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Clifton Merchant April 2013 3
April 2013 Clifton Merchant4
Table of Contents
The Power of SilenceChris de Vinck Essay
The Day Annie DiedJoe Torellis Unforgettable Gram
Copperman Dave CafoneMaking Magic with Metal
Learning to be a HorsemanClifton Cowboy Derek Drobenak
Diagnosed with ALSBusiness Owner Mike Najda
Champion PlasticsBags by the Millions, Made In Clifton
Whats Inside?7
12
16
24
30
36
44
Bobby Castronovo Jr.Managing a NYC Landmark
16,000 Magazines
are distributed tohundreds of Clifton
Merchants on the firstFriday of every month.
Subscribe Page 61
$27 per year $45 for 2 years
Call 973-253-4400
Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko
Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko
Graphic DesignerKen Peterson
Staff WriterJoe Hawrylko
Contributing WritersTania Jachens, Carol
Leonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries
1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011
2013 Tomahawk Promotions
44
75
Clifton Merchant April 2013 5
47
52
70
77
78
80
Mustang SportsCHS Spring Sports Preview
Events & BriefsChurch Events, Political Skirmishes
Passaic County Film FestivalReel Cliftonites in the Loop
Birthdays & CelebrationsNeighbors & Friends party...
Student of the MonthChrissy Gustafson Dives Ahead
PaceMaster 600Treadmill Invented in Clifton
Police Unity TourPage 74
Where are theseMustangs now?
In July, well be writing aboutMustangs celebrating their 10,20, 30, 40, 50 and even 60year reunion. Write to us andlet us know where you are at...
April 2013 Clifton Merchant6
140 Arlington Ave. Clifton 973.473.4830
Affordable for Life!
Ask any of these previous customers about theFederle Family & Affordable Home Services...
Jerry Zecker is pictured with his grand-kids, Colin and Henry Nash, in front oftheir parents home at 105 McCosh Rd.Affordable had done work on Zecker'shome at 55 McCosh. Jerry and his wifeArlene were so pleased by the serv-ice, they recommended the Federlefamily to do roofing, siding, gutters andleaders on the Nash home.
385 Hazel St.Siding 2009Roofing 2013
repeat customer
Aviles183 E 6th St.Roofing 2010
repeat customer
Wiles73 Green Tree Rd.Windows 2012,Roofing 2013
repeat customer
Studwell229 E First St.Roofing 2013
Palumbo34 Orchard Dr.Siding 2006Roofing 2011
repeat customer
Derelitto18 Arlington Ave.
Kitchen 2008Bathroom 2011repeat customer
Quinlan14 Dalewood Rd.Porch Enc. 2003Windows 2013repeat customer
Tenney47 New Brier LaneWindows 2001
Siding &Roofing 2013
repeat customer
Fierro
The Federle FamilyJohn, Ron, Jim & James
Affordable for Life!
Clifton Merchant April 2013 7
Moments of Grace
Dowecovetsilencethesedays?TheNewYork
CityDepartmentofTransportationhasdecided
totakedownthenohonkingsigns.Carcom-
panies are being encouraged to create fake noise in
their electric cars, yes to
protectinattentivepedestri-
ans, but also to maintain
thedinwehavecreated in
ourmechanized,chugging,
noise-filledworld.
I remember when my
brother-in-law spent his
firstdaysatoursmall,fam-
ily cabin in Ontario,
Canada.Icouldntsleep,
John said with a chuckle.
It was too quiet. If we
choose to live, at times, a
contemplative life,howdo
we mask the intruding
sounds that surround us? Trappist monks, while not
engagedinthepopularnotionofvowsofsilence,speak
whennecessaryastheytrytorefrainfromidletalk.At
mealstheydonotspeakbut,intheirtradition,listenas
afellowmonkreadsaloudperhapsfromacontempo-
raryworkofliterature,perhapsfromancientpoetry,or
fromabookofphilosophy.
OnJune6,2002,belovedchildrenstelevisionhost,
Fred Rogers, gave the commencement address at
DartmouthCollege.Therehetoldtheyoungmenand
women,Idliketogiveyouallaninvisiblegift.Agift
ofasilentminutetothinkaboutthosewhohavehelped
youbecomewhoyouaretoday.Andhundredsofcol-
legegraduatessatinsilencewithMr.Rogers.
We yearn for silence
whenweareabouttosleep.
Weenjoythequiettimein
our churches, mosques,
templesandsynagogues.
Three years ago I was
sittingonthecouchreading
when I became annoyed
with my neighbor. What
washedoing? Iheard this
lowringinginthedistance
that was distracting me
frommybook. I stoodup,
walkedoutsidetooursmall
deck, and looked around.
No power saws. No lawn
mowers.Noonewasoutside,andyetIkepthearingthis
subtle,annoyingconstantringing.
I thoughtnothingof it until a fewweeks later, the
ringingincreasedandthenIrealizedthenoisewasnot
coming from the neighborhood but from inside my
head.Aftermuchcajoling frommywife, Ivisitedan
audiologist,andhesaidthatIhavewhatiscalledtinni-
tus and I had lost enough of my hearing to warrant
hearingaids.
Essay by Chris de Vinck
The Power of Silence
continued on pg. 10
April 2013 Clifton Merchant8
Marianna Gozdz
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
Weichert Sales Club
Gregorio Greg
Manalo
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
Weichert Sales Club
Lesia Wirstiuk
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
Weichert Sales Club,
Marketed Club
Weichert Ambassadors Club
Weichert Executives Club
Weichert Directors Club
Alma Billings
NJAR Circle of Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Silver
Weichert Sales Club, Marketed Club
Daniel Brozyna
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
Carlito Chi
Weichert
Sales Club
Tania Hernandez Faria
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012- Bronze
Ruel Cabanilla
Weichert Sales Club
Mary Jean Cetinich Donna Freeswick
Weichert Sales ClubVivian Garcia
Weichert Sales Club
Frank Gorga Mary Pat Holt
Weichert Sales Club
William Bill
McKeever
Arthur Artie Rubin
Weichert Sales Club,
Marketed Club
Jerry Sanders
Lilla Langford
Weichert Sales Club
Marketed Club
Kathleen Perow
Weichert
Marketed Club
Elena Schwartz
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
James Steccato
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012 - Bronze
Valdemar Studzinski
NJAR Circle of Excellence
Sales Award 2012 - Bronze
Jayne Urgo
Weichert Sales Club,
Marketed Club
Ellen Weiner
Weichert Sales Club
Weichert Million Dollar Club
Hilda Ferro
NJAR Circle of
Excellence Sales
Award 2012- Bronze
Clifton Merchant April 2013 9
CLIFTON This 2nd floor unit offers 1 large bed-room, 1FBA and a large LR with dining area.MLS #3003371 $109,000
CLIFTON This lovely, updated Col features4BRs, 1.5BAs, FDR, EIK, 3 zone heating, finbsmt & 1 car garage. $324,900
CLIFTON This wonderful, 4BR Cape offers2FBAs, EIK, new roof, C/A and FDR on a largelot. MLS #3004419 $299,000
CLIFTON This lovely Split Level home offers3BRs, 1.5BAs, EIK, FDR, Den, 1 car garage &spacious back yard. MLS #3008241 $249,900
CLIFTON Immaculate Colonial Split featuring4BRs, 2.5BAs, updtd kit, LR w/frpl, fin bsmt & 2car gar. MLS #3001920 $494,900
CLIFTON Maple Valley Cape featuring 3BRs,updated kitchen, hd flrs, full basement, large deck& back yard. MLS #3005855 $305,000
January 2013 Award Winners
February 2013 Award Winners
Carlito Chi
Top SalesAlma Billings
Top ProducerJeannette Castro
Weichert PrideCarlito Chi
Top Lister
Tony Sanchez, ManagerIf youre interested in a career in real estate,call me at 973-779-1900(office) 973-801-9497(cell)[email protected]
Lesia Wirstiuk
Top Sales
Lesia Wirstiuk
Agent of theMonth
Ryan Carbone
Weichert PrideAlma Billings
Top ProducerKevin Carpenter
Agent of the MonthGregorio Greg
Manalo
Top Lister
More great Clifton homes to see...
aria
ze
b
n
,
ze
April 2013 Clifton Merchant10
Theringinginyourears,thedoctorexplained,is
amechanism trying to compensate for that loss.The
ringingwillnevergoaway,andmightevenincrease.
Whataboutsilence,Iwantedtoaskthedoctor.What
about closing my eyes and hearing the voice of my
grandmother?
