New Jersey Chapter

President’s Message

It is remarkable to consider that Spring has arrived and, with it, my final column for Garden State Focus as Chapter President. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to lead the organization this past year and look forward to Lisa Schaaf, President-elect, building to even greater heights.  Although this past year has passed quickly, I find myself reflecting on the many exceptional programs hosted by the NJ Chapter, as well as the privilege of working alongside such dedicated colleagues throughout our Chapter, Region, and the Association. It has been a truly rewarding experience to collaborate with so many individuals committed to advancing our shared mission.  Our Officers and Board set goals this year, and we worked consistently to achieve them.

Looking ahead, there is much to anticipate. I am pleased to share that Lisa Schaaf, Amina Razanica, Lisa Weinstein, Christine Gordon, and Tara Bogart are already preparing for the upcoming Annual Institute, which will be held October 21–23 at The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City.  …Borgata 2023, Hard Rock 2024, Hard Rock 2025, Borgata 2026, if you can’t remember where we are this year, just remember that it promises to be another “can’t miss” event.

This year, we set a goal to improve engagement across the Chapter.  Whether it be an increase to registration at the Annual Institute (accomplished), more sponsorship opportunities at our golf outing (accomplished) or engaging membership in new ways (accomplished), your Officers and Board delivered this past year.  We successfully launched and continued engaging the Chapter membership throughout the year by hosting the HFMA 101 session and Enterprise Membership education sessions.  Thank you to Danny Demetrops and Peter Pollio for their consistency in those initiatives.

Several important events remain on this year’s education and events calendar. Our Women’s Leadership and Development Session will take place on April 22 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Tinton Falls. Come engage with the Chapter and Ignite Your Potential!”.  On May 6, we will host our 3^rd AI series to build upon your knowledge in this growing area.  Finally, our Annual Golf Outing at Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor will be held on May 7th. We are pleased to continue the Golf Clinic, which provides an opportunity for participants of all skill levels to enhance their abilities. Those unable to participate in the outing itself are warmly invited to attend the cocktail reception and dinner.  Thanks to Chris Czvornyek and Mia Morse’s steady hands, this annual event has steadily increased participation and has a variety of sponsorship and participation options.  Meet me there, in the woods, or at the 19^th hole.

As I conclude my term, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to our Officers, Board Members, Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs, and, most importantly, to our members, for their continued support and engagement throughout the year. Serving as President of the NJ Chapter has been both an honor and a privilege. I would also like to extend my gratitude to our Chapter Administrator, Laura Hess, for her exceptional dedication and contributions.  Without her, the Chapter year would not have been a success.  And a personal thank you to Mike McKeever, the Chapter Godfather.  Mike personally mentored me, even before I entered the Officer track and helped make my year and the Annual Institute a tremendous success.  Thank you for your support, Mike.

Finally, I offer my best wishes to Lisa as she assumes leadership in the coming year.  She has already assembled a great team of people to help support her goals and initiatives and I look forward to her efforts yielding positive results for the Chapter.  The Chapter is ready for the future!  

Best wishes,

Jonathan H. Besler

President

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Upcoming Events

2026 ANNUAL INSTITUTE

Sponsorship Opportunities

Available now! Reserve sponsorship for the 50th Annual Institute for the best rates. Early-bird pricing expires April 30, 2026.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

OCTOBER 21-23, 2026
The Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa

The New Jersey & Metro Philadelphia HFMA 2026 Annual Institute will be held starting October 21st to 23rd at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Our goal is to establish an agenda that addresses the issues of providers, payers and consumers and is timely and relevant in the emerging healthcare environment.

We are looking for topics in the areas of:

• Compliance
• Cost Reporting
• Data Analytics
• Financial Reporting
• Managed Care/Payer Updates
• Revenue Cycle
• Reimbursement
• Revenue Integrity
• Tax Update
• Personal Development/Motivation

All Creative topics are also welcome!

We are asking all parties interested in participating as a speaker at this event to submit abstracts by March 31st. If you are interested in presenting at the 2026 Annual Institute, please submit your abstract by clicking Submit Abstract below. You will create a new login, regardless of submitting an abstract and having a login in prior years.

Thanks,

Annual institute Committee

[email protected]