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Many people can point out that Lakewood has one of the world's largest talmudic academies, but Steven Reinman also wants them to know that Lakewood has New Jersey's second-largest industrial office park.

That's because Reinman has the task of bringing in new businesses and creating new jobs in his recent appointment as director of economic development for Lakewood Township and the executive director of Lakewood Industrial Commission.

Reinman, who completed his M.S. in talmudic studies at Lakewood's Beth Medrash Govoha in 1982, began his foray into politics as a member of the Lakewood Board of Education from 1994 to 1996. He has also served as the chairman of the Lakewood Housing Authority and a member of the budget and finance committee, among other public positions.

Since 1994, Lakewood has been Ocean County's only Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), through a state program that allowed select municipalities to stimulate their economic growth with advantages like the ability for UEZ-certified retail businesses to charge a reduced state sales tax rate of 3.5 percent on purchases made in person at their business location. About 400 businesses in Lakewood are UEZ-certified to date, and that number has the potential to double in the future, Reinman said.

"I think Lakewood is underappreciated as a site for large retail operations," Reinman said.

Along with the Lakewood Township Committee, Lakewood Mayor and State Sen. Robert Singer (R-30) appointed Reinman two months ago. Russell Corby, who administered the Lakewood Township UEZ, retired in February, leading Singer to divvy up Corby's old duties among several township employees and create the new position for Reinman.

Prior to his appointment, Reinman spent close to 15 years in the high-tech arena as a venture capitalist and executive recruitment specialist, working with investment portfolio companies across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Israel. Singer said he believes someone with Reinman's experience in the private sector was ideal for the economic development position, rather than a bureaucrat, because Reinman understands what businesses need.

"We've got to certainly position ourselves as a town that's open for business and attracting business," Singer said.

For retailers such as warehousing firms that may be targeting a Jewish audience, Lakewood is an obvious choice because it provides "proximity to kinsman," Reinman said. With a highly skilled workforce, Lakewood can also become a more popular destination for corporate offices, he said.

Reinman also has the goal of "creating a bridge to Israel" through attracting Israeli businesses to Lakewood, particularly in the high-tech industry. Israeli businesses often focus on New Jersey towns like Tenafly with well-chronicled Israeli populations, he said, while overlooking that Lakewood has an Israeli presence of its own.

"There is a built-in community for [Israeli businesses] to blend in with," Reinman said.

Besides for promoting Lakewood's vibrant business environment, Reinman's role also includes marketing the town's cultural attractions and quality of life. Between the historic Strand Theater, the Lakewood BlueClaws minor league baseball team, and a number of public parks, Lakewood has much to offer, Reinman said.

"We are the most urban town in the county, but we are very suburban at the same time," he said.

Reinman said he was the first Orthodox Jew to hold public office in Lakewood when he joined the Board of Education in 1994. Since then, Lakewood's fast-growing Orthodox community has transformed into about half of the town's population, paving the way for the election of officials like committee members Meir Lichtenstein and Menashe Miller.

After graduating from high school in Long Beach, N.Y., Reinman studied in Israel for several years before coming to Beth Medrash Govoha. In his new role, he also oversees the operation of Lakewood Airport, recently taken over by Lakewood Township.

So far, Singer has been impressed with Reinman's work.

"He hit the ground running when he started the job," Singer said. "He's already working in the issues that are key to us."