Alumnus recognized with Rider leadership award

Jeffrey Barnhart '78, Creative Marketing Alliance (CMA) CEO and president, will be recognized with the Leadership Legacy Award by Rider University’s Center for the Development of Leadership Skills.

Formal recognition will take place at the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce holiday luncheon on Dec. 21 at the Trenton Country Club.

“Leadership to me is providing the right direction, the right motivation and the right ideas to achieve desired results,” Barnhart said. “It’s being able to explain your vision to people so they can understand things that might not be as obvious to them as they are to you and so they can see the value of it.”

Since launching CMA, an award-winning strategic marketing and integrated communications firm, Barnhart has set the direction and charted the course for CMA with strategic leadership. He grew his firm into the thriving business it is today with 32 employees. The company was recognized as the 2016 Outstanding Small Business of the Year by the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce generating results for clients through branding, marketing and public relations.

“Jeff’s exemplary career made him a natural for this award. As the name connotes, this ‘leadership legacy’ award is all about someone whose life quest leaves a true mark,” said Michele N. Siekerka, Esq., president and CEO, New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), who served as a judge on the university’s Leadership Legacy Award committee. “Jeff’s leadership among his colleagues, his staff, in his industry and in the greater Mercer County community is invaluable. He has touched many, inspired many and blazed a path for many.”  

Prior to founding CMA, Barnhart, a Rider University alumnus, had an extensive background that included the integration of sales and marketing through three mergers at Philips Lighting as the director of marketing communications. Since launching CMA in 1987, Barnhart has continually helped clients achieve success with integrated marketing and public relations programs designed to increase their visibility and strategically grow their businesses.

“The committee feels that Mr. Barnhart fully captures the spirit of the Leadership Legacy Award for a community member,” said Laura Seplaki, associate director, Center for the Development of Leadership Skills and director, Leadership Development Program at Rider University. “He has demonstrated strong leadership in all aspects of his life, worked to assure that those whom he mentors are supported and nurtured, and has been thoughtful in the establishment of his legacy. His contributions and commitment to the community are significant and enduring.”

As a result of its employee-first approach, CMA has employed more than 10 individuals for more than 10 years, and a few of those have been with CMA for more than 20 years, contributing to the economic well-being of Central New Jersey residents. Under Barnhart, the firm has implemented a number of programs—performance reviews, employee-of-the-quarter, individual quarterly goals—that has lead to employee recognition and empowerment. Encouraging leaders to develop from within the organization, each team member has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive in an economically secure environment. The structure of CMA allows employees the opportunity to communicate their desired career path to upper-management, whether lateral or vertical, to foster an environment conducive to growth and role expansion.

Thinking to the next generation, CMA has a robust intern program to mentor and prepare future leaders, welcoming several students each semester who work alongside CMA’s professionals to get hands-on, real-world experience in their chosen field.

Barnhart was previously recognized by Rider University with an Alumni Achievement Award for professional excellence. He has also been named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce and as an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist by Inc. Magazine. He was also recently inducted into the Hopewell Valley Central High School Distinguished Graduate Hall of Fame for his outstanding career and accomplishments.

To learn more about CMA, visit www.GoToCMA.com