OceanFirst Foundation of Toms River recently announced the recipients of $267,000 in grants to organizations serving patrons on the Jersey Shore. Twenty-three organizations will receive awards ranging from $1,500 to $15,000 for 2011 and 2012. These grants will provide general operating support at a time whenmany arts and cultural organizations face economic challenges and struggle to maintain programs and services.

Local recipients of the 2011-12 Arts & Cultural Grant Recipients are Algonquin Arts Theatre, Manasquan; Axelrod Performing Arts Center Inc., Deal Park; Belmar Arts Council, Belmar; Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank; The Historic Village at Allaire, Wall; Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation, Red Bank; Monmouth CountyArts Council, Red Bank; Monmouth Museum and Cultural Center, Lincroft; Monroe Township Patrons of the Arts, Monroe; New Jersey Repertory Company, Long Branch; Spring Lake Shakespeare in the Park, Spring Lake; Strand Ventures, Lakewood; and Two River Theater Company, Red Bank.

OceanFirst Foundation has awarded nearly $22 million to more than 600 local charities in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties since its inception in 1996.

The Curchin Group LLC, a mid-size, full-service accounting firm based in Red Bank, announced that Lynn A. Conover, C.P.A., partner, has received the Family Firm Institute (FFI) certificate in Family Business Advising. The FFI is the international body for advising and research in the family business and family wealth fields, with the purpose of increasing public awareness and broadening understanding of trends and developments within those fields.

Conover has more than 25 years of public accounting and auditing experience and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Monmouth University. As part of Curchin’s Family Business Service Group, her experience in serving family businesses includes accounting and assurance, tax returns, tax planning, estate planning, developing operating agreements, assistance with the sale of business, and gifting plans for wealth transfers.

Rosenberg & Fecci Consulting LLC, Fair Haven, has announced that Edward C. Gibbon has been admitted to the firm as a partner. Gibbon joined Rosenberg & Fecci in 2003 and is currently a field examination manager as well as the director of human resources. In addition to his administrative roles, he is also primarily responsible for coordinating and managing R&F’s larger investment banking field examinations.

Gibbon brings 20 years of Fortune 300 company experience in the aircraft manufacturing, consumer products and telecommunications software development industries. His previous position was the director of finance for a business unit at Telcordia Technologies andCFOof a software development company acquired by Telcordia. Gibbon is a graduate of Gettysburg College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received an MBAin finance from the University of Rhode Island.

Rosenberg and Fecci Consulting LLC is a full-service consulting firm providing a variety of services to lenders that include: surveys, recurring field examinations, assisting in-house examiners, takeovers/takedowns, specialized or limited engagements, and forensic/workout engagements. Founded in January 1996, R&F has offices in New Jersey, Connecticut and the Philadelphia area.