The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) announced today that Wells Fargo has been awarded the 2012 Top Contributor Award for their support of the organization.
This honor recognizes an individual or corporation that contributed at the highest level monetarily to the AACCNJ and was established in conjunction with the Chamber’s $50 Million Dollar Challenge, an initiative to encourage more New Jersey corporations to increase its annual spend with African American owned firms in New Jersey. Wells Fargo was chosen out of a field of 12 contributors and will be recognized at a luncheon to be held in Newark, NJ on May 9th.
“I am extremely proud of the contributions we have received from the following corporations and small businesses,” said John Harmon, President and CEO of the AACCNJ. “These organizations have shown their commitment to the mission of the AACCNJ.”
“Wells Fargo is committed to strengthening the communities we serve and helping small business owners succeed, personally and professionally,” said Michelle Lee, Wells Fargo’s Northeast Regional President, Community Banking. “The AACCNJ does important work for the African American community and our contributions to their organization demonstrate our deep ongoing, support of the state and its economic prosperity.”
In addition to Wells Fargo, the top 12 contributors to the AACCNJ in 2012 were: PSEG; Prudential; Microsoft; Aetna; Archer & Greiner; Nielsen; Johnson Associates; AT&T; Johnson & Johnson; Sam’s Club; and Watson Services. In 2010, Johnson & Johnson annual spend was $106 million with New Jersey based African American firms.
These contributions will help the AACCNJ execute the mission of the Chamber as well as help to launch two major initiatives for 2013. The first is to acquire a building that will serve as the new AACCNJ headquarters; and the establishment of the AACCNJ Training and Development Institute which will provide Workforce, Business Development and Growth Training, all of which will be implemented to strengthen New Jersey’s competitiveness.”
“We remain optimistic that those organizations that have remained on the sidelines will show their commitment to our mission of minority owned business sustainability with support to the AACCNJ, in line with contributions made to other statewide Chambers,” added Harmon.
Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs – 308 stores and 460 ATMs throughout New Jersey – the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and have offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy.
The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activities within the State of New Jersey and via interaction with the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (NBCC).
Those seeking to find out how they can become a member, attend an event, sponsor programs or contribute to the AACCNJ Building Fund, should visit our website at www.aaccnj.com.
