Tinen, UCEDC President, Announces Retirement After 33 Years of Service

On Oct 16, 2019

Maureen Tinen, president of the UCEDC (formerly the Union County Economic Development Corporation), announces her retirement from the organization after 33 years of service. She will leave her post at the end of this year and will be succeeded by Senior Vice President Adam Farrah, who Tinen hired three months after becoming president in 1986.

Both Tinen and Farrah have led the transformation of the UCEDC from a three-person operation to a 20-person, full-service economic development corporation serving all of New Jersey and portions of New York and Pennsylvania.

With its commitment to small businesses and entrepreneurs, the UCEDC offers a variety of lending products as well as free entrepreneurial training, mentoring and assistance with securing government contracts.

Since its founding, the organization has generated: $64 million in business loans; helped create 6,000 jobs; trained 10,500 entrepreneurs; and helped clients obtain $2 billion in government contracts.

Both Farrah and Tinen attribute UCEDC’s success to the early realization that to best serve Union County they needed to think beyond its borders. They decided to take a regional approach and support a larger geographic area to attract additional funding and maximize their economic impact and offerings. In so doing, UCEDC was able to funnel more resources back into the county they call home. They consider owning UCEDC’s primary office building in Cranford and their strong relationship with Union County to be among their greatest achievements.

“I am proud of UCEDC’s reputation as one of the most preeminent economic development organizations in the nation. But what I’m even more proud of is the direct impact we have had on countless businesses and individuals who have found success through our services,” Tinen says.

She adds, “I am proud of the work that Adam Farrah and I have done, and I feel privileged to know that I am leaving UCEDC in the same capable hands that have been with me since the beginning. I am grateful for the commitment, loyalty, and humor that Adam has brought to UCEDC.”

Farrah adds, “UCEDC’s strength lies in its ability to see the person behind the business, their life, experience, community and family. Our role will continue to be providing the individuals at the heart of small business with the resources they need to make the best decisions for their business.”

UCEDC’s new vice president will be Director of Training and Technical Assistance Erich Peter, who has been with UCEDC for over a decade. A former finance and accounting professional, small business owner, and past client, Peter will bring his organizational knowledge, small business acumen, and firsthand experience to his new leadership role.

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