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Meet the Board
Maria Sacco Handle | President: Maria Sacco Handle flipped her first house in 1999 at the age of 27 and has been buying, selling, and investing in real estate ever since. A Real Estate Marketing Leader and Syracuse Graduate, Maria relies on her Marketing and Advertising Education to make her properties stand out amongst the crowd. She has sharpened her talents by taking Technology and Social Media courses at Atlantic Cape Community College and The Art Institute of Philadelphia and is regarded as an Internet Marketing Guru among her peers. Maria is a coal-cracker at heart from Shenandoah, PA. She moved to the Jersey Shore in 1995 and currently lives in Brigantine with her husband Joe and three children. |
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Dr. Paul Amalfitano PT, DPT, ATC | Vice President: Paul is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a certified Athletic Trainer with over 25+ years' experience. Paul has a passion for health and wellness of all ages. He enjoys the wide variety of patients he can help in any given week. Paul has been a resident of Brigantine for over 22 years, and he is always available for a consultation. Paul is a local sponsor of the Brigantine Triathlon, Brigantine Rams Youth Football Organization, Brigantine Baseball/Softball Association, and Shark Park Playground Redevelopment Project. |
Kim Schenck | Secretary: Kim (Kessler) Schenck, Secretary Brigantine Chamber of Commerce 2021 and 2022. Kim is Personal Lines Manager of Insurance Agencies Inc. here on the Island. Kim joined the Brigantine Chamber Board in 2018. Because Kim grew up in Brigantine, she is passionate about the coast and the communities that are bordered by it. Combine that passion with her drive to always provide excellent customer service, and you have a coastal risk and flood insurance specialist ideally suited to help you find the best coverage combination for you and your family. |
Barbara Rote| Treasurer: Barbara Rote fell in love with Brigantine 25 years ago and has been a full-time resident since 2012. She and her husband Scott own and operate Haven Homes Builders, which specializes in building custom homes in Brigantine and throughout New Jersey. Prior to retiring, Barbara worked as a middle school science teacher, coached basketball and volleyball, and was the vice president of her local NJEA union. Barbara is currently the treasurer for the Chamber and chairs numerous events, including the Mister Rogers Project and the Shake the Shamrock Island Celebration. She launched the popular Beach Bonfires as well as the beautiful Seawall Wreath Selfie Station. Barbara believes that Brigantine is an incredible place to live and work and loves to highlight all that it has to offer to residents and visitors. |
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Alex Lukacher Advanced Renewal Solutions, LLC. | Michael Riordan Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtor | Matt Cusamano Cusamano Builders | Michele Hill Coldwell Banker Downbeach Team |
Michael currently serves on the Board of Brigantine Chamber of Commerce. As a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach, he has successfully helped clients purchase and sell over $20 million in Brigantine and all over the South Jersey area. Michael is an active parishioner of St Thomas Church and belongs to the local Knights of Columbus, Brigantine Elks, and Brigantine Lions Associations. An elected representative on the island serving as Council-at-Large, Michael has a reputation for being fiscally conservative while helping cut taxes the last six years. As a Chamber of Commerce Board member and Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, Michael and his peers are constantly working to promote local businesses and support local Veterans and youth sports groups. Website: www.mrbrigantine.com | Matt Cusamano, President of Cusamano Builders, Inc., started his business career in 1991 as a framing contractor apprentice and quickly found a love for the trade. In 3 years, he became a foreman, running his own crew for a local residential builder and had his own framing business. Starting with repairs and small renovations, he began to build his reputation for quality, reliability and honesty. Today that is still the philosophy behind Cusamano Builders, Inc. Cusamano Builders, Inc., is a full service building company and has built some of the best quality homes in Brigantine. Cusamano Builders are one of the top builders in South Jersey and strive to fulfill the expectations of all their clients, offering architectural services, surveying, demolition and an array of design consultants for every aspect of the home. Matt “IS” Cusamano Builders, Inc., and takes great pride in designing the project along with you and the architect. Matt implements his 33 years of expertise in every area of the project from start to finish, and oversees the entire job. With customer service that is unsurpassed, and communication being second to none, you can speak one on one with Matt; he is on call to discuss any aspect of the job day or night. |
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Michael James Aloha Tiki Cruises, LLC Michael James is an active member of the Brigantine Community, serving on the Brigantine Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Michael lives on the island year-round and is a well known radio personality in the South Jersey region for the last 25 years. He has been involved in stations including The Shark 103.7, 100.7 WZXL and WIBG Radio, Wibbage FM 94.3. Michael hosts Flashback Fridays, Fakefest, British Invasion, Deckstock and other events at Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Michael is also the president and owner of three other local businesses, a charter boat company - Aloha Tiki Cruises LLC, a video screen company - SuperScreenRental.com and a DJ company - Disc Jockey Supply LLC. He is also the Owner/President of The Splash Media Billboard Boat. | Sari Carroll Sari’s parents Robin and Chuck Taylor built the Brigantine Aquatic Center in 2001. She had a stroke of luck, and was able to leave the casino 9 years ago and devote her time to the pool. Since then, Sari and her board of amazing souls created Green Whale, Inc. - a non-profit organization that, in partnership with the Aquatic Center, promotes three awesome programs. Greenheads Swimming is a team with 100 swimmers ranging in ages from 3-18. Sari coaches the team at local and national events. Sari is the program director for The Stanley's Special Friends Water Safety Program, a free program for our special needs community. Whelan's Whales is a free swim lesson program for the first graders in Brigantine, Absecon, and Atlantic City. Sari is a founding member of the New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance and sits on the board of directors for New Jersey Swimming. She is also the race director for various events, including the Brigantine Triathlon and the Brigantine Open Water Swim. Sari is very excited to be serving on the Board of the Brigantine Chamber of Commerce. | Dino Fanzo | Helen Ann Meehan Helen Ann Meehan, owner of Fit4LifewithHelenAnn, joins the Chamber of Commerce board with a wealth of experience as a Nutrition, Fitness, and Mindset Coach. Committed to helping clients achieve their health and fitness goals, she offers personalized programs tailored to individual schedules. Helen Ann's journey began in 2019, following the loss of her mother in 2018, when she founded Fit4LifewithHelenAnn as a means of channeling her caregiving instincts into supporting others' well-being. With over 20 years of connection to Brigantine, she brings both a deep sense of community and a year of Chamber membership to her role on the board, ready to contribute her expertise and passion to promoting local prosperity. |
Ken Schaeffer Alternate Ken Schaffer, a devoted Brigantine enthusiast and father to energetic twin boys, Kenny and Evan, brings a diverse background to the Chamber of Commerce board. With involvement in various businesses and real estate projects, Ken's passion for event production stems from his teenage days as a DJ, evolving into luxury wedding and corporate event specialization. Additionally, he serves as an account executive and evening host on WIBG Radio, Wibbage FM 94.3, spinning classic hits from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s for over 46 years. A Brigantine resident since 1988, Ken transitioned to full-time residency in 2002, embodying a deep commitment to the community. With a tenure as a board member since 2012, including a term as past president, Ken continues to serve with dedication. He also holds the esteemed position of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, further demonstrating his commitment to both local business and environmental stewardship. Visit MMSC.org to learn more about his impactful work. |