What about those hours in themiddle of the night
whenIcantsleepandIwanttoimagineiceskatingas
achildagainwithmysisterasItryandheartheclick-
ingofourskatesonthesmoothice?
ThedoctorsaidthatIcouldmasktheringingwitha
whitenoisemachinethatmimicswind,orwaterfalls.
Thiswillmaskthesymptomsoftinnitus.
But I want the ability to lean back into complete
silence.IdotrickmyselfoftenasIimaginetheringing
soundsabitlikecricketsinAugustwhichdosootheme
tosleepeasily,butcrickets,waterfall,windsounds,this
isnotsilence,andthisisnotstillness.
The doctor shrugged: At least you are not
Beethoven.Hebecamecompletelydeaf.
Yes,hehadcompletesilence,butthinkhowhorrible
thatmusthavebeen for themanwhocreated the9th
Symphony.
WillIbecomedeaf?
Perhaps,saidthedoctor.Ageadvances.
We all have an inner voice, ourmothers perhaps,
Godperhaps,Mr.Rogerseven,andwhenweneed to
listentothesevoices,weneedatimeofcontemplation,
aplaceofsilencetosortthingsout.
While I will forever be denied complete silence,
whiletheconstantsoundinmyearsisthedistantring-
ingknellofmyowneventualdeath,Istillfeelalivein
the companion of sound that does echo inside ofmy
own heart as I listen to the imagined crickets in the
middleofaNorthAmericanwinter.
Moments of Grace
Christopher de Vinck is theLanguage Arts Supervisor at CHSand the author of 13 books. His bestknown work is The Power of thePowerless a frank reflection on thestruggles and joys of loving hisseverely disabled brother. To orderhis most recent work, Moments ofGrace, call 1-800-218-1903 or lookfor it in bookstores or online.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 11
Jackie Licata-Alectoridis & Jane Maffucci are the owners of...
Cliftons only Montessori school
Register Now For Summer & September
50% Off Registration Until April 19 Infants Pre-School KindergartenFull Day & Half Day
rainbowmontessori.com
22 Varettoni Pl., Clifton 973-772-23301255 Broad St., Bloomfield 973-338-8300
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April 2013 Clifton Merchant12
A fragrant whiff of nutmeg blended with the balmyscent of liniment asapotoflentilsoupsimmeredonthestove. Itwasa typicalSundaymorning forme in the
summerof1959newspapersdelivered,moneycollect-
ed,andastopatmygrandmothershouseonthewalk
homefrommyroute.
Sheraisedacupofcoffee tohercrackedandfaded
lips.Thefingersontheoncestrongwidowshandsthat
rearedabroodoffouramidTheGreatDepression,now
quivered like the tails of tadpoles swimming to adult-
hood.Nolongercouldtheyguidethehypodermicnee-
dleintothetinyvialofinsulinthattwiceeachdayforti-
fiedherbodyagainsttheravagesofdiabetes.
Anearbyauntnowperformedthattaskforherthirteen
timeseachweek,butitwasmyprivilegetoperformiton
Sundaymornings.
Annie Eaton died this morning, she said without
emotion, as she lowered the empty cup onto her lap.
Shewaseighty-oneonTuesday.Ibroughtherflowers
fromthegarden.
Iwhisperedmyregretsandjoinedherinaprayerfor
Annies soul. Ill be seventy-four in November, she
suddenlyremindedmeinthemiddleofherprayer,asif
thepassingofherfriendlentnewmeaningtothedate.
Iknow,Isaid,asIgotupfrommychairandkissed
herdampenedcheek.Shesmiledandlookedaway.
As summer turned to fall, she caught an early
autumn virus that morphed into pneumonia. The
coughingandthewheezingquicklytooktheirtolland
Novembernevercame.
As theyplacedher in theground, I rememberedall
thoseSundaymorningsandthearomasinherkitchenI
heard her gentle voice again dispensing wisdom and
encouragement as tarnished silver spoons scraped the
oatmealfromourbowls.
Ithoughtbacktoallthosespecialmorningsfilledwith
laughterandherwarmthandIrealized,evenatsoyoung
anage,justhowluckyIhadbeentohavesharedthem
withmyGram.
We twogrewvery close during those earlySunday
breakfasts,butIwasneverclosertoherthanontheday
thatAnniedied.
Unforgettable People
By Joseph R. Torelli
The Day Annie DiedSunday Breakfasts and Memories of Family
Therewesat,justthetwoofus,headsbowedoverbowlsofsteamingoatmeal,whileJohnnyRaysCry spilledsoulfullyfromthePhilcointhecorner.
Editors Note:Doyouhaveanunforgettableper-son inyour life?Theycanbe livingordeceased.
Letusknowinashortessayandperhapswelluse
yourstory.Besuretoincludeyourphonenumber.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 13
h
g
m
y
y
When Richard F. Knapp started his roofing busi-ness in 1960, he wasnt only constructing an umbrel-la of protection that would ensure the people ofClifton a solid home environment, he was laying afoundation of trust and honesty that has lasteduntil today, in his passing. Richard was honest with the people,
said Dorothy Knapp, Richards widow.The couple would have celebrated their53rd anniversary on Feb. 27. Wealways stand behind our work. Thatsthe way Richard started it and now mysons are doing it. Were keeping upthe honesty.Richard Knapp passed away in
1991. Thats when the Knapp boys,Richard and Donald, took the reins ofthe business. They had been workingwith their father since their teens andknew the job. Mrs. Knapp said people who had work done
by Knapp Roofing decades ago are calling againon for work on either the same homes or newhomes. Thats how a strong tradition of depend-ability is built. What better testament to the hon-esty of a business whose first priority was and stillis the best interests of the customers?
There was an older gentleman whose roof need-ed some repairs, recalled Mrs. Knapp. His wife wasbed-ridden. Richard didnt charge him. He told himto buy his wife some flowers. Thats the kind of
things he did. He was well-liked. If a roof didntneed to be done hed tell them. He didntpush anyone into unnecessary work.
R. F. Knapp Roofing is fully insuredand licensed by the State of New Jersey.More importantly, generations of resi-dents have had work done by theKnapp family and stand as references.To schedule a free estimate of yourjob, call Mrs. Knapp at 973-777-1699. Its interesting to note that the
Knapps usually do not take deposits,Mrs. Knapp said her husband didntbelieve in deposits. His sons carry on
another of his honorable traditions.When the job is done and the people are
satisfied, said Mrs. Knapp, then well get paid. We are a family business, started and still run
by the same family. We are committed to contin-ue the reputation of my husbands work, saidMrs. Knapp. Richie and Donny carry on that tra-dition. They are kind and respectable and all ofus appreciate our customers.
NJ License 13VH00726700
Since 1960
Visitors to the Hot Grill are often amazed at howthe guys at the counter take and bellow your order
two all the way, two! In minutes youre paid up andbiting a Hot Texas Weiner.
For decades, counter work there was a mans job
but much has changed. Take Yanina Rios, at right.
She mastered the art of barking orders at the Hot
Grill. For three years, the 21-year-old Cliftonite
works Monday through Friday at the iconic hot dog
joint while attending night classes for Nursing at
Passaic County Community College.
In the beginning it was hard, she said. You
have to pay attention and focus. I was scared that I
was the only girl. But now its great. Im a pro.
In this edition youll meet others who have great
jobs. Youll also read an inspiring story about Mike
Najda. He faces some challenges at work, home
and in life and he does it with humor and bravery.
For future edition, Id like to hear of other
Cliftonites who have unique jobs. If you know of
someone, drop me a line.... Tom Hawrylko
GreatJOBS
Speaking of interesting jobs, new faces on the Mustang sidelines, from left, Softball Coach Ron Shekitka,Track Coach Kareem West and Volleyball Coach Nick Romanak. Our Sports section starts on page 52.
JOBS
April 2013 Clifton Merchant14
Clifton Merchant April 2013 15
Season-Low Pricing on New Installs!Call Now!
Commercial Athletic Fields
Residential
April 2013 Clifton Merchant16
Great Jobs
From his New York City office on upper Broadwayin Manhattan, Robert Castronovo is the man incharge of one of the most popular and illustrious ven-
ues in all of the Big Apple, the Beacon Theatre.
For over 180 nights a year, the theater stage is lit,
playing host to a wide variety of shows and perform-
ances. Castronovo, the director of event production
and building operations, is the maestro that coordinates
the entire production. He was at the helm for the
Allman Brothers 200th show at the Beacon, the Tony
Awards and countless other high profile shows.
