Morristown embraces its race with a sense of community
Official results are posted | The race in photos

Steve Miller of The Morris Museum addresses crowd.

MORRISTOWN, N.J., July 17, 2003 – It may be the smallest race in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge® Series, but the Morristown, New Jersey event performs at a championship level.

“This event personifies New Jersey,” said Charlie Tamayo, representing the evening’s host, JPMorgan Chase. “It is first class and leadership driven with a strong sense of community.”

The qualities Tamayo outlined also accurately describe the event’s celebrity starter – New Jersey Nets head coach Byron Scott. A year-round resident of nearby Livingston, Scott was afforded a thunderous greeting at the starting line from 3,007 participants representing 157 companies.

One of the corporate employees in attendance was Mike Baker, Chief Financial Officer for Middle Atlantic Products. He brought his 18-year-old son Andrew – a six-foot, seven-inch Sparta High School senior and basketball standout – to meet Scott.

“We’re originally from Indianapolis and saw Byron Scott play there for the Pacers,” said Baker. “We saw up close how much time he spent in the community, working with kids and charities and supporting worthwhile events, like this one. It’s hard to find great leaders like that. He sets a terrific example that you can be a success and still give back. It’s a great lesson for my son Andrew.”

Scott helps make the race "a New Jersey event"

Scott has directed the Nets to two consecutive Eastern Conference championships, turning what had been a perennially disappointing franchise into the beast of the east, easily eclipsing in accomplishment the more celebrated New York Knicks across the Hudson River.

“Having Byron Scott here truly makes this a New Jersey event,” said Tamayo. “It’s a celebration of the great things the state has to offer.”

The 15th annual JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Morristown also featured a new downtown race course that introduced a downhill finish and rapid times. Mike Spence of International Business Research (IBR) earned the men’s title in 17:17, a full 87 seconds faster than the 2002 men’s winning effort. Jennifer Hart of Merck made her debut in the female division a triumphant one, completing the 3.5-mile course in 20:46, 41 seconds quicker than the 2002 winner.

Once he crossed the finish line, Spence had a confession to make.
“I got to be honest,” smiled Spence to a race official, “I’m a Philadelphia 76er fan.”

The Sixers – with standout Allen Iverson -- are close rivals to Scott’s Nets. “I thought I would leave that out when I met Byron Scott,” Spence said. “After all, he was so gracious to be here. And he seems like a great guy.”

Runners approach the finish line.

Spence, who was a collegiate standout in cross country and track at Princeton, won here in 2001 but was sidetracked last summer. A month-long hiking expedition in Nepal with his fiancé left him with strained knee ligaments that essentially curtailed his entire 2002 competition schedule. He’s back now with a vengeance.

“I’m trying to get back into training competitively,” said Spence, 25, a 35-second winner over Chris Collins of IBM. “I’m gunning to qualify for the Olympic Trails in the steeplechase. I love following the Corporate Challenge and seeing so many other outstanding collegiate runners doing well in these events – people like Jason Lunn (San Francisco) and Julia Stamps (New York). We’re a pretty tight-knit community.”

Spence needed every bit of his ability to win on this night. The top six men’s runners all finished under 19 minutes.

While the women’s champion, Hart, was competing in her first Corporate Challenge event, the Series is by no means a stranger to her.

“My parents work for Syracuse (N.Y.) China and have run in the event up there for years,” said Hart. “I’ve just been waiting for the opportunity to join them. I was going to enter here last summer, but I had a class then on Thursday nights. I’m glad to have run now, and sure hope to be back next year.”

Hart also was a standout in college, leading a Bucknell cross country team that finished 24th nationally in 1999. Not bad for a school that does not offer running scholarships.

"It was a pleasure to get out here in this event, race for Merck, and do well"

“I’m an engineer at Merck working on new capital projects,” said Hart. “The best thing is that Merck has flex time, and that allows me to train. I’m up to 75-80 miles a week now, with the long runs on the weekend. It was a pleasure to get out here in this event, race for Merck, and do well. It is a great event – so professional and it’s nice to see companies from all over New Jersey.”

In addition to corporate camaraderie and wellness, the participants were running for The Morris Museum. JPMorgan Chase made a donation through the Corporate Challenge to the 90-year old institution that is dedicated to providing school programs and distinctive theatre performances that enhance the appreciation and understanding of the arts.

Jerry Boscia of Centocor, Inc. (23:01) and Rene Rovtar, the Morris County Superintendent of Schools (25:57), won the male and female divisions of the New York Times Most Senior Executive Award. The conditions for all runners couldn’t have been more ideal – dry temperatures in the low 80s with minimal wind.

"Running through the neighborhoods ... gave you a sense of community"

“It’s all about company camaraderie,” said Greg Golden of Panalpina. “There aren’t too many true local events for us to participate in, so this is very much appreciated. I’ve been doing it every year since 1997 – I have the t-shirts to prove it – and I wouldn’t miss it.”

We’ve said before in this space that Morristown is a bit reminiscent of Bedford Falls, the fictitious, bucolic burg made famous by Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Merck’s Hart felt the same way.

“The thing that I liked best about this event,” she said, “was the support that you got running through the neighborhoods. It really gave you a sense of community.”

Indeed, Morristown may be the smallest….but it has soul. And on this night Byron Scott.