The chairs were being stacked. The tables were being rolled away. The food and drink had long since vanished. Almost all of the approximately 1,000 conference attendees were gone.
The ReNew Jersey Business Summit & Expo at Harrah’s Casino was a wrap.
BINJE coverage of ReNew Jersey Summit 2026
- From meatloaf to cannoli: The community‑first strategy behind JAG’s rapid growth
- Nightmare scenario: Why economy’s failure to hit 3% growth is putting ‘American Dream’ in jeopardy for next generation
- Left out … left behind? Kim says CHIPS Act failure is warning sign for state
- United CEO Kirby: I think Newark is the Crown Jewel for United Airlines
- From bust to buy‑in: Guardian on why AC is now ready for competition
- Sherrill: In chaos, there is opportunity
- Results over rhetoric: Caldwell tells business crowd it’s all about getting things done
- For Control Point Associates, big sponsorship at ReNew Summit is big opportunity
- Host Committee unveils ‘Welcome World Rewards Program’ to support small business in region
- LaRossa: State needs to get to ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ – quickly
- Mobility matters: Why getting Gateway done matters to the region
- A new audience for advocacy: Why Autism New Jersey attended the ReNew Jersey Summit
- Planting seeds, not chasing sales: How one company makes business expos work
- Some like it hot: How Withum booth stole the show at ReNew event in A.C.
- The LinkedIn Post that soared: Image of LG’s authenticity resonated
As I was packing up my things, I looked over to the stage area: Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell was still engaged.
This wasn’t a surprise to me.
I’ve crossed paths with the LG at dozens of events since he assumed office. On each occasion, I’ve seen him take the time to meet with anyone and everyone — whether that means taking a picture or hearing their concerns.
In an era when most politicians come and go quickly, Caldwell stays. He listens to the other speakers. But more than that, he listens to anyone who wants a minute of his time. He never talks about “his schedule” while rushing away.
On this day, I hopped up on stage and took a quick photo — an image that showed LG in conversation while the room was being transformed behind him.
I wrote:
Here’s all you need to know about the LG: The final panel is done, they are breaking down the event — and Dale Caldwell is still engaging. How many elected officials are last to leave?
And then I left.
Within a few hours, the post had more than 50 likes. More than that, it had more than a dozen comments from people grateful that Caldwell is so gracious with his time.
- “Awesome, impressive, and inspiring. Thank you, Dale Caldwell for leading by example.”
- “He is a good man. We need more public servants like him.”
- “Says so much about this wonderfully talented person — the first of many excellent new-hires by Gov. Sherrill.”
Within 24 hours, there were more than 150 likes and six reposts, including one from Caldwell himself.
He wrote:
I genuinely love these conversations.
The panels may end, but the connections don’t have to. This is exactly why I show up — not just to speak, but to listen.
New Jersey deserves leaders who stay in the room. I intend to be one of them. Proverbs 31:8-9
In many ways, LinkedIn has become the new Facebook. What started out as purely business, has gotten a lot more personal.
Is that a bad thing?
Business, after all, is personal. And on a platform increasingly hungry for authenticity and increasingly filled with AI, this post worked. Not because it was polished — but because it was real.
