NJBIA President & CEO Michele Siekerka, along with two members of the association’s Board of Trustees, were recently named to the NJBIZ 2026 Power 100, an annual list recognizing New Jersey’s most influential business leaders.
The NJBIA board members recognized by NJBIZ are Dr. Teik Lim, President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, CEO of ZAGO Manufacturing. Lim became an NJBIA trustee in 2024 and Rottenstrich has served on the board since 2023.
According to NJBIZ editor Jeffrey Kanige, the 2026 edition of the Power 100 recognizes “individuals who are helping to make New Jersey a better place to live, work and do business.”
Michele Siekerka
“As president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, Siekerka leads one of the nation’s most influential statewide employer organizations,” NJBIZ said. “Since her tenure began in October 2014, NJBIA has expanded its voice on critical policy issues affecting New Jersey businesses while enhancing member services and resources.
“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,” NJBIZ said.
“Ahead of the 2025 gubernatorial election, Siekerka reinforced her role as a go-to authority on business, tax, labor and regulatory issues when she presented NJBIA’s Blueprint for a Competitive New Jersey, a 28-page policy document that seeks to offer a roadmap to drive innovation and grow the state’s economy.”
Dr. Teik Lim
Since becoming the 9th president of New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2022, “Lim has worked aggressively and inclusively to raise the school’s profile, its reception and its partnerships,” NJBIZ said.
As part of a statewide artificial intelligence initiative, NJIT joined a public-private collaboration with NVIDIA and other New Jersey colleges and universities to expand AI education, research, and workforce development.
Through this memorandum of understanding, NJIT will help leverage shared high-performance computing resources, including planned AI infrastructure, to support hands-on student training, applied research, and innovation aligned with industry needs—positioning NJIT as a key academic partner in the state’s broader AI ecosystem.
Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich
A former corporate attorney who co-founded ZAGO over 30 years ago, Rottenstrich is a respected business leader who runs a company that manufactures high-tech sustainable solutions.
“As CEO of 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,” NJBIZ noted. “Operating from a century-old, refurbished factory in Newark, ZAGO manufactures high-tech sealing fasteners and switch boots for a range of industries, from aerospace to medical to clean energy to electronics to transportation.”
Beyond clean manufacturing, the company invests in its community through the Zago Sustainability 360° program – offering scholarships, internships, apprenticeships, and full‑tuition support for employees – while actively promoting STEM education in underserved communities, NJBIZ said.
