Business Advocacy
The Business Community's Voice in Trenton
From our headquarters across the street from the State House, the N.J. Chamber of Commerce's staff of lobbyists and researchers work every day to promote pro-growth legislation and reforms that are in the interest of our members and the economy. Our ultimate goals: Create jobs, and foster a New Jersey that is more competitive and business friendly.
Leading the Fight for Business in Trenton
Each day, the NJ Chamber’s Government Relations team represents and advocates for the business community in Trenton. Some of our most recent activities and successes:
Regular ongoing meetings with New Jersey legislative leadership, chairs of legislative committees, State agency commissioners and their staff, to discuss how we can grow New Jersey’s economy and foster a business friendly environment.
Monthly permitting meetings with the Governor’s office and construction/development stakeholders. We most recently were successful in advocating for an expedited construction inspection bill (A-573). This bill will reduce the turnover time that many developers face when trying to get inspections on their construction sites.
New Jersey Chamber Alliance
- We lead a coalition of local and regional chambers of commerce whose members span the entire state. We encourage grassroots advocacy to ensure elected officials are aware of the struggles that all businesses, including main street and small business, across the state are facing.
Joint Tax Committee
- This is a working group of tax experts, accountants, corporations and others. We successfully partnered with stakeholders, experts in the field and the Governor’s office to drop a Corporate Business Tax Bill which will create a more positive climate for New Jersey’s tax payers.
Host business roundtables where members can interact with key state decision makers; recent roundtables include:
- Senate President Nicholas Scutari
- Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin
- Senators Andrew Zwick and Declan O’Scanlon
- Assembly Budget Chair Eliana Pintor Marin and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn
Trenton Watch
- We issue a monthly publication to our members highlighting important legislation we have been tracking that will affect the business community.
Payne Scholar Program
- Our Payne Scholar program is a highly esteemed fellowship program for young graduates seeking to enter and learn about the New Jersey political sphere.
NJ Chamber Government Relations Leadership
Michael Egenton
Executive Vice President, Government Relations
Michael Egenton is executive vice president, Government Relations for the N.J. Chamber of Commerce. He is the Chamber's chief lobbyist and focuses on environmental, transportation, energy, labor, and government reform issues.
Michael sits on several advisory councils and committees including the New Jersey Clean Air Council -- a group appointed by the governor that makes recommendations on matters pertaining to air pollution control.
Prior to coming to the N.J. Chamber, Michael worked at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), analyzing environmental statutes, rules and regulations. He also was the project director and principal author of Modern Forms of Municipal Government, a report published by the New Jersey State Commission on County and Municipal Government.
A native of Plainfield, Union County, Michael is a graduate of Seton Hall University and has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Kean University. Michael and his family reside in Voorhees Township, Camden County.
Amirah Hussain
Director, Government Relations
Amirah Hussain joined the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce in August 2022 and is Director of Government Relations. She advocates on behalf of the state’s business community, primarily in the areas of health care, economic development and taxation. Amirah reports to Michael Egenton, executive vice president of government relations.
From 2020 to 2022, worked in the office of Assemblyman Herb Conaway, where, as Deputy Chief of Staff, she focused on policy research and overseeing daily office operations. She was also previously Director of Policy and Director of Constituent Relations and Outreach.
Amirah has a health care background having worked from 2018 to 2020 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerset as a Patient Access Representative.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2018 and a Master’s degree in 2020 in Healthcare Administration from Rutgers University.