Its a demanding job, one that has him working six,
sometimes seven days a week. Twelve hour days are
the norm in this industry. But Castronovo makes it all
happen and loves what he does.
I just couldnt see myself doing a 9 to 5 desk job,
explained the 31-year-old, who graduated from Clifton
High in 2000. If you dont want to be here, if you are
the kind of person that wants to go out on Friday or
Saturday night, youre not going to survive.
The modest Cliftonite is on a first name basis with
rock n roll legends but he is no name-dropper. His nose
to the stage floor work ethic enabled him to rise up the
ranks in similar jobs in Atlantic City and Radio City Hall.
He became interested in the industry because of his
father, Robert Sr., who many recall as a CHS history
teacher. The elder left the safety of the school system
and worked for 20 years at Giants Stadium and
Continental Airlines Arena, retiring as Chief Operating
Officer. As a boy, Castronovo would visit his dad at work
and was awed at the immense work that the arena crew
would go through in transforming the facility for Devils
and Nets games, not to mention concerts and more.
To see that, you realize that people had no idea
what just happened in the past six hours, he said.
Castronovos background in playing sportsback in
2000, he set the Mustang basketball record for points in
a single game with 45 and most three pointers in a sea-
sonmotivated him to pursue sports management at
Rutgers, where he graduated in 2004.
By Joe Hawrylko
Clifton Merchant April 2013 17
SPRING MEANS CHECK GUTTERS & ROOF With Spring and the rainy season here, Corey Genardi
of C. Genardi Contracting Inc. said homeowners often
overlook rain gutters because they often function on
their own.
It makes it easy to forget that they need to stay in tip
top shape, he said. A home without a good gutter sys-
tem will have water running down the side of the house
or it will cause water to run underneath the shingles.
Without gutters, waters will collect around your home
and seep into your basement.
Genardi installs seamless gutters which eliminates
the possibility of leaks, protects the beauty of your home
and landscaping and will be formed at your home for
exact measurements. We complete our jobs in a day
and offer most any color to choose from, he said.
Seamless gutters will complement your home.
Genardi also installs Weather Watch Leak Barriers
which create a watertight seal to keep water from the
vulnerable areas of the homeeaves and rakes,
around chimney and in valleys. It prevents water
damming in your gutters from wind driven rain or
where ice collects, he concluded.
Based in Clifton, the family-run and owned business
was started in the late 1960s by Coreys father Ronald. I
was pretty much born into it, said Genardi. And I have
installed most every type of roof there is.
Genardi uses superior products such as GAF and
offers a variety of roofs for every type of home and
at every pricechoices range from asphalt shingles
to wood shakes and modified rubber systems for
flat roofs.
Asphalt shingles, the most affordable, are avail-
able in a dozen or so different colors both solid and
blended. Using GAF products, Genardi said the
roofs he installs are guaranteed for 20, or in some
cases 30 years, making them an excellent value.
C. GENARDI CONTRACTING, INC.
Roofing, Siding, Gutters 973.772.8451
Seamless Gutters are stronger...
adding roof flashing will keep water
flowing into the gutters where it belongs.
Great Jobs
Prior to graduating from the New Brunswick cam-
pus, he was an intern for the Giants, and then the Nets.
Through my contacts
on those teams, I was able
to get there and then used
that to get into Atlantic
City, he explained.
Castronovo headed
south and worked for
SMG at Atlantic City
Boardwalk Hall, a 13,000
seat arena that hosts a
variety of sporting and
entertainment events.
Boxing was one of the
main draws for AC during
his two year tenure and
Castronovo attended
many of the late Arturo
Gattis famous fights.
I was there for his last
six or seven fights, he said. While at SMG,
Castronovo rose from event coordinator to event man-
ager and finally operations manager, essentially over-
seeing the operations department of the entire arena.
They play AC/DCs Thunderstruck when Gatti would
come in the ring and the
place would go crazy.
In July of 2007,
Castronovo left SMG to
take a job as a event pro-
duction manager for
Radio City Music Hall in
NYC. While his work in
Atlantic City provided
him with valuable experi-
ence, working in the Big
Apple was far greater
than anything that could
be offered in AC.
The move was about
growth. I was learning
something every day, he
said. At Radio City,
Castronovo worked the
NFL Draft, the Tony Awards, the MTV Video Music
Awards, Fashion Rocks and the Radio City Christmas
Spectacular during his three years at the venue.
Bobby, his sister Laura and parents Bob and Nancy.
Dr. Michael BasistaMedical Director of
Immedicenter
Immedicenter1355 Broad St. Clifton 973-778-5566www.immedicenter.com
Were Here for Your Allergies
& Much More! Monday - Friday 8am to 9pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm
Walk-in Medical Care
Weekday Appointments Available
Wheezing & Sneezing?
April 2013 Clifton Merchant18
Clifton Merchant April 2013 19
There are about12,000 podiatrists inthe United States,according to theDepartment ofLabor, and Clifton
podiatrist Thomas Graziano is one ofonly six who hold both a Doctor ofPodiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and aDoctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree.
As a foot and ankle specialist, my
main goal for all my patients is to
find caring solutions that last a life-
time. I won't just treat the symptom;
I'll strive to correct the problem...
Permanently.
When you combine effective treat-
ments with my genuine concern for
your well-being, that's a powerful
combination.
-Thomas A. Graziano, MD, DPM,
FACFAS
3 Issues Resolved in 1 Convenient SurgeryDr. Thomas Graziano recently
explained how three painful issues
were addressed in one operation.
This patient presented with a
bunion, crossover toe and hammer-
toes. These conditions were
repaired with one operation and the
patient was able to walk the same
day of the surgery.Before After
April 2013 Clifton Merchant20
W D p k
Great Jobs
When he heard about an opening
for director at the Beacon in early
2011, Castronovo applied.
The youthful looking kid from
Clifton was hired. For the first time
in his young career, he was at the
helm, in charge of everything. The
organization is lean in manage-
ment. He reports to his general
manager, and Madison Square
Garden owner James Dolan.
But with that new position came
added responsibility and many new
challenges. Radio City was in a
commercial area. Its residential
here, so thats a big change, he
said. Since the neighborhood is
home to many powerful celebrities
and captains of industry, it is
important to make sure that theyre
not disturbed by a truck unloading
at 5 am. The other major difference
from Radio City was the number of
people in management.
We have six full time people in
management as opposed to over 50
in Radio City, he explained.
Castronovo has more than 250 part
time employees reporting to him,
including stage hands, Teamsters,
food and beverage types and most
anyone at the Beacon. With so
many people looking to him for an
OK, a check or an approval,
Castronovo average days clocks in
at around 12 hours.
Ive slept on this couch way too
many times, he laughed, as he
pointed to his office couch.
Yesterday was my first day off in
two and a half weeks. A typical
day starts at 7 am, with truck
unloading at 8. Sound checks, light-
ing and other details to staging take
goes on day long. Castronovo
patrols the facility, coordinating
with staff and stars to ensure that
everything is going smoothly. As a Mustang in 2000.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 21
When we opened one of the regions first SameDay Surgery Center back in 1993, the foundingphysicians and staff of Clifton Surgery Centerknew we were on the cusp of change. Two decadeslater, as we mark our anniversary, our surgeons andstaff continue to innovate and evolve.
Over those 20 years, our mission remains true: todeliver superior surgical service more efficiently andcost effectively than area hospitals. We continue toinvest and improve our facilities, not only our oper-ating suites but also to our landmark building. Weare proud of our service and look forward to manymore decades of providing quality healthcare.
Celebrating 20 Years
So much Surgical Expertise from our Staff, to our Physicians
Great Jobs
Before the curtain rises, there may be small items to
attend to. Perhaps it is a union issue. Or the star needs
something in the dressing room. Castronovo is the go-
to guy. Hell solve the problem. After the perform-
ance, the box office has to be accounted for and settle-
ment has to happen with the acts managers. Load out
concludes around 1 or 2 am.
His schedule varies depending on the event, but even
on days when the stage is dark, there are plenty of day-
to-day activities that require his presence.
This summer were doing a new roof, he said. The
Beacon was built in the 1920s, and is one of the last
theaters of its age in New York. That means that regu-
lar maintenance must be a priority for Castronovo.
I like to be proactive rather than reactive, he said.
At the Garden, theyve got guys who have been doing
this for 30 or 40 years. I take good advantage of that.
I got to admit that with this job, I dont know every-
thing about everything, continued Castronovo. But I
do have to know a little bit about everything.
