35th ANNUAL SPIRIT OF ACHIEVEMENT GALA BALL
2024 Honorees
SENATOR MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
&
CHRISTINA GENOVESE RENNA
We are thrilled to share the news of the selection of our
2024 Spirit of Achievement Honorees, who have exemplified excellence and dedication in their respective fields.
These outstanding individuals have truly embodied the spirit of achievement through their hard work, passion, and commitment to making a difference in our community. Join us in celebrating and honoring these remarkable individuals for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions.
Saturday, November 9, 2024 | Eastlyn Golf Course & The Greenview Inn
Cocktail Reception at 6:00 pm - Dinner to Follow
We are celebrating our 35th year of recognizing & honoring our hometown heroes. No detail is left unpolished at our gala ball & you can be sure the ladies exude red carpet dazzle & the men, timeless & refined. The cuisine, the band, the energy, our honorees & guests makes this the event of the year!
SPONSORSHIP &
TICKET INFORMATION
Please take a moment to explore our various Sponsorship options, which include tickets for most selections. To purchase a sponsor level, kindly click the link provided above. Once you have submitted payment you will need to complete a Sponsorship Questionnaire, which is in the FORM below.
To see Sponsorship Level and details, please refer to the Sponsorship Form below.
To purchase individual single or multiple tickets without sponsorship, kindly click on the link provided above. Please note that a dinner selection is required for each ticket purchased. Please complete the Ticket RSVP Questionnaire below after you made your purchase at the payment link above.
DINNER CHOICES
Italian Garden Salad
Mixed greens topped w/ roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, asiago cheese, black olives, cherry tomatoes, Genoa salami, capers, pickled red onion all mixed with a wine vinaigrette
Main Entrees
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Filet Mignon with Fondant Yukon Golds, Mornay Sauce & White Asparagus Grilled filet mignon, fondant Yukon gold potatoes, cheddar mornay sauce, white asparagus with parmesan white truffle
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Pan Fried Red Snapper over Citrus Cranberry Rice Pilaf & Haricots Verts, Lemon garlic buttered pan seared red snapper, roasted butternut squash, cranberry, citrus seasoned, rice pilaf with sauteed her coverts
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Chicken Oscar over Bucatini Pasta Egg battered cutlet, jumbo lump crab scampi, lemon white wine pan jus over bucatini pasta, shaved parmesan
Last Course
Chef’s Choice Parfait Chocolate Brownie, Baily’s Whipped Cream, Chocolate Mousse, Toffey Crumble with Fresh Mint & Raspberry Finish
Meet our 2024 Honorees
2024 Spirit of Achievement Honoree SENATOR MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
Michael L. Testa Jr.’s family has deep roots in South Jersey and Cumberland County. On his father’s side, his great-grandparents emigrated from Italy to secure a better future for their children and themselves. His grandfather became the first elected Mayor of the City of Vineland and later became a Judge, despite not even speaking English until 1st grade. Michael’s father went on to start and build their family law firm. On his mother’s side, his grandparents were Polish Jews who met in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II and were rescued by Allied soldiers. After the war, they came to the United States, where the Senator’s mom was born. They settled in Buena and ran a family chicken farm. Sen. Testa is a graduate of Villanova University School of Law and received his Masters Degree at Temple University Beasley School of Law. He and his wife Julie live in Vineland with their three children, Eva Marie, Sarah, and Tripp. He returned to his roots in Vineland and joined his family’s law firm as a defense attorney and is a partner with his father. Sen. Testa was a former Board Chairman of the Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street Vineland, is a proud lifetime member of the Greater Vineland Chapter of the NAACP, the past Board President of the Vineland Regional Dance Company, and Past Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland and Salem counties. In 2019, Sen. Testa was elected to the New Jersey State Senate to represent the First Legislative District. He won his second term as a New Jersey Senator in 2021 by a historical margin, and repeated that victory for his third term in 2023. During the 2020 COVID Pandemic, Sen. Testa dedicated his time to assisting the families of the First Legislative District. With his teammates, Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan, the LD1 staff helped well over 6,000 residents to receive unemployment and disability benefits and assisted with other issues from the MVC, Treasury, Licensing, and many others. In his third term, Senator Testa continues work on enhancing the state environment to foster and support business growth and expansion, protect parental rights for their children in education and health, improve veteran benefits in the state, promote tourism and shore economy, as well as preserving marine life and the fishing industry. His opposition to the wind turbine project has been openly public and is ongoing. Senator Testa started his 5th year on the Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee and his 4th year on the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2024. As the Co-Chair of the NJ Manufacturing Caucus, he remains a champion for revitalizing and re-energizing manufacturing and small business in South Jersey. Senator Testa continues to practice law while balancing his numerous responsibilities in the Senate. In 2024, Senator Michael Testa was named the Senate Republican Whip.
2024 Spirit of Achievement Honoree
CHRISTINA M. RENNA
Christina Renna currently serves as President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. In this role, Ms. Renna oversees a nine person staff and has direct oversight of the Chamber’s work in public policy, membership growth, member retention and overall member experience. Ms. Renna joined the Chamber in 2007 and served as Director of Government Affairs through early 2010. She returned in 2014 as Vice President, then rose through the ranks as Senior Vice President before taking over the helm of the organization in January of 2020. Prior to her most recent stint at the Chamber, in 2010 Ms. Renna was tapped by former-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to serve in his Administration, serving n several different capacities including Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In that role, she dealt directly with state and local government officials across the state, and as the primary point person to all business organizations and Chambers of Commerce in New Jersey as the liaison to the business community within the Administration. Ms. Renna’s past work experience also includes government affairs and communications work at South Jersey Industries and as a legislative aide to former-Assemblyman John C. Gibson of New Jersey’s First Legislative District. In 2010, Ms. Renna was proud to be named as one of SJ Biz Magazine’s first-ever list of rising stars in the South Jersey business community. Additionally, in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Ms. Renna was listed on NJBIZ’s Power List as one of the most powerful people in New Jersey’s business community. In 2020, 2021 and 2022 she was also named to the ROI-NJ Influencers Power List of statewide association leaders, and in 2021 she was named to the first-ever ROI-NJ Women’s Power List among the top 50 most powerful women in business in New Jersey. Lastly, in 2022 ROI-NJ named her #34 on their Influencers Power List.Ms. Renna currently serves as Chair of the Public Policy Committee on the Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs Advisory Board at Rutgers University-Camden, on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Burlington and Mercer Counties, as a Trustee and Executive Committee member of the New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEW JOBS) Board of Trustees, and on the Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council. A graduate of Vineland High School, Ms. Renna received her B.A in political science from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and her Masters in Public Administration, with a minor in City Management, from Villanova University.