2021 New Jersey Business Thought Leaders Volume 2

Supreme Court, congressional advisor at the U.S. State Department, and White House aide to President George W. Bush.

President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health

Barry H. Ostrowsky is president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic healthcare system in New Jersey. He has been a key part of the RWJBarnabas Health system for three decades, having joined Saint Barnabas Medical Center in 1991 as executive vice president and general counsel. In 2016, with the merger of Barnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson Health System, he assumed his present title. Ostrowsky is co-chair of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and serves on the Boards of PSEG, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Public Media NJ, Inc.

Owner/Operator, McDonald’s Restaurants

Celestina S. Quintana came to the US from Spain when she was 10. She grew up in Newark with eight brothers and sisters. After graduating from East Side High School, Quintana worked as a dental assistant for 15 years. At age 28, she opened a clothing store with two friends called “Impulse” in Harrison. She then moved the boutique to Newark as a single proprietor. In 1992, Quintana opened her first McDonald’s Restaurant in North Bergen. Through steadfast expansion, she now owns and operates, with her daughter Jessica Quintana, 11 restaurants in Jersey City, Newark, Irvington, East Orange, and Parsippany. Her restaurants employ more than 500 people.

President and CEO, South Jersey Industries

Mike Renna is the president and CEO of South Jersey Industries (SJI), one of New Jersey’s largest energy companies, serving more than 700,000 natural gas customers across 14 counties through its South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas utilities. Under his leadership, SJI (a 100+ year-old company) now operates one of the most modern, reliable and resilient energy delivery systems in the country. This past spring, SJI released a comprehensive plan to eliminate the company’s carbon footprint, reduce energy consumption and costs for customers, and advance the clean energy goals of the state and region. Renna and SJI are at the forefront of this transformation, committed to delivering safe, reliable, affordable clean energy for a better today and tomorrow.

Global Managing Partner, Prager Metis

Lori A. Roth, CPA/ABV, CFF is the global managing partner of Prager Metis International and co-managing partner of Prager Metis CPAs. In her role, Roth oversees day-to-day operations of the firm and provides guidance to office managing partners and service line leaders. As a member of the firm’s leadership team, she plays a key role in developing strategic goals and policies, monitoring performance, and driving growth. She empowers team members to achieve organizational goals while maintaining a flexible, transparent and diverse environment. Roth is a member of the AICPA and NJCPA and holds Board of Trustee positions at NJBIA and Unchained at Last.

Embracing Technology: To ensure team members are on-board, it is essential that they understand the benefits and values that the use of technology presents for themselves, our clients, and our firm. Having a qualified IT team in place to oversee implementation and troubleshoot difficulties is also key, as are initial and ongoing training programs.

Managing Member, SobelCo

Alan Sobel is a CPA and Managing Member of SobelCo, a New Jersey-based accounting and advisory firm serving entrepreneurial businesses, nonprofits and high net worth clientele. His expertise is strategic and tax planning for middle market companies. Sobel is a board director and audit committee chair with Cytosorbents, an emerging medical device company. He is also the immediate past president of the NJCPA, a 2020 recipient of the NJBIA Leonard C. Johson award, and was a leader in the development and passage of the NJ Business Alternative Income Tax, resulting in approximately $500 million in annual tax savings for businesses.