Castronovo is at the helm of this landmark and it is
his job to have good people around him to help solve
problems. But even with those seasoned workers on
call, the unexpected will happen.
During the Tony Awards there was a water tank
leak on top of the building, he recalled. Sometimes
you just gotta roll up your sleeves and get in there.
There was six floors of damage. About $35,000 worth
of damage. And we had a show the next night.
Fortunately, none of the water reached the theater,
and the show was able to go on.
Shortly after that incident, Castronovo called in
experts to analyse what went wrong and then hired a
company to put a float with a water level sensor in the
tank. Just a few short weeks later, that early warning
system prevented another disaster. Something I
learned early on was that people have short memories
and long fingers in this industry, he said.
But as difficult as his job can be at times, Castronovo
still gets a thrill out of seeing a happy crowd captivat-
ed by the show on stage.
As hard as you work through the week, thats the
pay off. Thats what makes it worth it he said. Even
when we had Scooby Doo Live here, seeing the faces
on the kids, thats the payoff.
This business is stressful and demanding, he con-
tinued. But youre not going to get this type of educa-
tion anywhere else.
April 2013 Clifton Merchant22
Liberty Tax Service at Richfield Shopping Center is doingdouble duty for the Boys & Girls Club and Clifton residents.
Now through April 10, franchise
owner Mary Ann Hatala Bowen will
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Clifton Merchant April 2013 23
Great Jobs
By Joe Hawrylko
Dave Cafone Makes Magic
On a quiet cul-de-sac off of Grove St. inMontclair Heights, Dave Cafone worksmagic with copper in his garage studio.
For nearly 30 years, the Nutley native has
been hammering, bending and shaping this
malleable metal for a wide variety of uses:
roofing, gutters, chimney flashings, hoods
for bay windows and much more.
Now 52, Cafone, estimated that he has
been working with copper and other metals
since he was about eight years old, helping
his father, John, who was a sheet metal
worker.
Right out of high school I started my
sheet metal career, doing duct work and cen-
tral air. On the weekends, I would go do
sheet metal and copper on the weekends
with him, recalled Cafone. He did every-
thing by hand. Ive taken it to the next step.
I really liked being around my father,
he added. He had a passion for fishing, and
I have a passion for fishing. My father was
a sheet metal worker and Im the only one of
seven kids who is a sheet metal worker.
Cafone, who is known within the industry
as Copper Dave, has been plying
April 2013 Clifton Merchant24
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Clifton Merchant April 2013 25
April 2013 Clifton Merchant26
Great Jobs
his craft full time since 1985. Since
then, the industry has changed
greatly.
Today, copper roofing is typical-
ly a luxury item, and most of
Cafones work takes place on large
estates and wealthy mansions in the
Tri-state region. His work appears
on eye-catching buildings like the
Stronghold Landmark in
Bernardsville, where he spent sev-
eral months creating and then
installing a custom made zinc roof.
I always used to drive past that
and think, One day, Im going to
do that roof, he laughed. Cafone
has also done work for the owner of
the West Orange Manor, the
National Park Service and on a
number of estates in the affluent
town of Rumson. Occasionally, he
will field work at smaller homes
from contractors like Corey
Genardi.
But in addition to that day job
that pays the bills, Cafone is a bud-
ding artist, creating intricate copper
fish and other sea life, which he
turns into wall mounts or weather-
vanes in his garage studio.
It was right around 1996, when
we were having those bad winters.
Thats when I started to get all cre-
ative, recalled Cafone. I wasted a
lot of metal then trying to get the
designs right.
But after many drafts and revi-
sions, the Cliftonite has become
quite the sculptor in his spare time
and sells his wares at flea markets.
Whatever I make is what I put
for sale. No one has ever called me
and said make this yet, he said.
When I am really into it, when I
really feel it, thats when I do it.
Sometimes I am too tired from
work and dont go into the garage
for a month.
Each piece is unique; outside of
the stencil he uses for the base
shape, Cafone does the rest of the
work by eye. For a fish that would
go on the wall, it takes maybe a full
day, he said. Cafone has sold
those for $750 in the past.
Weathervanes require much more
work, since it must be double sided
and symmetrical, and cost about
$3,000. Those take about two full
days to complete.
The Cliftonites main art inspira-
tions are Guy Harvey, who is recog-
nized as one of the foremost author-
ities on marine wildlife art, and the
late Travis Tuck, who is famous for
his weathervanes in Marthas
Vineyard in Massachusetts.
I had a stripper of mine on dis-
play at Guys gallery in Florida, he
said. It was amazing that he even
acknowledged me.
Initially, breaking into the art
field was difficult, and he would
sometimes return home without
selling anything. Cafones break
came when he befriended a doctor
who purchased all of the
Cliftonites merchandise at an art
sale in 2004. Eventually, Cafone
ended up doing many jobs for the
doctor, including spending six
months in Florida repairing proper-
ties following a hurricane.
Currently, Cafone mostly attends
art shows and flea markets on the
Jersey Shore, but said he would like
to expand into Long Island as well.
His main goal is to one day get off of
the roof and into the studio full time.
Some day, I will live on a beach
and hammer copper on the beach
front, he laughed. Maybe 100
years from now I will be looked
back on as a marine folk artist.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 27
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April 2013 Clifton Merchant28
US Army Staff Sergeant Oscar Buonafinafinished his most recent 9-month deploymentto Afghanistan on November 3. By the follow-ing Monday, he was back at work in Clifton. Like many returning veterans, life and busi-
ness obligations back home were put on holdwhile he was deployed to the front lines. In Afghanistan, the Lakeview resident
enlisted his construction expertise with a sec-tion of US Army engineers under the 310thMilitary Police Battalion working in an AfghanDetention Facility in Bagram.But on Monday, November 5, the owner of
Cliftons Buonafina Plumbing, Heating andHome Improvements was back at his LakeviewAve. office being a small business owner.For about the last year, his plumbing and
heating business was essentially leaderless andnow it needed to be kick started.Former vendors and clients were contacted
to let them know that Oscars boots were onthe ground againright here in Clifton.
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said the heating and plumbing side of the busi-ness needed his leadership and skill set.We maintained out existing customers, said
Buonafina, who founded the company in 2006and has been a US Army Reservist since 2007. But being in business is about growing and
thats my mission now. My phone is answeredaround the clock. We do emergency calls at afair price. I most enjoy doing jobs like this onepictured herea multi-family house that neededsystems run clean and separate, he said.Honestly, no job is too small or too big.
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Clifton Merchant April 2013 29
April 2013 Clifton Merchant30
Great Jobs
At 22 years of age, Derek Drobenak leadswhat seems to be a quiet, typical suburban
life. He lives at home off of Valley Rd. with
his parents, enjoys going to the gym five
days a week, and has a girlfriend.
But Drobenaks job is a little different
than your average young suburban adult
would hold.
While others are heading off to a cozy
office for a 9 to 5, this Cliftonite throws on
some well worn jeans and work boots for a
long day at the North Jersey Equestrian
Center in Pompton Plains on Rt. 23.
At the NJEC, Drobenak is a man of many
hats. His duties include breaking young
steeds, caring for the more than 150 horses
kept at the NJEC, and training riders and
horses alike.
Drobenak also travels to industry shows
around the country for up to 100 days a year
with the NJEC and his boss, Karl Bauer.
In Northern New Jersey, this is about as
close as you get to being a cowboy, and
Drobenak enjoys every second of it.
13 Miles from Clifton, DerekDrobenak works as a ranchhand and riding instructor at theNorth Jersey Equestrian Center.
By Joe Hawrylko
Learning to be a modern-day
Horseman
Clifton Merchant April 2013 31
Drobenaks love of horses stretches back to 1994,
when his family visited a resort in upstate New York.
His mother, Debra, rode when she was younger, and
wanted her son to saddle up.
I ended up falling in love right away, he recalled.
It was a big resort with a lot to do, but I just wanted to
ride horses all week.
About five years later, his parents took him to visit
Echo Lake Stable in Newfoundland, which offered a
week long summer camp, where participants would ride
and learn how to groom and care for horses.
For the next three years, Drobenak would end each
day waiting for his mom by watching the ranch hands
wrangle the herd. Eventually, the owner invited him to
help out. I was head over heels. I told them Id do any-
thing, recalled Drobenak. The next summer in 2004
they asked me to come work for them. It was like the
lights came down from heaven.
At the end of the summer, he was invited to work at
Echo Lake full time, and moved up from cleaning the
stables to eventually taking groups out on trail rides.
