Center Bancorp. Inc. (CNBC) CEO to Ring the NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell

Company Celebrates Anniversary


MEDIA ADVISORY, June 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) --



 What:
 John Davis, President & CEO of Center Bancorp. Inc. (CNBC) will
 preside over the closing bell to celebrate its 10 year listing
 anniversary on the NASDAQ.

 Where:
 NASDAQ MarketSite - 4 Times Square - 43rd & Broadway - Broadcast Studio

 When:
 Monday June 26th, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. EDT

 Contacts:
 Anthony C. Weagley
 Vice President & Treasurer
 (908) 206-2886
 tonyweagley@ucnb.com

 NASDAQ MarketSite:
 Stephanie Lowenthal; 646.441.5220

Feed Information:

The closing bell is available from 3:50 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on uplink IA-6 C-band/transponder 17. The downlink frequency is 4040 Vertical; Audio 6.2-6.8 The feed can also be found on Waterfront fiber 1623. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Lowenthal at (646) 441-5220.

Photos:

To obtain a hi-resolution photograph of the Market Close, please go to http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/marketsite_events.stm and click on the market close of your choice.

About Center Bancorp. Inc (CNBC):

Center Bancorp, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Union Center National Bank, Union, New Jersey, currently operates fourteen banking locations. Banking centers are located in Union Township (6 locations), Berkeley Heights, Madison, Millburn/Vauxhall, Morristown (3 locations), Springfield, and Summit, New Jersey. The Bank also operates remote ATM locations in the Union and Chatham New Jersey Transit train stations, Union Hospital and the Boys and Girls Club of Union. The Bank recently received approval to install and operate an additional off-premise ATM location in the Madison New Jersey Transit Station, which is scheduled to be operational in 2006.