Business Briefs

Gary Rygiel of Colts Neck has been elected vice president of the Professional Insurance Agents of New Jersey Inc. Rygiel is executive vice president of Liberty Insurance Associates in Millstone Township.

An active member of PIANJ, Rygiel is chairperson of the Legislative/Regulatory Committee and the Availability Task Force. He is also a member of the Executive/Budget & Finance, Technical/Company and Special Olympics Golf Classic committees. Rygiel is a member of the PIANJ Auto Task Force and the Central Advisory Council.

Rygiel was appointed co-chair of the Producer Working Group with the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Committee. He is also president-elect for the New Jersey Chapter of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

Active in his community, Rygiel received the Business Partnership Award from the Monmouth County Workforce Investment Board. He has served on fund-raising committees for the American Red Cross, Girl Scouts of America and the Colts Neck Board of Education. He also was involved in the funding and building of a playground for the children in his community and sponsored the scholarship for the Liberty Bell High School choir competition.

PIANJ is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. It is a trade association representing professional, independent insurance agencies, brokerages and their employees throughout the state.

Buddy Benton of the Clarksburg section of Millstone, an agent with the Prudential Insurance Co. of America, has qualified for membership in the Million Dollar Round Table. Benton’s office is in Monroe Township.

MDRT membership is based on excellence in customer sales and service. Founded in 1927, MDRT is an independent association of approximately 28,000 professionals who have met ethical and professional requirements. Its members represent 68 nations and territories and some 475 life insurance companies. Benton is one of 900 Prudential sales professionals who qualified for MDRT this year.

Jackson Outlet Village will host an AAA Member Appreciation Day for members of AAA Mid-Atlantic Car Cub June 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. AAA members will be given one-day discounts as well as in-store promotions from participating stores, and AAA will be on-site, accepting new membership applications and providing information. Jackson Outlet Village is located on Route 537 in Jackson Township.

The National Association of Women Business Owners, Central Jersey Chapter, will install its new board of directors and celebrate the chapter’s second anniversary at a dinner-meeting June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Nauvoo Grill, Fair Haven. Members and nonmembers are welcome to attend, and reservations are required. The cost is $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. Call Jackie Rutberg at (732) 291-4613 for details.

For more information on the organization, visit the Web site www.nawbocentraljersey.org.