STEPPING OUT OF THE SHADOWS CORNELL SURGICAL MOVES INTO THE LIMELIGHT By Kevin Czerwinski
T
he Cornell Surgical Company had been hiding in plain sight for three-quarters of a century, quietly serving as a critical link in the medical equipment and supply chain not only to North Jersey but to all the Tri-state area. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world in the late winter/early spring of 2020, however, that the Bergenfield-based outfit burst from the shadows to become one of the most important businesses in the region. The pandemic introduced panic and fear on a new level for so many, particularly in its early days. Cornell Surgical Owners Howard Shiffman and his son,
Adam, however, viewed the pandemic through a different prism. They had made customer care and service a trademark of their business for nearly 80 years but admittedly, operated in a bit of a vacuum – unless you needed them, you didn’t know about them. The desire to help their community, though, greatly outweighed any concerns that accompanied the pandemic, pushing the family-owned business to help whenever it could. So, whether it was a hospital, a municipality, a doctor’s office or simply an elderly person in need of assistance, Cornell Surgical demonstrated the kind of resolve and dedication that had become associated with the word “heroes” during the
28 | BC the Mag
