An Impact100 SJ member since 2018, Jackie Egan Cometz joined when her friend Emily Orel invited her. Jackie and her husband own General Floor Inc., and as business owners they have always felt committed to giving back to their community. The company supports many community organizations and Jackie has been personally involved in supporting civic groups, local sports teams, school groups, and nonprofits in her 30 plus years as a South Jersey resident.
Jackie came to South Jersey from her home state of Connecticut after meeting her husband in college and marrying the South Jersey native. They raised 3 daughters in Mt. Laurel while building their flooring business. Along the way, Jackie joined the Alice Paul Chapter of NOW, became involved with the Alice Paul Institute, in PTO, Girl Scouts, and various sports leagues that her daughters participated in, supporting these organizations personally and through the family business. When asked to join Impact100 SJ, it was a no brainer. The mission aligned perfectly with Jackie’s personal philosophy to “be a part of the solution.” The power of collective giving provides a way to amplify her impact in the community where her family and her business have thrived.
However, for Jackie, the financial impact of her membership is only one awesome benefit of joining Impact100 SJ. The opportunity to be a part of this incredible group of like-minded women, to network and build personal and professional relationships with women you may not have met otherwise, and the chance to learn more about the organizations doing important work in the community, have been energizing for Jackie. She also serves on the Events Committee of Impact100 SJ helping to bring women together in person and now virtually.
Jackie feels that through the networking process, other opportunities to have impact might be uncovered, like the opportunity for her business, General Floor Inc., to provide in-kind support to the Ronald McDonald House of Camden in 2019. RMH had been awarded one of two general operating grants of $27,500 each that year. At the event, Jackie approached Teddy Thomas of RMH and offered the assistance of her family business to make their proposed project happen despite not having won the Impact grant of $100,000. The company provided the flooring to help make RMH a more sterile environment for the children and families they serve! For Jackie, this exemplified the true power of Impact100 SJ, an organization with “exponential possibilities” for members to make a positive impact on the region.