Best 50 Women In Business In New Jersey, Rankings Show

New Jersey's economy has progressed more slowly than other states. But there are plenty of smart businesspeople who are ready make a splash.

Many of them are women - and the list below rates the state's best. Maybe these would be great places to work?

NJBIZ, a business publication, has announced its class of the state’s "most dynamic women in business" as part of its Best 50 Women in Business awards for 2017.

Winners were chosen from all around New Jersey, in a wide variety of industries and career paths. There are C-suite executives, educators, entrepreneurs and many, many others. The 2017 event will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 20 at The Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Ave., Somerset.

Here is the list, each person's company and location in New Jersey:

• Leslie Anderson - Title: Executive director Company: New Jersey Redevelopment Authority Location: Trenton
• Agnes Antonian -Title: Partner Company: Connell Foley LLP Location: Roseland
• Abby Ayoub - Title: CEO Company: Optical Academy Location: Clifton
• Anne S. Babineau - Title: Shareholder Company: Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer P.A. Location: Woodbridge
• Addy Bonet Title - CEO Company: Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest NJ Location: Livingston
• Mary Ann Christopher - Title: Vice president, clinical operations and transformation Company: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Location: Newark
• Meg Columbia-Walsh - Title: CEO Company: WYLEI Location: Jersey City Chris Costello Title: Vice president - technical sales & engineering Company: AT&T Location: Bedminster
• Jeanne Cretella Title - President Company: Landmark Hospitality Location: Jersey City
• Christine D'Agostino - Title: Vice president, operations Company: Carpenter Contractor Trust
• Patricia Daquila - Title: Senior tax advisor Company: Lassus Wherley Location: New Providence
• Alfa Demmellash - Title: Co-founder and CEO Company: Rising Tide Capital Location: Jersey City
• Linda M. Doherty - Title: CEO and president Company: New Jersey Food Council Location: Trenton
• Jill Draper - Title: President Company: Marketsmith Inc. Location: Cedar Knolls
• Nana Duncan - Title: Co-founder Company: TD + Partners Location: Maplewood
• Henrietta Fuchs Title: Senior manager - has been promoted to partner (Equity - effective 2/1/17) Company: CohnReznick LLP Location: Roseland
• Carleen Gaskin - Title: Partner Company: WithumSmith+Brown P.C. Location: Paramus
• Jill Gateman - Title: Executive vice president Company: PNC Bank Location: East Brunswick
• Toba Grossbaum - Title: Co-founder and chief operating officer Company: Firendship Circle/Life Town Location: Livingston
• Carolyn Hall - Title: Director of FWRD services Company: Wiss & Co. LLP Location: Livingston
• Maureen Hassett - Title: Senior vice president, governance, communications and strategic initiatives Company: NJ Economic Development Authority Location: Trenton
• Jennifer Kay - Title: Managing partner Company: The Stevenson Group Location: Fort Lee
• Bethmara Kessler - Title: Senior vice president – integrated global services Company: Campbell Soup Co. Location: Camden
• Galit Kierkut - Title: Member of the firm Company: Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. Location: Newark
• Caryn Kopp - Title: "Chief door opener" Company: Kopp Consulting Location: Bedminster
• Kris Kucsma - Title: Principal; and senior economists Company: Sobel & Co.; Sobel Tinari Economics Group (STEG) Location: Livingston
• Jane Lally - Title: Vice president, Aon Hewitt global operations & technology Company: Aon Hewitt Location: Bridgewater
• Kathleen Lally - Title: Vice president investor relations Company: PSEG Location: Newark
• Colleen Mahr - Title: Director of business development Company: DMR Architects Location: Hasbrouck Heights
• Mary Makfinsky - Title: Senior vice president, regional treasury management Company: Wells Fargo & Co. Location: Summit
• Roseann Mazzeo - Title: Sister Company: Women Rising Inc. Location: Jersey City
• Kathy Naasz - Title: Dean for Social Media Center of Expertise Company: Centenary University Location: Hackettetstown
• Jayne O'Connor - Title: Vice president of communications Company: Taft Communications Location: Lawrenceville
• Lisa Osofsky - Title: Partner, executive committee member and private client services practice leader Company: Mazars USA LLP (formerly WeiserMazars LLP) Location: Edison
• Camille V. Otero - Title: Director, real property & environmental department Company: Gibbons P.C. Location: Newark
• Hetal Parikh - Title: President Company: Rangam Consultants Inc. Location: Somerset
• Lorraine Salvo - Title: Managing director/client advisor Company: Massey Quick & Co. LLC Location: Morristown
• Asha Saxena - Title: CEO Company: Future Technologies Inc. Location: Plainfield
• Maria Sheridan - Title: Senior director, government affairs and business development Company: Morristown Airport/DM Airports Ltd. Location: Morristown
• Jenna Smith - Title: Managing partner and chief operating officer Company: Smith Design Associates LLC Location: Morristown
• Lynn Spence - Title: Senior vice president, director of human resources Company: T&M Associates Location: Middletown
• Deanna Sperling - Title: CEO and president, Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center Company: RWJBarnabas Health Location: Toms River
• Sherrie String - Title: Chief human resources officer, executive vice president Company: Hackensack Meridian Health Location: Hackensack
• Gale Tenen Spak - Title: Associate vice president Company: New Jersey Institute of Technology Location: Newark
• Eva Turbiner - Title: CEO and president Company: Zufall Health Location: Dover
• Amy Valentine - Title: Chief financial officer Company: Sferra Fine Linens Location: Edison
• Kim Vierheilig - Title: Vice president Company: Lan Associates Engineering Planning Architecture Surveying Inc. Location: Midland Park
• Susan Vitale - Title: Chief marketing officer Company: iCIMS Location: Matawan
• Janice Warner - Title: Dean, Georgian Court University School of Business & Digital Media Company: Georgian Court University Location: Lakewood
• Linda Wellbrock - Title: Founder and CEO Company: Leading Women Entrepreneurs Location: Clinton

You can find the whole rankings analysis here.

Patch file photo