Newark, NJ – Choose New Jersey, New Jersey’s leading nonprofit economic development organization, today released its 2022 Annual Report, highlighting Wes Mathews’ first year as President and CEO and the state’s return to a pre-pandemic routine of conducting business. In 2022, Choose New Jersey opened the New Jersey Ireland Center, making New Jersey the first state with an economic development office in Ireland. Choose New Jersey also assisted 43 companies in relocating or expanding to New Jersey, resulting in 4,708 new and retained jobs and generating over $3 billion in capital investments. Since 2011, New Jersey’s efforts have helped more than 360 companies, generating $8.6 billion in capital investments, which created and retained nearly 40,000 jobs in the state.

“Choose New Jersey spent 2022 putting a global spotlight on our state and reconnecting with business leaders in New Jersey, the U.S., and all over the world,” said Ralph LaRossa, Chairman of Choose New Jersey and President and Chief Executive Officer of PSEG. “Innovation and opportunity continue to thrive in this environment. The success of this past year is a testament to this organization’s efforts and the fact that New Jersey is the best place to establish and grow a business.”

As the lead marketing organization for the state, Choose New Jersey highlights New Jersey’s assets to decision-makers around the world. The Annual Report notes that the marketing campaign garnered 1.5 billion impressions in fiscal year 2022. Last quarter, Choose New Jersey was awarded a $10 million grant from the state to continue the work of marketing New Jersey. The state’s continued multi-million dollar investment in Choose New Jersey’s business attraction marketing campaign is a testament to the value of the work the organization does to market the state.

The annual report states that in 2022, Choose New Jersey strengthened global connections and highlighted New Jersey as a premier business destination to foreign audiences by welcoming delegations from over a dozen countries. In addition, the team participated in a number of trade shows and showcased New Jersey’s key sectors, cultivating relationships and generating high-quality leads.

“Through Choose New Jersey’s focus on connections, our state’s 2022 successes include a nearly $1 billion Netflix production facility, a $126 million investment in Applegreen’s new headquarters in the state, and an exciting announcement that New Jersey will be a host venue for the FIFA World Cup,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “I am thrilled by these great wins for New Jersey and look forward to continuing this momentum in 2023.”

The annual report highlights Choose New Jersey’s several significant accomplishments in 2022 which resulted in the following accomplishments:

• Netflix announcing a nearly $1 billion production facility, solidifying New Jersey’s top spot in the world of entertainment
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup^TM choosing the Meadowlands as a host venue, putting New Jersey in the spotlight for one of the world’s premier sporting events
• A $10 million grant from the State of New Jersey for a targeted advertising campaign to attract new business and investment to the state
• The CEO Council, founded to help the state navigate economic headwinds during the pandemic, becoming a permanent part of Choose New Jersey, connecting leaders of some of the world’s biggest companies headquartered in New Jersey
• The opening of the New Jersey Ireland Center in Dublin, making New Jersey the first state to open an economic development office in Ireland and expanding Choose New Jersey’s European presence
• Re-engagement with India, Choose New Jersey’s largest international market for business development, marked by a five-day, four-city mission in December 2022

“We have the momentum, more than ever, to market the state as a premier destination for businesses to succeed,” said Wesley Mathews, President & CEO of Choose New Jersey. “We have returned to our pre-pandemic posture, welcoming delegations and companies from around the globe, and our team is back on the road doing what they do best. And we have a great story to tell: New Jersey is the geographical, intellectual, and cultural crossroad where businesses can thrive.”

To view Choose New Jersey’s 2022 Annual Report, click here.

About Choose New Jersey, Inc.

Choose New Jersey is a privately funded 501(c)(3) economic development organization with a mission to stimulate job creation and attract capital investment to New Jersey. Choose New Jersey markets New Jersey both domestically and internationally as the best place to grow a business in the United States. Knowledgeable, experienced staff, supported by a network of State agencies and private partners, provide free, confidential assistance to guide companies in establishing operations in New Jersey. By harnessing the power of business, labor, academic, and government leaders, Choose New Jersey enables growth across all sectors of the State’s economy, aspiring to build a stronger and more prosperous New Jersey for all. To learn more, visit choosenj.com.