Employer 'meats' his match on St. Paddy's Day
Miller Personnel holds meatball-making contest to boostmorale, celebrate
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK- Steve Miller is certainly a jolly guy. Miller also likes to let his employees have fun. So, why not have a meatball-making throwdown between him and an employee's Italian mother on St. Patrick's Day?

The office of Miller Personnel, filled with friends, clients and employees, turned into a festive atmosphere on St. Patrick's Day on Monday. Everyone got to enjoy some delicious meatballs and pasta, and vote on which meatball was their favorite.

"Sally [Blaine], who has been the payroll coordinator for two years, came up with it," Miller said. "I was talking with her and she said her mother makes great meatballs."

When Miller replied that he could make a fantastic meatball himself, Sally was shocked. Miller, you see, is Jewish.

"She said, 'With all due respect, Jewish people eat Italian food, they don't make it,' " he said with a laugh. "But, I was born and raised in South Philly. It's all Italian in South Philly."

His competitor in the contest was employee Madeline Rivela.

Miller started to try and make his own meatballs when he was around 26 or 27 years old, and has been making them ever since.

"Whenever the guys come over to play cards, there's always meatballs and sausages on the stove," Miller said.

Miller Personnel has been in business for 35 years. Steve has done fun things with his employees before. He has even jumped out of a plane with a few other employees to raise money for the American Cancer Society. For their Christmas party, he didn't tell anyone where they were going, and they ended up in Boston. He said things like themeatball contest are good for morale.

"I got clients here; they love it," he said. Millermade 100meatballs for the event, while Rivela made 65. He talked about his recipe and the differences between his and Rivela's.

"She uses regular bread," Miller said. "I use parts of bread and bread crumbs. She uses a lot of eggs, as I do. She uses pecorino romano. She gets it flown in."

"I make it the Italian way," Rivela said. "I don't know how he does it. I improvise really. I didn't make them like my mother, I made them like my mother-in-law."

Finally, after everyone had a chance to sample the entries, it was time for the ballot box to be opened.

"I'm so nervous!" Miller screamed, smiling widely. "Aren't you nervous, Madeline?"

As employee Erica Kaufman counted the ballots, it was clear there was a runaway winner- Madeline.

She hugged Miller after getting her trophy.

"We're both winners," she said.

"Is this lady not classy?"Miller asked. "I feel like the guy that lost to Tiger Woods yesterday! She just made a 25-foot putt."