Township businesses blossom
By JENNIFER KELLEY
Cherry Hill Sun
7/10/2007

Cherry Hill well represented on Business Journal’s list of the 25 fastest-growing private companies in South Jersey

For the second year in a row, Cherry Hill has been designated the home of six of the 25 fastest-growing companies in South Jersey, as reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal and Rowan University’s College of Business.

Local officials noted that, once again, township-owned businesses are providing more than 20 percent of the companies that are enjoying significant success in the regional business community.

Mayor Bernie Platt said he is proud to provide fertile soil for the business community to thrive in the township.

“This is truly a testament to Cherry Hill being a business-friendly community,” he said after reviewing the list. “We are proud to host all of these businesses in the township, and continue to provide new businesses with the opportunity to innovate and succeed.”

Since Platt took office in 2002, he has pushed for the creation of the Cherry Hill Business Partnership, which is charged with the task of identifying and eliminating barriers for commercial progress in town, officials noted.

He also spearheaded the redevelopment of the Garden State Park Race Track. The mixed-use development project currently taking place on the site has attracted approximately $500 million in capital investments and is one of the largest redevelopment ventures in the state, according to township officials

Margaret Van Brunt, assistant dean of the Rowan University Rohrer College of Business, said Cherry Hill has definitely played a role in creating a healthy business climate in the region.

“From this list, there is no doubt that Cherry Hill has presented a conducive climate for a large group of diversified businesses to excel,” she said. “Location is such an important piece of the puzzle for commerce, and Cherry Hill is at the crossroads for all of South Jersey and the eight surrounding counties on both sides of the river.”

Van Brunt also noted that the number of township businesses on the Top 25 list for a second year in a row was a significant feat.

“It’s tough for businesses to capture the economic growth that propels them onto this list, and Cherry Hill has been represented by several different companies over the past two years,” she said. “This speaks volumes for the current business climate in the township and the success companies are having in Cherry Hill.”

The Cherry Hill-based companies deemed by the Philadelphia Business Journal as the fastest-growing privately held entities in South Jersey are:

Badri Nittoor, CEO of software services consultant company Tripod Technologies, said he was excited that his company earned a spot on the list and proud to be a part of the township’s business community.

“Cherry Hill has been a wonderful place for us to run a business from,” he told The Sun. “It’s been great in terms of being able to attract the right talent, as the talent pool available in this area is strong.

“It’s also been great as far as location – Cherry Hill provides us with easy name recognition for our company’s location when we talk to clients, and it also provides us with easy access to the Philly, Delaware, central New Jersey and New York markets.”

Elauwit, LLC, which publishes The Cherry Hill Sun, ranked second on the Top 25 list.