Michele Siekerka, president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), along with board members Dr. Teik Lim and Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, have been named to the NJBIZ 2026 Power 100 list. This annual list highlights individuals considered among the most influential business leaders in New Jersey.
Dr. Teik Lim is the president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and joined NJBIA’s Board of Trustees in 2024. Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, CEO of ZAGO Manufacturing, has served on the board since 2023.
NJBIZ editor Jeffrey Kanige stated that this year’s Power 100 recognizes “individuals who are helping to make New Jersey a better place to live, work and do business.”
According to NJBIZ, “As president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, Siekerka leads one of the nation’s most influential statewide employer organizations.” The publication noted that since Siekerka began her tenure in October 2014, NJBIA has expanded its advocacy on policy issues affecting businesses while improving member services.
NJBIZ added: “Along with being widely recognized for her ability to navigate political and economic landscapes, Siekerka is known for offering strategic insights to advance policies that make New Jersey more affordable and regionally competitive.”
Ahead of next year’s gubernatorial election, Siekerka presented NJBIA’s Blueprint for a Competitive New Jersey. This policy document aims to provide guidance for innovation and economic growth in the state.
Dr. Teik Lim became president of NJIT in 2022. According to NJBIZ: “Lim has worked aggressively and inclusively to raise the school’s profile, its reception and its partnerships.” Under his leadership, NJIT joined a public-private collaboration as part of a statewide artificial intelligence initiative involving NVIDIA and other institutions. Through this partnership, NJIT will help leverage shared high-performance computing resources—including planned AI infrastructure—to support student training, applied research, and industry-focused innovation.
Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich co-founded ZAGO Manufacturing over three decades ago after working as a corporate attorney. As CEO she oversees an award-winning company supplying high-tech sealing fasteners and switch boots used across industries such as aerospace, medical devices, clean energy, electronics, transportation—and counts Apple, Lockheed Martin, Ferrari, Google and the U.S. military among its clients.
“Operating from a century-old refurbished factory in Newark,” said NJBIZ about ZAGO Manufacturing Co., “Rottenstrich leads an award-winning company with a client roster that includes Apple, Lockheed Martin, Ferrari, Google and the U.S. military.”
The company also runs community programs under its Zago Sustainability 360° initiative by providing scholarships and full-tuition support for employees while promoting STEM education in underserved communities.
The New Jersey Business & Industry Association is recognized as the largest statewide employer association in the United States representing private-sector employers across various industries throughout New Jersey since its founding in 1910. The organization advances competitive excellence among members by offering advocacy efforts—such as those led by Michele Siekerka—essential information services like cost-saving benefits for business prosperity; it also builds collaborations between businesses government entities academic institutions within Trenton-based headquarters.