Drobenak, who graduated from DePaul Catholic
High School in Wayne in 2009, continued to work and
live the dream at Echo Lake until 2011.
I decided to take a break from horses for a bit and
focus on school, he recalled. My parents told me they
wanted me to get a degree, so I was going to Passaic
County Community College for business.
But after two and a half years of school, Drobenak
found that higher education wasnt his called.
I just kept thinking, I need to be with horses. And if
I want to go get where I wanted to go, I had to take a
risk, he said. After a lengthy discussion with his par-
ents, Drobenak decided to withdraw from school and
began pursuing his dream of working with horses.
Though they wanted him to get a degree, Drobenaks
parents were supportive of his decision.
My dad always said to make sure you are taken care
of in life. My mom was always more about doing what
makes you happy. Each have helped me more than the
other on certain things. Its a ying and yang type of
thing, he said. They support me every step of the way.
Theyre a huge reason that I am here doing what I real-
ly want to do.
In February of 2012, Drobenaks mother learned
about the NJEC, and he was able to go visit owner, Karl
Bauer, to inquire about a job. Bauer, a champion horse
rider and breeder who has been in the industry for
April 2013 Clifton Merchant32
Great Jobs
over 35 years, was initially skeptical about hiring
Drobenak since the job duties at Echo Lake were com-
pletely different. But after watching Drobenak ride and
speaking with him, Bauer decided to hire the Cliftonite.
He came in and he was very humble, polite, clean
cut and patient. And hes likable, said Bauer.
Within the last year that he has been here, hes
improved a ton. Hes not even close to what he was
when he first came. Hes done amazing things on his
horses. Now I can put him on anything, he continued.
Hes almost like my son. I have a lot of trust, Hes got
a lot of responsibility here, and not just for a young guy.
He is always early coming and always late leaving. And
never a complaint.
Drobenak relishes the experience that he has at the
NJEC, working alongside Bauer, who is a well respect-
ed name in the industry and a champion rider.
Hes a great mentor. I know I dont know every-
thing about this, especially horses. I still have a lot to
learn, he said. But I feel I am really in a good place
right now.
Drobenaks responsibilities at the NJEC are wide
ranging. He works six days a week, and cares for more
than 150 horses between the companys two locations.
One of Drobenaks favorite parts of his job is break-
ing young horses.
Breaking is the process of getting a horse that has
never been riden before used to having people around
and on it. The length of this varies depending on each
horse, but can be very repetitive. A horse can be very
skittish, and has to get used to something as simple as
seeing a person jump, a quick move or even a crazy
noise from a cell phone.
Breaking can also be extremely dangerous.
You can get killed pretty easily doing this, he
admitted. When I first broke a horse, I was pretty nerv-
ous, but it was something that I always wanted to do.
But they can stand right up in the air, they can buck you
off, they can spin and buck you.
Drobenak, who is currently breaking his fourth horse,
recalled how one Mustang at NJRC would continually
ride him into the walls in an effort to get him off, send-
ing him home with bruises every day.
Eventually, when a horse has been broken, Drobenak
can move on to training. Much like breaking, train-
Derek with his boss Karl Bauer.
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Great Jobsing time can vary depending on the
personality of the horse, and what
type of riding the owner wants to do.
I love to see the transformation.
You start when they are babies,
maybe a year and a half, two years,
he said. Its great when it is a horse
you cant even be near or touch.
And like any good cowboy,
Drobenak has his own reliable
steed. His goes by the name of
Tomahawk. Drobenak acquired his
horse by auction in 2010.
When I saw him, it was just a
gut feeling. It wasnt like ok, oh he
moves well or he looks nice, he
explained. Drobenak selected
Tomahawk despite the horse being
malnourished. I take a lot of extra
time caring for him and he has
repaid me. I want to provide for
another horse like I did with mine.
Tomahawk, who is 12, suffers
from arthritis in his rear leg, which
gives him a slight limp if he has
been exerting himself. The arthritis
also prevents Tomahawk from
being able to ride for long or do
strenuous activities.
People ask, what defines you?
For me, its that horse, said
Drobenak. People come and go.
Ive had girlfriends go. Friends go,
Ive had bad things happen. But
that horse is the one consistent thing
and part of the reason I am the per-
son I am today.
Drobenak also occasionally does
training with riders at the NJEC.
I want to show people what a
horse can do for you, he said.
Just like horses, I love to see that
transformation. I love to motivate
people. When I motivate them, it
motivates me. I tell people, if you
fall off, you have to get right back
on, added Drobenak. Life is kind
of like that too.
Another major responsibility that
Drobenak has is traveling with
Bauer to trade shows. For about
100 days a year, they are on the
road, and can be out of the area for
upwards of a week. Typically, they
will live out of a Winnebago.
Youre sleeping on an air mat-
tress for a week. Your back hurts,
and youre getting up at 5 am, he
said. But I love doing it.
The fact that I am happy here
means that I am happy everywhere
in my lifeeven when I am not
here. Its almost contagious, he
said. You have people who go to
school for four, five, six, seven or
even eight years for something they
dont love, but they need the money.
I dont feel like Im working. I dont
call it work. I call it riding.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 35
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April 2013 Clifton Merchant36
Life Challenge
Mike Najda has a saying for the deadly disease he staresdown at but we wont print it in this community magazine.
Diagnosedwith ALS
Story by Joe Hawrylko
Clifton Merchant April 2013 37
Suffice it to say that anyone who knows the boister-ous 49-year-old can get an idea of what the two wordmessage imprinted on his red wrist band states.
Najdas battle against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS, or Lou Gherigs disease) may be robbing him of
his motorskills, but his sense of humor is more raw and
cynical as he faces an uncertain future.
ALS gradually attacks the motor skills, eventually
leaving patients unable to walk, talk or even swallow.
From the time of diagnosis, patients typically live two to
five years.
But thats not something youd guess when you hear
Najda describe his illness.
Theres about 30,000 people with ALS in the whole
US. Its a nice, private club, laughed the Clifton resident
and father of two. One plus, he added with a smile,
you get primo parking because of your wheelchair.
Once large and imposing, standing over six feet tall
and topping the scales at 300 pounds, Najdas size is
diminished since being confined to a motorized chair.
But he is just as loud as he was before the diagnosis, and
his unique sense of humor remains unchanged. Laughing
is what gets him through his daily battles against ALS.
And despite all of the physical, mental and emotional
trials he has endured, Najda said he is totally at peace
with his fate. His two main concerns going for-
Mike Najda with his wife of 28 years, Patricia.
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April 2013 Clifton Merchant38
Life Challengeward are making sure that his family is cared for after his
passing, and that he creates some kind of lasting foundation
to help others in the battle against this crippling disease.
I try to not think about it too much, explained Najda.
Eventually, Im going to end up with my mom and dad.
Though he was only diagnosed with ALS in
September, Najda first began experiencing issues in
March of 2011, with weakness in his right leg, around the
knee area. His physician, David Testa of Clifton, sent
him for MRIs later that month which turned up nothing
and he continued on with life.
Najda didnt know it at the time, but that was the start
of a slow and unexplained loss in motor skills. Over the
next two years, he would endure countless tests as doctors
struggled to identify what was ailing him.
Part of the problem with diagnosing ALS is that there
is no definitive test for it.
Its a process of elimination, explained Najda.
But his mobility became a serious issue when he start-
ed falling in August of 2011.
I would just go down, he said. I thought it was the
knee giving out, but really it was my muscles.
Najda visited orthopaedics, neurologists, and special-
ists of all kinds, traveling as far away as John Hopkins in
Baltimore. Doctors initially thought multiple sclerosis,
then tested him for a variety of blood disorders. For sev-
eral months, doctors thought he had a rare genetic disor-
der called Adrenomyeloneuropathy, but that was proven
to be incorrect when a doctor realized that his size caused
a false positive on a test.
It was frustrating, not knowing what is going on, he
admitted. My wifes girlfriend is a doctor, and the advice
she gave me was, I know it is frustrating, but as long as
they cant diagnose it, it hasnt progressed enough for it
to be a concern. I walked with a cane for stability at that
point (Summer of 2012), but I was fine otherwise. I was
still able to drive. I mean, I drove a motor home to
Florida just in August.
In the summer of 2012, doctors at the Neuromuscular
& ALS Center at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
were beginning to narrow down their suspected illnesses.
Ironically, the renown specialists did not think it was
ALS. Even Dr. Jerry M. Belsch, the specialist from RWJ
who diagnosed him, didnt suspect ALS.
