MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ (October 20, 2026) — On Thursday, October 8, Middlesex County hosted its 10th annual Business Summit at the Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center in New Brunswick, bringing together hundreds of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and government officials from across the region. This year’s theme, A Decade of Connection and Growth, highlighted one of the core values of the summit: the opportunity for attendees to meet and connect with like-minded individuals from a wide range of industries, building relationships and laying the groundwork for future collaboration and partnerships.
Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios and Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum welcomed attendees with opening remarks reflecting on the power of connection and the County’s innovative mindset, which drives its bold vision and impactful results that will benefit the community for decades to come. Kellie Doucette, New Jersey’s first Chief Operating Officer, to New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, delivered the keynote address.
“Now in its 10th year, the Middlesex County Business Summit has become the region’s pre-eminent business event,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. “The summit is just one example of the County’s ongoing commitment to creating and maintaining an economic ecosystem that supports businesses and entrepreneurs of all sizes and across all industries — an ecosystem that in turn helps ensure the kind of robust, sustainable economy that allows Middlesex County to continue providing the critical services and programs our residents rely on.”
“Just as the Middlesex County Business Summit has grown and evolved over the past decade, so too has the County itself,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum, Chair of the County’s Economic Development Committee. “Innovation is in our blood here. We think big and, with help from our partners across the public and private sectors, we deliver big on projects like NEXUS, a world-class destination for professional sports that will have a tremendous impact on the entire region. Through our Office of Business Engagement, we’re committed to fostering and supporting that same spirit of innovation and collaboration — a combination that drives powerful results — in our business and entrepreneurial community.”
The 2026 summit included two fireside chats and three panels. Both fireside chats and two of the panels were moderated by summit emcee Tom Bergeron, Founder, Owner, and Editor-in-Chief of BINJE (Business in New Jersey Everyday).
Fireside Chat: New Jersey’s Competitive Edge.
Panelists: Evan Weiss, CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority; Amy Herbold, President and CEO, Choose New Jersey; Todd Fisher, Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives and Economic Opportunity, Office of the Governor of NJ
Fireside Chat: Taking a Family Business Nationally
Jeff Hermann, Chairman and CEO of Hermann Services, Inc.
Panel: The New Certainty, Uncertainty: Options and Opportunities in a Challenging Economic Environment
Panelists: Paul D’Arezzo, Principal, Strategy & Transactions, Ernst & Young; Elene Costan, Chief Human Resources Officer, Berje; Susan Levinson, Co-founder and CEO, BioAegis; Brendan Monahan, Senior Vice President, TD Bank
Featured Panel: Investing in the Future
Panelists: Tom Mastrobuoni, Chief Investment Officer, Big Idea Ventures; Nancy Ondovik, Principal, New Company Creation at Johnson & Johnson’s Investment Arm, JJDC; José Pérez-Aguilar, Vice President, Innovation Economy Banking, JP Morgan Securities
The summit also included a panel highlighting entrepreneurial success stories, moderated by Sho Islam, Director of the Middlesex County Office of Business Engagement.
Panel: Entrepreneurial Success Stories
Panelists: Himanshu Bhatia, Founder & Ceo of Ricovr Healthcare; Nathaniel Banks, Co-Founder & CEO, Polygone Systems; Kat Tarasova, Founder & CEO, Mycsology Foods, Inc.
A Business Resource Area showcasing a wide range of resources offered by Middlesex County to support businesses was also available for attendees to explore during the summit. Participating offices and organizations included the Middlesex County Office of Business Engagement; Middlesex County Office of Workforce & Career Development; Middlesex County Golf Courses; Middlesex County RIDE; Keep Middlesex Moving; REPLENISH; Middlesex College; and Middlesex County Magnet Schools.
The 2026 Business Summit concluded with a networking reception hosted by the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce, where attendees enjoyed making new connections and forging potential partnerships over light refreshments.
Since its launch in 2017, the Middlesex County Business Summit has become a premier business networking event in New Jersey. For more information about Middlesex County’s economic development vision and its key industry sectors, life sciences, food innovation, and autonomous technology, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/biz and visit middlesexcountynj.gov/businesssummit for more information about the event.
