SOMERSET BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP HONORS ED DELIA AS OUTSTANDING BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

Whitehouse, NJ, November 22, 2006 – Delia Associates, a leading brand development and business marketing firm, announced that the company’s president, Ed Delia, was recently named Outstanding Business Person of the Year by the Somerset Business Partnership.

The award recognizes business owners who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and initiative in their respective careers. Delia will be recognized along with other award recipients at the organization’s annual meeting and awards luncheon, Tuesday, December 5 at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, NJ.

“I am honored to be recognized by the Somerset Business Partnership,” Delia commented. “We have a great team here at Delia Associates, and some truly great clients. We are all grateful to the Business Partnership for their kind recognition.”

Ed Delia was also recently named a recipient of the “40 Under 40” by NJ Biz, the state’s leading business publication. Since 1993, NJBiz has celebrated the rich array of talent in New Jersey by recognizing 40 young men and women who make outstanding contributions in their fields of expertise.

At age 34, Delia is a second-generation business owner, joining the firm in 1995 that his father Michael A. Delia had founded in 1964. He was named president in 1998 and took over complete operations of the business upon his father’s retirement. In just a few short years, Ed Delia repositioned the company as a leader in brand development and business marketing services for mid-market clients. The company has taken a leadership position in developing and introducing new web-based communications, helping its clients to broaden brand awareness and fuel opportunities for new business growth.

Born and raised in Hunterdon County, NJ, Ed Delia is committed to the welfare of the Central NJ business community, and donates a significant portion of his energies to the economic development of the region. He was a board member and the PR/Marketing Committee Chair of the Hunterdon County YMCA. He is also active with the Hunterdon County Polytech Academy.

Ed is president of the New Jersey Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). He was a founding member of Hunterdon Young Professionals & Executives (HYPE) in addition to the Flemington Chapter of Business Networking International (BNI). He held board positions with the Somerset Business Education Partnership (SBEP), and the Hunterdon Economic Partnership (HEP).

He also served on the PR committee for The Center for Great Expectations, a non-profit organization that aids homeless pregnant women. Another non-profit group that the company assists is Mothers of Military Support (MOMS), an organization dedicated to supporting the families of military service personnel. Delia Associates established an e-commerce site www.pridecountry.com, which sells 100% American made apparel and accessories, with a portion of each sale donated to the MOMS organization.

Delia graduated from North Hunterdon Regional High School and the Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, NJ). He earned his BA in English from Dickinson College. He is a frequent speaker on branding, marketing, and creative thinking.

Delia has been a resident of Somerset County for the past 10 years. He and his wife Lori, who serves as Delia Associates’ Vice President and General Counsel, reside in Basking Ridge, NJ. They are the parents of 22-month old twins.


BACKGROUNDER
A full service branding and business marketing firm, Delia Associates is a second generation family owned and operated business. The firm focuses on brand development and business marketing, employing a proprietary brand development system that takes clients through a detailed process resulting in the creation of a unique brand identity.

Delia Associates has directly contributed to the success and growth of numerous clients in the following market sectors: packaging, pharmaceuticals, architecture, trade services, and manufacturing. The agency has fostered client growth and expanded sales opportunities through the development and implementation of highly successful branding campaigns. To learn more, visit: www.delianet.com

Press Contact: Trish Hamer, 908-534-9044; thamer@delianet.com