He said, Im 80 percent sure you dont have ALS,
but I have to give you an EMG to make sure, Najda
recalled. For an EMG test, doctors insert metal needles
into muscles to stimulate them with electricity.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 39
n
d
t
t
r
a
Life Challenge
April 2013 Clifton Merchant40
Najda had another doctor perform one
previously, but this one was over two
hours long.
I cried. It was brutal, laughed
Najda. It was nothing like the other
guy gave me. This, he put electrodes all
over the right side of my body. I walked
in with a cane and left in a wheelchair. I
cried from exit 9 all the way to Newark
Airport.
Two days later, he called and asked
me to come to the office and thats when
I knew it wasnt good, he continued.
While waiting in the office, Najda was
reading some of the literature on the
walls, and noticed a story about Dr.
Belsch and his head nurse of the ALS
unit. Shortly after, Dr. Belsch walked in
with that nurse.
Thats when I knew, added Najda.
That day was September 28, 2012. Once the reality of
the situation began to sunk in, Najda said he accepted his
fate and immediately turned his attention to figuring out
a way to care for his loved ones.
The first thing that ran though my mind is in two
yearstwo yearswhat happens to my wife, my kids,
my family? he said. The fact is, no one can tell him.
Every case of ALS is different. Patients may experi-
ence symptoms in different parts of the body, and each
disease progresses differently.
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After diagnosis, the average lifespan is two to five
years. However, there are plenty of instances of people
living well beyond thatphysicist Stephen Hawkings
has lived 50 years with the disease.
But Najda knows that such cases are rare, and even if
he were that fortunate, he would still be handicapped.
Thats why it was imperative for him to plan for the future
of Counter Creations, the Hackensack-based business
that he and his wife Patricia founded in 2001.
With 10 employees, Counter Creations supplies cus-
tom countertops for residential and commercial buildings
across the New Jersey and New York area.
I ran the whole business, Najda said of his role as an
entrepreneur. Between her and my sister Mary, they
take care of the back end stuff.
Despite his illness, which has recently confined him to
a motorized wheelchair in the past month, Najda can still
do most of his duties from his office, outside of visiting
job sites. Currently, he is relying on help from his son,
Mike, and some contractors to take care of that work.
When I have a kitchen to measure, one of my contrac-
tors, who is actually a customer, goes and does it for me,
he said. Najda estimated that his business is 70 percent
contractors who give him return business, and 30 percent
walk ins from homeowners. I actually have three or four
guys like that.
But although he can still run the business efficiently
despite his illness, Najda knows that will all change in the
future. And it could happen fast.
In January, Najda and his wife contemplated shuttering
the business, but ultimately decided to have a conversa-
tion with their son, Mike, 24, about taking over.
Mike has been working at Counter Creations since he
was 16. His primary job was creating the CAD drawings
used in counter design.
Though they were apprehensive about asking, Najda
and his wife soon realized that Mike was ready to accept
the challenge to support his family.
I dont think he had planned to do this for life. I think
he wanted to do other things. But when this all hit, hon-
estly, we debated closing. Eventually, Im going to be at
the point that I cant move, he said. He jumped right at
it. Its easier now with him. I was bullheaded in the
beginning, but he jumps right up to the plate. If hes got
to go to a customers house or learn something, he does
it. He can do anything but pricing at this point.
While his son slowly transitions into his role at the
head of Counter Creations, Najda is busy preparing
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Clifton Merchant April 2013 41
h
Life Challengefor an uncertain future. Approximately two to three
months ago, he began using a cane and a walker to get
around. For the past month, he has been using a motor-
ized wheelchair that a client, who is a volunteer EMT, had
graciously donated.
Though the progress of the disease is unpredictable
and can change at any time, he is already starting to expe-
rience some weakness in his hands.
Najda said he knows his time may be limited, and he
is savoring every moment while he can, and tries laugh-
ing every bit along the way.
I always see the funny side in everything, even in
this, said Najda, as he explained his gallows humor.
Najda said his motto@#!$ ALShas been a rally-
ing point for family and friends. Hes even gone as far as
getting several hundred red wristbands, with the motto in
black, bold lettering, printed for his supporters.
If it werent for friends and family, I wouldnt be able
to do it, said Najda. Especially our church and school
(St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Passaic).
Theyve been very, very supportive. The St. Nicholas
community held a fundraiser for Najda. More than 300
people attended, raising thousands of dollars, to help pay
for so many things insurance does not.
Likewise, Najda wants charity to be his lasting legacy.
For the past couple of months, he has been document-
ing his journeycomplete with his humoron facebook
under Mikes ALS Journey. He said he also plans on
starting a website soon.
Really, the goal right now is awareness. Financially,
this will cripple you, he explained. It takes about
$200,000 a year to treat, and the government doesnt do
anything for you.
Eventually, I want to set up my website up that you
can donate and then we will be able to give grants to go
directly to ALS patients, Najda continued. A lot of
money goes towards research now, but not so much for
individuals.
Beyond his website, Najda just plans to enjoy his life
now, one day at a time. Its more preparing for the
future, he said. Najda and his wife also plan to visit the
Netherlands one more time to see her family. You dont
plan on going to Hawaii in five years. You plan on going
to the Pocconos now. The longest term goal I have is to
see my son Zach graduate high school in four years.
Im not gonna go buy a Ferrari and have a five year
payment plan, he added with a laugh. My luck, Ill live
another 23 years.
April 2013 Clifton Merchant42
Clifton Merchant April 2013 43
April 2013 Clifton Merchant44
Next time youre on most any airplane or train andtoss a bit of debris into the plastic trash bags held byan attendant, chances are that four-by-three foot poly-
ethylene item was Made in Clifton.
Those bags and others customized bags for a variety
of industries are made at the Champion Plastics
Division of X-L Plastics Incorporated on Clifton Blvd.
With over 100 factory employees, and more than 50
others in sales and support capacities, the company
operates 24/7, with three shifts around the clock, pro-
ducing over 250,000 pounds of finished product daily.
A majority of the bags manufactured here will not be
destined to line your household trash can. But like the
trash bags for airlines and trains, consumers worldwide
come in contact with Champion products from time to
time. Items such as covers, films, sheeting, tubing and
shrink packaging are purchased and used by leading
companies in the food, drug and chemical industries.
While the sales force and support staff pictured
above sell, distribute and keep the quality of the prod-
uct up to client specifications, its the unionized guys
on the factory floor that make the product.
Noisy and busy, the plant floor is sprawling and
teeming with activity. Teams of men operate the 18
large extruders, pumping out millions of bags daily, in
a rainbow of colors and in various gauges.
With the unique machinery found in the plant, they
can design and produce bags from two to 200 inches.
With all that manufacturing going on, workers are
constantly sweeping up and collecting discarded sheets
of plastic. Thats because Champion is also big into
recycling and is really environmentally friendly.
Weve been recycling before it was a buzzword,
before it was the thing to do, said Champions Chief
Executive John Callaghan. Literally all that stuff, he
said, pointing to a heap on the factory floor, is collect-
Made in Clifton
CHAMPION PLASTICSBy Tom Hawrylko
Clifton Merchant April 2013 45
ed and recycled right here. There is
little or no waste in our process. In
fact, we also buy post-industrial
and post-consumer plastics and
reprocess them for our materials
that dont need FDA compliancy.
Four massive silos, standing
some four stories high, store more
than 2,000 tons of resin. Between
that raw material and the recycled,
Champion can sell, manufacture
and ship vast quantities of products
quickly and cost effectively.
While the company had its ori-
gins as X-L Plastics Inc. and was
founded in Belleville in 1972,
Callaghan said the firm has called
Clifton home since 1977.
Back then, we had a manufac-
turing plant in Harrisonit was
actually a Heinz 57 pickle facto-
rywhich is now a PATH station,
Callaghan recalled.
Our offices were over the A&P
in the middle of Botany Village,
he continued. Those were great
times. Botany had great stores and
all those little barsthey all had
great lunch specials.
By 1979, Champion Plastics
Corporation merged with X-L
Plastics and in 1984, the firms new
moniker became Champion
Plastics/Division of X-L Plastics.
By then, Callaghan and his team
had $2 million in sales, 45 factory
employees and were manufacturing
a growing product line on six
extruders in Harrison.
Owners of the firm also formed
another name familiar to Cliftonites
who drive along Clifton Blvd.
Armel Truckingto accommodate
the shipping needs.
