November 2025 Joel Ponce

Congratulations to our November 2025 WaveMaker of the Month!

How long have you been a member of the OceanFirst Bank team? What role do you play on the Bank Team? In November, it will make 2 years. I am currently the Branch Manager at the New Brunswick Branch.

What has been your favorite volunteer activity – and why? I love volunteering at the community soup kitchen called Elijah’s Promise in New Brunswick. This organization not only serves meals to those in need but also provides culinary training, job placement, and other essential resources. They have been transforming lives by helping to break the cycle of poverty and hunger in my community since 1989. In my opinion, there is no greater way to make a meaningful impact in my community than by offering my time and support to their mission.

What has volunteering taught you? Volunteering has taught me to connect with causes that are greater than myself. My small act of service in the community has had a lasting impact on others and on my personal and professional life as well. It has reshaped my perspective, and it has ignited a sense of purpose.

If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? It would be Pizza.

If you could pick a superpower, what would it be? Telekinesis is the concept of manipulating physical objects by using only your thoughts. That would be my pick for a superpower.

Are you a traveler or a homebody? I am a homebody.

Do you sing in the shower or in the car? Never in the shower. Always in the car.

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning Person.