Bridgeton UEZ’s Stephanie Gonzalez Says Networking Event to Bring Business People Together
Photo of Stephanie Gonzalez courtesy of Stephanie Gonzalez
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
BRIDGETON – Los Angeles’s loss has been Bridgeton’s gain with the arrival of Stephanie Gonzalez, the city’s coordinator of its Urban Enterprise Zone.
Gonzalez has led the Bridgeton UEZ for the past two years after moving from her native California to South Jersey to be with her fiancé Courtney Warter. Her work has won praise from Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly, the former president of the NJ League of Municipalities, and others.
While Bridgeton and its downtown has seen its challenges, Gonzalez said she has seen great potential and has been working through the program to transform the city’s business district to one that can be the envy of South Jersey.
“I was with the City of Los Angeles for 14 years where I worked with all the downtown businesses doing similar work there with incentives,” Gonzalez told Front Runner New Jersey.
“We created events for the city that would benefit business owners.”
On Wednesday, Gonzalez is helping bring local businesses together with a free networking session called UEZ Bridgeton Businesses: Partnering For Success, which is being held at the Bridgeton Plaza, 84 E. Commerce Street from 5-8:30 p.m. Jesus Martinez owns the plaza.
The event, which is being co-sponsored with the Bridgeton Area Chamber of Commerce, is bringing together UEZ downtown business members with chamber members.
The Urban Enterprise Zone includes 32 Urban Enterprise Zones covering 37 economically distressed cities throughout New Jersey. The qualified businesses, which must be reviewed annually, benefit from being able to purchase many items without paying sales taxes and receiving corporate tax credits for hiring certain new employees, among other benefits.
Gonzalez said with the help of program director Kevin Rabago and others, they have been able to engage local business owners to find out their needs and, in some cases, break down language barriers with Latinos looking to start businesses.
She said in many cases, many of the potential business owners were not aware of the benefits of starting their companies in the UEZ. Gonzalez said once those advantages were explained, it motivated and encouraged potential entrepreneurs to open their doors.
“I have great partners and have created these relationships over the last two years,” Gonzalez said. “They are able to support themselves as well. We’ve had more companies come in and become UEZ members. We have more diversity as well.
“We have a soul food restaurant coming soon. We have a seafood restaurant coming in. We have the potential of an Indian restaurant coming soon as well. I think they’re a lot of unity coming in together and we are really excited about it.”
The program has received funding for five programs starting with a Cinco de Mayo Festival on Sunday, May 4. She also mentioned a partnership with Gallery 50, an art gallery in downtown Bridgeton.
Gallery 50 is a non-profit art gallery that serves as a showcase for artists to display their work
and the public to view and purchase it, thus filling the cultural needs of the community in Bridgeton and Greater South Jersey.
The gallery hosts monthly exhibits of 2D and 3D art in all mediums and price points the first Friday of each month from 6-8 p.m. Gonzalez said her job is to help bring more attention to such “hidden gems” like Gallery 50 and use them as a draw to the city.
“We have over 100 people come down for First Fridays,” Gonzalez said. “You wouldn’t think that right downtown we have an art gallery.”
Gonzalez said the city has worked with the Bridgeton Police Department to install more than a dozen closed circuit security cameras downtown to address safety issues. She said the cameras have added an extra layer of support and safety among residents and business owners.
“Everyone is working together to make Bridgeton better,” Gonzalez said.
The Los Angeles native is playing her part in making sure Bridgeton is making its own comeback.
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