Opportunity and fortune smiled
on X-L Plastics in 1984 when it
acquired what was then the vacant
Tenneco Paper property on
Above, a worker prepares product for shipping at Champion Plastics. On thefacing page, at the center is Champions Chief Executive John Callaghansurrounded by Clifton residents Kelli Terrazzino, Christina Filewicz, LesiaGlodava, Rose Marie Zangara, Denise Zangara, Beverly Cholewczynski,Michelle Orsita-Kaplan, John Callaghan, Mike Kaplan and Alex Crow.
April 2013 Clifton Merchant46
Clifton Blvd. and adjacent properties. The move was
strategic for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, cited Callaghan, it allowed the
company to consolidate its manufacturing, sales and
marketing divisions under one roof.
Flexibility is key in manufacturing today, said
Callaghan. We can adjust quickly to market demands.
It was like they had a crystal ball when they made that
purchase, he said of the owners. Our move in 1984
set this company on the path for great growth.
The Clifton Blvd. property, which has a freight rail
line running right through the property, is a big asset to
the firm. Delivery of raw product and export of fin-
ished items are streamlined and cost efficient.
In addition to the rail line, the eight loading docks
along Clifton Blvd., with additional bays, docks and
parking facilities in the rear makes getting product to
customers easy and gave the company room to grow.
With subsequent purchases of other adjacent proper-
ties on Clifton Blvd., Champion was able to add more
extruders and expand manufacturing capacity.
Cliftons location as headquarters for a company that
needs to transport product quickly is key. Were close
to seaports, airports, major arteries and then there is our
people, Callaghan said. So yes, Clifton is a great
town to do business in. Plus the workforce is diverse
and talented.
While Callaghan is now an expert in the plastics
industry, his career path did not begin in what was then
a relatively new field. Trained as an architect, he gradu-
ated CCNY in 1974.
He started out peddling dry cleaning bags in 1976
and learned the ins and outs of the trade. Nonetheless,
his background as an architect does help him today.
Theres a lot of mathematics involved in the construc-
tion styles of these bags, he said.
What he seems to enjoy most about working at
Championnearly four decades nowis that the pri-
vately-held company nurtures and retains employees.
Many of the Cliftonites pictured on the previous
page started out as part-timers or in entry-level jobs and
have been given opportunities to grow into new posi-
tions as the company expanded. Likewise, there is a lot
of seniority on the factory floor, men that know the
machinery and how to keep the extruders producing
plastic bags of all shapes and sizes.
My job is the bring out the best in our people and I
still enjoy every day here, said Callaghan.
paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver
The Honorable
Speaker of New Jersey15-33 Halsted St., Suite 202 East Orange, NJ 07018
973-395-1166 [email protected]
Proudly Serving Assembly District 34... Clifton, Orange, East Orange & Montclair
Sheila Y. Oliver
It is a pleasure to read of themany Clifton manufacturingfirms serving our community.Read about other productsMade in New Jersey atwww.njmep.org.
Made in Clifton
Clifton Merchant April 2013 47
In 1988 at theirColfax Ave. factory,Edward Staub withhis two sons Jerryand Tom and alater version of the PaceMaster 600.
Clifton History
t
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Story byCarol Leonard
April 2013 Clifton Merchant48
Clifton HistoryAs an increasing number of people heed the advice oftheir doctors and other healthcare professionals to get
more exercise, many are taking to the gym or purchasing
home equipment on which to work
out. You may be among them.
But did you know that the first
treadmill for use by the general
public was developed and produced
right here in Clifton by the late
Edward Staub.
A native of Philadelphia and
longtime city resident until his
death last July at the age of 96,
Staub was a mechanical engineer
by profession. He worked long
hours at Besco Corp., a company
he founded on Colfax Ave. to man-
ufacture aerospace components.
Along with his wife Dorothy, he
also helped raise seven children, four sons and three
daughters.
According to his family, Staub was always very health
conscious. He ate well and exercised, and he wasnt a
big drinker, said his daughter, Dolores Colucci-Healey.
He never smoked. In fact, he said it was a filthy habit.
But when his brother died suddenly of a heart attack
in the 1960s, Staub became even more concerned about
the importance of staying fit.
In 1968 he read a book written by Dr. Kenneth
Cooper, a physician and health and fitness guru who had
served as a personal doctor to President George W. Bush.
Dr. Cooper introduced the concept of aerobic exercise to
help improve cardiovascular health.
The book said that if you could
run a mile in eight minutes four or
five times a week you would always
be in good shape and would be
healthy, Staubs son, Gerald, said.
My dad figured that anyone can
spare eight minutes a day.
After reading the book, Staub
challenged himself to build a person-
al exercise treadmill, which Dr.
Cooper had contended would always
be too expensive to purchase for the
home.
At the time, most treadmills
were used for medical testing or
rehabilitation, Gerald explained.
They werent widely used just for exercise, but my dad
decided that this would be a great thing.
Initially, Staub developed the first treadmill for his
own use, but then sent a prototype to Dr. Cooper in
Texas, where he ran an aerobics center. He called his
invention the PaceMaster 600. Impressed with his inno-
vation, Dr. Cooper got Staub his first customer, a fitness
equipment dealer who thought it was a great product.
The dealer bought five and then ordered more,
Gerald said. By word of mouth, other dealers heard
about it and they bought it. They thought it was
William & Dorothy Staub.
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Clifton Merchant April 2013 49
April 2013 Clifton Merchant50
Clifton History
reliable and cost-effective. According to Gerald, the
first model of the PaceMaster 600 cost $295.
In the beginning, Staub manufactured the treadmills at
his Besco plant in Clifton, but as demand for the product
grew, he moved the
operation to a building
in Little Falls and start-
ed a new business
called Aerobics, Inc.
The company later
moved to an even larg-
er facility in West
Caldwell. Staub even-
tually phased out his
work in aerospace to
focus solely on the treadmill business.
Gerald, who holds a degree in electrical engineering,
joined his father in the new venture and the two would
market the treadmills at tradeshows for fitness equip-
ment dealers.
When Staub decided to retire in the mid-1990s, he
sold the company to his sons, Gerald and Thomas.
Gerald took over as CEO and Thomas was vice president
of sales and marketing. The two brothers have also since
sold the business and retired.
For his efforts in introducing the exercise treadmill to
the public, Staub received a Lifetime Achievement
Award from Health & Fitness magazine, and he was fea-
tured in a 2006 article in Runners World magazine enti-
tled Our Favorite Things: 40 Years of Running Gear
Innovation. The article credited Staub with eliminating
inclement weather as an excuse for not exercising.
His passing was acknowledged by TV news anchor
Brian Williams on the NBC Nightly News. Williams said
that Staubs product helped make people more fit all
over the world.
Aside from his busy work schedule, Staub had many
personal interests and activities over his lifetime, includ-
ing building and flying radio-controlled airplanes and
tinkering with amateur radio. He was also an avid bowler
and once owned Colonial Lanes in Lawrenceville. He
enjoyed both snow and water skiing, and in his 80s he
even took up golf.
His mind was always going, Gerald said. In his
late 80s and early 90s, he was drawing sketches of ideas
for new golf clubs.
Staub was also very involved in civic life around the
area. Among his other activities, he was a member of the
Board of Trustees of St. Marys Hospital. He and his
wife offered an endowment to the former Pope Paul VI
High School and con-
tributed generously to
St. Philips and St.
Pauls parishes. He
was an avid supporter
of the Clifton Boys &
Girls Club, where his
daughter, Dolores, was
executive director for
many years.
My parents were
very good to the community, Dolores said.
Staub continued to stay active and exercised on his
treadmill almost until the end of his life. He was actual-
ly in very good health until he passed away, Dolores
said.
After losing his wife of more than 70 years in 2007,
Staub lived alone in his MacArthur Drive home and took
care of himself until age 95, when his children insisted
that he have a full-time caregiver to assist him.
We found him up on the roof one day trying to do a
repair, Dolores said. Thats when we knew he needed
someone to look out for him.
He was always very independent and a do-it-your-
selfer, added Gerald.
In addition to Dolores, Gerald, Thomas and their
spouses, Staub also left behind sons William Jr. and
Norman, and daughters Kathleen and Dorothy and their
spouses, as well as 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grand-
children. He was also predeceased by his daughter,
Patricia.
Staubs children are very proud of their fathers
accomplishments as an inventor, businessman and entre-
preneur, but they are even more grateful for all the love
and guidance he gave them as a parent.
He was a wonderful father and a good man, Dolores
said. He would leave for work early in the morning, but
he would come home for lunch every day at noon. We
had dinner together as a family every evening at 7.
Sometimes he would have to go back to work, but he
always took the time to help us with school projects and
spent a lot of time with us.
