June 2004.