Business Briefs

The Jackson Chamber of Com-merce's next general membership meeting will be held at Solo Bella Restaurant, 426 Chandler Road, Jackson, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Anne Evans Estabrook, immediate past chairman, board of directors, New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce, and Matthew Siegel, AXA Advisors, will be the guest speakers. The cost is $25 per person Call (732) 833-0005 for reservations.

The Plumsted Township Commit-tee recently welcomed two new businesses to Main Street. First National Mortgage Sources, owned and operated by local resident Glenn Pisani, is at 48 Main Street. During the past year, Pisani has been a volunteer for Plum-sted's Neighborhood Preservation Pro-gram. John O'Conner Counseling has opened offices at 33 Main Street. O'Conner and his family have been operating businesses in New Egypt since the early 1980s. There are only two vacancies left in the downtown area. The Main Street Program, the Plumsted Business Merchants Association and the Neigh-borhood Preservation Program are headquartered at the 31 Main St. Welcome Center. Call (609) 758-6990 for more information on the $525,000 Neighbor-hood Preservation Program grant funding opportunities for businesses and homes.

The Lakewood Chamber of Com-merce invites all members and nonmembers to its general membership-indus-trial luncheon meeting March 7 at the Ramada Inn and Suites, 2373 Route 9, Toms River. Guest speaker James Lee Witt, chairman and chief executive officer of James Lee Witt Associates, a public safety and crisis management consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., will discuss "Shared Responsibility: Private and Public Sector Crisis Plan-ning." Networking will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch at noon. The cost to attend is $30 for chamber members and $35 for nonmembers. A $5 charge will be added for walk-ins. Details and registration: (732) 363-0012.

The Cancer Program at Kimball Medical Center has been approved for a full three-year reaccreditation with commendation by the American College of Surgeons' (ACoS) Commission on Cancer. This is the second consecutive three-year accreditation awarded to the program.

According to the ACoS, the three-year accreditation with commendation is only given to cancer programs that comply with all 36 accreditation standards and receive a commendation rating for one or more standard. In addition to being in complete compliance with all standards, Kimball Medical Center received commendation ratings in eight standards.

The Commission on Cancer approves programs at hospitals, treatment centers and other facilities that exhibit a strong dedication to improving and maintaining the highest level of patient care through various cancer-related programs primarily concerned with: prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evaluation, staging, rehabilitation, screening for recurrent disease, support services, and end-of-life care.

Because cancer is a complex group of life-threatening diseases, the program standards not only promote, but require multidisciplinary consultation and cooperation among surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists.

The ASoC's Commission on Cancer has approved more than 1,400 cancer programs; approximately 25 percent of all hospitals in the U.S. and its territories with an estimated that 80 percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients being treated in these facilities.

Members of SCORE, Ocean County Chapter, a nonprofit association of volunteer business counselors, together with the Ocean County Library's Small Business Information Service will present a free seminar on the basics of starting a business.

The seminar will help evaluate readiness to go into business, decide which business is appropriate, and locate sources of capital. It covers business and marketing plans, market analysis and strategy, financial management, licensing and legal requirements, and how to structure a business and keep records.

Seminars will be held at the following libraries. Call each branch directly to register.

Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m., Toms River, (732) 349-6200.

March 1, 6:30 p.m., Jackson, (732) 928-4400.

March 5, 6:30 p.m., Brick, (732) 477-4513.

SCORE is a network of present and former businessmen, store owners, executives, lawyers and accountants who volunteer their time to help start and grow small businesses in their communities.

In addition to seminars, SCORE offers workshops for a nominal fee and free, individualized counseling at its offices throughout the state. Counseling is also offered at several branches of the Ocean County Library. For other library sites, call (732) 349-6200. For SCORE information, call (732) 505-6033 or visit www.oceancountyscore.org.