Tonianne Calderone is the Hudson Reporter’s newest “Employee of the Month.”
Calderone, a member of the ad sales staff, has spent her whole life in Hoboken. Growing up in an apartment building on Jefferson Street, she saw things change. Like her friends, she went to Catholic schools, most of which have since disappeared.
Calderone graduated from St. Dominic’s Academy in Jersey City. Then she attended Northeastern University in Boston and transferred to Rutgers.
“She is nice to everyone she comes in contact with. She always looks for the upside of any situation.” – A colleague
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But then she had to take some time off. She was caring for her then-newborn son, Benny Love Jr., as well as her father Joseph, who was ill.
When she was ready to work again, she saw an ad for a receptionist at the Hudson Reporter newspapers in Hoboken.
Calderone’s easy smile, bright attitude and friendliness served her well in her new job. It only took two months for her bosses to see that she might make a good sales representative.
So for the last five years, Calderone, 32, has sold ads for businesses in downtown Jersey City, uptown Hoboken, and Edgewater.
She has been asked to do some unusual tasks as well, including when the editorial staff asked her to model for the spring and fall issues of the Hudson Current entertainment paper. She never backed down from an assignment.
But Calderone said she doesn’t intend to pursue modeling. “Gosh, no,” she said. “It was cool, though.”
Calderone’s positive attitude got her some strong compliments from the colleagues who nominated her for Employee of the Month this month.
“She is a sweet person with a smile for everyone, every day,” wrote one co-worker. “She interacts well with all departments and pitches in.”
“ToniAnne is always energetic and will go the extra mile to make sure her customers get the best from her,” wrote another colleague.
“She is nice to everyone she comes in contact with,” wrote another peer. “She always looks for the upside of any situation.”
She was also described as “Hard-working and a real go-getter. Always nice with a kind word to say.”
Lucha Malato, the newspaper chain’s co-publisher, said, “Toni is a great addition to the Hudson Reporter. She is always smiling and willing to help out wherever she is needed. She puts in the extra effort, and her clients are happy with all aspects of her work.”
Calderone spends much of her free time with her son Benny, who is 6 and attends Wallace Primary School.
“We love to cook together,” she said. “We spend time at the library, local parks. He likes to go by the waterfront.”
Calderone still lives in Hoboken and loves her job. To place an ad with her or ask questions, call her at the Reporter at (201) 798-7800.