Morris County EDC & Tourism Bureau’s Craig Schlosser and
NJSBDC CEO and State Director, Kelly Brozyna to Co-Present at
The Fourth Annual Northwest New Jersey Rivers Conference
2022 Annual Conference Returns with a Focus on Tourism
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ – On Saturday, September 17, 2022, Craig Schlosser, Vice President & Executive Director of the Morris County Economic Development Corporation and President of the Morris County Economic Development Alliance and Morris County Tourism Bureau will co-present a session with Kelly Brozyna, New Jersey Small Business Development Centers’ CEO and State Director as part of the Fourth Annual Northwest New Jersey Rivers Conference at the David and Carol Lackland Center in Hackettstown.
Featuring a robust agenda, more than two dozen speakers, and a keynote address delivered by New Jersey’s 34th Secretary of State, the Honorable Tahesha Way, the 2022 Northwest New Jersey Rivers Conference marks its return to in-person after two years of virtual conferences with a focus on tourism and promoting a compatible tourism economy that leverages the region’s incredible natural resources. Schlosser and Brozyna’s mid-morning session will focus specifically on Ecotourism and Supporting Local Economies in Northwestern New Jersey.
“We applaud the Highlands Coalition for putting together such a well-conceived and robust program on a variety of important topics relevant to our regional economic development,” stated Schlosser. “We are excited to participate and continue to highlight the importance of tourism as the key economic driver that it is.”
Coordinated by the New Jersey Highlands Coalition with the support of partner organizations in the Highlands and Ridge & Valley regions of New Jersey, the Northwest New Jersey Rivers Conference is the forum for better understanding the relationship between the region’s water and other natural resources and the region’s quality of life, including enhanced water quality, developing a vibrant tourism sector economy, expanding recreational opportunities, and appreciating the region’s scenic values.
“This year’s conference offers an unusual chance to learn more about what makes northwest New Jersey a truly great tourism destination. It’s a beautiful place to live, but an extraordinary place to visit—for recreation, for history, for scenic beauty—and so many opportunities to grow businesses that highlight these places and service their visitors,” said Julia Somers, Executive Director of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. “Come to the conference to learn and be inspired by our workshop presenters. We hope everyone will take advantage of what’s available on the day at the conference.”
The conference opens at 9 a.m. with a plenary session moderated by Warren County Commissioner James Kern and features Jeffrey Vasser, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Division of Travel & Tourism; Dorothy Guzzo, Executive Director of the New Jersey State Historic Trust; and, Tom Drake, publisher of Skylands Visitor magazine. Throughout the day, concurrent workshops on a variety of topics explore the destinations, recreational options, economic opportunities, and other related subjects presented by noted experts, professionals, and officials. Local organizations also will be on site sharing information about the region’s resources.
The Northwest New Jersey Rivers Conference is part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, a collaboration of over fifty organizations working to improve water quality in the four states of the watershed. Eleven organizations are working together on a variety of projects in northwestern New Jersey: New Jersey Highlands Coalition, Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), New Jersey Conservation Foundation, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, North Jersey Resource, Conservation & Development, Lopatcong Creek Initiative, New Jersey Audubon, Hunterdon Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, Musconetcong Watershed Association, and the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group.
For more information and to register online, visit the conference website at: https://www.northwestnewjerseyrivers.org
Article Courtesy of Michelle J. Lawlor.