At the time, most treadmills wereused for medical testing or rehabilita-tion. They werent widely used just
for exercise, but my dad decided thatthis would be a great thing.
Clifton Merchant April 2013 51
April 2013 Clifton Merchant52
The Mustangs improvedslightly in their 2012 cam-paign, posting a 13-13record. And although they gradu-
ated five seniors, Clifton was slat-
ed to enter the season with a num-
ber of returning starters, including
the top three pitchers in the rota-
tion.
Unfortunately, head coach Joe
Rivera will be without the services
of Tyler Lavin after he broke his
ankle in a scrimmage. Lavin was
the third pitcher in the rotation, and
played left field.
Still, despite the injury, Rivera
thinks his team will feature enough
talent and depth to have a success-
ful season.
Before we lost Tyler, I was
really confident, he said. Were
still definitely going to be really
good. Im pretty excited about this
year.
Senior Tom Hanle returns as the
Mustang ace.
He throws a lot of strikes and
has a great curveball, said Rivera.
Hanle will be followed by Lou
Ramos, a junior.
Hes got a great change up,
added coach. He beat Don Bosco
last year.
Replacing Lavin will be junior
Jose Rosado.
For relief pitching, Rivera will
utilize several players, including
senior Erick Ferrara, Jokeldy
Hernandez, and sophomore Kevin
Lord.
Seniors on the diamond: Erick Ferrara, Chris Koblyarz, Nick Martin, Cory
Pollina and Chris DiFalco. Front: Anthony Fusoni, Josh Handler, Roberto
Mendoza, Tom Hanle, Jokeldy Hernandez and Dennis Pierson.
Baseball Softball Track Lacrosse Volleyball Tennis Golf
CHS
BaseballApril 1 Passaic County Tech 4pm
April 3 @ John F. Kennedy 4:30pm
April 5 Eastside Paterson 4:30pm
April 6 @ Elizabeth 2pm
April 8 @ Passaic 4:15pm
April 10 Bergen County Tech 4pm
April 12 @ DePaul Catholic 4pm
April 13 @ Belleville 11am
April 15 Fair Lawn 4pm
April 16 @ Paramus Catholic 4pm
April 18 Teaneck 4:15pm
April 19 @ Wayne Valley 4pm
April 20 @ Montclair 12pm
April 22 Wayne Hills 4pm
April 24 Passaic County Tech 4pm
April 26 John F. Kennedy 4:30pm
April 27 Kearny 11am
April 29 @ Eastside Paterson 4:30pm
May 1 Don Bosco Prep 4pm
May 3 @ Bergen County Tech 4pm
May 6 Passaic 4:15pm
May 8 West Milford 4pm
May 10 @ Lakeland 4pm
May 13 @ Passaic Valley 4pm
May 15 @ Bloomfield 7pm
May 25 County Tourn(TBD) TBA
MUSTANG SPORTS
Clifton Merchant April 2013 53
The infielders will be led by returning first basemen
Chris DiFalco, who was one of Cliftons top hitters
during the 2012 campaign.
He bats third for us and has a big bat, said Rivera.
DiFalco has been out with mono for a few weeks, but
is expected to return for the start of the season.
Jokeldy Hernandez starts at second base, and will be
one of the Mustang relief pitchers this coming season.
Erick Ferrara, who is committed to play at
Lackawanna College next spring, returns to start a
third base and will bat clean up.
Hes the best hitter Ive ever coached, said
Rivera.
Junior Jose Rosado was the starting short stop by
the end of 2012, and will return to the same position
this year.
Hes a solid hitter and plays great defense, said
Rivera. Rosado will bat second in the order.
Senior Cory Pollina will be the catcher, and will be
backed up by senior Dennis Pierson.
Clifton also features several utility players in the
infield who will sub in. Junior Bailey Snyder plays
first base and will be a relief pitcher.
Hes a great bunter too, added coach.
When not pitching. sophomore Kevin Lord will also
sub in at second or third as needed. Senior Josh
Handler is another utility player in the infield for
Rivera.
The outfield will be led by right fielder Anthony
Fusoni led the Mustangs in RBIs last year, and will bat
fifth in the order in 2013.
Senior Roberto Mendoza will start in the outfield
and will bring speed to the bottom of the batting order.
Senior Nick Martin will also start, and will be the
teams DH.
Senior Chris Koblyarz, and junior Jimmy Sanzogni
will be fighting for playing time in the outfield as well.
Jimmy hasnt played in two years, but he has a ton
of speed and is very athletic, said Rivera. Chris has
a great arm in the outfield.
With several returning players and a talented pitch-
ing staff, Rivera believes that his team can improve
upon last year. Clifton beat Wayne Valley in the first
round of the states, and lost to Wayne Hills in the coun-
ty semi-finals. We should be pretty good, he said.
Im confident about our team.
f
SMUSTANG SPORTS Baseball
April 2013 Clifton Merchant54
The Lady Mustangs willhave a new face at thehelm in 2013, as RonShekitka takes over a Clifton squad
that posted a .500 record last year.
Before taking the job, Ron
Shekitka was a high school umpire
in the North Jersey area. He was
also previously the coach of the
Passaic Indians baseball team.
The new coach said that setting a
starting line up has been a challenge
thus far..
Part of it for me was that I did-
nt really get to see them play much
last year, said Shekitka, who has
lived in Clifton for 19 years.
In Florida, the Lady Mustangs
posted a 3-5 record.
We won our first game and then
our last two games, he said. So
We started off good and ended
good. The middle was a little
shaky.
Cliftons top returner will be sen-
ior pitcher Amanda Marakovitz,
who received All-County honors in
2012.
Shes not only a great pitcher,
shes a good hitter too, said
Front, from left: Megan Pasch, Jaclyn Scotto, Janine Giordano and Dylan Amico.Middle: Kayla Lord, Jaclyn Giordano, Heather Ranges, Jocelyn Cosme. Back:Jessica Schama, Jennifer Chupick, Amanda Marakovitz, Jessica D'Alessio andChristine Gustafson.
MUSTANG SPORTS Softball
CHS
SoftballApril 1 at Passaic County Tech 4pm
April 3 John F. Kennedy 4pm
April 5 @ Eastside Paterson 4pm
April 9 Passaic 4pm
April 10 @ Bergen County Tech 4pm
April 13 @ Wanaque (tourny) 5pm
April 15 @ Fair Lawn 4pm
April 19 Wayne Valley 4pm
April 20 Clifton Classic (tourny) 5pm
April 22 @ Wayne Hills 4pm
April 24 Passaic County Tech 4pm
April 26 @ John F. Kennedy 4pm
April 29 Eastside Paterson 4pm
May 1 @ Immaculate Heart Acad. 4pm
May 2 DePaul Catholic 4pm
May 3 Bergen County Tech 4pm
May 6 @ Passaic 4pm
May 8 West Milford 4pm
May 10 @ Lakeland 4pm
May 11 County Tournament TBD
May 13 Passaic Valley 4pm
May 15 @ West Orange 4pm
Clifton Merchant April 2013 55
MUSTANG SPORTS Softball
Shekitka. Junior Dylan Amico will be the catcher.
Going around the bases is Janine Giordano, Chriss
Gustafson at first, Jacklyn Giordano at second, sopho-
more Kim DAugusta at short stop and Janine Giordano
at third.
Right now, we see a lot of good things. She just
needs the experience, Shekitka said about DAugusta.
The ability is there. It is just a matter of getting the
experience at the next level.
Senior captain Heather Ranges will anchor center
field. Senior Jess DAlessio returns in left field. Right
field will be split between senior Jen Chupick and soph-
omore April DAngelo.
Backup pitchers will be Gustafson and DAngelo.
From when we started til now, our hitting has really
improved, said Shekitka. Clifton won its first game
against PCTI 15-1. I think that kind of surprised a lot
of people. It didnt surprise me, but I think it surprised a
lot of people.
Cliftons lineup this year is Ranges, Janine Giordano,
Marakovitz, Gustafson, Chupick, DAlessio, Amico,
Jacklyn Giordano and DAugusta.
Basically, we are going with nine right now, he said.
That might change here or there, but everyone is doing
a good job hitting the ball. No need to use up our dp or
flex because everyone is doing our job.
If we get big hits at the right time and make routine
plays, I think well have a good year, he continued.
Amanda will keep us in games for the most part. I think
we can do the little things behind her. I think well have
a good year. The attitude is great, the work ethic is great,
the kids are working real hard and the coaches are work-
ing real hard. I hope to keep the tradition going.
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